Jjok-baris village (lit. a village of Japanese) (5)

A sad farewell and to the most dangerous place Changsango-

The sea was so calm, and then the ship sailed so slowly. At the break of dawn, it approached to the most western and sticking-out place of the Korean Island -Changsango- in Korean off shore.
This morning a sickly infant who was in bad condition since last typhoon, passed away in his mothers arms despite of our wishes, Just live more! This was the first dead since this voyage had begun.　The body covered with a mat was tenderly put on the surface on the sea with parents tears. Born in a foreign country and living in a severe circumstance only, the life was sunk in the unknown sea without enjoying fresh air, green and foods of mother country. As it was so tragic scene to see the parent who ran to the stern to see off their child, that I couldnt say anything. The child had been going away among the waves. Looking the back of the parent we only prayed with folded hands.
Two or three hours later, after such a sad farewell had be done, our ship came near to the most dangerous place Changsango -.
At that time our ships were near the 38゜line so the guard might be stricter. Actually it was the safest route to sail down to the south, turning the west of the big islands in Penyon and Techon , and directly pass through the 38゜line. But that route was rather long detour so it would take one more day by this speed. On the ship there were another weaken infants and olds, so it was nessesary not to have more sacrifice. Even though there was a peril for security, we decided to go the shortcut after turning the cape and changing the direction to the east a little.
Around the Korean Island at the side of the Yellow Sea, the difference between ebb and flow was very large. Especially around here, there were a lot of islands and the changes of current were very strong. So the sailing here labors through high waves.
From Changsango to Taendogman,that was the worst black spot. We persuaded the hesitating crews and advanced to the spot with do or die
We had a plan to go apart from the dangerous spot as far as possible but in this current the ship was approaching to the cape as if it was magnetized. The distance between the rocky land and our ship were only 100meters or so. The seawater was whirling around and we saw a small wrecked ship (I supposed) on the reef.
Just then, our ship was caught into the swirl and turned to the left. We prayed with sweat of fear not to go into the center of it. Fortunately the ship turned around and was sent out of the swirl so we could escape. Having watched at our ship from the right backward, our fathers ship quickly steered to the right and evaded safely.
The skill of steersman might be very good, or we would sink deeply as algae in the ocean.
The ship barely ridden out of the dangerous spot, afterward advanced right along to the Southeast in the Onjinbando. Around the evening the ship seemed to sail around the Sunwido which located the south of Onjinbando, and reached to the offing of Haeju port.
The signs of ships coming and going increased. It was possible to be found out by the Coast Guard so we were so nervous. We were then just near the 38゜line, and if we were found and captured by them, all our efforts would be in vain. So we should go into the destination, Kyonggiman in Inchon, at a dash using the evening dark.


The crew refused to go through the 38゜line

All our tension increased. At that time a trouble happened again.
Four Korean crews began to say　Going to South is to endanger ourselves. We want to get off here. We, of course, didnt think to make them go far more. Their claim was not unexpected. The result of discussion was stop the ship temporarily at the nearest coast and set them free. and afterward try to dash only by us.
So we stopped the ship in a hurry and let down the small boat and released them.
Though we had paid the decent money to them, and since the departure from the Dasado, they were very good at keeping company with us for six days including the stormy day. When it came to the time to part, we felt kinship with them strangely, and cried Komasumida! Annyokaseyo
And waving to us they went back in the darkness.

Now, we will go through the TaeYonpyongdo and the next is a long-waited passing over the38゜line! There were no watermen but we had experienced how to steer by helping them. Lets try our best! So the male went set and the ship began to move smoothly.
Even so, we were only amateur for the navigation. As we didnt know which was the North or the South, we felt so anxious. Luckily we could distinguish the land dimly in the harvest moon. We sailed the ship looking the land in far right side, and we could guess the South by the moving of the moon, as it moved from left to right。 Ｙet we were in the territorial seas of North Korea. We were worried about the Coast Guard to chase us, and there was another peril to crash against the other fishing boat, so we stayed on our guard. At any rate that was the most reckless cruise!
There was no way but to continue the precarious trip, knowing that the dreaming place was so close.
At that time, we knew that an infant in the bad condition diyed too. Tomorrow we would get to Inchon, when the infant died, so the parent wanted to carry the body to there. But it was not sure to get there tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
Even though we arrived there, to cremate would be impossible. Therefore we chose the same way as we had done this morning, water burial. For the parent that was a heart-rending way, but we committed the body to the wave from the board.

(To be continued - in translation)