He replied in the words of the stanza next following:

"Merchants come from Bharukaccha, seeking riches to purvey,
This is Kusamali ocean where your ship has gone astray."

Now in this ocean was a great quantity of precious emeralds. As before, he made a haul of them, and stored them on board. Passing over this sea, the ship came to a sea called Nalamala, which had the aspect of an expanse of reeds or a grove of bamboos . [141] The merchants asked its name in a stanza:

"Lo! an ocean like a reed-bed, like a bamboo-grove we see!
Speak, Supparaka, and tell us what the name of this may be?"

The Great Being replied by the following stanza:

"Merchants come from Bharukaccha, seeking riches to purvey,
This is Nalamali ocean where your ship has gone astray."

Now this ocean was full of coral of the colour of bamboos . He made a haul of this also and got it aboard.

After passing the Nalamali Sea, the merchants came to a sea named Valabhamukha . Here the water is sucked away and rises on every

side; and the water thus sucked away on all sides rises in sheer precipices leaving what looks like a great pit. A wave rises on one side like a wall: a terrific roar is heard, which seems as it would burst the ear and break the heart. On sight of this the merchants were terrified, and asked its name in a stanza:

"Hear the awful sound terrific of a huge unearthly sea!
Lo a pit, and to the waters in a steep declivity!
Speak, Supparaka, and tell us what the name of this may be?"

The Bodhisatta replied in this following stanza, "Merchants," etc., ending--"This Valabhamukhi ocean," etc.

He went on, [142] "Friends, once a ship has got into the Valabhamukha Sea there is no returning. If this ship gets there, she will sink and go to destruction." Now there were seven hundred souls aboard this ship, and they were in fear of death; with one voice they uttered a very bitter cry, like the cry of those who are burning in the lowest hell . The Great Being thought, "Except me, no other can save those; I will save them by an Act of Truth." Then he said aloud, "Friends, bathe me speedily in scented water, and put new garments upon me, prepare a full bowl, and set me in front of the ship." They quickly did so. The Great Being took the full bowl in both hands, and standing in the front of the ship, performed an Act of Truth, repeating the final stanza:

"Since I can myself remember, since intelligence first grew,
Not one life of living creature have I taken, that I knew:
May this ship return to safety if my solemn words are true!"