The most prominent spirits are probably those of the mountain.  According to Corean accounts, the mountains and hills seem to be full of these heroes of witchcraft:  this being probably due to the fact that the dead are buried on hilly ground and that their souls, therefore, are most likely to make their nocturnal hoverings in such neighbourhoods, until a fresh career is found for them in the body of some animal.  They are not gods of the mountains, as some writers have been pleased to call them, for, so far as I could judge, the natives are more terror-stricken when thinking about them than inclined to worship them.  No Corean, of sound mind and body, however brave and fearless of death in battle, can ever be induced to walk out at night on the mountain-slopes; and even in the day-time a great deal of uneasiness is manifested by the natives should they have to climb a hill.  On such occasions they provide themselves with armfuls of stones, which, as they go up, they throw violently one by one at these imaginary beings, thus showing them that their company is neither required nor wished for, and that they had better keep aloof.  If this simple precaution is used, the obliging and scorned spirits seldom interfere with the traveller’s welfare.  The hills close to the towns are simply covered with heaps of stones, so thrown at these mythical dwellers of the mountains.  Such is the effect produced by terror on the people’s imagination, that frequently in their imagination they feel the actual touch of the spirits.  Probably, if there is any physical touch in those cases, it is only a leaf or a twig falling from a tree.  Still, when that occurs a regular fight ensues, the men continuing to fire stones at their imaginary foes, until in their mental vision they see them disappear and fade away in the air.  Others not so brave prefer an accelerated retreat, only stopping now and again to throw a stone at the pursuers.

From their very childhood the Coreans are imbued with horrid and fantastic accounts of the doings of these spirits, and so vividly are the usual habits of these ghostly creatures depicted to them, that they cannot but remain for ever indelibly impressed on their minds.

Another very common sight, besides the stone-heaps, are the sacred trees.  These are to be found everywhere, but especially on hilly ground.  Their branches are literally covered with rags, bits of glass, and other offerings given by the superstitious and frightened passers-by, lest these spirits might take offence at not being noticed.  Women and men when compelled to travel on the hills go well provided with these rags, and when—­for the sacred trees are very numerous—­supplies run short, many a woman has been known to tear off a bit of her silk gown, and attach it to a branch of the tree among the other donations.