Jjok-Baris Village (Lit. a Village of Japanese) (by Kimio Shiino)

　
A Summary

Mr. Kimio Shiino was born in 1934 in Japan, and when he was a fourth grader at elementary school, his father was transferred to the northern part of the Korean peninsula, and therefore, Kimio together with his mother, sister and bother accompanied him there.

It must be remembered that the Korean peninsula had been a colony of Japan and immediately after it lost WWⅡ, the north part of Korea was　occupied by Russian troops (present-day North Korea), while the southern area was controlled by American soldiers.
And this is why, the Japanese who were living in the north wished to flee to the south.

In 1945, Japan lost the war, and from that day on their painful life started. And the next summer---








Photo

Spring 1943
At the entrance of our company house
The person who contributed this reminiscence is to the far left at the back, wearing a fur hat.
Photo by contributors father.


Finally, the time had come to carry out the escape plan

The ominous War Memorial Day of 15th August had passed and the summer was about to end.
One day, we received information concerning repatriation.

The content was as follows:

(1) The scheduled departure day was to be September 7.
All members, except those by themselves and some engineers, were to be divided into two groups.
Then, both groups would travel first of all to Dasado Island.

(2) The first group would leave at 9:00 am, while the second two hours later.

(3) Concerning transportation, five factory trucks would separately take the groups halfway between Dasado Island and Yongampo, and from there, they would go on foot.

(4) When the 2 groups got to Dasado Island, they would have to wait until the sun went down, after which two boats would pick them up separately.

(5) Until they left the island, the factory would guarantee all their activities and there would be an unspoken understanding with the police, as this travel was not permitted officially.

(6) Even though the police knew about this, the local Korean people didnt, and so the groups had to act inconspicuously.

(7) The engineers, who remained, would be safe until they transferred their technological skills to those in charge, after which they would be guaranteed a secure return to Japan.

I think that this plan was extremely well thought out and I can understand how the negotiating party must have worked hard on it.

At that time, I did not know how my father was related to this negotiation group, because he did not say anything about it until he safely reached the southern part of Korea.
However, it seemed as though he was doing a considerably important role in this project, because he told us afterwards that he had had a very hard time with the negotiation.

However, it seemed also that the project had been completed in utmost secrecy, and I assumed that considerable money had been paid to the other side.
However, my father never said anything about this at all, and so I didnt know how the money had been raised.

The amount of money, which could be obtained from our household things, we had brought from Japan, before being driven away from the company house, would have worked advantageously in such negotiations.

Many people had left most of their property in Japan, but we had brought everything with us including antiques and swords, as we truly believed that we would return safely to Japan, and therefore, our property was worth a great deal.

My fathers property included swords and several cameras, which he regretted parting with and because of this, he would often reminisce about their loss for a long time to come. Therefore, I think that he had been a member of the negotiation group, and so he had probably emphasized those items value.

On the other hand, as I think about the other party's standpoint: at that time, the factory produced mainly pans and pots and therefore, the manpower was greater than needed to produce a small amount of those goods, except for the future production plan.
Under such circumstances, it seems that the factory had no room to look after us: nearly 200 people including the workers families.
And I imagine that the North Korean administration did not know what to do with us either.

Therefore, though it is only a personal view, I feel that the strategy of the Japanese Association was appropriate: in addition to a certain amount of money, which contributed to the factorys restructuring policy and its future plan.

Though I didnt accurately know how many members of the Japanese Association there were at that time, the number of elderly people and children who died of sickness and those lynched that year were presumed to be about 180. Anyway, it was a quite a few.

As this projects accomplishment had been very difficult, it was thought that the 2 groups would be able to return safely. It could be said that it was looked upon as "a miracle.
However, the adults should have thought more on relying on a miracle, rather than feeling that they would die in vain in Korea.
However, a serious decision must have been necessarily made, not only for the chief negotiator but also all the other adult members.

Honestly speaking, I, myself, was doubtful, but I still thought that it would turn out all right.
Other people might also have thought the success rate to be 50-50, and if it were to get better, it would increase to 70 or 80%.

As the departure date had already been delayed nearly one month, we began to worry about typhoons, which occasionally came to the Yellow Sea district and therefore, about the possibility of its causing trouble as we planned to escape by sea.

