ng they came, suddenly, in view of an immense body
of water. No land could be seen as far as the eye could reach. One or
two of them lay down on the beach to drink. As soon as they got the
water in their mouths, they spit it out, and exclaimed, with surprise,
"Shewetagon awbo!" [salt water.] It was the sea. While looking on the
water, the sun arose as if from the deep, and went on its steady course
through the heavens, enlivening the scene with his cheering and
animating beams. They stood in fixed admiration, but the object
appeared to be as distant from them as ever. They thought it best to
encamp, and consult whether it were advisable to go on, or return. "We
see," said the leader, "that the sun is still on the opposite side of
this great water, but let us not be disheartened. We can walk around
the shore." To this they all assented.

Next morning they took the northerly shore, to walk around it, but had
only gone a short distance when they came to a large river. They again
encamped, and while sitting before the fire, the question was put,
whether any one of them had ever dreamed of water, or of walking on it.
After a long silence, the eldest said he had. Soon after they lay down
to sleep. When they arose the following morning, the eldest addressed
them: "We have done wrong in coming north. Last night my spirit
appeared to me, and told me to go south, and that but a short distance
beyond the spot we left yesterday, we should come to a river with high
banks. That by looking off its mouth, we should see an island, which
would approach to us. He directed that we should all get on it. He then
told me to cast my eyes toward the water. I did so, and I saw all he
had declared. He then informed me that we must return south, and wait
at the river until the day after tomorrow. I believe all that was
revealed to me in this dream, and that we shall do well to follow it."

The party immediately retraced their footsteps in exact obedience to
these intimations. Toward the evening they came to the borders of the
indicated river. It had high banks, behind which they encamped, and
here they patiently awaited the fulfilment of the dream. The appointed
day arrived. They said, "We will see if that which has been said will
be seen." Midday is the promised time. Early in the morning two had
gone to the shore to keep a look-out. They waited anxiously for the
middle of the day, straining their eyes to see if they could discover
anything. Sud