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. But when the sky became clear,
they could tell east and west, and the ship again went forward in the
right direction. If she had come on any hidden rock, there would have
been no way of escape.

After proceeding in this way for rather more than ninety days, they
arrived at a country called Java-dvipa, where various forms of error and
Brahmanism are flourishing, while Buddhism in it is not worth speaking
of. After staying there for five months, Fa-hien again embarked in
another large merchantman, which also had on board more than two hundred
men. They carried provisions for fifty days, and commenced the voyage on
the sixteenth day of the fourth month.

Fa-hien kept his retreat on board the ship. They took a course to the
northeast, intending to fetch Kwang-chow. After more than a month, when
the night-drum had sounded the second watch, they encountered a black
wind and tempestuous rain, which threw the merchants and passengers into
consternation. Fa-hien again, with all his heart, directed his thoughts
to Kwan-she-yin and the monkish communities of the land of Han; and,
through their dread and mysterious protection, was preserved to
daybreak. After daybreak, the Brahmans deliberated together and said,
"It is having this Sramana on board which has occasioned our misfortune
and brought us this great and bitter suffering. Let us land the bhikshu
and place him on some island-shore. We must not for the sake of one man
allow ourselves to be exposed to such imminent peril." A patron of
Fa-hien, however, said to them, "If you land the bhikshu, you must at
the same time land me; and if you do not, then you must kill me. If you
land this Sramana, when I get to the land of Han, I will go to the king,
and inform against you. The king also reveres and believes the Law of
Buddha, and honors the bhikshus." The merchants hereupon were perplexed,
and did not dare immediately to land Fa-hien.

At this time the sky continued very dark and gloomy, and the
sailing-masters looked at one another and made mistakes. More than
seventy days passed from their leaving Java, and the provisions and
water were nearly exhausted. They used the salt-water of the sea for
cooking, and carefully divided the fresh water, each man getting two
pints. Soon the whole was nearly gone, and the merchants took counse