x
As I came near the bottom, I discovered, by help of the little light that came from above, the nature of this subterraneous place; it was a vast long cave, and might be about fifty fathom deep. I immediately smelt an insufferable stench, proceeding from the multitude of dead corpses which I saw on the right and left; nay, I fancied that I heard some of them sigh out their last. However, when I got down, I immediately left my coffin, and getting at a distance from the corpses, held my nose, and lay upon the ground, where I staid a long time, bathed in tears. Then, reflecting on my sad lot, It is true, said I, that God disposes all things according to the decrees of his providence; but, poor Sindbad, art not thou thyself the cause of thy being brought to die so strange a death? Would to God thou hadst perished in some of those tempests which thou hast escaped! Then thy death had not been so lingering and terrible in all its circumstances. But thou hast drawn all this upon thyself by thy cursed avarice. Ah! unfortunate wretch, shouldst thou not rather have staid at home, and quietly enjoyed the fruits of thy labour?
Such were the vain complaints with which I made the cave to echo, beating my head and stomach out of rage and despair, and abandoning myself to the most afflicting thoughts. Nevertheless, I must tell you, that instead of calling death to my assistance in that miserable condition, I felt still an inclination to live, and to do all I could to prolong my days. I went groping about, with my nose stopped, for the bread and water that was in my coffin, and I took some of it. Though the darkness of the cave was so great that I could not distinguish day and night, yet I always found my coffin again, and the cave seemed to be more spacious and fuller of corpses than it appeared to me at first. I lived for some days upon my bread and water, which being all spent at last, I prepared for death. —At these words Scheherazade left off, but resumed the story next night thus:
EIGHTY-SECOND NIGHT.
As I was thinking of death, continued Sindbad, I heard the stone lifted up from the mouth of the cave, and immediately the corpse of a man was let down. When men are reduced to necessity, it is natural for them to come to extreme resolutions. While they let down the woman, I approached the place where her coffin was to be put, and as soon as I perceived they were covering again the mouth of the cave, I gave the unfortunate wretch two or three great blows over the head, with a large bone that I found; which stunned, or, to say the truth, killed her. I committed this inhuman action merely for the sake of the bread and water that was in her coffin, and thus I had provisions for some days more. When that was spent, they let down another dead woman, and a live man: I killed the man in the same manner, and, as good luck would have it for me, there was then a sort of mortality in the town, so that by this means I did not want for provisions.
One day, as I despatched another woman, I heard something walking, and blowing or panting as it walked. I advanced towards that side from whence I heard the noise, and upon my approach the thing puffed and blew harder, as if it had been running away from me. I followed the noise, and the thing seemed to stop sometimes, but always fled and blew as I approached. I followed it so long, and so far, till at last I perceived a light, resembling a star; I went on towards that light, and sometimes lost sight of it, but always found it again, and at last discovered that it came through a hole in the rock, large enough for a man to get out at.
Upon this I stopped some time to rest myself, being much fatigued with pursuing this discovery so fast: afterwards coming up to the hole, I went out of it, and found myself upon the bank of the sea. I leave you to guess the excess of my joy: it was such, that I could scarce persuade myself of its being real.
But when I was recovered from my surprise, and convinced of the truth of the matter, I found the thing which I had followed, and heard puff and blow, to be a creature which came out of the sea, and was accustomed to enter at that hole to feed upon the dead carcasses.[31]
I examined the mountain, and perceived it to be situated betwixt the sea and the town, but without any passage or way to communicate with the latter, the rocks on the side of the sea were so rugged and steep. I fell down upon the shore to thank God for this mercy, and afterwards entered the cave again to fetch bread and water, which I did by day-light, with a better appetite than I had done since my interment in the dark hole.
I returned thither again, and groped about among the biers for all the diamonds, rubies, pearls, gold bracelets, and rich stuffs I could find; these I brought to the shore, and tying them up neatly into bales, with the cords that let down the coffins, I laid them together upon the bank, waiting till some ship passed by, without fear of rain, for it was not then the season.
After two or three days, I perceived a ship that had but just come out of the harbour, and passed near the place where I was. I made a sign with the linen of my turban, and called to them as loud as I could. They heard me, and sent a boat to bring me on board, when the mariners asked by what misfortune I came thither: I told them that I had suffered shipwreck two days ago, and made shift to get ashore with the goods they saw. It was happy for me that those people did not consider the place where I was, nor inquire into the probability of what I told them; but, without more ado, took me on board with my goods. When I came to the ship, the captain was so well pleased to have saved me, and so much taken up with his own affairs, that he also took the story of my pretended shipwreck upon trust, and generously refused some jewels which I offered him.
We passed by several islands, and among others that called the isle of Bells,[32]about ten days’ sail from Serendib, with a regular wind, and six from that of Kela, where we landed. This island produces lead mines, Indian canes,[33]and excellent camphire.
The king of the isle of Kela is very rich and potent, and the isle of Bells, which is about two days’ journey in extent, is also subject to him. The inhabitants are so barbarous that they still eat human flesh. After we had finished our commerce in that island, we put to sea again, and touched at several other ports: at last I arrived happily at Bagdad with infinite riches, of which it is needless to trouble you with the detail.
