The Explorer

“Do they really wear their hair like that?” John asked with interest.

“Oh yes,” I replied. “Almost all of the Chosun men wear their hair this way.”

“What does it look like when it’s down?”

“Obviously I don’t know that, John,” I said indignantly, giving him the side eye. “In public, they always wear it up in a top knot like this. The noblemen have a special black hat with a raised crown to accommodate it.”

“Fascinating,” he said, carefully putting down the photograph of the labourers and picking up the one of the elite man in his gat and gown. “None of them wear Western dress?”

“Not that I saw. It is not like Japan at all, despite being so close. The Chosun people are proud of their culture and traditions, and they have resisted Westernisation vehemently. There were many Japanese men in Chemulpo and Hanseong though, and they all wore Western-style clothing and had their hair cut short.”

“What about the Chosun women?”

“They wear their own traditional clothing too. It’s called a hanbok, and it is so comfortable. I had some made for travelling round the country. It’s loose and flowy and unrestricted. I wish I could wear it forever.”

“Gosh, you must have got some stares. The only thing stranger than a foreign woman in foreign clothes is a foreign woman in local clothes.”

“Well, I’m rather used to it now. In the Far East, not many people have ever seen a foreign woman, even in pictures. I’m quite accustomed to being a circus attraction after all these journeys.”

“Got any photographs of the han… What was it called again?”

“Hanbok. Unfortunately, no women would permit me to photograph them. I’ve made some drawings though, hold on.”

I rummaged through my briefcase for the sketchbook. Flipping through its pages, I found a drawing I had made of a noblewoman in a gorgeous colourful silk dress.

“Wow. That is stunning. Were the colours really that bright?”

“So bright! I’ve never seen anything like it. All manner of vibrant hues: green, red, blue, yellow. Honestly John, they were truly gorgeous. The peasant women wear the same style of dress, but just in a simple beige or white linen, and without all the embellishments of course.”

“These are amazing. I think we’ll put several of these coloured illustrations into the book. That will really make it stand out.”

“They are quite good if I do say so myself.”

“I was talking about the dresses, but yes, the drawings aren’t bad either.” He winked at me. “I think we have a bestseller on our hands, Isabella. The Hermit Kingdom! People will be thrilled. Plenty of explorers have been to China and Japan now. But Korea…Ah, this is really something new and different.”

“It was a very beautiful country, John. I think it will become quite a popular destination for travellers in the future.”

“I don’t doubt it. Can I hold onto the sketchbook? I’ll take a good look through and mark which ones I think we should include.”

“Certainly. I still have some more plates to develop, so I’ll do that this afternoon and let you know if any more photographs come out well.”

“Fantastic. By the way, the other day I was reading about a new device called the telephone. Soon, we may be able to talk to each other whilst sitting in our own houses.”

“Gosh. Well, that would certainly make life easier. Means I wouldn’t have to traipse over to your office all the time to talk about my publications.”

“Would that mean you would bother me more or less?” John laughed, and I exited his office, rolling my eyes.

I hopped on the horse tram outside John’s office and sat on the open-air upper deck so that I could watch the streets of London pass by. It felt so strange to be back in the city again. It always took a while to readjust after a period of travelling. London changed so fast, it was new and different every time I came back. The city was fast and loud and rowdy, so unlike other parts of the world. I’d just spent 3 months travelling through the mountains and forests of Chosun on horseback. It was so odd to just sit and be a passenger again. Although I did enjoy being able to sit back and be part of a crowd again, instead of being gawked at like a circus attraction everywhere I went.

I reached home and my maid opened the door excitedly.

“Miss, come quick!” she said, pulling off my hat and cape.

“What is it, Jenny?” I asked, half exasperated, half curious, as she tugged on my gloves. “What can possibly have you so excited?”

“It’s a letter,” she said mysteriously. “A very important letter from a very fancy gentleman.”

All right, she’d piqued my interest. “Oh really?” I said, smoothing down my dress and trying to sound nonchalant. “What gentleman?”

“I forgot his name, miss. Very handsome, he was though,” she smirked.

“You forgot his name? Honestly, you’re useless, Jenny!” I said, only half-joking.

“Yes, dressed very nicely he was. A smart suit and a nice pocket watch. About 30, I reckon.”

I racked my brains, trying to think of any man that might come calling for me at home that Jenny wouldn’t know.

“Very keen to meet you,” she said conspiratorially. “Ever so insistent on seeing you. Quite excited in fact!”

“He left a letter?” I reminded her, eager to find out who this intriguing stranger could be.

“Yes, miss!” She ran to fetch it, and we opened it together, still in the entrance hall.

I felt her eyes on me as I read the letter, my eyes scanning the page and absorbing the words as fast as I could. My mouth dropped open and I looked at Jenny, disbelieving.

“I don’t believe it,” I stammered. For once, I was lost for words.

She bit her lip anxiously and reached for the paper. I stood, dumbfounded, as she read through it.

“The Royal Geographical Society!” she squealed. “Congratulations, miss!”

She hugged me tightly as I stood still, too stunned to move.

“Do you know what this means, Jenny? I’ll be the first woman to ever be accepted into the society. The only woman in 60 years!”

“That’s amazing! John will be happy, right, miss?”

I laughed. “He will indeed. Think how popular the new book will be now!”

“You should go tell him right away!”

“I suppose I should,” I sighed, and reached for my cape and hat. Hopefully, the next time I came back to London, that telephone contraption would have arrived too.