ourse and towards itself. For this
reason Yin could find no guide, whatever reward he offered, who would
accompany him; but having with difficulty succeeded in hiring a small
boat of inconsiderable value, he embarked with food, incense, and
materials for building fires, and after rowing consistently for nearly
the whole of the day, came within sight of the island at evening.
Thereafter the necessity of further exertion ceased, for, as they of the
village had declared would be the case, the vessel moved gently forward,
in an unswerving line, without being in any way propelled, and reaching
its destination in a marvellously short space of time, passed behind a
protecting spur of land and came to rest. It then being night, Yin did
no more than carry his stores to a place of safety, and after lighting
a sacrificial fire and prostrating himself before the rock, passed into
the Middle Air.

In the morning Yin's spirit came back to the earth amid the sound of
music of a celestial origin, which ceased immediately he recovered full
consciousness. Accepting this manifestation as an omen of Divine favour,
Yin journeyed towards the centre of the island where the rock stood,
at every step passing the bones of innumerable ones who had come on a
similar quest to his, and perished. Many of these had left behind them
inscriptions on wood or bone testifying their deliberate opinion of the
sacred rock, the island, their protecting deities, and the entire train
of circumstances, which had resulted in their being in such a condition.
These were for the most part of a maledictory and unencouraging nature,
so that after reading a few, Yin endeavoured to pass without being in
any degree influenced by such ill-judged outbursts.

"Accursed be the ancestors of this tormented one to four generations
back!" was prominently traced upon an unusually large shoulder-blade.
"May they at this moment be simmering in a vat of unrefined dragon's
blood, as a reward for having so undiscriminatingly reared the person
who inscribes these words only to attain this end!" "Be warned, O later
one, by the signs around!" Another and more practical-minded person had
written: "Retreat with all haste to your vessel, and escape while
there is yet time. Should you, by chance, again reach land through this
warning, do not neglect, out of an emotion of gratitude, to burn an
appropriate amount of sacrifice paper for the lessening of the torments
of the spirit of Li-Kao," to