However, those who were able to return were fortunate enough, even if they were ready to face death.
I can imagine how those who were forced to remain must have felt. They must have been uneasy and dissatisfied even if they were guaranteed a safe return.

And even children like myself felt extremely sorry for those who had to stay behind. I can imagine that our parents would have felt for them even more, and worshipped them like gods or buddhas.

As the departure day drew nearer, uneasiness about our escape gradually grew.
I waited for that day, and tried to think about a positive ending to the whole matter.
However, I was so excited the previous night that I was unable to go to sleep easily.


The Day We Left the Pigsty or The Crude Hut

September 7th was a beautiful day, just like autumn weather in Japan.
We felt as though this nice weather could blow away our long lasting days of hardship.
As for each family, all the preparations had been completed the day before.
And everyone exchanged words of pleasure, such as Oh! We have been able to wait for this long-awaited day finally in bright voices.

Though we were part of the second group, and our departure time was 11:00 am, we finished breakfast at seven and after checking our luggage again, which had been prepared the previous night, we went to see the first group off, who had gathered earlier with one rucksack and two bags each: according to the luggage limitation specified beforehand.

Some group members were sorry to part and threw themselves onto each other's shoulders in a midst of tears.
I chatted with several of my friends, saying that we would see each other sooner or later.
Then Manabu, one of my friends came along, dragging his foot, which was greatly bandaged up.
I asked him what was wrong. He mischievously replied winking that he had trodden on a nail, and though his foot was still a little painful, it wasnt that bad.

At first, I thought he had just been careless because he got hurt on such an important day, but anyway I thought I should not criticize him as he hadnt done it on purpose.
Judging from his appearance, it seemed we didnt need to worry about him.
However, my mother who had some nursing experience told him not to walk too much, saying that if the nail had been rusty, he could contract tetanus. When she looked at his wound, however, she assured him that he neednt worry, which made him seem relieved. But she also told him that if he felt bad, he should inform her immediately.

After we saw off the first group, we returned home right away, and waited for the five trucks that were scheduled to return before 11:00 am.

I repeatedly looked around our house. I was very emotional thinking how I had been able to stand such a miserable environment for one year. For example, when the Rosuke had pillaged our village (We called the Russians Rosuke); the night I had got rid of bedbugs and lice; the day I had had to clean the local police stations lavatory; and the day a Korean neighbor criticized us for eating eel which was at that time too luxurious for the Jjok-bari.
I recalled one event after another.

The five trucks came back a little before 11 o'clock.
The first group seemed to have arrived at their first destination safely.
OK! Then it was our turn.

After 15 to 20 people climbed on the back of each truck, we departed.
Our destination was Japan, but we had to reach Incheon before that, and ahead of that Dasado Island.

The trucks started up noisily.

The Exit of Hell: Dasado Island

We reached our destination without any trouble on the way.
As noon had already passed, we sat under the shade of a tree and ate lunch, consisting of rice balls or dumplings, which we had prepared in the morning at home.

After the meal, we rested for about an hour, and then started walking.
We walked in a long line with luggage in both hands.
To help my mother who was holding my younger brother's hand, father was carrying one more piece of luggage.

The local Korean people looked at us curiously, just like the time, a year ago, when we had been made to walk from the company house to what looked like a pigsty. However, this time they never said Jjok-bari.

Manabu who had taken the same truck as I had, was dragging his injured foot.
I asked him if he was all right, to which he vigorously replied that I neednt worry.

We took more than one and half hours to get to Dasado Islands port where we met the first group. By then, it was nearly evening.

As I had been there before to fish, I knew the town to some degree.
The port was very busy and indescribably dirty.
We looked for the ship that we would be taking.
Though there were some fishing boats and freighters in the harbor, we couldnt see any larger ship that would be able to sail in the open seas.

While we waiting for such a ship, two Koreans came up to us and led us to our embarkation place.

After a discussion with some other Koreans, it was decided to divide us into 2 again so that we could use 2 small freighters, which we had seen before.
.
These were stocky wooden boats of 30 meters in length and 15 meters in width. They were motor-powered sailing barges, equipped with a mast in the forward, a single deck hold. Their maximum weight seemed to be about 300 tons.
These were commonly called Daruma-sen: (lit. a tumbler-like stocky-shaped ship), which could sail by themselves in their home waters, but usually needed a tow from tugboats to get into the harbor.
In short, our ships were basically glorified barges.

