Fa-hien also took his pitcher and washing-basin,
with some other articles, and cast them into the sea; but fearing that
the merchants would cast overboard his books and images, he could only
think with all his heart of Kwan-she-yin, and commit his life to the
protection of the church of the land of Han, saying in effect, "I have
travelled far in search of our Law. Let me, by your dread and
supernatural power, return from my wanderings, and reach my
resting-place!"
In this way the tempest continued day and night, till on the thirteenth
day the ship was carried to the side of an island, where, on the ebbing
of the tide, the place of the leak was discovered, and it was stopped,
on which the voyage was resumed. On the sea hereabouts there are many
pirates, to meet with whom is speedy death. The great ocean spreads out,
a boundless expanse. There is no knowing east or west; only by observing
the sun, moon, and stars was it possible to go forward. If the weather
were dark and rainy, the ship went as she was carried by the wind,
without any definite course. In the darkness of the night, only the
great waves were to be seen, breaking on one another, and emitting a
brightness like that of fire, with huge turtles and other monsters of
the deep all about. The merchants were full of terror, not knowing where
they were going. The sea was deep and bottomless, and there was no place
where they could drop anchor and stop.
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