Out of thankfulness to God for his mercies, I gave great alms for the support of several mosques, and for the subsistence of the poor, and employed myself wholly in enjoying my kindred and friends, and making merry with them.
Here Sindbad finished the relation of his fourth voyage, which was more surprising to the company than all the three former. He gave a new present of a hundred sequins to Hindbad, whom he prayed to return with the rest next day at the same hour, to dine with him, and hear the story of his fifth voyage. Hindbad and the rest of his guests took leave of him, and retired. Next morning when they all met, they sat down at table, and when dinner was over, Sindbad began the relation of his fifth voyage, as follows:
The fifth voyage of Sindbad the sailor.
The pleasures I enjoyed had again charms enough to made me forget all the troubles and calamities I had undergone, without curing me of my inclination to make new voyages. Therefore I bought goods, ordered them to be packed up and loaded, and set out with them for the best sea-port; and there, that I might not be obliged to depend upon a captain, but have a ship at my own command, I staid till one was built on purpose, at my own charge. When the ship was ready, I went on board with my goods; but not having enough to load her, I took on board with me several merchants of different nations, with their merchandize.
We sailed with the first fair wind, and, after a long navigation, the first place we touched at was a desert island, where we found an egg of a roc, equal in bigness to that I formerly mentioned. There was a young roc in it, just ready to be hatched, and the bill of it began to appear.
At these words Scheherazade stopt, because day began to enter the sultan’s apartment; but next night she resumed her story thus:
EIGHTY-THIRD NIGHT.
Sindbad, the sailor, said she, continued the relation of his fifth voyage as follows: The merchants whom I had taken on board my ship, and who landed with me, broke the egg with hatchets, and made a hole in it, from whence they pulled out the young roc, piece after piece, and roasted it. I had earnestly persuaded them not to meddle with the egg, but they would not listen to me.
Scarcely had they made an end of their treat, when there appeared in the air, at a considerable distance from us, two great clouds. The captain whom I hired to manage my ship, knowing, by experience, what it meant, cried that it was the male and female roc that belonged to the young one, and pressed us to re-embark with all speed, to prevent the misfortune which he saw would otherwise befall us. We made haste to do so, and set sail with all possible diligence.
In the mean time, the two rocs approached with a frightful noise, which they redoubled when they saw the egg broken, and their young one gone. But having a mind to avenge themselves, they flew back towards the place from whence they came, and disappeared for some time, while we made all the sail we could, to prevent that which unhappily befell us.
They returned, and we observed that each of them carried between their talons, stones, or rather rocks, of a monstrous size. When they came directly over my ship, they hovered, and one of them[34]let fall a stone; but by the dexterity of the steersman, who turned the ship with the rudder, it missed us, and, falling by the side of the ship into the sea, divided the waters so, that we almost could see to the bottom. The other roc, to our misfortune, threw the stone so exactly upon the middle of the ship, that it split in a thousand pieces. The mariners and passengers were all killed by the stone, or sunk. I myself had the last fate; but as I came up again, I fortunately caught hold of a piece of the wreck, and sometimes swimming with one hand, and sometimes with the other, but always holding fast my board, the wind and the tide favouring me, I came to an island, whose shore was very steep. I overcame that difficulty, however, and got ashore.
I sat down upon the grass, to recover myself a little from the fatigue; after which I got up, and went into the island to view it. It seemed to be a delicious garden. I found trees every where, some of them bearing green, and others ripe fruits, and streams of fresh pure water, with pleasant windings and turnings. I ate of the fruits, which I found excellent, and drank of the water, which was very pleasant.
Night being come, I lay down upon the grass in a convenient place enough, but I could not sleep an hour at a time, my mind was so disturbed with the fear of being alone in so desert a place. Thus I spent the best part of the night in fretting, and reproached myself for my imprudence in not staying at home, rather that undertaking this last voyage. These reflections carried me so far, that I began to form a design against my own life; but daylight dispersed those melancholy thoughts, and I got up, and walked among the trees, but not without apprehensions of danger.
When I was a little advanced into the island, I saw an old man,[35]who appeared very weak and feeble. He sat upon the bank of a stream, and at first I took him to be one who had been shipwrecked like myself. I went towards him and saluted him, but he only bowed his head a little. I asked him what he did there; but, instead of answering me, he made a sign for me to take him upon my back, and carry him over the brook, signifying that it was to gather fruit.
I believed him really to stand in need of my help, so took him upon my back, and, having carried him over, bid him get down, and for that end stooped, that he might get off with ease; but instead of that, (which I laugh at every time I think of it,) the old man, who to me appeared very decrepit, clasped his legs nimbly about my neck, and then I perceived his skin to resemble that of a cow. He sat astride upon my shoulders, and held my throat so tight, that I thought he would have strangled me, the fright of which made me faint away, and fall down.
x
THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA.
Day appearing, Scheherazade was obliged to stop here, but pursued her story thus next night:
EIGHTY-FOURTH NIGHT.
Notwithstanding my fainting, continued Sindbad, the ill-natured old fellow kept fast about my neck, but opened his legs a little to give me time to recover my breath. When I had done so, he thrust one of his feet against my stomach, and struck me so rudely on the side with the other, that he forced me to rise up against my will. Being got up, he made me walk under the trees, and forced me now and then to stop, to gather and eat fruit such as we found. He never left me all day, and when I lay down to rest me by night, he laid himself down with me, holding always fast about my neck. Every morning he pushed me to make me awake, and afterwards obliged me to get up and walk, and pressed me with his feet. You may judge, then, gentlemen, what trouble I was in, to be loaded with such a burden, which I could by no means rid myself from.