The center of the lid of the hold was high and there were some wooden boards, 50cm in width covering the hatch. However, when we boarded the boat, one third of it was open, which meant going in and out was convenient as it was covered with sheeting.

Of course, we never expected it to be luxurious, but we worried about whether or not such small ships would be able to withstand rough seas.
Even if we had been ready for death once, we now felt quite uneasy as though we might easily die if a typhoon happened to come along while we were sailing. However, there was no other way to get home again and therefore, it was merely a matter of chance.

Our leader told us that we had to board one by one according to family members up a gangplank.

According to instructions, at this time the second group would board the first ship. Therefore, we queued up in the middle of the line with father as our head.
After we boarded, we climbed down a 3-meter ladder and found places for ourselves in the center of the hold.

There was enough space for 90 people with luggage to lie down in the hold. So we put down two thin blankets there and marked out our territory as it were.

By the time, all the 2 groups had come aboard, it was quite dark.


Further Toward Hell.

Two ships were moored with a rope, about ten centimeters thick, and they seemed to be towed by a tugboat of about 30 tons.
There was a crew in pairs in each ship, whereas the tugboat had three crew members: one for the wheel house, another for the deck and the third for the engine room.
Therefore, all the boats seemed to be operated by seven crews.
It was about midnight when we cast off.

Anyway, our travel was still unofficially, that is to say what we did was a kind of running away en masse. Therefore, we needed to behave inconspicuously, so that our activities would not be noticed by the people around us.
For this reason, we started out quietly without any unnecessary sound.

As we had already been told:

1. It would take about four days to get to Incheon and that our journey was basically unofficial. Though we would sail carefully, we still needed to act in a normal way, for instance we should stay in the hold as much as possible.

2. As these ships were not big enough to sail in the offing, we had to go along the coast at night and in the open seas during the day, to avoid being detected.

3. Though the local coastguard patrol was aware of our activities, if we passed a place, which it did not control, we would be likely to be regarded as a suspicious ship and so be inspected.

Though we understood the itinerary, when we heard this, we recognized that we were escaping, and so realized that we should be more careful as we would always be at risk.
Though we were still in port, we could do nothing but hold our breath and huddle ourselves together in the dimly-lit hold, which had only several naked light bulbs.
All we could hear were the engines from the tugboat and creaky sounds from the barges.

After we finished our midnight snack, which was also prepared at home that morning, we became very sleepy, due to the hard travel during the day.

The shuddering of our ship and the surrounding noise kept me awake, as well the light in the hold.
The morning came safely.
As I felt the call of nature, I went onto the deck.
There were already several people there, who had already made a queue and were waiting their turn.

As our ship had only one permanent toilet, which was for the crew at the stern of the ship, two temporary ones were set up, though these were mainly used by men.

While I was waiting my turn, I looked around. Though I didnt understand my whereabouts, I could see two or three islands and even land beyond them.

After a while my turn came, I relieved myself carefully by gripping the handrail with one hand, because there was a wind blowing and hence the ship was rocking.

On deck, there were several pails of fresh and sea water.
Of course, the former was for drinking, while I washed my face and hands with the latter and then returned to the hold.
By that time, most people had already got up, apart from those who had become seasick or generally ill.
They seemed to be at ease, talking and smiling to one another. That was because they were able to set sail safely the day before.

Compared to the silence of last night, they were quite lively that morning.
For instance, I heard a small child crying out loudly from the corner of the hold, as it wanted to go to the toilet.

My younger brother who was still a first grader also wanted to go and so father took him.

My mother and elder sister went up on to the deck to prepare breakfast.
It was not very difficult work.
There were some leftovers from our meal the night before: dumplings or rice balls, and corn that had been boiled beforehand, which didnt need any extra preparation.
Cooked or dried rice could be kept for a long time, so we didnt eat that right away.

For breakfast, we boiled some water, which we had got from the pail, on a small portable charcoal stove (Jpn. shichirin) which everyone could use.
Mother and sister had to wait 30 or 40 minutes for their turn to boil water because there were so many people wanting to use the stove.

After breakfast, as we had nothing else to do, we went up on deck and looked at the scenery which was basically the same all the time.

