We returned to the palace towards evening, and the giant arrived a little while after. We were forced to submit to see a number of our comrades roasted; but at last revenged ourselves on the brutish giant thus. After he had made an end of his cursed supper, he lay down on his back, and fell asleep. As soon as we heard him snore[Footnote: It would seem the Arabian author has taken this story from Homer's Odyssey.] according to his custom, nine of the boldest among us, with myself, took each a spit, and putting the points of them into the fire till they were burning hot, we thrust them into his eye all at once, and blinded him. The pain occasioned him to make a frightful cry, and to get up and stretch out his hands, in order to sacrifice some of us to his rage; but we ran to such places as he could not find us; and, after having sought for us in vain, he groped for the gate, and went out howling dreadfully. We went out of the palace after the giant, and came to the shore, where we had left our floats, and put them immediately into the sea. We waited till day, in order to get upon them, in case the giant came towards us with any guide of his own species; but we hoped, if he did not appear by sun-rise, and give over his howling which we still heard, that he would die; and if that happened to be the case, we resolved to stay in the island, and not to risk our lives upon the floats. But day had scarcely appeared when we perceived our cruel enemy, accompanied with two others, almost of the same size, leading him; and a great number more coming before him with a very quick pace. When we saw this, we made no delay, but got immediately upon our floats, and rowed off from the shore. The giants, who perceived this, took up great stones, and running to the shore, entered the water up to the middle, and threw so exactly, that they sunk all the floats but that I was upon; and all my companions, except the two with me, were drowned. We rowed with all our might, and got out of the reach of the giants. When we got to sea, however, we were exposed to the mercy of the waves and the winds, tossed about sometimes on one side and sometimes on another, and spent that night and the following day under a cruel uncertainty as to our fate; but next morning we had the good luck to be thrown upon an island, where we landed with much joy. We found excellent fruit there that gave us great relief, so that we pretty well recovered our strength. In the evening we fell asleep on the bank of the sea, but were awaked by the noise of a serpent as long as a palmtree, whose scales made a rustling as he creeped along. He swallowed up one of my comrades, notwithstanding his loud cries, and the efforts he made to rid himself of the serpent; which, shaking him several times against the ground, crushed him, and we could hear him gnaw and tear the poor wretch's bones, when we had fled at a great distance from him. Next day we saw the serpent again, to our great terror, when I cried out, O Heaven, to what dangers are we exposed! We rejoiced yesterday at our having escaped from the cruelty of a giant, and the rage of the waves, and now are fallen into another danger equally as terrible.
As we walked about, we saw a large tall tree, upon which we intended to pass the following night for our security; and, having satisfied our hunger with fruit, we mounted it accordingly. A little while after, the serpent came hissing to the root of the tree, raised itself up against the trunk of it, and meeting with my comrade, who sat lower than I, swallowed him at once, and went off; I staid upon the tree till it was day, and then came down, more like a dead man than one alive, expecting the same fate with my two companions. This filled me with horror, so that I was going to throw myself into the sea; but as nature prompts us to a desire to live as long as we can, I withstood this temptation to despair, and submitted myself to the will of God, who disposes of our lives at pleasure.
In the mean time I gathered together a quantity of small wood, brambles, and dry thorns, and making them up into faggots, made a great circle with them round the tree, and tied some of them to the branches over my head. Having done this, when the evening came, I shut myself up within the circle, with this melancholy piece of satisfaction, that I had neglected nothing which could preserve me from the cruel destiny with which I was threatened. The serpent failed not to come at the usual hour, and went round the tree, seeking for an opportunity to devour me, but was prevented by the rampart I had made; so that he sat till day, like a cat watching in vain for a mouse, that has retired to a place of safety. When day appeared, he retired, but I dared not leave my fort until the sun rose. I was fatigued with the toil he had put me to, and suffered so much by his poisonous breath, that death seemed more eligible to me than the horror of such a condition. I came down from the tree and, not thinking on the resignation I had made to the will of God the preceding day, I ran towards the sea with a design to throw myself headlong into it. God took compassion on my desperate state; for, just as I was going to throw myself, into the sea, I perceived a ship at a considerable distance. I called as loud as I could, and taking the linen from my turban, displayed it so as they might observe me. This had the desired effect; the crew perceived me, and the captain sent me his boat. As soon as I came on board, the merchants and seamen flocked about me to learn how I came into that desert island; and after I had told them all that befell me, the oldest among them said to me, they had several times heard of the giants that dwelt in that island; that they were cannibals, and ate men raw as well as roasted. As to the serpents, they added, that there were abundance in the isle, that they hid themselves by day, and came abroad at night.
