Chapter X: Part 10

After which the caliph declared that he would give his own heart and hand to Zobeide, and offered the other three sisters to the calenders, who were sons of kings, who accepted them for their brides with much joy. The caliph assigned each of them a magnificent palace in the city of Bagdad, promoted them to the highest dignities of his empire, and admitted them to his counsels.

The town-clerk of Bagdad being called, with witnesses, wrote the contracts of marriage; and the famous caliph Haroun Alraschid, by making the fortune of so many persons that had suffered such incredible calamities, drew a thousand blessings upon himself.

The Story of Sindbad, the Sailor.

Dinarzade having awakened her sister the sultaness, as usual, and prayed her to tell another story, Scheherazade asked leave of the sultan, and having obtained it, began thus:

Sir, in the reign of the same caliph Haroun Alraschid, whom I formerly mentioned, there lived at Bagdad a poor porter called Hindbad. [4] One day, when the weather was excessively hot, he was employed to carry a heavy burden from one end of the town to the other. Being very weary, and having still a great way to go, he came into a street where a delicate western breeze blew on his face, and the pavement of the street being sprinkled with rose-water, he could not desire a better place to rest in; therefore, laying off his burden, he sat down by it, near a great house.

He was mightily pleased that he stopt in this place, for an agreeable smell of wood of aloes, and of pastils, that came from the house, mixing with the scent of rose-water, did completely perfume and embalm the air; besides, he heard from within a concert of several sorts of instrumental music, accompanied with the harmonious notes of nightingales, and other birds, peculiar to that climate. This charming melody, and the smell of several sorts of victuals, made the porter think there was a feast, and great rejoicings within.

His occasions leading him seldom that way, he knew not who dwelt in the house; but to satisfy his curiosity, he went to some of the servants, whom he saw standing at the gate in magnificent apparel, and asked the name of the master of the house. How, replied one of them, do you live in Bagdad, and know not that this is the house of Signor Sindbad, the sailor, that famous traveller, who has sailed round the world?

The porter, who had heard of this Sindbad’s riches, could not but envy a man whose condition he thought to be as happy as his own was deplorable; and his mind being fretted with those reflections, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, loud enough to be heard, Almighty Creator of all things, consider the difference between Sindbad and me: I am every day exposed to fatigues and calamities, and can scarce get coarse barley-bread for myself and my family, whilst happy Sindbad profusely expends immense riches, and leads a life of continual pleasure. What has he done to obtain from thee a lot so agreeable? And what have I done to deserve one so miserable? Having finished his expostulation, he struck his foot against the ground, like a man swallowed up of grief and despair.

Whilst the porter was thus indulging his melancholy, a servant came out of the house, and taking him by the arm, bid him follow him, for Signor Sindbad, his master, wanted to speak with him. --Here day beginning to appear, Scheherazade broke off her story, but resumed it again next morning as follows:

SEVENTIETH NIGHT.

Sir, your majesty may easily imagine that poor Hindbad was not a little surprised at this compliment; for, considering what he had said, he was afraid Sindbad had sent for him to punish him; therefore he would have excused himself, alleging that he could not leave his burden in the middle of the street. But Sindbad’s servants assured him they would look to it, and pressed the porter so, that he was obliged to yield.

The servants brought him into a great hall, where abundance of people sat round a table covered with all sorts of fine dishes. At the upper end, there sat a grave, comely, venerable gentleman, with a long white beard, and behind him stood a number of officers and domestics, all ready to serve him; this grave gentleman was Sindbad. The porter, whose fear was increased at the sight of so many people, and of a banquet so sumptuous, saluted the company trembling. Sindbad bid him draw near, and sitting him down at his right hand, served him himself, and gave him excellent wine, of which there was a good store upon the side board.

When dinner was over, Sindbad began his discourse to Hindbad: and calling him brother, according to the manner of the Arabians when they are familiar one with another, he asked him his name and employment, --Signor, answered he, my name is Hindbad. --I am very glad to see you, replied Sindbad, and I dare say the same for all the company; but I would be glad to hear from your own mouth what it was you said awhile ago in the street. For Sindbad had heard it himself through the window, before he sat down at table, and that occasioned his calling for him.