According to the itinerary, after leaving, we would:

1. At first, pass through the northern part of the Yellow Sea.

2. Next, we would go south to Sochosoman Bay which is extended as if it is to push the Korean peninsula to east side.

3. Then, we would sail to the east toward the islands of Kado, Taehwado and Sinmido.

4. After that, we would go toward Sinanju, and move southward, after which we would pass the offing of Hanchon, Nampo and Sukto Island.

5. We would then pass Changsango and then head toward the east, passing Taendogman Bay, and the islands of Sunwido and TaeYonpyongdo.

6. Finally, we would arrive in Kyonggiman Bay and the port of Inchon.

Distance wise, it was more than 400 kilometers, and the ships had to thread their way among many islands and capes.

When we reached the offing of Sinanju, it was cloudy and nearly evening.
Anyway it had been smooth sailing.

On the way, there were some fishing boats, but they didnt pay much attention to us, as to them perhaps our ships looked normal. Of course, as we had been acting inconspicuously, our first day of our travel finished safely.

A Typhoon Swept Over Us And We Barely Survived

Next morning, the weather was the same as the previous day.
We could see land far away, and the 2 ships seemed to be sailing as they should.
However, around noon, the clouds became darker and the wind grew stronger.
The fishing boats, which were always around us, suddenly disappeared.
I was afraid that a typhoon was coming.
Then the tugboat approached, and the crew of both ships talked loudly as they looked up into the sky.
As I could see a typhoon was really coming, and it seemed that they were discussing how to deal with it.
The Japanese, who was in charge, explained that a typhoon was indeed approaching and they needed to move the ship nearer land so as to avoid danger. Also, if they got permission, they would enter port. If that was the case, we would be told to stay inside the hold.

Though it was not clear where they tried to avoid the typhoon, it seemed to be
west of Pyongsong, and near Chinnanpo.
As we neared the land, the waves began to get bigger and the shuddering of our ship increased.

It began to grow dark.
As we were looking toward a small port, a coastguard patrol boat approached us and one of its crew members boarded the tugboat.
He was pointing to our ship and talking with the tugboat crew, but after a while his boat moved away without inspecting our ship and he parted with his gesturing us to hollow.

Though we did not understand the exact details at that time, what was told to us later was that the coastguard just wanted us to shelter in the harbor.

The group decided that this was the right course of action so as to avoid the typhoon, as to tow our ships in such stormy conditions would be very dangerous. If we continued as before, there was a possibility of our being separated from the tugboat and so end up drifting away. Anyway, we didnt want it to leave us until we reached port safely.
Therefore, the group members decided to put three or four of us on the tugboat as a kind of security measure. Therefore suitable persons were needed urgently and as adults had to look after their families, we upper-graders of elementary school were chosen. So three boys including myself were transferred to the tugboat.
At first, I left the ship in rough seas, while the other two remained on board the ship.
However, one of them couldnt move out of fear.
As the tugboat captain didnt have time to waste, he got irritated, and refused to accept the two remaining boys. So that meant I was the only that became a hostage as it were.
Up to now, I had experienced a lot for my age. So I had guts.
And to get on the tugboat roused my curiosity.

At first, the captain was bad-tempered, because he thought that he wasnt being trusted by us.
But gradually he regarded me as a brave boy, who wasnt troublesome. He made me sit by the wheelhouse.
Instead of just saying, Now, here we go, he just winked and started off in the direction where the coastguard had suggested.

I had a great deal of curiosity and thought myself quite brave for a sixth grader. I still took things easy and was very optimistic.

While the wind strengthened and the crest of the waves became whiter, the tugboat and our two ships sailed among many small islands and tried to reach a port. Though we could see the silhouettes of freighters and fishing boats as well as town lights, it took almost one hour.

However, when we were several kilometers from the harbor, the wind grew suddenly stronger and the waves surged forward on our starboard side.

The captain steered the tugboat in that direction in order to catch the waves as they came toward us. However, one wave was as high as a wall and hit the ships bow violently.
Immediately after that, the tugboat seemed to float in the air, and the next to sink as it were as if being dragged to the bottom of the sea.
And a high wall of a dark wave rose higher and higher and plunged down on to the boat.

In an instant, the wave cracked like a whip and hit the wheelhouses window with such a crash that we couldnt see anything but foam.

The crew watched the 2 ships behind them and seemed to sense danger so they came into the wheelhouse. So now there were three people including myself in the small cabin.
The captain, who was steering in the center of the wheelhouse, straightened himself up, seemingly bewildered with such a rapid change of wind and waves.
He began to shout loudly.