After having testified their joy at my escaping so many dangers, they brought me the best of what they had to eat; and the captain, seeing that I was in rags, was so generous as to give me one of his own suits. We were at sea for some time, touched at several islands, and at last landed at that of Salabat, where grows sanders, a wood of great use in physic. We entered the port, and came to anchor. The merchants began to unload their goods, in order to sell or exchange them. In the meantime the captain came to me, and said, Brother, I have here a parcel of goods that belonged to a merchant, who sailed some time on board this ship; and he being dead, I design to dispose of them for the benefit of his heirs, when I know them. The bales he spoke of lay on the deck; and showing them to me, he says, There are the goods; I hope you will take care to sell them, and you shall have factorage. I thanked him for giving me an opportunity to employ myself, because I hated to be idle. The clerk of the ship took an account of all the bales, with the names of the merchants to whom they belonged; and when he asked the captain in whose name he should enter those he gave me the charge of, Enter them, says the captain, in the name of Sindbad the sailor. I could not hear myself named without some emotion; and looking steadfastly on the captain, I knew him to be the person who, in my second voyage, had left me in the island, where I fell asleep by a brook, and set sail without me, or sending to see for me. But I could not remember him at first, he being so much altered since I saw him. As for him, who believed me to be dead, I could not wonder at his not knowing me. But captain, says I, was the merchant's name, to whom those bales belonged, Sindbad? Yes, replies he, that was his name; he came from Bagdad, and embarked on board my ship at Balsora. One day when we landed at an island to take in water and other refreshments, I know not by what mistake, I set sail without observing that he did not re- embark with us; neither I nor the merchants perceived it till four hours after. We had the wind in our stern, and so fresh a gale, that it was not then possible for us to tack about for him. You believe him then to be dead, said I? Certainly answered he. No, captain, said I; look upon me, and you may know that I am Sindbad, whom you left in the desert island: I fell asleep by a brook, and, when I awaked, I found all the company gone. At these words the captain looked steadfastly upon me; and, having considered me attentively, knew me at last, embraced me, and said, God be praised that fortune has supplied my defect. There are your goods, which I always took care to preserve, and to make the best of them at every port where I touched. I restore them to you, with the profit I have made on them. I took them from him, and at the same time acknowledged how much I owed to him.
From the isle of Salabat we went to another, where I furnished myself with cloves, cinnamon, and other spices. As we sailed from the island, we saw a tortoise that was twenty cubits in length and breadth. We observed also a fish which looked like a crow, and gave milk, and its skin is so hard that they usually make bucklers of it. I saw another which had the shape and colour of a camel. In short, after a long voyage, I arrived at Balsora, and from thence returned to this city of Bagdad, with so great riches, that I knew not what I had. I gave a great deal to the poor, and added another great estate to those I had already.
Thus Sindbad finished the history of his third voyage; gave another hundred sequins to Hindbad, and invited him to dinner next day, to hear the history of his fourth voyage. Hindbad and the company retired: and next day when they returned, Sindbad, after dinner, continued the relation of his adventures.
The Fourth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor.
The pleasure, says he, and the divertisements I took after my third voyage, had not charms enough to divert me from another. I was again prevailed upon by my passion for traffic, and curiosity to see new things. I therefore put my affairs in order, and having provided a stock of goods fit for the places I designed to trade, I set out on my journey. I took the way of Persia, of which I travelled several provinces, and then arrived at a port, where I embarked. We set sail, and having touched at several ports of Terra Firma, and some of the eastern islands, we put out to sea, and were seized by such a sudden gust of wind, as obliged the captain to furl his sails, and to take all other necessary precautions, to prevent the danger that threatened us; but all was in vain; our endeavours took no effect; the sails were torn in a thousand pieces, and the ship was stranded, so that a great many of the merchants and seamen were drowned, and the cargo lost. I had the good fortune, with several of the merchants and mariners, to get a plank, and we were carried by the current to an island which lay before us. There we found fruit and fountain water, which preserved our lives. We staid all night near the place where the sea cast us ashore, without consulting what we should do, our misfortune having dispirited us so much.