One day I found in my way several dry calabashes that had fallen from a tree; I took a large one, and after cleaning it, pressed into it some juice of grapes,[36]which abounded in the island; having filled the calabash, I set it in a convenient place, and coming hither again some days after, I took up my calabash, and setting it to my mouth, found the wine to be so good, that it made me presently not only forget my sorrow, but I grew vigorous, and was so light-hearted, that I began to sing and dance as I walked along.
The old man perceiving the effects which this drink had upon me, and that I carried him with more ease than I did before, made a sign to me to give him some of it. I gave him the calabash, and the liquor pleasing his palate, he drank it all off. There being enough of it to fuddle him, he became drunk immediately, and the fumes getting up into his head, he began to sing after his manner, and to dance with his breech upon my shoulders. His jolting made him vomit, and he loosened his legs from about me by degrees; so finding that he did not press me as before, I threw him upon the ground, where he lay without motion, and then I took up a great stone, with which I crushed his head to pieces.
I was extremely rejoiced to be freed thus for ever from this cursed old fellow, and walked upon the bank of the sea, where I met the crew of a ship that had cast anchor to take in water to refresh themselves. They were extremely surprised to see me, and to hear the particulars of my adventures. You fell, said they, into the hands of the old man of the sea, and are the first that ever escaped strangling by him. He never left those he had once made himself master of, till he destroyed them, and he had made this island famous by the number of men he has slain; so that the merchants and mariners who landed upon it dared not to advance into the island but in numbers together.
After having informed me of those things, they carried me with them to the ship: the captain received me with great satisfaction when they told him what had befallen me. He put out again to sea, and after some days’ sail we arrived at the harbour of a great city, whose houses were built with good stone.
One of the merchants of the ship who had taken me into his friendship, obliged me to go along with him, and carried me to a place appointed for a retreat for foreign merchants. He gave me a great bag, and having recommended me to some people of the town, who used to gather cocoa-nuts, he desired them to take me with them to do the like: “Go,” said he, “follow them, and do as you see them do, and do not separate from them, otherwise you endanger your life.” Having thus spoke, he gave me provisions for the journey, and I went with them.
We came to a great forest of trees, extremely straight and tall, and their trunks so smooth, that it was not possible for any man to climb up to the branches that bore the fruit. All the trees were cocoa-trees, and when we entered the forest, we saw a great number of apes, of several sizes, that fled as soon as they perceived us, and climbed up to the top of the trees with surprising swiftness.
Scheherazade would have gone on, but day appearing, prevented her, and next night she resumed her discourse as follows:
EIGHTY-FIFTH NIGHT.
The merchants with whom I was, continued Sindbad, gathered stones, and threw them at the apes on the top of the trees. I did the same, and the apes, out of revenge, threw cocoa-nuts at us as fast, and with such gestures, as sufficiently testified their anger and resentment: we gathered up the cocoa-nuts, and from time to time threw stones to provoke the apes; so that by this stratagem we filled our bags with cocoa-nuts, which it had been impossible for us to have done otherwise.
When we had gathered our number, we returned to the city, where the merchant who sent me to the forest gave me the value of the cocoas I brought: Go on, said he, and do the like every day, until you have got money enough to carry you home. I thanked him for his good advice, and insensibly gathered together so many cocoa-nuts as amounted to a considerable sum.
The vessel in which I came, sailed with merchants, who loaded her with cocoa-nuts. I expected the arrival of another, which landed speedily for the like loading. I embarked on board the same all the cocoa-nuts that belonged to me, and when she was ready to sail, I went and took leave of the merchant who had been so kind to me; but he could not embark with me, because he had not finished his business.
We set sail towards the islands,[37]where pepper grows in great plenty. From thence we went to the isle of Comari,[38]where the best sort of wood of aloes grows, and whose inhabitants have made it an inviolable law to themselves, to drink no wine, nor to suffer any place of debauch. I exchanged my cocoa, in those two islands, for pepper and wood of aloes, and went, with other merchants, a pearl fishing.[39]I hired divers, who fetched me up those that were very large and pure. I embarked joyfully, in a vessel that happily arrived at Balsora; from thence I returned to Bagdad, where I made vast sums of my pepper, wood of aloes, and pearls. I gave the tenth of my gains in alms, as I had done upon my return from other voyages, and endeavoured to ease myself from my fatigues by diversions of all sorts.
When Sindbad had finished his story, he ordered one hundred sequins to Hindbad, who retired with all the other guests; but next morning, the same company returned to dine with rich Sindbad, who, after having treated them as formerly, demanded audience, and gave the following account of his sixth voyage:
The sixth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor.
Gentlemen, said he, you long, without doubt, to know, how after being shipwrecked five times, and escaping so many dangers, I could resolve again to try my fortune, and expose myself to new hardships: I am astonished at it myself when I think on it, and must certainly have been induced to it by my stars. But be that as it will, after a year’s rest, I prepared for a sixth voyage, notwithstanding the entreaties of my kindred and friends, who did all that was possible to prevent me.