Of course, if I could have understood what they were saying, it would have been impossible because of the sound of the spray.
However, from his gestures, it seemed as though it would be impossible to tow the 2 ships any further and that it would be better for them to drop anchor and remove the tow ropes.

Indeed, under such conditions, even to someone inexperienced as myself, I could see that this was the right thing to do As the function of the tugboat had been rendered useless, there was a danger on both sides: tugboat and the other ships.
The port was near, and even if they couldnt enter, the ships would manage to drop anchor outside it.
One of the tugboats crew members tried to lean out the window to give a sign. He even attempted to get out of the wheelhouse, but without much success due to the shaking.

After he made contact with the other ships crew through gesturing, they understand the situation. However, this didnt go very well under such conditions.
While they were trying desperately to complete their work, a high wave rose up and crashed down upon them. It tossed the boat around like a plaything and all that could be heard were banging, splashing, creaking and rattling noises.


At first, I wondered where the rattling sounds were coming from. However, later I noticed that they were coming from the screw, which could be seen underneath the ship as it flew up in the air.

The spray and the creaking noises became more violent, and the shouts of the crew gradually turned into screams.

I was becoming more and more afraid and I realized that this was now no laughing matter. I thought that the boat would be swallowed up by the waves and we could well sink. Such ominous images crossed my mind.
I was also worried about the ship, which my family was on. I was watching its stern from a small window while gripping the back of my chair firmly.
I could see its riding on the crests of the waves, being shaken about by the storm.
However, the amount of shaking must have been very different between a ship of 30 tons and one of 300.
If my boat could be compared to a leaf, then their ship would be a tree branch.
When I thought that if such a ship would sank, our boat was sure to go first. When that crossed my mind, I became suddenly scared.

However, in this situation, I understand that it was no good grieving about it.
What was the good of worrying.
All I could do, was to leave the ship to the captain and pray to heaven for the weather to improve.

There and then, I made up my mind that there was nothing to do other than fight against the rough sea by gripping the handrail firmly and stopping me from falling off the boat which was being thrown about all over the place.

How long had we been fighting the storm?
When the wind changed a little from right to left, and when the ship didnt move so violently, I could see the lights of the port in front of us. The wind had begun to drop just a little and the ferocity of the waves had lessened somewhat.
I now thought that I would possibly survive, and I was returning to some sort of sanity for the first time.
Outside, it was already dark.

I turned around but I couldnt see the ship that my family was on.
Perhaps at that time when it had dropped anchor, the ship separated from us

Though it was dark, I could sea the light of the pier quite close to us, which meant that our ship was very near land .

Through gestures, I asked the captain who had regained his composure by then, about the ship my father was on.
He replied in a smattering of Japanese and Korean that I neednt worry as he thought the ship was a bit further away. Anyway I felt relieved.

When the captain tapped me on my shoulder and commented that though I might have been scared, I had held up well, I thought him very trustworthy and began to look upon him as a close friend.
As the clock on board indicated nine oclock that meant we had kept fighting the storm for more than three hours.

After a while, the coastguard patrol boat approached and two officials in charge boarded us.
They talked for sometime but I couldnt understand what they were saying.
They occasionally saw me, but fortunately they didnt show any interest in me, and after 15 minutes they left.

The captain said to me in broken Japanese, that we would be letting the typhoon pass us completely and when dawn broke the next day, we would then join the two other ships behind us. Seeing that I was hungry, he gave me some corn bread and lukewarm tea, and then told me to go to bed.
As I later recalled, I hadnt eaten lunch that day. So I thanked him in Korean (komasumida) and started eating. I was relieved and ate my dinner. It seemed to me such delicious food that I hadnt eaten like this for so long time.

I worried about my family who were on the ship behind us, but it was useless to think too much about it.
Therefore, I believed what the captain had said and I threw myself down in the cabin and fell asleep instantly.


It had been a hairs-breadth escape: Where were we?

The next morning gave rise to unbelievably fine weather as drastically compared to the day before.
When I looked about, there was another port with several ships of great bulk moored ahead of us.
According to the captain, it was Nanpo port, though the closest port seemed to be Chinnanpo port. This was because, based on our original sailing plan, after leaving Dasado Island, we would pass the offing of Sinanju, Hanchon and Nanpo. However, it seemed that we were forced to call in at Chinnanpo port because of the storm. I had heard this name from my father. Apparently, it was in a well-known industrial zone where a great many Japanese had been living there.