Next morning, as soon as, the sun was up, we walked from the shore, and, advancing into the island, saw some houses to which we went; and as soon as we came thither, we were encompassed by a great number of blacks, who seized us, shared us amongst them, and carried us to their respective habitations. I, and five of my comrades, were carried to one place: they made us sit down immediately, and gave us a certain herb, which they made signs for us to eat. My comrades, not taking notice that the blacks ate none of it themselves, consulted only the satisfying their own hunger, and fell to eating with greediness. But I, suspecting some trick, would not so much as taste it, which happened well for me; for in a little time after I perceived my companions had lost their senses, and that when they spoke to me, they knew not what they said. The blacks filled us afterwards with rice, prepared with oil of cocoas; and my comrades, who had lost their reason, ate of it greedily. I ate of it also, but very sparingly. The blacks gave us that herb at first on purpose to deprive us of our senses, that we might not be aware of the sad destiny prepared for us; and they gave us rice on purpose to fatten us; for, being cannibals, their design was to eat us as soon as we grew fat. They accordingly ate my comrades, who were not sensible of their condition; but my senses being entire, you may easily guess, gentlemen, that instead of growing fat, like the rest, I grew leaner every day. The fear of death, under which I laboured, turned all my food into poison. I fell into a languishing distemper, which proved my safety; for the blacks having killed and eaten my companions, seeing me to be withered, lean, and sick, deferred my death till another time.
Meanwhile I had a great deal of liberty, so that there was scarcely any notice taken of what I did; and this gave me an opportunity one day to get at a distance from the houses, and to make my escape. An old man who saw me, and suspected my design, called to me as loud as he could to return; but, instead of obeying him, I redoubled my pace, and, quickly got out of sight. At that time there was none but an old man about the houses, the rest being abroad, and not to come home till night, which was pretty usual with them. Therefore, being sure that they could not come time enough to pursue me, I went on till night, when I stopped to rest a little, and to eat some of the provisions I had taken care of; but I speedily set forward again, and travelled seven days, avoiding those places which seemed to be inhabited, and lived for the most part upon cocoa nuts, which served me both for meat and drink. On the eighth day I came near the sea, and saw all of a sudden white people like myself gathering pepper, of which there was great plenty in that place; this I took to be a good omen, and went to them without any scruple. The people who gathered pepper came to meet me, and, as soon as they saw me, asked me in Arabic, who I was, and whence I came? I was overjoyed to hear them speak in my own language, and willingly satisfied their curiosity by giving them an account of my shipwreck, and how I fell into the hands of the blacks. Those blacks, replied they, eat men; but by what miracle did you escape their cruelty? I told them the same story I now told you, at which they were wonderfully surprised. I staid with them till they had gathered their quantity of pepper, and then sailed with them to the island from whence they came. They presented me to their king, who was a good prince: He had the patience to hear the relation of my adventures, which surprised him; and he afterwards gave me clothes, and commanded care to be taken of me. The island was very well peopled, plentiful of everything, and the capital was a place of great trade. This agreeable place of retreat was very comfortable to me after my misfortune, and the kindness of this generous prince towards me completed my satisfaction. In a word, there was not a person more in favour with him than myself, and by consequence every man in court and city sought how to oblige me; so that in a very little time I was looked upon rather as a native than a stranger. I observed one thing which to me appeared very extraordinary; all the people, the king himself not excepted, rode their horses without bridles or stirrups. This made me one day take the liberty to ask the king how that came to pass. His majesty answered, that I talked to him of things which nobody knew the use of in his dominions. I went immediately to a workman, and gave him a model for making the stock of a saddle. When that was done, I covered it myself with velvet and leather, and embroidered it with gold. I afterwards went to a locksmith, who made me a bridle according to the pattern I showed him, and then he also made me some stirrups. When I had all things completed, I presented them to the king, and put them upon one of his horses. His majesty mounted immediately, and was so mightily pleased with them, that he testified his satisfaction by large presents to me. I could not avoid making several others for his ministers and principal officers of his household, who all of them made me presents that enriched me in a little time. I also made for the people of quality in the city, so that I gained great reputation and regard from everybody.