Instead of taking my way by the Persian gulf, I travelled once more through several provinces of Persia and the Indies, and arrived at a sea-port, where I embarked on board a ship, the captain of which was resolved on a long voyage.
It was very long indeed, but at the same time so unfortunate, that the captain and pilot lost their course, and knew not where they were. They found it at last, but we had no reason to rejoice at it. We were all seized with extraordinary fear, when we saw the captain quit his post, and cry out. He threw off his turban, pulled the hair of his beard, and beat his head like a madman. We asked him the reason, and he answered, that he was in the most dangerous place in all the sea. A rapid current carries the ship along with it, and we shall all of us perish in less than a quarter of an hour. Pray to God to deliver us from this danger; we cannot escape it, if he does not take pity on us. At these words, he ordered the sails to be changed; but all the ropes broke, and the ship, without its being possible to help it, was carried by the current to the foot of an inaccessible mountain, where she run ashore, and was broken to pieces, yet so that we saved our lives, our provisions, and the best of our goods.
This being over, the captain said to us, God has done what pleased him; we may every man dig our grave here, and bid the world adieu; for we are all in so fatal a place, that none shipwrecked here did ever return to their homes again. His discourse afflicted us sorely, and we embraced each other with tears in our eyes, bewailing our deplorable lot.
The mountain, at the foot of which we were cast, was the coast of a very long and large island. This coast was covered all over with wrecks, and by the vast number of men’s bones we saw every where, and which filled us with horror, we concluded, that abundance of people had died there. It is also incredible to tell, what a quantity of goods and riches we found cast ashore there. All those objects served only to augment our grief. Whereas, in all other places, rivers run from their channels into the sea, here a great river of fresh water[40]runs out of the sea into a dark cave, whose entrance is very high and large. What is most remarkable in this place is, that the stones of the mountain are of crystal, rubies, or other precious stones. Here is also a sort of fountain of pitch or bitumen,[41]that runs into the sea, which the fishes swallow, and then vomit it up again, turned into ambergris; and this the waves throw up on the beach in great quantities. Here also grow trees, most of which are wood of aloes, equal in goodness to those of Comari.
To finish the description of this place, which may well be called a gulf, since nothing ever returns from it —it is not possible for ships to get off from it, when once they come within such a distance of it. If they be driven thither by a wind from the sea, the wind and the current ruin them; and it they come into it when a land-wind blows, which might seem to favour their getting out again, the height of the mountain stops the wind, and occasions a calm, so that the force of the current runs them ashore, where they are broken to pieces, as ours was; and that which completes the misfortune is, that there is no possibility to get to the top of the mountain, or to get out any manner of way.
We continued upon the shore like men out of their senses, and expected death every day. At first, we divided our provisions as equally as we could, and thus every one lived a longer or shorter time, according to their temperance, and the use they made of their provisions.
Scheherazade perceiving day, left off speaking, but next night she resumed the story as follows:
EIGHTY-SIXTH NIGHT.
Those who died first, continued Sindbad, were interred by the rest, and as for my part, I paid the last duty to all my companions: nor are you to wonder at this, for besides that I husbanded the provision that fell to my share better than they, I had provisions of my own, which I did not share with my comrades, yet when I buried the last, I had so little remaining, that I thought I could not hold out long, so that I dug a grave, resolving to lie down in it, because there was none left alive to inter me. I must confess to you at the same time, that while I was thus employed, I could not but reflect upon myself as the cause of my own ruin, and repented that I had ever undertaken this last voyage; nor did I stop at reflections only, but had well nigh hastened my own death, and began to tear my hands with my teeth.
But it pleased God once more to take compassion on me, and put it in my mind to go to the bank of the river which ran into the great cave; where, considering the river with great attention, I said to myself, This river, which runs thus under ground, must come out somewhere or other. If I make a float, and leave myself to the current, it will bring me to some inhabited country, or drown me. If I be drowned, I lose nothing, but only change one kind of death for another; and if I get out of this fatal place, I shall not only avoid the sad fate of my comrades, but perhaps find some new occasion of enriching myself. Who knows but fortune waits upon my getting off this dangerous shelf, to compensate my shipwreck with usury?
I immediately went to work on a float. I made it of large pieces of timber and cables, for I had choice of them, and tied them together so strong, that I had made a very solid little float. When I had finished, I loaded it with some bales of rubies, emeralds, ambergris, rock-crystal, and rich stuffs. Having balanced all my cargo exactly, and fastened them well to the float, I went on board it with two little oars that I had made, and leaving it to the course of the river, I resigned myself to the will of God.
As soon as I came into the cave, I lost all light, and the stream carried me I knew not whither. Thus I floated some days in perfect darkness, and once found the arch so low that it very nigh broke my head, which made me very cautious afterwards to avoid the like danger. All this while I eat nothing but what was necessary to support nature; yet, notwithstanding this frugality, all my provisions were spent. Then a pleasing sleep seized upon me. I cannot tell how long it continued; but when I awakened, I was surprised to find myself in the middle of a vast country, at the brink of a river, where my float was tied amidst a great number of negroes. I got up as soon as I saw them, and saluted them. They spoke to me, but I did not understand their language. I was so transported with joy, that I knew not whether I was asleep or awake; but being persuaded that I was not asleep, I recited the following words in Arabic, aloud: Call upon the Almighty, he will help thee; thou needest not perplex thyself about any thing else: shut thy eyes, and while thou art asleep, God will change thy bad fortune into good.