By the way, in North Korea, there were ports, such as Rajin, Chongjin, Heungnam and Weonsan along the Sea of Japan, and from the north Yongampo (Dasado Island), Sinanju, Nanpo and Haeju on the Yellow Sea.
However, the biggest ports were only Nanpo and Haeju, with the former, which was located at the lower reaches of the Taedong River, flowing south of Pyongyang toward the west, being the more important. This port was also the entrance of the sea routes to China (Dalian, Shanghai), Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Japan.

Before the end of WWⅡ, there were many factories there such as:
Nippon Mining Co., Ltd. --Nanpo Refining Plant.
Korea Asahi Light Metal Co.,Ltd.-- Giyang Factory.
Korea Steel Corporation-- Daean Electric Smelting Factory.
Mitsubishi Steel MFG. Co., Ltd.--Yungdaehwa Electric Smelting Factory.

And in the nearby city of Songrim, there was Nippon Steel Corporations Gyeonipo Work, while Sariwon had both a spinning factory and a fertilizer plant.
Korea Asano Cement Co., Ltd. had a plant in Bongchul

Although there were fewer than ten thousand Japanese connected to these factories, there were other residents, who numbered several tens of thousands.

However, we were not sure how they were faring when we made a port call there.
As compared with Sinuiju where we had been living, we thought that because this region was nearer the 38th Parallel, they could be repatriated by regular means, and therefore, it would seem comparatively easy for those who had stayed behind to escape from there.

However, we were told later that many of the people in the southern and eastern parts of North Korea had had a difficult time trying to across the so-called border.
Probably, there were still a considerable number of people who remained there at that time.

While I was having my last look at Chinnanpo port, the same coastguard boat, which had appeared the day before, approached and the tugboat captain (PLEASE CHANGE THIS WAY THROUGHOUT) and the coast guard officer discussed something.
When they finished talking, the boat guided us to the 2 ships, which had become separated yesterday.

It left the pier and went a little out and I saw them, a little way from each other. They had dropped anchor and had been moored quite safely. The people on board saw us approaching, and some of them waved to us, shouting that they were all right. Naturally we were all happy to hear that.

When we reached the ship on which my father was, I climbed up the ladder, though those who pulled me up seemed exhausted but welcomed me with smiles as if they had forgotten the difficulties of the day before.
I was little ashamed, as though I had received a heros welcome, which I really didnt deserve.

My father met me on deck and praised me by saying that though he had been afraid the day before, nothing was better than knowing that I was safe. He asked me if had been injured. However, he didnt go as far as asking for my forgiveness.

When I got down into the hold, there were people putting things in order as their possessions had been scattered all over the place the night before, while others still seemed exhausted.
In my familys corner, my mother, sister and brother were waiting for me.
Mother had been worrying about me, explaining that they had never had such a frightening experience ever before as they had had last night. Anyway, we thanked heaven we were all safe. Mother asked me if I were hungry, though all she had was only a little corn bread.
While I shared this with my family, I recalled the captains face, who had given me the same kind of bread after the previous days frightening experience.
Mother resolutely said to me with all sincerity and warmth that she would never make me do such a danger again.

Mother resolutely said to me with all sincerity and warmth that she would never make me do such a dangerous thing again.