As I made my court very exactly to the king, he says to me one day, Sindbad, I love thee; and all my subjects, who know thee, treat thee according to my example. I have one thing to demand of thee, which thou must grant. Sir, answered I, there is nothing but what I will do as a mark of my obedience to your majesty, whose power over me is absolute. I have a mind thou shouldst marry, replies he, that thou mayst stay in my dominions, and think no more of thy own country. I dared not resist the prince's will, and he gave me one of the ladies of his court, a noble, beautiful, chaste, and rich lady. The ceremonies of marriage being over, I went and dwelt with the lady, and for some time we lived in perfect harmony. I was not, however, very well satisfied with my condition, and therefore designed to make my escape on the first occasion, and to return to Bagdad, winch my present establishment, however advantageous, could not make me forget. While I was thinking on this, the wife of one of my neighbours, with whom I had contracted a very strict friendship, fell sick and died. I went to see and comfort him in his affliction; and finding him swallowed up with sorrow, I said to him as soon as I saw him, God preserve you, and grant you a long life. Alas! replies he, how do you think I should obtain that favour you wish me? I have not above an hour to live. Pray, says I, do not entertain such a melancholy thought; I hope it will not be so, but that I shall enjoy your company for many years. I wish you, says he, a long life; but for me, my days are at an end, for I must be buried this day with my wife. This is a law which our ancestors established in this land, and always observed it inviolably. The living husband is interred with the dead wife, and the living wife with the dead husband. Nothing can save me; every one must submit to this law. While he was entertaining me with an account of this barbarous custom, the very hearing of which frightened me cruelly, his kindred, friends, and neighbours, came in a body to assist at the funeral. They put on the corpse the woman's richest apparel, as if it had been her wedding-day, and dressed her with all her jewels; then they put her into an open coffin, and, lifting it up, began their march to the place of burial. The husband walked at the head of the company, and followed the corpse. They went up to an high mountain, and, when they came thither, took up a great stone, which covered the mouth of a very deep pit, and let down the corpse with all its apparel and jewels. Then the husband, embracing his kindred and friends, suffered himself to be put into another open coffin without resistance, with a pot of water and seven little loaves, and was let down in the same manner as his wife. The mountain was pretty long, and reached to the sea. The ceremony being ever, they covered the hole again with the stone, and returned.
It is needless, gentlemen, for me to tell you that I was the only melancholy spectator of this funeral; whereas the rest were scarcely moved at it, the thing being customary to them. I could not forbear speaking my thoughts of this matter to the king: Sir, says I, I cannot enough admire the strange custom in this country of burying the living with the dead. I have been a great traveller, and seen many countries, but never heard of so cruel a law. What do you mean, Sindbad? says the king; it is a common law. I shall be interred with the queen my wife, if she die first. But, sir, says I, may I presume to demand of your majesty, if strangers be obliged to observe this law? Without doubt, replies the king, (smiling at the occasion of my question,) they are not exempted, if they be married in this island. I went home very melancholy at this answer, from fear of my wife dying first, and lest I should be interred alive with her, which occasioned me very mortifying reflections. But there was no remedy; I must have patience, and submit to the will of God. I trembled, however, at every little indisposition of my wife: but, alas! in a little time my fears came upon me all at once; for she fell sick, and died in a few days. You may judge of my sorrow: to be interred alive seemed to me as deplorable an end as to be devoured by cannibals. But I must submit; the king and all his court would honour the funeral with their presence, and the most considerable people of the city would do the like. When all was ready for the ceremony, the corpse was put into a coffin, with all the jewels and magnificent apparel. The cavalcade was begun; and, as second actor in this doleful tragedy, I went next the corpse, with my eyes full of tears, bewailing my deplorable fate. Before I came to the mountain, I made an essay on the minds of the spectators; I addressed myself to the king in the first place, and then to all those who were round me, and, bowing before them to the earth to kiss the border of their garments, I prayed them to have compassion upon me. Consider, said I, that I am a stranger, and ought not to be subject to this rigorous law, and that I have another wife and children in my own country[Footnote: He was a Mahometan, and this sect allows polygamy.]. It was to no purpose for me to speak thus, for no soul was moved at it; on the contrary, they made haste to let down my wife's corpse into the pit, and put me down the next moment in an open coffin, with a vessel full of water, and seven loaves. In short, the fatal ceremony being performed, they covered up the mouth of the pit, notwithstanding the excess of my grief, and my lamentable cries. 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 fathoms deep. I immediately felt 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 corpse, held my nose, and lay down upon the ground, where I staid a long time, bathed in tears. Then reflecting upon 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 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 would not have 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 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 be at first. I lived for some days upon my bread and water; which being all spent, at last I prepared for death. As I was thinking of death, I heard the stone lifted 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 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 horrid action merely for the sake of the bread and water that were in her coffin, and thus I had provisions for some days more. When that was spent, they let down another dead woman, and a living 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 had 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, that at last I perceived a light resembling a star: I went on towards the 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 for some time to rest myself, being much fatigued with pursuing this discovery so fast: Afterwards coming up to the hole, I went out at it, and found my self upon the banks of