Hindbad, being surprised at the question, hung down his head, and replied, Signor, I confess that my weariness put me out of humour, and occasioned me to speak some indiscreet words, which I beg you to pardon. --Oh! do not think I am so unjust, replied Sindbad, to resent such a thing as that; I consider your condition, and instead of upbraiding you with your complaints, I commiserate you: but I must rectify your mistake concerning myself. You think, no doubt, that I have acquired without labour and trouble the ease and conveniency which I now enjoy: but do not mistake; I did not attain to this happy condition without enduring more trouble of body and mind, for several years, than can well be imagined. Yes, gentlemen, added he, speaking to the whole company, I can assure you my troubles were so extraordinary, that they were capable of discouraging the most covetous man from undertaking such voyages as I did, to acquire riches. Perhaps you have never heard a distinct account of my wonderful adventures, and the dangers I met with in my seven voyages; and since I have this opportunity, I am willing to give you a faithful account of them, not doubting but it will be acceptable.

And because Sindbad was to tell this story, particularly upon the porter’s account, he ordered his burden to be carried to the place appointed, and began thus:

The story of Sindbad, the Sailor. His first Voyage.

My father left me a considerable estate, the best part of which I spent in debauchery during my youth; but I perceived my error, and reflected that riches were perishable, and quickly consumed by such ill managers as myself. I farther considered, that by my irregular way of living I wretchedly mispent my time, which is the most valuable thing in the world. I remembered the saying of the great Solomon, which I had frequently heard from my father: That death is more tolerable than poverty. Struck with those reflections, I collected the remains of my furniture, and sold all my patrimony by public auction to the highest bidder. Then I entered into a contract with some merchants, who traded by sea: I took the advice of such as I thought most capable to give it me; and resolving to improve what money I had, I went to Balsora, [5] and embarked with several merchants on board a ship which we jointly fitted up.

We set sail, and steered our course towards the East Indies, through the Persian gulf, which is formed by the coasts of Arabia Felix on the right, and by those of Persia on the left, and, according to common opinion, is seventy leagues at the broadest place. The eastern sea, as well as that of the Indies, is very spacious; it is bounded on one side by the coasts of Abyssinia, and is 4500 leagues in length to the isles of Vakvaq. [6] At first I was troubled with the sea-sickness, but speedily recovered my health, and was not afterwards troubled with that disease.

In our voyage we touched at several islands, where we sold or exchanged our goods. One day, whilst under sail, we were becalmed near a little island, even almost with the surface of the water, which resembled a green meadow. The captain ordered his sails to be furled, and permitted such persons as had a mind to land upon the island, amongst whom I was one. But while we were diverting ourselves with eating and drinking, and recovering ourselves from the fatigue of the sea, the island on a sudden trembled, and shook us terribly.

Here Scheherazade stopped, because day appeared, but resumed her discourse next morning as follows.

SEVENTY-FIRST NIGHT.

Sir, Sindbad pursued his story thus: They perceived the trembling of the island on board the ship, and called us to re-embark speedily, or we should all be lost; for what we took for an island was only the back of a whale. The nimblest got into the sloop; others betook themselves to swimming; but, for my part, I was still upon the back of the whale when he dived into the sea, and had time only to catch hold of a piece of wood that we had brought out of the ship to make a fire. Meanwhile, the captain, having received those on board who were in the sloop, and taken up some of those that swam, resolved to improve the favourable gale that was just risen, and hoisting his sails, pursued his voyage, so that it was impossible to recover the ship.

Thus was I exposed to the mercy of the waves, and struggled for my life all the rest of the day and the following night. Next morning I found my strength gone, and despaired of saving my life, when happily a wave threw me against an island. [7] The bank was high and rugged, so that I could scarcely have got up, had it not been for some roots of trees, which fortune seemed to have preserved in this place for my safety. Being got up, I lay down upon the ground half dead, until the sun appeared: then, though I was very feeble, both by reason of my hard labour and want of food, I crept along to seek some herbs fit to eat, and had not only the good luck to find some, but likewise a spring of excellent water, which contributed much to recover me. After this I advanced farther into the island, and came at last into a fine plain, where I perceived a horse feeding at a great distance. I went towards him, between hope and fear, not knowing whether I was going to lose my life or save it. When I came near, I perceived it to be a very fine mare, tied to a stake. Whilst I looked upon her, I heard the voice of a man from under ground, who immediately appeared to me, and asked who I was. I gave him an account of my adventure; after which, taking me by the hand, he led me into a cave, where there were several other people, no less amazed to see me than I was to see them.