One of the blacks, who understood Arabic, hearing me speak thus, came towards me, and said, Brother, be not surprised to see us; we are inhabitants of this country, and came hither to-day to water our fields, by digging little canals from this river, which comes out of the neighbouring mountain. We perceived something floating upon the water, went speedily to see what it was, and perceiving your float, one of us swam into the river, and brought it hither, where we fastened it, as you see, until you should awake. Pray tell us your history, for it must be extraordinary; how did you venture yourself into this river, and whence did you come? I begged of them first to give me something to eat, and then I would satisfy their curiosity. They gave me several sorts of food; and when I had satisfied my hunger, I gave them a true account of all that had befallen me, which they listened to with admiration. As soon as I had finished my discourse, they told me, by the person who spoke Arabic, and interpreted to them what I said, that it was one of the most surprising stories they ever heard, and that I must go along with them, and tell it their king myself; the story is too extraordinary to be told by any other than the person to whom it happened. I told them I was ready to do whatever they pleased.
They immediately sent for a horse, which was brought in a little time; and having made me get upon him, some of them walked before me to show me the way, and the rest took my float and cargo, and followed me.
Here, Scheherazade was obliged to stop, because day appeared; but towards the close of the next night, resumed the thread of her story thus:
EIGHTY-SEVENTH NIGHT.
We marched thus altogether, till we came to the city of Serendib,[42]for it was in that island I landed. The blacks presented me to their king; I approached his throne, and saluted him as I used to do the kings of the Indies; that is to say, I prostrated myself at his feet, and kissed the earth. The prince ordered me to rise up, received me with an obliging air, and made me come up, and sit down near him. He first asked me my name, and I answered, They call me Sindbad the sailor, because of the many voyages I had undertaken, and I am a citizen of Bagdad. But, replied he, how came you into my dominions, and from whence came you last?
I concealed nothing from the king; I told him all that I have now told you, and his majesty was so surprised and charmed with it, that he commanded my adventure to be written in letters of gold, and laid up in the archives of his kingdom. At last my float was brought in, and the bales opened in his presence: he admired the quantity of wood of aloes and ambergris; but, above all, the rubies and emeralds, for he had none in his treasury that came near them.
Observing that he looked on my jewels with pleasure, and viewed the most remarkable among them one after another, I fell prostrate at his feet, and took the liberty to say to him, Sir, not only my person is at your majesty’s service, but the cargo of the float, and I would beg of you to dispose of it as your own. He answered me with a smile, Sindbad, I will take care not to covet any thing of yours, nor take any thing from you that God has given you; far from lessening your wealth, I design to augment it, and will not let you go out of my dominions without marks of my liberality. All the answer I returned, was prayers for the prosperity of that prince, and commendations of his generosity and bounty. He charged one of his officers to take care of me, and ordered people to serve me at his own charge. The officer was very faithful in the execution of his orders, and caused all the goods to be carried to the lodgings provided for me.
I went every day, at a set hour, to make my court to the king, and spent the rest of my time in seeing the city, and what was most worthy of notice.
The isle of Serendib is situated just under the equinoctial line;[43]so that the days and nights there are always of twelve hours each, and the island is eighty parasangs[44]in length, and as many in breadth.
The capital city stands in the end of a fine valley, formed by a mountain in the middle of the island, which is the highest in the world.[45]It is seen three days sail off at sea. There are rubies and several sorts of minerals in it, and all the rocks are for the most part emery, a metalline stone made use of to cut and smooth other precious stones. There grow all sorts of rare plants and trees, especially cedars and cocoa-trees. There is also a pearl fishery in the mouth of its river, and in some of its valleys there are found diamonds. I made, by way of devotion, a pilgrimage to the place where Adam was confined after his banishment from paradise, and had the curiosity to go to the top of it.
When I came back to the city, I prayed the king to allow me to return to my country, which he granted me in the most obliging and most honourable manner. He would needs force a rich present upon me; and when I went to take my leave of him, he gave me one much more considerable, and at the same time charged me with a letter for the commander of the faithful, our sovereign, saying to me, I pray you give this present from me, and this letter, to Caliph Haroun Alraschid, and assure him of my friendship. I took the present and letter in a very respectful manner, and promised his majesty punctually to execute the commission with which he was pleased to honour me. Before I embarked, this prince sent for the captain and the merchants who were to go with me, and ordered them to treat me with all possible respect.
The letter from the king of Serendib was written on the skin of a certain animal, of great value, because of its being so scarce, and of a yellowish colour.[46]The characters of the letters were of azure, and the contents as follows:
‘The king of the Indies, before whom march a hundred elephants, who lives in a palace that shines with a hundred thousand rubies, and who has in his treasury twenty thousand crowns, enriched with diamonds, to Caliph Haroun Alraschid:
‘Though the present we send you be inconsiderable, receive it however as a brother and a friend, in consideration of the hearty friendship which we bear for you, and of which we are willing to give you proof. We desire the same part in your friendship, considering that we believe it to be our merit being of the same dignity with yourself. We conjure you this in quality of a brother. Adieu.’
