Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.
The bane of cyclists in 19th century Seoul (2): Dogs and bulls
Bull carrying brush through the streets circa 1900-1910
By Robert Neff
Dogs were constant denizens of the streets of 19th century Seoul.
Isabella Bird Bishop described the Korean dog as “the sole scavenger of Seoul, and a very inefficient one. He is neither the friend nor companion of man. He is ignorant of Korean and every other spoken language.”
Almost every home had one and these small canine lords would furiously bark at strangers ― especially Westerners ― as they passed their domain, but when confronted with the “shaking of an umbrella” quickly slunk away in dejected fear.
But the relationship between bicycles and Korean dogs ― according to Horace Allen ― was “most comical.”
“When a dog is suddenly awakened out of sleep by the near approach of a bicycle his fright is usually laughable to witness, even the people nearby enjoy the sight as the dog runs, yelping thou[gh] unhurt, for some good shelter,” he wrote.
“When the canine has had time to calmly witness the approach of the wheel, however, he seems tickled with the absurdity of it and will run good-naturedly along by the side of the machine which goes so smoothly as to delude him into a vain desire to show how easily he can keep up with it. He usually soon gives this up as do the boys and even some men who try it. At times dogs will run and snap at the rear wheel, it is usually only a feint however.”
Like many early missionaries, William Blair thought a bicycle would be a valuable tool in propagating his faith, so he purchased a beautiful red bicycle from Montgomery Ward. He was soon disappointed. “It carried me in good weather,” he wrote, “but I had to carry it whenever it rained.”
And while Blair didn't mention the annoyance of dogs, he did mention the dangers of bulls. Carrying enormous loads of brushwood, bulls were frequently encountered in the streets of Seoul and were, for the most part, gentle giants (even children could safely manage them) until frightened by something foreign ― then they became downright deadly.
“You can imagine what a bull would do if he met a foreigner on a bicycle, especially a red bicycle, on a narrow road.” Blair decided it was safer and more comfortable to give up his new bicycle.
One missionary, Samuel Moffett, did encounter a heavily laden bull and its Korean handler while riding down a steep hill. Martha Huntley, in her book “To Start A Work,” amusingly described the incident:
“Unable to stop and not wanting to frighten the animal and cause a runaway, Moffett cried out 'chab-bura, chab-bura,' meaning 'grab him,' referring to the bull, to keep it from bolting. But the farmer misunderstood. He thought this poor foreigner was being run away with by some sort of evil contraption and was calling on him to save him. Gallantly he seized Moffett around the waist as he sped by and rolled with him into the ditch while the bull fled, scattering brushwood down the mountainside.”
The Korean farmer's heroic kindness had saved Moffett from the perceived dangers of modern technology.