I eat some victuals which they offered me, and then, having asked them what they did in such a desert place, they answered, that they were grooms belonging to king Mihrage, sovereign of the island; and that every year, at the same season, they brought thither the king’s mares, and fastened them as I saw that mare, until they were covered by a horse that came out of the sea, who, after he had done so, endeavoured to destroy the mares; but they hindered him by their noise, and obliged him to return to the sea; after which they carried home the mares, whose foals were kept for the king’s use, and called sea-horses. They added, that they were to get home to-morrow, and had I been one day later, I must have perished, because the inhabited part of the island was at a great distance, and it would have been impossible for me to have got thither without a guide.

Whilst they entertained me thus, the horse came out of the sea, as they had told me, covered the mare, and afterwards would have devoured her; but upon a great noise made by the grooms, he left her, and went back to the sea.

Next morning, they returned with their mares to the capital of the island, took me with them, and presented me to king Mihrage. [8] He asked me who I was? By what adventure I came into his dominions? And, after I had satisfied him, he told me he was much concerned for my misfortune, and at the same time ordered that I should want nothing; which his officers were so generous and careful as to see exactly fulfilled.

Being a merchant, I frequented with men of my own profession, and particularly inquired for those who were strangers, if perhaps I might hear any news from Bagdad, or find an opportunity to return thither: for king Mihrage’s capital is situated on the bank of the sea, and has a fine harbour, where ships arrive daily from the different quarters of the world. I frequented also the society of the learned Indians, and took delight to hear them discourse; but withal, I took care to make my court regularly to the king, and conversed with the governors and petty kings, his tributaries, that were about him. They asked me a thousand questions about my country; and I being willing to inform myself as to their laws and customs, asked them every thing that I thought worth knowing.

There belongs to this king an island named Cassel: they assured me, that every night a noise of drums [9] was heard there, whence the mariners fancied that it was the residence of Degial. [10] I had a great mind to see this wonderful place, and in my way thither saw fishes of 100 and 200 cubits long, [11] that occasion more fear than hurt; for they are so fearful, that they will fly upon the rattling of two sticks or boards. I saw likewise other fishes about a cubit in length, that had heads like owls. [12]

As I was one day at the port, after my return, a ship arrived, and, as soon as she cast anchor, they began to unload her, and the merchants on board ordered their goods to be carried into the magazine. As I cast my eye upon some bales, and looked to the name, I found my own, and perceived the bales to be the same that I had embarked at Balsora. I also knew the captain: but being persuaded that he believed me to be drowned, I went and asked him whose bales these were. He replied, that they belonged to a merchant of Bagdad, called Sindbad, who came to sea with him; but one day, being near an island, as we thought, he went ashore, with several other passengers, upon this supposed island, which was only a monstrous whale that lay asleep upon the surface of the water: but as soon as he felt the heat of the fire they had kindled upon his back to dress some victuals, he began to move, and dived under water: most of the persons who were upon him perished, and among them unfortunate Sindbad. Those bales belonged to him, and I am resolved to trade with them until I meet with some of his family, to whom I may return the profit. Captain, said I, I am that Sindbad whom you thought to be dead, and those bales are mine. --Here Scheherazade stopt till next morning, and went on as follows:

SEVENTY-SECOND NIGHT.

Sindbad, pursuing the story, said to the company, When the captain heard me speak thus, O heaven! said he, whom can we ever trust now-a-days? There is no faith left among men. I saw Sindbad perish with my own eyes, and the passengers on board saw it as well as I; and yet you tell me you are that Sindbad. What impudence is this! To look on you, one would take you to be a man of probity; and yet you tell a horrible falsehood, in order to possess yourself of what does not belong to you. Have patience, captain, replied I; do me the favour to hear what I have to say. Very well, said he, speak; I am ready to hear you. Then I told him how I escaped, and by what adventure I met with the grooms of king Mihrage, who brought me to his court.