Liberated and on the sea again

For a while we talked about the disaster of the typhoon, when my father was called and went up to the deck. As soon as he came back, he said to us, Navigating by the tugboats stops here. From now on, we will sail only by two motor-powered-sailboats ., and added to us, It was decided that we will embark separately ---one boat is for men and another is for the families including the old and the children.
My father continued to explain, I dont know the exact reason because I didnt speak to them directly but I heard that a police man in Nanpo said, Japanese passengers cant be permitted formally to the South Korea, but  Though its unofficial one and on account of the process in Sinjangju that this sailing was permitted, we will permit to sail again as for the families., then As for the men, it is difficult to permit essentially but we decided to overlook for not keeping company with them from the first. They recognize this sailing as a separate act, so we should change the boat quickly and ship out.
A little while ago, after the tugboat men and Coast Guard had talked about something , two of them transferred to this place and talked with some Japanese and the crews. Having watched that, I was afraid that some trouble might happen. But at least it was so lucky to elude the capturethe worst situation-- , so I felt relief at the news.
I thought like that---the tugboat men couldnt stand an awful sweat like towing a boat any more. Also the authorities had considered it was troublesome to deal with such a large amount of Japanese people、so its better to set them free as soon as possible.
Immediately our fathers transferred to the other boat with their hand baggage and families in the other boat moved to this boat with the collecting baggage. The move began hurriedly. They ordered us one family must be together but there was a disturbance. Except 2 bout men, there were only us, children, as male help, so five men remained here as the surveyors. I was so envied these families because we should be apart from our fathers.　Within one hour or so the move had finished. While the two bouts were the same size but there were about 60 people on the bout for male and there were 120 people on the boat for families, and the voyage started again at Chinnanpo to the Southward. Though the boats advanced to the open sea early in the afternoon, our family boat could sail openly along the sea coast, but as for fathers boat it was necessary to sail as secretly as they could as they had no permission.
Therefore they advanced within the offing not to be found out by the Cutter, so the shape of the ship was gradually far and dwindle away.
For some time our ships were sailing side by side in our each sight, but in the afternoon the weather changed worse again because of an approaching typhoon. Wind and wave became strong and high, so the ship rolled terribly, and frequently the sign of another ship disappeared from our sight and at last in the evening we lost it.
For us the last nightmares were still remaining in our mind, so it was so helpless to be on board without fathers. On the board the conversations dwindled away and gloomy air was floating.
Our fathers were taken away anywhere, Im afraid.
By my mothers talking to herself, I was scared too, and thought, Thats could happen!Ｔheir requirements were so strange for us.
Even though they would take our fathers by only the Korean shipmens will, they cant do such a thing against for the several Japanese men, so after all they were captured by the Coast Guard? Any way as not having anything to do, we could not help spending that night on the board in the close quarters with anxiety.
After the nervous night it dawned and a person on the board was shouting.
I can see another ship! I ran up to the board quickly and looked at the direction the man pointed. Surely I could recognize the ship where I said good bye to our fathers. Our ship was far from the land so it was a miracle to meet each other by chance on the mighty ocean! Still there was quite a few distance but the people on another board noticed us, so it gradually came to close. In 30minutes or so the ship drew together and we could distinguish each faces. I found my father smiling toward us.
Though we met together we could not transfer yet, so the ship sailed side by side to the South like before. Even though we were on the ship separately, I was very glad to see that my father was safe and fine and stayed near us. I guessed another family felt the same way.


Landed secretly for water and foods at night

Including this lucky day, 5days had already passed since we started Dasado Island.
According to our first plan we should have arrived at the destination already, but we only came half because of a typhoon. About foods we brought somewhat enough but the remains were lessening and the every quantity of ration decreased day by day. We all often thought Hungry! or Want to eat anything to the full! But we were the escapees on the ship, so we didnt have any resource to get foods. Without a rod we couldnt catch fish which were sailing around a lot. After all there was no way to keep the food except eating little by little, and to pass a hunger we tried not to move.
The more serious problem than foods was water. Every body brought water bottles or kettles but they became already empty. The supporting water in the ship was slowly bottoming up. The amount of almost water was scarcely enough for only one day to satisfy their thirst of so many people. If it rained we could get it on the sail and store a little, but the amount would be a few. Actually last night it rained a little so we gathered it on the sail but got only three cups of bagaji. (bagaji cut a melon into halves and hollow inside then dry up use for a bucket or a dipper )
We, fine and healthy, were able to endure by only complaining hungry or thirsty. The weak and the infant, looked patient but had weakened apparently. It was so pitiful.
We all decided that from now on, in case of taking at least three more days (we must supply water and foods anywhere at any risk.) Fortunately we had a male help tonight, so planed to land by night.
From the evening our ship approached the coast little by little and got to the little fishing village (I supposed) when it darkened around. 20 Japanese landed with 4 Korean crews who leaded us. Beforehand we gave a bribe to them, so the crew with some money rushed into the private house and procured some foods like corn or millet and water. In the mean time we went around to the back yard and dug out the potatoes or vegetables at random in the field. Incidentally I looked around for watering place to satisfy my thirst in the dim light but couldnt find it. I had no choice and drank scooped standing water cautiously on the surface in the field with my hand. It was not clean and stank a little, but on this occasion it was inevitable.
Dont drink too much for fear of diarrhea!
Shouting so, fathers were scooping and drinking the water, too.
As an official procuring member, the crew was safe but we, burglars, rushed to the ship with spoils. Staying for a long time was unnecessary. As soon as the crew came back with water, they unbound the moor and started immediately. It was lucky that the Guards didnt chase us crying, Burglar!
We delivered the booties equally by all and the dishes cooked by mothers were so warm and delicious supper even though they could not eat until our stomach distended.