The present consisted, first, of one single ruby[47]made into a cup, about half a foot high, an inch thick, and filled with round pearls of half a dram each. Second, the skin of a serpent, whose scales were as large as an ordinary piece of gold, and had the virtue to preserve from sickness those who lay upon it.[48]Third, fifty thousand drams of the best wood of aloes, with thirty grains of camphire as big as pistachios. And fourth, a she slave of ravishing beauty, whose apparel was all covered over with jewels.
The ship set sail, and after a very long and successful navigation, we landed at Balsora; from thence I went to Bagdad, where the first thing I did was to acquit myself of my commission. Scheherazade stopt because day appeared, and next night proceeded thus:
EIGHTY-EIGHTH NIGHT.
I took the king of Serendib’s letter, continued Sindbad, and went to present myself at the gate of the commander of the faithful, followed by the beautiful slave, and such of my own family as carried the presents. I gave an account of the reason of my coming, and was immediately conducted to the throne of the caliph. I made my reverence by prostration, and after a short speech, gave him the letter and present. When he had read what the king of Serendib wrote to him, he asked me if that prince was really so rich and potent as he had said in his letter? I prostrated myself a second time, and rising again, Commander of the faithful, said I, I can assure your majesty he doth not exceed the truth on that head. I am witness of it. There is nothing more capable of raising a man’s admiration than the magnificence of his palace. When the prince appears in public, he has a throne fixed on the back of an elephant, and marches betwixt two ranks of his ministers, favourites, and other people of his court; before him, upon the same elephant, an officer carries a golden lance in his hand; and behind the throne there is another, who stands upright, with a column of gold, on the top of which there is an emerald half a foot long, and an inch thick; before him march a guard of a thousand men, clad in cloth of gold and silk, and mounted on elephants richly caparisoned.
While the king is on his march, the officer who is before him on the same elephant, cries, from time to time, with a loud voice, Behold the great monarch, the potent and redoubtable sultan of the Indies, whose palace is covered with a hundred thousand rubies, and who possesses twenty thousand crowns of diamonds. Behold the crowned monarch greater than the great Solima[49]and the great Mihrage.[50]After he had pronounced those words, the officer behind the throne cries in his turn, This monarch, so great and so powerful, must die, must die, must die. And the officer before replies, Praise be to him who lives for ever.
Farther, the king of Serendib is so just, that there are no judges in his dominions. His people have no need of them. They understand and observe justice exactly of themselves.
The caliph was much pleased with my discourse. The wisdom of that king, said he, appears in his letter, and after what you tell me, I must confess, that his wisdom is worthy of his people, and his people deserve so wise a prince. Having spoken thus, he dismissed me, and sent me home with a rich present.
Sindbad left off speaking, and his company retired, Hindbad having first received a hundred sequins; and next day they returned to hear the relation of his seventh and last voyage, as follows:
The seventh and last Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor.
Being returned from my sixth voyage, I absolutely laid aside all thoughts of travelling any farther; for, beside that my years now required rest, I was resolved no more to expose myself to such risk as I had run; so that I thought of nothing but to pass the rest of my days in quiet. One day as I was treating a parcel of my friends, one of my servants came, and told me, that an officer of the caliph asked for me. I rose from the table and went to him. The caliph, said he, has sent me to tell you, that he must speak with you. I followed the officer to the palace, where being presented to the caliph, I saluted him, by prostrating myself at his feet. Sindbad, said he to me, I stand in need of you; you must do me the service to carry my answer and present to the king of Serendib. It is but just I should return his civility.
This command of the caliph to me was like a clap of thunder. Commander of the faithful, replied I, I am ready to do whatever your majesty shall think fit to command me; but I beseech you most humbly to consider what I have undergone. I have also made a vow never to go out of Bagdad. Hence, I took occasion to give him a large and particular account of all my adventures, which he had the patience to hear out.
As soon as I had finished, I confess, said he, that the things you tell me are very extraordinary, yet you must, for my sake, undertake this voyage which I propose to you. You have nothing to do but to go to the isle of Serendib, and deliver the commission which I give you. After that you are at liberty to return. But you must go; for you know it would be indecent, and not suitable to my dignity, to be indebted to the king of that island. Perceiving that the caliph insisted upon it, I submitted, and told him that I was willing to obey. He was very well pleased at it, and ordered me a thousand sequins for the charge of my journey.
I prepared for my departure in a few days, and as soon as the caliph’s letter and present were delivered to me, I went to Balsora, where I embarked, and had a very happy voyage. I arrived at the isle of Serendib, where I acquainted the king’s ministers with my commission, and prayed them to get me speedy audience. They did so, and I was conducted to the palace in an honourable manner, where I saluted the king by prostration, according to custom. That prince knew me immediately, and testified very great joy to see me. O Sindbad, said he, you are welcome; I swear to you I have many times thought of you since you went hence; I bless the day upon which we see one another once more. I made my compliment to him, and after having thanked him for his kindness to me, I delivered the caliph’s letter and present, which he received with all imaginable satisfaction.