He began to abate of his confidence upon my discourse, and was soon persuaded that I was no cheat; for there came people from his ship who knew me, paid me great compliments, and expressed much joy to see me alive. At last he knew me himself, and, embracing me, Heaven be praised, said he, for your happy escape; I cannot enough express my joy for it. There are your goods; take and do with them what you will. I thanked him, acknowledged his probity, and, in requital, offered him part of my goods as a present, which he generously refused.

I took out what was most valuable in my bales, and presented it to king Mihrage, who, knowing my misfortune, asked me how I came by such rarities? I acquainted him with the whole story. He was mightily pleased at my good luck, accepted my present, and gave me one much more considerable in return. Upon this, I took leave of him, and went aboard the same ship, after I had exchanged my goods for the commodities of that country. I carried with me wood of aloes, sandal, camphire, nutmegs, cloves, pepper, and ginger. We passed by several islands, and at last arrived at Balsora, from whence I came to this city, with the value of 100,000 sequins. [13] My family and I received one another with all the transports of sincere friendship. I bought slaves of both sexes, fine lands, and built me a great house; and thus I settled myself, resolving to forget the miseries I had suffered, and to enjoy the pleasures of life.

Sindbad stopped here, and ordered the musicians to go on with their concerts, which his story had interrupted. The company continued to eat and drink till the evening, when it was time to retire; when Sindbad sent for a purse of one hundred sequins, and giving it to the porter, said, Take this, Hindbad; return to your home, and come back to-morrow to hear some more of my adventures. The porter went home, astonished at the honour done him, and the present made him. The relation of it was very agreeable to his wife and children, who did not fail to return thanks to God for what providence had sent him by the hand of Sindbad.

Hindbad put on his best clothes next day, and returned to the bountiful traveller, who received him with a pleasant air, and caressed him heartily. When all the guests were come, dinner was set upon the table, and continued a long time. When it was ended, Sindbad, addressing himself to the company, said, Gentlemen, be pleased to give me audience, and listen to the adventures of my second voyage; they deserve your attention better than the first. Upon which every one held his peace, and Sindbad went on thus:--

Second Voyage of Sindbad, the Sailor.

I designed, after my first voyage, to spend the rest of my days at Bagdad, as I had the honour to tell you yesterday; but it was not long ere I grew weary of a quiet life. My inclination to trade revived. I bought goods proper for the commerce I intended, and put to sea a second time, with merchants of known probity. We embarked on board a good ship, and, after recommending ourselves to God, set sail. We traded from island to island, and exchanged commodities with great profit. One day we landed on an island covered with several sorts of fruit-trees, but so unpeopled, that we could neither see man nor beast upon it. We went to take a little fresh air in the meadows, and along the streams that watered them. Whilst some diverted themselves with gathering flowers, and others with gathering fruits, I took my wine and provisions, and sat down by a stream betwixt two great trees, which formed a curious shape. I made a very good meal, and afterwards fell asleep. I cannot tell how long I slept, but when I awaked the ship was gone. Here Scheherazade broke off, because day appeared, but next night continued the story thus:

SEVENTY-THIRD NIGHT.

I was very much surprised, said Sindbad, to find the ship gone. I got up, and looked about every where, and could not see one of the merchants who landed with me. At last I perceived the ship under sail, but at such a distance, that I lost sight of her in a very little time.

I leave you to guess at my melancholy reflections in this sad condition; I was ready to die with grief. I cried out sadly, beat my head and breast, and threw myself down upon the ground, where I lay some time in a terrible agony, one afflicting thought being succeeded by another still more afflicting. I upbraided myself a hundred times for not being content with the produce of my first voyage, that might well have served me all my life. But all this was in vain, and my repentance out of season.

