Hamel's World

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A Dutch-Korean Encounter in the Seventeenth Century Written by Leonard Blusse, Boudewijn Walraven, W. J. Boot, Vibeke Roeper, Jean-Paul Buys, and Hendrik Hamel In 1653 the Dutch Ea st Indies Company (VOC) ship Sperwer was shipwrecked on the rocks off a remote Korean island. Thirty-six men of the crew survived the ordeal. The king of Korea decreed that the men were to spend the rest of their lives in his hermit kingdom. The Dutchmen were provided with food and housing and a certain amount of freedom, and had no choice but to accept their fate. After 13 years in captivity, eight of them escaped and reached Japan in a small, barely seaworthy boat. Once back home in Gorinchem, the Netherlands, Hendrik Hamel published the men's adventures in a widely read book. His journal saw numerous reprints since then. Hardcover, 192 pages, illustrated, special import, a Dutch Heritage and Korea history title Show more