TOPOGRAPHY. The northern half of the coun try is very mountainous and well wooded, with peaks from 4000 to more than S000 feet in height. The main axis of elevation, which forms the great backbone of the peninsula, lies along the whole eastern seaboard. The southern half is'some what monotonous. the ridges and spurs thrown out by the main axis dwindling in height as they approach the western and southern Near latitude 37° a long chain runs southwest, ending in Ilanra-san. an extinct volcano (3700 feet) on the island of Quelpaert. From the main axis the surface falls off abruptly to the east. Toward the west the hills are almost destitute of trees. and are scarred with gullies which open out into Willi', monotonous, but fertile plains.
Owing to the narrowness of the country, there are no great rivers. The most important are (1) the Amnok (or Apnok), better known as the Yalu-Kiang, which rises in the Paik-tu-san. or 'AVIiite Head Mountain,' an extinct volcano 81)00 feet in height, in latitude 41° 59' N.. and flows southwest into the Yellow Sea, forming in its course the northwest boundary of the country. It is navigable by sea-going junks for 30 miles from its mouth, and by boats as far as Wi-w6n, 145 miles more. (2) The Tai-dong, in Phy6ng-an Province. which is navigable by boats for 75 miles, a, far as the important city of Ping-yang (40.000 inhabitants). (3) The Han, on which the capital is situated, rises at a point only 30 miles from the Sea of Japan and flows westward to the Yellow Sea. A fleet of small steamers
plies on it between Chemulpo, at its mouth, and the capital (55 or 60 miles), and boats ascend some SO or 90 miles farther. (4) The Nak-tong, which flows from north to south through the provinces of Kyeng-Syeng, and empties into the Korean Strait near Dusan (q.v.). It is navigable for 140 miles by vessels drawing not more than feet. (5) The Mok-p'o is a small river which flows through the fertile Province of Chfilla, and enters the sea at the open port of the same name in latitude :34° 47' N. and longitude 126° 15' E. The only Korean river which flows into the Sea of Japan is the Tuman. The coast-line measures 1740 miles. On the east the shores are steep and almost unbroken by estuaries or harbors. Gen-san and Port Laza•eff are the best, not only on, this coast, hut in Korea. There are few isl ands on the east coast, but on the west and south the coasts arc fringed with innumerable clusters, the largest of which are Quelpaert, off the south coast, and Kang-hwa, in the mouth of the Han River. The best harbor on the south coast is that of Pusan (or in Korean Pu-san). On the east coasts the tides seldom rise more than a few feet, but on the west and south they are strong and dangerous, rising frequently to 35 feet. and receding with great rapidity, leaving great mud banks on which vessels arc sometimes left high and dry.