The caliph’s present was a complete set of cloth of gold, valued at one thousand sequins; fifty robes of rich stuff, a hundred other of white cloth, the finest of Cairo, Suez, Cusa,[51]and Alexandria;[52]a royal crimson bed, and a second of another fashion; a vessel of agate broader than deep, an inch thick, and half a foot wide, the bottom of which represented in bas-relief a man with one knee on the ground, who held a bow and an arrow, ready to let fly at a lion. He sent him also a rich table, which, according to tradition, belonged to the great Solomon. The caliph’s letter was as follows:
‘Greeting in the name of the sovereign guide of the right way, to the potent and happy sultan, from Abdallah Haroun Alraschid, whom God hath set in the place of honour, after his ancestors of happy memory:
‘We received your letter with joy, and send you this from the council of our port; the garden of superior wits. We hope, when you look upon it, you will find our good intention, and be pleased with it. Adieu.’
The king of Serendib was highly pleased that the caliph answered his friendship. A little time after this audience, I solicited leave to depart, and had much difficulty to obtain it. I obtained it however at last, and the king, when he dismissed me, made me a very considerable present. I embarked immediately to return to Bagdad, but had not the good fortune to arrive there as I hoped. God ordered it otherwise.
Three or four days after my departure, we were attacked by corsairs, who easily seized upon our ship, because it was no vessel of force. Some of the crew offered resistance, which cost them their lives. But for me and the rest, who were not so imprudent, the corsairs saved us, on purpose to make slaves of us.
Day beginning to appear, Scheherazade was obliged to keep silence, but next night resumed the story thus:
EIGHTY-NINTH NIGHT.
Sir, said she to the sultan of the Indies, Sindbad continuing his story, told the company, We were all stripped, and instead of our own clothes, they gave us sorry rags, and carried us into a remote island, where they sold us.
I fell into the hands of a rich merchant, who, as soon as he bought me, carried me to his house, treated me well, and clad me handsomely for a slave. Some days after, not knowing who I was, he asked me if I understood any trade? I answered, that I was no mechanic, but a merchant, and that the corsairs who sold me, robbed me of all I had. But tell me, replied he, can you shoot with a bow? I answered, that the bow was one of my exercises in my youth, and I had not yet forgot it. Then he gave me a bow and arrows, and taking me behind him upon an elephant, carried me to a vast forest some leagues from the town. We went a great way into the forest, and when he thought fit to stop, he bid me alight; then showing me a great tree, Climb up that tree, said he, and shoot at the elephants as you see them pass by, for there is a prodigious number of them in this forest, and if any of them fall, come and give me notice of it. Having spoken thus, he left me victuals, and returned to the town, and I continued upon the tree all night.
I saw no elephant during that time, but next morning, as soon as the sun was up, I saw a great number: I shot several arrows among them, and at last one of the elephants fell; the rest retired immediately, and left me at liberty to go and acquaint my patron with my booty. When I had told him the news, he gave me a good meal, commended my dexterity, and caressed me highly. We went afterwards together to the forest, where we dug a hole for the elephant; my patron designing to return when it was rotten, and to take his teeth, &c. to trade with.
I continued this game for two months, and killed an elephant every day, getting sometimes upon one tree, and sometimes upon another. One morning, as I looked for the elephants, I perceived with an extreme amazement, that, instead of passing by me across the forest as usual, they stopped, and came to me with a horrible noise, in such a number that the earth was covered with them, and shook under them. They encompassed the tree where I was, with their trunks extended, and their eyes all fixed upon me. At this frightful spectacle I continued immoveable, and was so much frightened, that my bow and arrows fell out of my hand.
My fears were not in vain; for after the elephants had stared upon me some time, one of the largest of them put his trunk round the foot of the tree, and pulled so strong, that he plucked it up, and threw it on the ground; I fell with the tree, and the elephant taking me up with his trunk, laid me on his back, where I sat more like one dead than alive, with my quiver on my shoulder: he put himself at the head of the rest, who followed him in troops, and carried me to a place where he laid me down on the ground, and retired with all his companions. Conceive, if you can, the condition I was in: I thought myself to be in a dream; at last, after having lain some time, and seeing the elephants gone, I got up, and found I was upon a long and broad hill, covered all over with the bones and teeth of elephants. I confess to you that this object furnished me with abundance of reflections. I admired the instinct of those animals; I doubted not but that was their burying-place, and that they carried me thither on purpose to tell me that I should forbear to persecute them, since I did it only for their teeth. I did not stay on the hill, but turned towards the city, and, after having travelled a day and a night, I came to my patron; I met no elephant in my way, which made me think they had retired farther into the forest, to leave me at liberty to come back to the hill without any obstacle.
As soon as my patron saw me; Ah, poor Sindbad, said he, I was in great trouble to know what had become of you. I have been at the forest, where I found a tree newly pulled up, and a bow and arrows on the ground, and after having sought for you in vain, I despaired of ever seeing you more. Pray, tell me what befell you, and by what good hap thou art still alive. I satisfied his curiosity, and going both of us next morning to the hill, he found to his great joy that what I had told him was true. We loaded the elephant upon which we came with as many teeth as he could carry; and when we were returned, Brother, said my patron, for I will treat you no more as my slave, after having made such a discovery as will enrich me, God bless you with all happiness and prosperity. I declare before him that I give you your liberty. I concealed from you what I am now going to tell you.