At last I resigned myself to the will of God; and not knowing what to do, I climbed up to the top of a great tree, from whence I looked about on all sides to see if there was any thing that could give me hopes. When I looked towards the sea, I could see nothing but sky and water; but looking towards the land, I saw something white; and coming down from the tree, I took up what provisions I had left, and went towards it, the distance being so great that I could not distinguish what it was.

When I came nearer, I thought it to be a white bowl, of a prodigious height and bigness; and when I came up to it, I touched it, and found it to be very smooth. I went round to see if it was open on any side, but saw it was not, and that there was no climbing up to the top of it, it was so smooth. It was at least fifty paces round.

By this time the sun was ready to set, and all of a sudden the sky became as dark as if it had been covered with a thick cloud. I was much astonished at this sudden darkness, but much more when I found it occasioned by a bird of a monstrous size, that came flying towards me. I remembered a fowl, called _roc_, that I had often heard mariners speak of, and conceived that the great bowl, which I so much admired, must needs be its egg. In short, the bird alighted, and sat over the egg to hatch it. As I perceived her coming, I crept close to the egg, so that I had before me one of the legs of the bird, which was as big as the trunk of a tree. I tied myself strongly to it with the cloth that went round my turban, in hopes that when the roc [14] flew away next morning, she would carry me with her out of this desert island. And after having passed the night in this condition, the bird actually flew away next morning, as soon as it was day, and carried me so high that I could not see the earth; she afterwards descended all of a sudden, with so much rapidity that I lost my senses: but when the roc was settled, and I found myself upon the ground, I speedily untied the knot, and had scarce done so when the bird, having taken up a serpent of a monstrous length in her bill, flew away. [15]

The place where it left me was a very deep valley, encompassed on all sides with mountains, so high that they seemed to reach above the clouds, and so full of steep rocks that there was no possibility of getting out of the valley. This was a new perplexity; so that when I compared this place with the desert island from which the roc brought me, I found that I had gained nothing by the change.

As I walked through this valley, I perceived it was strewed with diamonds, some of which were of a surprising bigness. I took a great deal of pleasure to look upon them; but speedily I saw at a distance such objects as very much diminished my satisfaction, and which I could not look upon without terror; that was, a great number of serpents, so big and so long, that the least of them was capable of swallowing an elephant. They retired in the day-time to their dens, where they hid themselves from the roc, their enemy, and did not come out but in the night-time.

I spent the day in walking about the valley, resting myself at times in such places as I thought mast commodious. When night came on, I went into a cave, where I thought I might be in safety. I stopped the mouth of it, which was low and strait, with a great stone, to preserve me from the serpents, but not so exactly fitted as to hinder light from coming in. I supped on part of my provisions; but the serpents, which began to appear, hissing about in the mean time, put me into such extreme fear, that you may easily imagine I did not sleep. When day appeared the serpents retired, and I came out of the cave trembling. I can justly say, that I walked a long time upon diamonds, without feeling an inclination to touch any of them. At last I sat down, and notwithstanding my uneasiness, not having shut my eyes during the night, I fell asleep, after having eaten a little more of my provisions: but I had scarce shut my eyes, when something, that fell by me with great noise, awaked me. This was a great piece of fresh meat; and at the same time I saw several others fall down from the rocks in different places.

I always looked upon it to be a fable, when I heard mariners and others discourse of the valley of diamonds, and of the stratagems made use of by merchants to get jewels from thence; but then I found it to be true. For, in reality, those merchants come to the neighbourhood of this valley when the eagles have young ones, and throwing great joints of meat into the valley, the diamonds, upon whose points they fall, stick to them; the eagles, which are stronger in this country than any where else, pounce with great force upon those pieces of meat, and carry them to their nests upon the top of the rocks, to feed their young with; at which time the merchants, running to their nests, frighten the eagles by their noise, and take away the diamonds that stick to the meat. [16] And this stratagem they make use of to get the diamonds out of the valley, which is surrounded with such precipices that nobody can enter it.

I believed till then that it was not possible for me to get out of this abyss, which I looked upon as my grave; but then I changed my mind, for the falling in of those pieces of meat put me in hopes of a way of saving my life. --Here day began to appear, which obliged Scheherazade to break off; but she went on with it next night as follows:

SEVENTY-FOURTH NIGHT.

