I was conducted, however, through neither of these three main gates, but as a very strict rule was then in existence that no chair coolies should be allowed within the palace walls, my chair was carried to a small gate, much nearer the royal apartments, so that we should not be obliged to walk so far. Mrs. Bunker and Dr. Heron accompanied me, and we were met by gentlemanly Korean officials, and taken to a little waiting room, furnished with European chairs, and a table, upon which were little cakes, cigars and champagne, all of which were offered to us ladies, though after a better acquaintance with us, tea was substituted in place of the tobacco and wine. It would take far too long to describe all that engaged my eager interest as we walked through the palace grounds. A beautiful and interesting summer pleasure house--perhaps one of the most unique and remarkable in the world--stands in the center of a large lotus pond. It has an upper story and roof supported on forty-eight monoliths, the outer row being about four feet square at the base; the inner columns are rounded, of about the same diameter, and sixteen or eighteen feet high; the upper story is of wood, elaborately carved, and brightly decorated; most of these buildings are covered with a beautiful green glazed tile, peculiar to royal edifices. There were many other interesting buildings, among which the royal reception hall was probably the finest. We saw a great number of officials, eunuchs, chusas, noblemen and soldiers, each kind and grade wearing a different attire from all the others. The dress of the common soldiers was intended to be an imitation of European military costume adapted to the ideas of the Koreans. The result was a hybrid which had neither the dignity nor the usefulness of the one or the other. It consisted of a loose blouse jacket, and badly fitting, baggy trousers, made of thin black cotton cloth, with scarlet trimmings. The jacket was belted in, and a black felt hat surmounted the top-knot, and was fastened insecurely beneath the chin by a narrow band. This unbecoming uniform has now been changed, and the Emperor’s soldiers are as well dressed as those of any European nation. Korean noblemen when in attendance at the palace wear a dark blue coat, with a belt which is far too large and forms a sort of hoop in front of the person. An embroidered breastplate is worn over the chest, representing a stork for civil office and a tiger for military rank. The head-dress is a kind of hat woven of horsehair, with wings at either side, curved forward, as it were in order to catch every word uttered by royalty. Nobles and officials wear on the hat band, just back of the ears, buttons of various styles made of gold or jade, which indicate the degree of the wearer’s rank.