An American hunter on Jeju Island within the late Fifties / Robert Neff Assortment
Previous letters are treasured home windows into the previous. They lack the brutal honesty and starkness of diary entries, as a substitute providing a sanitized portrayal of every day life, written to entertain and inform family and friends. Fred Dustin’s letters from Jeju Island, penned some 50 years in the past, aren’t any exception.
His letters from January 1974 have been tinged with uncertainty. Gasoline and power troubles plagued the nation — in addition to the remainder of the world — inflicting meals costs to soar and fostering desperation among the many folks, which resulted within the “theft price going approach up.” In his letter he wrote:
“It’s improbable how costs are rising right here. Unbelievable. A bundle of noodles that used to value 18 received (4 months in the past) now value 50 received. Flour goes up about 50%. Any sort of beef prices just a bit over a greenback a pound [1,390 won].”
Even the island’s recent seafood and greens weren’t spared from inflation. Dustin lamented that, the earlier 12 months, a recent mackerel on the fish market on the pier could possibly be bought for 7 received, however they now bought for 78 received. One serving of battered shrimp value about 700 received, whereas a carton of eggs was priced at 70 received. Dustin confided to his dad and mom that, as a result of value, he ate plenty of salad, as cabbage remained comparatively inexpensive, albeit costlier than the earlier 12 months.
Fred Dustin and a gaggle of holiday makers to Jeju Island within the Seventies / Robert Neff Assortment
Dustin assured his dad and mom that 1975 could be higher — and, judging from his letters, it was. As an worker of KAL Resort in Jeju Metropolis, he was often despatched to Seoul to advertise Jeju Island as an excellent trip web site for American troopers and their households.
In response to Dustin, “the [KAL] Resort is totally trendy, charming and full with good meals, effective consuming water and there may be completely no air pollution on [Jeju Island],” not like the smog-filled skies of Seoul.
In his letter, he praised the island’s well-kept 18-hole golf course, situated only a 20-minute taxi experience from the resort. The view from the course, he famous, was breathtaking and, in accordance with him, was in a position to relieve “the wearied city-eyes of smog, concrete and metal.” Golf on Jeju was extraordinarily inexpensive in comparison with Seoul, with inexperienced charges costing simply 8,200 received (roughly $5.76 on the time, or about $33 in in the present day’s cash), and a caddy obtainable for an extra 1,000 received.
A postcard of Jeju Island circa 1930-40s / Robert Neff Assortment
For many who needed a extra up-close-and-personal view of the island, there have been options to taking taxis or buses:
“Bicycle using is a brand new leisure exercise on the Island, made potential by a effective community of newly hard-surfaced roads. Many friends in 1974 discovered biking across the Island on a two-day jaunt an excellent approach [to see] the shoreline whereas having fun with the heat and friendliness of the native inhabitants.”
Bicycles could possibly be rented on the resort or in one of many many retailers close by.
For the extra adventurous, there was climbing and tenting at one of many many “stunning white coral-sand seashores” or within the “wild and desolate areas across the Snake and Manjanggul Caves, or into the picturesque valleys or majestic gorges of Mount Halla.” The resort additionally offered guides (normally school college students) for individuals who needed to hike to the summit of the mountain. Dustin famous, “There isn’t a set information charge, however about 4,000 received per day is taken into account truthful, plus meals and lodging.”
The seashores have been additionally widespread venues — particularly in July and August, when highschool and college college students from the mainland packed them throughout their summer season holidays. The seashores all boasted recent water for showering, and “for the forgetful,” swimsuits could possibly be rented at kiosks. Sadly, there have been no amenities for browsing, and waterskiing was restricted, however Dustin was assured they’d develop as demand elevated.
Fred Dustin and one among his canine within the Seventies / Robert Neff Assortment
Jeju, declared Dustin, had “the best and most tasty [scuba] diving waters to be discovered wherever within the Pacific,” and the resort would quickly make use of knowledgeable teacher to supply diving classes.