Sir, said she to the sultan, Sindbad continued the story of the adventure of his second voyage thus: I began to gather together the largest diamonds that I could see, and put them into the leathern bag in which I used to carry my provisions. I afterwards took the largest piece of meat I could find, tied it close round me with the cloth of my turban, and then laid myself upon the ground, with my face downward, the bag of diamonds being tied fast to my girdle, so that it could not possibly drop off.

I had scarce laid me down before the eagles came: each of them seized a piece of meat, and one of the strongest having taken me up, with a piece of meat on my back, carried me to his nest on the top of the mountain. The merchants fell straightway to shouting, to frighten the eagles; and when they had obliged them to quit their prey, one of them came to the nest where I was. He was very much afraid when he saw me; but recovering himself, instead of inquiring how I came thither, he began to quarrel with me, and asked why I stole his goods. You will treat me, replied I, with more civility, when you know me better. Do not trouble yourself; I have diamonds enough for you and myself too, more than all the other merchants together. If they have any, it is by chance; but I chose myself in the bottom of the valley all those which you see in this bag: and having spoken these words, I showed them to him. I had scarce done speaking, when the other merchants came trooping about us, much astonished to see me; but they were much more surprised when I told them my story. Yet they did not so much admire my stratagem to save myself, as my courage to attempt it.

They carried me to the place where they staid all together, and there having opened my bag, they were surprised at the largeness of my diamonds, and confessed that in all the courts where they had been they never saw any that came near them. I prayed the merchant to whom the nest belonged whither I was carried (for every merchant had his own) to take as many for his share as he pleased. He contented himself with one, and that too the least of them; and when I pressed him to take more, without fear of doing me any injury: No, said he, I am very well satisfied with this, which is valuable enough to save me the trouble of making any more voyages, to raise as great a fortune as I desire.

I spent the night with those merchants, to whom I told my story a second time, for the satisfaction of those who had not heard it. I could not moderate my joy when I found myself delivered from the danger I have mentioned: I thought myself to be in a dream, and could scarce believe myself to be out of danger.

The merchants had thrown their pieces of meat into the valley for several days: and each of them being satisfied with the diamonds that had fallen to his lot, we left the place next morning all together, and travelled near high mountains, where there were serpents of a prodigious length, which we had the good fortune to escape. We took the first port we came at, and came to the isle of Roha, where the trees grow that yield camphire. This tree is so large, and its branches so thick, that a hundred men may easily sit under its shade. The juice, of which the camphire is made, runs out from a hole bored in the upper part of the tree, is received in a vessel, where it grows to a consistency, and becomes what we call camphire; and the juice thus drawn out, the tree withers and dies.

There is in this island the rhinoceros, a creature less than the elephant, but greater than the buffalo; they have a horn upon their nose, about a cubit long; this horn is solid, and cleft in the middle from one end to the other, and there is upon it white lines, representing the figure of a man. The rhinoceros fights with the elephant, runs his horn into his belly, and carries him off upon his head; but the blood and the fat of the elephant running into his eyes, and making him blind, he falls to the ground; and then, strange to relate, the roc comes and carries them both away in her claws, to be food for her young ones.

I pass over many other things peculiar to this island, lest I should be troublesome to you. Here I exchanged some of my diamonds for good merchandise. From thence we went to other isles; and at last, having touched at several trading towns of the main land, we landed at Balsora, from whence I went to Bagdad. There I immediately gave great alms to the poor, and lived honourably upon the vast riches I had brought, and gained with so much fatigue. Thus Sindbad ended the story of the second voyage, gave Hindbad another hundred sequins, and invited him to come next day to hear the story of the third. The rest of the guests returned to their houses, and came again the next day at the same hour; and one may be sure the porter did not fail, having by this time almost forgot his former poverty. When dinner was over, Sindbad demanded attention, and gave them an account of his third voyage, as follows:

Sindbad, the Sailor’s third Voyage.

