The palaces, of which there were at that time three, and are now four, within the city walls, consist of several groups of one-story bungalow buildings, within large grounds or parks, which are surrounded by fine stone walls, twelve or fifteen feet high, of considerable thickness. Within these in closures were barracks for soldiers, and quarters for under-officials and servants. A special group of houses stood separated from the others for women’s apartments, and here might be seen the aged and rather infirm dowager queen, who died about a year after my arrival. The main gates in the walls of the palace I was about to visit are three, facing on the great main thoroughfare of the city. The central one, larger than the others, was used only for royalty; even ministers of foreign states are expected to enter by one of the two smaller ones on either side. The fact that on one occasion the central gate had by special royal order been thrown open for the American minister is an illustration of the kindness and favor always shown to our representatives. These entrances are approached by broad, stone steps and a platform with handsome, carved stone balustrade, which is surmounted as well as the lofty gates by crudely chiseled stone images of various mythological animals. Some ten or more paces in front of these steps, and on either side, are the great stone dogs, so called for want of a better name, for they no more resemble dogs than lions. The story of their origin is as follows: The fire god, it was said, had a special enmity against this palace, and repeatedly burned it down; various efforts had been made to propitiate or intimidate him with little success; at length an expensive dragon was brought from China and placed in a moat in the grounds. While he lived all was well, but one ill-fated day an enemy poisoned this faithful guardian, and that night the palace was again burned. Finally some fertile brain devised these animals, no poison could affect their stony digestion, no fear or cajoling could impress their hard hearts; so there they stand on their tall pedestals--fierce and uncompromising, facing the quarter whence the fire god comes, always on guard, never sleeping in their faithful watch, and, as might be expected, he has never been able to burn the buildings thus protected. [Illustration: KOREAN STONE DOG IN FRONT OF PALACE GATES. PAGE 21]