In March, 1662, Hamel and his mates thanked the governor for his kindness and left for Yeosu, Suncheon, and Namwon. Since Suncheon and Yeosu were in the same direction, people going there started together.


Four days later they arrived in Suncheon.

Five people stayed there and the rest left for Yeosu. According to Hamel, they had to stay overnight in a storehouse on their way to Yeosu. Next day, at 9 am, they arrived in Yeosu. They were immediately handed over to the governor. They were given a house with furniture and also they were given an allowance.


The kind and warm governor left for another place two days after they arrived.

Three days after he left, the new governor came. It was unfortunate for them that he was not kind at all. He ordered them to stand by under hot sunlight or in the rain or hail in winter all day.

The winter was drawing near in Yeosu, but they only had a suit of clothes they were wearing because of a bad year. Other people in Suncheon and Namwon could prepare some clothes because their area had a good harvest.

Hamel and his mates in Yeosu told about their situation and the half of them were allowed to go out for three days. Sometimes, they could go out for 15 or 30 days.
In 1664, Hamel and his mates had a new governor. He released them from all kinds of compulsory labor unlike the old governor. He ordered them to work as their mates in Suncheon or Namwon did.

He also allowed them to go out except the two days of inspection a month. Hamel wrote that "we thanked Almighty God for sending a good man".

Since the watch on them became loose, they made every effort to buy a ship.

In 1665, although difficult, they just managed to obtain a small ferry to store emergency provisions. They examined neighboring islands using this ferry.
Hamel wrote an interesting story of Amhaengeosa(a secret loyal inspector) in the Joseon Dynasty.

Early 1666, the new governor came there. Like vicious governors, he forced Hamel and his mates to do hard work.

During training of the naval force, careless gunners put a fire in cartridge boxes and as a result, five people were killed or wounded.

The governor intended to hide this sudden accident, but it was disclosed by Amhaengeosa, who went around in all part of the country as a person close to the king who investigates and inspects local circumstances.
In July, 1666, the new governor came again and they suffered from compulsory labor and miscellaneous affairs. Fortunately, they could raise more funds.

Finally, they could buy a ship. They paid to a Joseon friend and took delivery of the ship.

But the old owner of the ship wanted to cancel their transaction because he came to know Hamel and his mates were the new owner. If they escaped using this ship, he would die.

Hamel and his mates were sorry about him, but they comforted him and paid double for the escape.

They started to prepare all things they need to escape immediately.
They decided to escape on Sept. 8 of the lunar calendar.

At the right moment, Matheus Ibocken and Cornelis Dirchksz residing in Suncheon visited them. They explained them about their plan to escape and planned to call Jan Pieterse who is good at navigation. They went to Suncheon to bring Jan Pieterse, but he went to Namwon. They went to Namwon again and brought him.

On Sept. 4, they made every preparation for escape. In the evening of that day, they moved things needed to go on a voyage including rice, water, and pots into the ship, pretending to have a good time.

After the moon went down, they ventured to escape before the tide ebbed. Soon after, they obtained water in a neighboring island, spread a sail, and went out from a bay.
At dawn of August 16, 1653, 36 persons were shipwrecked in Jeju-do and it took 13 years for them to escape on Sept. 4, 1666.

But, only eight people including Hamel could escape. His eight mates still remained in Joseon: 3 in Namwon, 3 in Suncheon, and 2 in Yeosu.