MD3PAD 628-630

[Toby G Levy]

        Zhang continues the story of Hsi and Ho. The two ancient Chinese
astronomers prosper in the land of Huang and eventually get to sleep
with all seven of his daughters.  Hsi and Ho travel far and wide,
careful to avoid the emperor's soldiers, and they are continually
mistaken for each other. They continue to predict eclipses for Huang,
who prospers by wagering on the events.  Eventually though, they
miscalculate one by several hours and Huang is disgraced.  Zhag gives
two endings to the tale, one in which Hsi and Ho are banished to an old
age of poverty and the other in which Huang dies and Hsi and Ho take
over his property and prosper for the rest of their lives.

        Chapter 65 begins on page 629.  Now it's November and Mason and
Dixon have moved the chain eleven miles east of the Post Marked West.
They have reached the shore of the Delaware River.

        Zhang discusses Mason and Dixon's accomplishment with them. He
suggests that the additional five degrees of longitude to the east of
the Post marked West, is similar to the five and a quarter degrees
removed from the Chinese Circle to make it 360 degrees.  He also
compares this deletion to the missing eleven days. Dixon disputes this
by saying all of the 360 degrees were made a little bigger to accommodate
the adjustment.

        Zhang continues to fulminate against the sorrow generated by
missing space, missing time and other failures of "the perfect return."

        Mason finally interrupts, asking assurances that Zhang is not
about to become violent.

Toby