(To be continued - in translation)

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)

Our safety dream place, Inchon,

After such sad things had continued, anyway the ship was sailing without any incident. We only prayed to advance into the territory of the South Sea as soon as possible.
We had had sleepless night between hope and despair, and in the meantime it dawned.
When we could catch the signs of several islands, a man shouted.
A boat like a Coast Guard is closing to us!
Take care!
Shouting so, some people ran up to the deck.
We will be captured by the North Coast Guard again!
We were under our breathes in the ship and soon someones voice said,
It seems a ship belongs to the South.
I climbed up in a hurry too and found that the flag on the approaching ship was not a familiar North flag but another flapping one.
Maybe we passed through the 38゜line safely and arrived at the dreaming south area.
Each ship reduced the speed and drew together. Two guards transferred from the Coast Guard to this ship.
Are you Japanese? They smiled gently and asked fluently in Japanese.
Our head explained the summary of this group and the process to get there.
I understand. Maybe you had a very hard time, please ease your mind. We must hand over you to American military. We will inform you about the details later.
Are there any sick people who want an immediate treatment? Please say so. Later we will come to give you some foods and water. They got off our ship, and then parted.
Well Done! Finally we are free! BANZAI, BANZAI
Now not knowing how to express our present feeling, all of us only cried out, shook hands, hugged each other and shared the joy innocently.
Beside us, there were some people who were only standing and tearing in a daze.
In the circle, our family confirmed our faces looking at each other and shouted,
We are lucky, arent we?
Both ships dropped anchors beside an island and people began to transfer to the original ship. My father moved back to this ship again after some separation.
Everybody tried the best!
My fathers voice heard in three days was in high spirit and reliable.
In the afternoon, the same Guard Coast came back with corns, millet breads, water, etc,and gave them to us. Thinking about a meal, we didnt eat anything for whole one day and a half. Because of a fear and a following joy we had forgotten our emptiness at all. Delivered rations instantly filled our stomachs.
You were permitted to land on Inchon next morning, so stay here tonight.
Saying so, the Coast Guard turned back again.
They only told us to allow us to land at that moment, so we didnt know about the details-- after tomorrow how they treat us and how a formal return to Japan is. In the ship enjoying a safety we had gotten at last, I assured that time was going by calmly and peacefully as if last troubles were not true.
In the dusk of evening, I wanted to confirm the outside situation, and went up to the deck alone.
Having looked around, I saw only an island and water. I couldnt see the port of Inchon, yet, so I supposed we were around the Yonjyon island floating in the Kyonggiman .
It had passed just one week since we started from Dasado. The landscape in South Korea where we could arrive earlier if we didnt come across the typhoon was so tender and I felt even the air I could breathe freely. Listening to the voices from the cabin, I drew a deep breath two or three times and tried to exhale the memory of the long and severe voyage.

Next morning it was very fine and an air and our feeling were very cool and fresh.

About 9 oclock I suppose- the same Guard Coast came with a tugboat and said,
From now, we will tow your ships to Inchon.
Two ships were connected and moved quietly just as we started from the Dasado.
In less than an hour, numbers of ships increased around there and we found a long expected port of Inchon.
When we were going to tie-up the ship at the pre-ordered place, I found a strange car rushing through on the jetty. It was a small four-wheeled vehicle with a back top and a white man wearing a khaki cap with both upper ends sharpened was driving it. Though I knew later, it was a jeep driven by an American soldier and anyway it ran fast and lively.
This was the first surprising thing for me.
As soon as the ship arrived at the quay, we landed all at once. Except the time when we landed for foods and water after a typhoon, we forced to stay in the ship, so our feet became weak and we staggered down. But this was just peaceful land, Inchon, which we had dreamed. Even if our feet were staggering a little, there were no shackles. Step by step, we advanced confirming the SAFETY.