the sea. I leave you to guess at the excess of my joy; it was such, that I could scarcely persuade myself of its being real. But when I recovered from my surprise, and was 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 carcases. I considered the mountain, and perceived it to be situate 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 being rugged and steep. I fell down upon the shore to thank God for his mercy, and afterwards entered the cave again to fetch bread and water, which I did by daylight, 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 any 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 signs 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 suffered shipwreck two days ago, and made shift to get ashore with the goods they saw. It was happy for me that these people did not consider the place where I was, nor inquire into the probability of what I told them, but, without any 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, 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, and excellent camphire. The king of the isle of Kela is very rich and potent, and the isle of Bells[Footnote: Now Ceylon.], 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, and at last 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 entertainment of several mosques, and for the subsistence of the poor, and employed myself wholly in enjoying my kindred and friends, making good cheer 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 next day at the same hour to dine with him, and to hear the story of his fifth voyage. Hindbad and the rest of his guests took leave of him, and retired. Next day, when all met, they sat down at table; and when dinner was over, Sindbad began the relation of his fifth voyage.
The Fifth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor.
The pleasures I enjoyed had charms enough again to make 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 and loaded, and set out with them for the best sea-ports; 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 several merchants of different nations with their merchandise. 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 the 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. The merchants whom I had taken on board my ship, and who landed with me, broke the egg with hatches, and made a hole in it, from whence they pulled out the young roc, piece after piece, and roasted it. I had earnestly dissuaded them from meddling 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 sail my ship, knowing by experience what it meant, cried that it was the he and the she 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 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 water so that we could almost see to the bottom. The other roc, to our misfortune, threw the stone so exactly upon the middle of the ship, that it split it 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 caught hold, by good fortune, of a piece of the wreck; and swimming sometimes with one hand, and sometimes with the other, but always holding fast my board, the wind and the tide being for me, I came to an island whose banks were very steep; I overcame that difficulty, however, and got ashore. I sat down upon the grass to recover myself a little from my fatigue, after which I got up, and went into the island to view it. It seemed to be a delicious garden. I found trees everywhere, some of them bearing green, and others ripe fruits, and streams of fresh pure water, with pleasant windings and turnings. I ate 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 place convenient enough; but I could not sleep an hour at a time, my mind being disturbed with the fear of being alone in so desert a place. Thus I spent the best part of the night in fretting and reproaching myself for my imprudence in not staying at home, rather than undertake 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, who seemed very weak and feeble. He sat upon the banks 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 help; so I 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, he, who to me appeared very decrepit, clasped his legs nimbly about my neck, when I perceived his skin to be like that of a cow. He sat astride me upon my shoulders, and held my throat so strait, that I thought he would have strangled me, the fright of which made me faint away and fall down. Notwithstanding my fainting, the ill-natured old fellow kept fast about my neck, but opened his legs a little to give me some 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. Having got up, he made me walk up under the trees, and forced me now and then to stop to gather and eat such fruits as we found. He never left me all day; and when I lay down to rest me by night, he laid himself down by 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 charged with such a burden as I could no ways 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, 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 the 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 effect which this drink had upon me, and that I carried him with more ease than I did before, made a sign for me to give him the calabash; and the liquor pleasing his palate, he drank it all off. There being enough of it to stupify him, he became drunk immediately; and the fumes getting 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 me by degrees; so that, finding he did not press me as before, I threw him upon the ground, where he lay without motion, when 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 and 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 has 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, the houses of which 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 as 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 cocoas, he desired them to take me with them to do the like. Go, says he, follow them, and do as you see them do, and do not separate from them, otherwise you endanger your life. Having thus spoken, he gave me provisions for the journey, and I went with them. We came to a great forest of trees, extremely straight and tall, the trunks of which were so smooth that it was not possible for any man to climb up the branches that bore the fruit. All the trees were cocoa ones; and when we entered the forest, we saw a great number of apes of several sizes, that fled as soon as they perceived us, climbing up to the tops of the trees with surprising swiftness. The merchants with whom I was, gathered stones, and threw them at the apes on the tops of the trees. I did the same, and the apes, out of revenge, threw cocoa nuts at us so fast, and with such gestures, as sufficiently testified their anger and resentment: we gathered up the cocoas, 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, says 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 as many cocoas as amounted to a considerable sum.