“Fishing — surf casting, ‘plucking,’ trolling — continues to be the very best stored secret of Jeju Island,” declared Dustin. “Whatever the methodology you select, the fisherman is at all times rewarded. Mackerel and bonito are caught in nice portions. Purple, black, or rock snappers are nice favorites of native anglers, in addition to the epicure.”
Fishing gear could possibly be rented from the resort for “a modest value,” and boats could possibly be chartered for about 69,000 received ($50) per day.
In his proposal, Dustin proclaimed, “Whereas the very best stored secret of Jeju is fishing, pheasant searching might be probably the most well-known truth,” and hunters from throughout Asia come to the island “to fill their every day bag limits.” He went on so as to add:
“Looking season normally opens on November 1st and closes on the finish of February. The Jeju Looking Affiliation furnishes guides with canine at nominal costs. License and allow charges fluctuate relying upon the visa standing of the hunter. Diplomatic and Army personnel obtained appreciable reductions over native or worldwide hunters in 1974-75.”
Considerably alarmingly, given present-day Korea’s strict firearm legal guidelines, the resort offered the free service of storing arms and ammunition. It additionally organized searching guides and canine, in addition to “freezing all recreation dropped at the resort by friends.”
A small boat on Jeju Island within the Seventies. Fred Dustin was very keen on boats and helped construct a number of of his personal. Robert Neff Assortment
Dustin additionally capitalized on Jeju’s nice searching by permitting his army pals to make use of his home as a base camp and offering them with a information (Dustin’s assistant). In a letter to his dad and mom, he proudly boasted that MJ (his assistant) was “a deadeye shot with the shotgun, and the opposite day he obtained 10 birds with a complete of 8 pictures fired!” A number of months earlier, MJ “couldn’t shoot price a rattling” till an American basic — a visitor at Dustin’s house — took him out for a few days and confirmed him find out how to shoot. Dustin declared the overall “was a wonderful trainer.”
Dustin’s house turned so widespread with American army hunters that he started referring to it as his “Looking Lodge” and MJ earned slightly over $200 guiding these hunters over a weekend.
Dustin additionally had a pointer named Lucy and a German shorthair named Duke, which he used as searching canine. He declared them to be effective canine and, for a short while, toyed with the thought of creating his personal searching kennel. Nevertheless, that dream was by no means realized after one among his canine was fatally wounded whereas searching.
Wild Jeju ponies on Fred Dustin’s land within the late Sixties / Robert Neff Assortment
Whereas 1975 started with nice hope, it ended considerably dismally. Dustin suffered from failing eyesight and wanted to obtain medical therapy in Seoul. The prognosis was good, but it surely crammed him with nervousness. To his dad and mom, he admitted, “I may by no means afford [the procedure] within the States,” and even in Korea, it was going to value him some huge cash — but it surely was price it if the signs could possibly be relieved and hopefully eradicated.
His imaginative and prescient was not the one factor he was dropping. His assistant, MJ, had handed his entrance exams and would quickly attend graduate faculty in the US. Dustin regretted dropping him however famous that MJ’s “expertise and skill are a lot too nice to be used in Korea right now.”
Nevertheless, relatively than dwell on the destructive, Dustin, in his typical style, most well-liked to focus on the longer term. He had nice issues deliberate for 1976, together with establishing his personal non-public English cram faculty. He confided that it will be sluggish in creating however he was certain his efforts could be price it. He additionally had long-range objectives: he needed to design two calendars — one for a neighborhood financial institution and one other for the resort — for 1978!
All through his life, Dustin was stuffed with goals and objectives, and whereas most of them didn’t succeed, he by no means gave up and finally established Gimnyeong Maze Park — the primary of its type on Jeju. His legacy continues to reside on by means of the hearts and reminiscences of his pals, former college students, friends and household. I wish to assume that each time a customer efficiently navigates the maze and rings the bell, its toll brings pleasure to Dustin — a person who by no means gave up.
Robert Neff has authored and co-authored a number of books, together with „Letters from Joseon,“ „Korea By Western Eyes“ and „Temporary Encounters.“