The pleasures of the life which I then led soon made me forget the risks I had run in my two former voyages; but being then in the flower of my age, I grew weary of living without business; and hardening myself against the thought of any danger I might incur, I went from Bagdad, with the richest commodities of the country, to Balsora: there I embarked again with the merchants. We made a long voyage, and touched at several ports, where we drove a considerable trade. One day, being out in the main ocean, we were attacked by a horrible tempest, which made us lose our course. The tempest continued several days, and brought us before the port of an island, where the captain was very unwilling to enter; but we were obliged to cast anchor there. When we had furled our sails, the captain told us that this and some other neighbouring islands [17] were inhabited by hairy savages, who would speedily attack us; and though they were but dwarfs, yet our misfortune was such that we must make no resistance, for they were more in number than the locusts; and if we happened to kill one of them, they would all fall upon us, and destroy us. --Here day beginning to appear, Scheherazade broke off her story, and continued it next night, as follows:

SEVENTY-FIFTH NIGHT.

This discourse of the captain, said Sindbad, put the whole company into a great consternation; and we found very soon, to our cost, that what he had told us was but too true: an innumerable multitude of frightful savages, covered all over with red hair, and about two feet high, [18] came swimming towards us, and encompassed our ship in a little time. They spoke to us as they came near, but we understood not their language; they climbed up the sides of the ship with so much agility as surprised us. We beheld all this with mortal fear, without daring to offer to defend ourselves, or to speak one word to divert them from their mischievous design. In short, they took down our sails, cut the cable, and hauled to the shore, made us all get out, and afterwards carried the ship into another island, from whence they came. All travellers carefully avoided that island where they left us, it being very dangerous to stay there, for a reason you shall hear anon; but we were forced to bear our affliction with patience.

We went forward into the island, where we found some fruits and herbs to prolong our lives as long as we could; but we expected nothing but death. As we went on, we perceived at a distance a great pile of building, and made towards it. We found it to be a palace, well built, and very lofty, with a gate of ebony of two leaves, which we thrust open. We entered the court, where we saw before us a vast apartment, with a porch, having on one side a heap of men’s bones, and on the other a vast number of roasting spits. We trembled at this spectacle, and being weary with travelling, our legs failing under us, we fell to the ground, being seized with deadly fear, and lay a long time motionless.

The sun was set, and whilst we were in the lamentable condition just mentioned, the gate of the apartment opened with a great noise, and there came out the horrible figure of a black man, as high as a tall palm tree. He had but one eye, and that in the middle of his forehead, where it looked as red as a burning coal. His foreteeth were very long and sharp, and stood out of his mouth, which was as deep as that of a horse; his upper lip hung down upon his breast; his ears resembled those of an elephant, [19] and covered his shoulders; and his nails were as long and crooked as the talons of the greatest birds. At the sight of so frightful a giant we lost all sense, and lay like dead men. [20]

At last we came to ourselves, and saw him sitting in the porch, looking at us. When he had considered us well, he advanced towards us, and laying his hands upon me, he took me up by the nape of my neck, and turned me round as a butcher would do a sheep’s head. After having viewed me well, and perceiving me to be so lean that I had nothing but skin and bone, he let me go. He took up all the rest, one by one, viewed them in the same manner, and the captain being the fattest, he held him with one hand, as I would do a sparrow, and thrusting a spit through him, kindled a great fire, roasted, and eat him in his apartment for his supper; which being done, he returned to his porch, where he lay and fell asleep, snoring louder than thunder. He slept thus till morning. For our parts, it was not possible for us to enjoy any rest; so that we passed the night in the most cruel fear that can be imagined. Day being come, the giant awaked, got up, went out, and left us in the palace.

When we thought him at a distance, we broke the melancholy silence we had kept all night, and every one grieving more than another, we made the palace resound with our complaints and groans. Though there were a great many of us, and we had but one enemy, we had not at first the presence of mind to think of delivering ourselves from him by his death. This enterprise, however, though hard to put in execution, was the only design we ought naturally to have formed.

We thought of several other things, but determined nothing; so that submitting to what it should please God to order concerning us, we spent the day in running about the island for fruit and herbs to sustain our lives. When evening came, we sought for a place to lie in, but found none; so that we were forced, whether we would or not, to return to the palace.