The vessel in which I arrived sailed with the merchants, who loaded her with cocoas. I expected the arrival of another, which landed speedily for the like loading. I embarked on board the same all the cocoas 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 affairs. We set sail towards those islands where pepper grows in great plenty. From thence we went to the isle of Comari[Footnote: This island, or peninsula, ends at the cape which we now call Cape Comorin. It is also called Comar and Comor.], where the best kind 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 cocoas in these two islands for pepper and wood of aloes, and went with other merchants a pearl-fishing. 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 day 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, says 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 prayers of my kindred and friends, who did all that was possible to prevent me. Instead of taking my way by the Persian gulph, 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, so that they knew not where they were. They found it at last, but we had no ground to rejoice. 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 off 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 perish in less than a quarter of an hour. Pray to God to deliver us from this danger; we cannot escape it, if he do not take pity on us. At these words he ordered the sails to be changed; but all the ropes broke, and the ship, without any possibility of helping it, was carried by the current to the foot of an inaccessible mountain, where she was run ashore, and broken to pieces, yet so as we saved our lives, our provisions, and the best of our goods. This being over, the captain says to us, God has now done what he pleased; 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 mortally, and we embraced one another 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 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. While, in all other places, rivers run from their channels into the sea, here a great river of fresh water 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 also is a sort of fountain of pitch or bitumen that runs into the sea, which the fishes swallow, and then vomit up again turned into ambergris; this the waves throw upon the beach in great quantities. Here grow also trees, most of which are wood of aloes, equal to those of Comari.
To finish the description of this place, which may well be called the gulph, as nothing ever returns from it, it is not possible for ships to get off from it, when once they come within ft certain distance of it. If they be driven thither by a wind from the sea, the wind and the current ruin them; and if 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 drives them ashore, where they are broken in pieces, as ours was; and what completes the misfortune, there is no possibility of getting to the top of the mountain, or getting out in 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, so that every one lived a longer or shorter time, according to his temperance, and the use he made of his provisions. Those who died first were interred by the rest; and for my part, I paid the last duty to all my companions. Nor need you 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 it could not hold out long: So 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 the 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 fate of my comrades, but perhaps find some new occasion of enriching myself. Who knows but fortune waits, upon my getting off this dangerous shelve, to compensate my shipwreck with usury? After this, I immediately went to work on a float. I made it of good 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 it, 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 sailed some days in perfect darkness, and once found the arch so low, that it almost broke my head, which made me very cautious afterwards to avoid the like danger. All this while I ate nothing but what was just necessary to support nature; yet, notwithstanding this frugality, all my provisions were spent. Then a pleasant sleep seized upon me: I cannot tell how long it continued; but when I awaked, I was surprised to find myself in the middle of a vast country, on 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, and he will help thee; thou needest not perplex thyself about any thing else; shut thine 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, do not be surprised at 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 to their king myself; for the thing was 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 them in a little time; and having made me get up upon him, some of them walked before me to show me the way, and the rest took my float and cargo, and followed me. We marched thus all together, till we came to the city of Serendib, for it was in that island where 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 and sit down near him. He first asked me my name: I answered, They call me Sindbad the sailor, because of the many voyages I had undertaken; and that I was a citizen of Bagdad. But, replies 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 adventures to be written in letters of gold, and laid up in the archives of the kingdom. At last my float was brought to him, 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 to 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 by praying for the prosperity of the 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 made 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 my curiosity.
The isle of Serendib[Footnote: Geographers place it on this side of the line, in the first climate.] is situate just under the equinoctial line; so that the days and nights there are always twelve hours each, and the island is eighty[Footnote: The eastern geographers make a parasang longer than a French league.] parasangs in length, and as many in breadth. The capital city stands in the middle of a fine valley formed by a mountain, in the middle of the island, which is the highest in the world. It is seen three days sail off at sea. There are rubies and several sorts of minerals in it, and all the rocks for the most part emerald, a metal line stone made use of to cut and smooth other precious stones. Here grow all kinds of rare plants and trees, especially cedars and cocoas. There is also pearl-fishing in the mouth of its river, and in some of its vallies 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 honourable manner. He would needs force a rich present upon me; and when I went to take leave of him, he gave me one much more considerable, at the same time charging me with a letter for the commander of the faithful, our sovereign, and said, 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 to seek 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. The characters of this letter were of azure, and the contents thus: "The King of the Indies, before whom march 100 elephants, who lives in a palace that shines with 100,000 rubies, and who has in his treasury 20,000 crowns enriched with diamonds, to Caliph Haroun Alraschid. Though the present which we send you be inconsiderable, receive it, as a brother and a friend, in consideration of the hearty friendship which we bear 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 thus in the quality of a brother. Adieu." The present consisted, in the first place, of one single ruby made into a cup, about half a foot high, an inch thick, and filled with round pearls of half a dram each. 2. Of 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. 3. In 50,000 drams of the best wood of aloes, with 30 grains of camphire as big as pistachios. And, 4. A female slave of ravishing beauty, whose apparel was covered with jewels.