The elephants of our forest have every year killed us a great many slaves, whom we sent to seek ivory. For all the cautions we could give them, those crafty animals killed them one time or other. God has delivered you from their fury, and has bestowed that favour upon you only. It is a sign that he loves you, and has use for your service in the world. You have procured me incredible gain. We could not have ivory formerly, but by exposing the lives of our slaves, and now our whole city is enriched by your means. Do not think I pretend to have rewarded you by giving you your liberty; I will also give you considerable riches. I would engage all our city to contribute towards making your fortune, but I will have the glory of doing it myself.
To this obliging discourse I replied, Patron, God preserve you. Your giving me my liberty is enough to discharge what you owe me, and I desire no other reward for the service I had the good fortune to do to you and your city, but leave to return to my own country. Very well, said he, the monsoon[53]will in a little time bring ships for ivory. I will send you home then, and give you wherewith to bear your charges. I thanked him again for my liberty, and his good intentions towards me. I staid with him, expecting the monsoon; and during that time, we made so many journeys to the hill, that we filled all our warehouses with ivory. The other merchants, who traded in it, did the same thing, for it could not be long concealed from them. At these words Scheherazade, perceiving day, broke off.
NINETIETH NIGHT.[54]
Sir, said she to the sultan of the Indies, Sindbad went on with his seventh voyage thus:
The ships arrived at last, and my patron himself having made choice of the ship wherein I was to embark, he loaded half of it with ivory on my account, he laid in provisions in abundance for my passage, and besides obliged me to accept a present of the curiosities of the country of great value. After I had returned him a thousand thanks for all his favours, I went aboard. We set sail, and as the adventure which procured me this liberty was very extraordinary, I had it continually in my thoughts.
We stopped at some islands to take in fresh provisions. Our vessel being come to a port on the main land in the Indies, we touched there, and not being willing to venture by sea to Balsora, I landed my proportion of the ivory, resolving to proceed on my journey by land. I made vast sums of my ivory, I bought several rarities, which I intended for presents, and when my equipage was got ready, I set out in company of a large caravan of merchants. I was a long time on the way, and suffered very much; but endured all with patience, when I considered that I had nothing to fear from the seas, from pirates, from serpents, nor of the other perils I had undergone.
All these fatigues ended at last, and I came safe to Bagdad. I went immediately to wait upon the caliph, and gave him an account of my embassy. That prince told me he had been uneasy, by reason I was so long in returning, but that he always hoped God would preserve me. When I told him of the adventure of the elephants, he seemed to be much surprised at it, and would never have given any credit to it had he not known my sincerity. He reckoned this story, and the other relations I had given him, to be so curious, that he ordered one of his secretaries to write them in characters of gold, and lay them up in his treasury. I retired very well satisfied with the honours I received, and the presents which he gave me; and after that I gave myself up wholly to my family, kindred, and friends.
Sindbad here finished the relation of his seventh and last voyage, and then, addressing himself to Hindbad, Well, friend, said he, did you ever hear of any person that suffered so much as I have done, or of any mortal that has gone through so many perplexities? Is it not reasonable that, after all this, I should enjoy a quiet and pleasant life? As he said this, Hindbad drew near to him, and kissing his hand, said, I must acknowledge, sir, you have gone through terrible dangers; my troubles are not comparable to yours: if they afflict me for a time, I comfort myself with the thoughts of the profit I get by them. You not only deserve a quiet life, but are worthy besides of all the riches you enjoy, because you make such a good and generous use of them. May you therefore continue to live in happiness and joy, till the day of your death. Sindbad gave him a hundred sequins more, received him into the number of his friends, and desired him to quit his porter’s employment, and come and dine every day with him, that he might all his days have reason to remember Sindbad the sailor.
The three Apples.
The Caliph Haroun Alraschid one day commanded the grand vizier Giafar, to come to his palace the night following. Vizier, said he, I will take a walk around the town, to inform myself what people say, and particularly how they are pleased with my officers of justice. If there be any against whom they have reason of just complaint, we will turn them out, and put others in their stead who shall officiate better. If, on the contrary, there be any that have gained their applause, we will have that esteem for them which they deserve. The grand vizier being come to the palace at the hour appointed, the caliph, he, and Mesrour, the chief of the eunuchs, disguised themselves so that they could not be known, and went out all three together.
They passed through several places, and by several markets; and as they entered a small street, they perceived, by the light of the moon, a tall man, with a white beard, who carried nets on his head, and a club in his hand. The old man, said the caliph, does not seem to be rich; let us go to him, and inquire into his circumstances. Honest man, said the vizier, who art thou? The old man replied, Sir, I am a fisher, but one of the poorest and most miserable of the trade; I went from my house about noon to go a fishing, and from that time to this I have not been able to catch one fish; and at the same time I have a wife and small children, and nothing to maintain them.
The caliph, moved with compassion, said to the fisherman, Hast thou the courage to go back and cast thy net once more? We will give thee a hundred sequins for what thou shalt bring up. At this proposal, the fisherman, forgetting all his day’s toil, took the caliph at his word; and with him, Giafar and Mesrour, returned to the Tigris; he saying to himself: These gentlemen seem to be too honest and reasonable not to reward my pains; and if they give me the hundredth part of what they promise me, it will be a great deal.