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54 maidens. Their ship sailed across mid-ocean. The excuse they gave for failure was the plea of contrary winds, declaring that they had been unable to get to the Isles, though they had seen them from afar. The following year ( 218) the Emperor returned to the coast, and wandered till he came to Lang-yeh. … Three years later (. 215) he journeyed to Chieh-shih, and put questions to those magicians who had explored the sea. … Five years after that ( 210) the Emperor travelled to the south as far as Mount Hsiang. Next he climbed Kuei-chi. He kept along by the sea coast in the hopes of coming upon the marvellous herb (i.e., the magic fungus) of the Three Enchanted Islands that lie in the middle of the ocean, but failed to obtain it. On the return journey the Emperor died when Sha-ch‘iu was reached."

Thus ended the First Emperor's quest for immortality. His famous expedition of 219 is mentioned in other parts of the Historical Record. The passage that provides the fullest details infers that it was not his first attempt of the kind. It runs as follows:—

"In bygone days the Ch‘in Emperor … sent Hsü Fu to sea in search of supernatural and strange things. On his return he made lying excuses, saying: 'Your servant saw in mid-ocean a great Spirit who asked: Are you the envoy of the Emperor of the West? Your servant answered, Yes. What have you come to seek? said he. To which your servant replied: I would request of you the herb that lengthens one's years and increases longevity. The Spirit said: The offerings of your Emperor are inadequate; you may look at the herb, but not take it. Then he accompanied your servant towards the south-east till we arrived at the Island of P‘êng-lai. I saw the portal of the hall where are stored the crops of magic fungus. By it stood