The giant failed not to come back, and supped once more upon one of our companions; after which he slept, and snored till day, and then went out, and left us as formerly. Our condition was so very terrible, that several of my comrades designed to throw themselves into the sea, rather than die so strange a death; and those who were of this mind argued with the rest to follow their example: upon which one of the company answered, that we were forbidden to destroy ourselves; but allowing it to be lawful, it was more reasonable to think of a way to rid ourselves of the barbarous tyrant who designed so cruel a death for us.

Having thought of a project for that end, I communicated the same to my comrades, who approved it. Brethren, said I, you know there is a great deal of timber floating upon the coast: if you will be advised by me, let us make several floats of it that may carry us; and when they are done, leave them there till we think fit to make use of them. In the mean time we will execute the design to deliver ourselves from the giant; and if we succeed, we may stay here with patience till some ship pass by, that may carry us out of this fatal island; but if it happen to miscarry, we will speedily get to our floats, and put to sea. I confess, that by exposing ourselves to the fury of the waves, we run a risk of losing our lives; but if we do, is it not better to be buried in the sea, than in the entrails of this monster, who has already devoured two of us? My advice was relished, and we made floats capable of carrying three persons each.

We returned to the palace towards the evening, and the giant arrived a little while after. We were forced to conclude on seeing another of our comrades roasted. But at last we 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, [21] according to his custom, nine of the boldest among us, and myself, took each of us 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. --Scheherazade stopped here, but next night resumed her story thus:

SEVENTY-SIXTH NIGHT.

We went out of the palace after the giant, continued Sindbad, 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-rising, and gave over his howling, which we still heard, that he would die; and if that happened to be the case, we resolved to stay in that island, and not to risk our lives upon the floats; but day had scarce 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: but when we got out to sea, we were exposed to the mercy of the waves and winds, and 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 palm tree, whose scales made a rustling as he crept 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 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 we fallen into another danger altogether as terrible.

As we walked about we saw a large tall tree, upon which we designed to pass the following night, for our security; and having satisfied our hunger, 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 nature prompting 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 his pleasure.

In the mean time I gathered together a great quantity of small wood, brambles, and dry thorns, and making them up into faggots, made a great circle with them round the tree, and also tied some of them to the branches over my head. Having done this, when the evening came I shut myself up within this 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 lay 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 arose.

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 into it headlong. --Here Scheherazade stopt, because day appeared; and next night continued her story thus:

SEVENTY-SEVENTH NIGHT.

Sindbad pursued the account of his third voyage thus: God, said he, 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, that they might observe me. This had the desired effect; all the crew perceived me, and the captain sent his boat for me. As soon as I came aboard, the merchants and seamen flocked about me to know how I came to that desert island; and after I had told them of all that befell me, the oldest of them said to me, they had several times heard of the giants that dwelt in that island, that they were cannibals, and eat men raw as well as roasted; and as to the serpents, they added, that there were abundance in the isle, that hid themselves by day, and came abroad by 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 all 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 on that of Salabat, [22] where there grows sanders, a wood of great use in physic. We entered the port, and came to an anchor. The merchants began to unload their goods, in order to sell or exchange them. In the mean time, 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 said, There are the goods; I hope you will take care to sell them, and you shall have factorage. I thanked him that he gave 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, said the captain, in the name of Sindbad the sailor. I could not hear myself named without some emotion; and looking steadfastly at 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 was so much altered since I saw him.

And as for him, who believed me to be dead, I could not wonder at his not knowing me. But, captain, said I, was the merchant’s name to whom these bales belonged, Sindbad? --Yes, replied 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 that 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. --Here Scheherazade perceiving day, broke off her story, and next day resumed it thus:

SEVENTY-EIGHTH NIGHT.

The captain, continued Sindbad, 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 of 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 that island we saw a tortoise that was twenty cubits in length and breadth. [23] We observed also a fish which looked like a cow, and gave milk, [24] 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. [25] in short, after a long voyage, I arrived at Balsora, and from thence returned to the city of Bagdad, with so much riches that I knew not what I had. I gave a great deal to the poor, and bought another great estate in addition to what I had already.