Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 15
FromthelittlewehadseenofthelandandthepeoplewewerenotimpressedbyCho-Sen.Ifthesemiserablefisherswereafairsampleofthenatives,wecouldunderstandwhythelandwasunvisitedofnavigators.Butweweretolearndifferent.Thevillagewasonanin-lyingisland,anditsheadmenmusthavesentwordacrosstothemainland;foronemorningthreebigtwo-mastedjunkswithlateensofrice-mattingdroppedanchoroffthebeach.
WhenthesampanscameashoreCaptainJohannesMaartenswasallinterest,forhereweresilksagain.OnestrappingKorean,allinpale-tintedsilksofvariouscolours,wassurroundedbyhalfadozenobsequiousattendants,alsocladinsilk.KwanYung-jin,asIcametoknowhisname,wasayang-ban,ornoble;alsohewaswhatmightbecalledmagistrateorgovernorofthedistrictorprovince.Thismeansthathisofficewasappointive,andthathewasatithe-squeezerortax-farmer.
Fullyahundredsoldierswerealsolandedandmarchedintothevillage.Theywerearmedwiththree-prongedspears,slicingspears,andchoppingspears,withhereandthereamatchlockofsoheroicmouldthatthereweretwosoldierstoamatchlock,onetocarryandsetthetripodonwhichrestedthemuzzle,theothertocarryandfirethegun.AsIwastolearn,sometimesthegunwentoff,sometimesitdidnot,alldependingupontheadjustmentofthefire-punkandtheconditionofthepowderintheflash-pan.