The ship set sail, and, after a very long and successful navigation, we landed at Balsora, from whence I went to Bagdad, where the first thing I did was to acquit myself of my commission. 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, says I, I can assure your majesty he does 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 there marches a guard of one 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 100,000 rubies, and who possesses 20,000 crowns of diamonds. Behold the crowned monarch, greater than the great Solima[Footnote: Solomon.] and the great Mihrage[Footnote: An ancient king of a great island, of the same name, in the Indies, and much famed among the Arabians for his power and wisdom.]. After he has pronounced these 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 that lives for ever. Further, 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, says 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 discharged me, and sent me home with a rich present.
Sindbad left off speaking, and his company retired, Hindbad having first received one hundred sequins; and next day they returned to hear the relation of his seventh and last voyage.
The Seventh and last Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor.
Being returned from my sixth voyage, I absolutely laid aside all thoughts of travelling any further. For, besides that my years did now require rest, I was resolved no more to expose myself to such risks 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 some 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, says 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, says 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, says 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 the 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 a 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. The prince knew me immediately, and testified very great joy to see me. O Sindbad, says 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 him 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 a thousand sequins; fifty robes of rich stuff, a hundred others of white cloth, the finest of Cairo, Suez[Footnote: A port on the Red Sea.], Cusa[Footnote: A town of Arabia.], and Alexandria; a royal crimson bed, with a second of another fashion; a vessel of agate, broader than deep, of an inch thick, and half a foot wide, the bottom of which represented, in bass- relief, a man with one knee on the ground, who held a bow and 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 mightily pleased that the caliph answered his friendship. A little time after this audience, I solicited leave to depart, and obtained the same with much difficulty. I got it, however, at last; and the king, when he discharged 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; for, 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. 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 knew 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, replies he, Can you shoot with a bow? I answered, that the bow was one of the exercises of my youth, and I had not forgotten 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 to stop, he bid me alight: then showing me a great tree, Climb up that tree, says 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, during which I saw no elephants, 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 mightily. 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, sometimes upon another. One morning, as I looked for the elephants, I perceived, with 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 immovable, and was so much frightened, that my bow and arrows fell out of my hands. My fears were not vain; for, after the elephants had stared upon me some time, one of the largest of them put his trunk round the root 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 afterwards 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 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 further 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, says he, I was in great trouble to know what was 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 befel 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, says my patron, (for I will treat you no more as a 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 gave them, these 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 services 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 liberty; I will also give you considerable riches. I could engage all our city to contribute towards making your fortune, but will have the glory of doing it myself.
To this obliging discourse, I replied, Patron, God preserve you. Your giving me liberty is enough to discharge what you owe me; and I desire no other reward for the service I have had the good fortune to do to you and your city, but leave to return to my own country. Very well, says he, the Mocon [Footnote: A regular wind that comes six months from the east, and as many from the west.] 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 for my liberty, and his good intention towards me. I staid with him, expecting the Mocon; and during that time we made so many journies to the hill, that we filled our warehouses with ivory. The other merchants, who traded in it, did the same thing, for it could not be long concealed from them. The ships arrived at last, and my patron himself, having made choice of the ship wherein I was to embark, 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 on board. 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 Terra Firma 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, bought several rarities which I intended for presents, and, when my equipage was got ready, I set out in company with 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, however, ended at last, and I came safe to Bagdad. I went immediately to call upon the caliph, and gave him an account of my embassy. That prince told me he had been uneasy because I was so long of returning, but he always hoped God would preserve me. When I told him 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 had 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, says 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, that 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 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.
Scheherazade, perceiving it was not yet day, continued her discourse, and began another story.