bag, they were surprised at the largeness of my diamonds, and
confessed that they had never seen any of such size and
perfection. I prayed the merchant who owned the nest to which I
had been 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, and will raise as great a
fortune as I desire."
I spent the night with the merchants, to whom I related 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 in a dream, and could
scarcely believe myself 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 the next morning,
and travelled near high mountains, where there were serpents of a
prodigious length, which we had the good-fortune to escape. We
took shipping at the first port we reached, and touched at the
isle of Roha, where the trees grow that yield camphire. This tree
is so large, and its branches so thick, that one hundred men may
easily sit under its shade. The juice of which the camphire is
made exudes from a hole bored in the upper part of the tree, is
received in a vessel, where it thickens to a consistency, and
becomes what we call camphire. After the juice is thus drawn out
the tree withers and dies.
In this island is also found the rhinoceros, an animal less than
the elephant, but larger than the buffalo.
It has a horn upon its nose, about a cubit in length; this horn is
solid, and cleft through the middle. 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 for food for her young ones.
I pass over many other things peculiar to this island, lest I
should weary you. Here I exchanged some of my diamonds for
merchandise.
From hence we went to other islands, and at last, having touched
at several trading towns of the continent, we landed at Bussorah,
from whence I proceeded to Bagdad. There I immediately gave large
presents to the poor, and lived honorably upon the vast riches I
had bought and gained with so much fatigue.
Thus Sindbad ended the relation of the second voyage, gave Hindbad
another hundred sequins, and invited him to come the next day to
hear the account of the third.
THE THIRD VOYAGE
I soon again grew weary of living a life of idleness, and
hardening myself against the thought of any danger, I embarked
with some merchants on another long voyage. We touched at several
ports, where we traded. One day we were overtaken by a dreadful
tempest, which drove us from our course.
The storm continued several days, and brought us before the port
of an island, which the captain was very unwilling to enter; but
we were obliged to cast anchor. When we had furled our sails, the
captain told us that this and some other neighboring islands were
inhabited by hairy savages, who would speedily attack us; and
though they were but dwarfs, yet that we must make no resistance,
for they were more in number than the locusts; and if we happened
to kill one, they would all fall upon us and destroy us.
We soon found that what the captain had told us was but too true.
An innumerable multitude of frightful savages, about two feet
high, covered all over with red hair, came swimming toward us and
encompassed our ship. They chattered as they came near, but we
understood not their language. They climbed up the sides of the
ship with such agility as surprised us. They took down our sails,
cut the cable, and, hauling to the shore, made us all get out, and
afterward carried the ship into another island, whence they had
come. As we advanced, we perceived at a distance a vast pile of
building, and made toward it. We found it to be a palace,
elegantly built, and very lofty, with a gate of ebony of two
leaves, which we opened. We saw before us a large apartment, with
a porch, having on one side a heap of human bones, and on the
other a vast number of roasting-spits. We trembled at this
spectacle, and were seized with deadly apprehension, when suddenly
the gate of the apartment opened with a loud crash, and there came
out the horrible figure of a black man, as tall as a lofty palm-
tree. He had but one eye, and that in the middle of his forehead,
where it blazed bright as a burning coal. His fore teeth 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, 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 genie, we became insensible, and
lay like dead men.
At last we came to ourselves, and saw him sitting in the porch
looking at us. When he had considered us well, he advanced toward
us, and laying his hand upon me, took me up by the nape of my
neck, and turned me round, as a butcher would do a sheep's head.
After having examined me, 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, and viewed them in the same manner. The captain
being the fattest, he held him with one hand, as I would do a
sparrow, and thrust a spit through him; he then kindled a great
fire, roasted, and ate him in his apartment for his supper. Having
finished his repast, he returned to his porch, where he lay and
fell asleep, snoring louder than thunder. He slept thus till
morning. As to ourselves, it was not possible for us to enjoy any
rest, so that we passed the night in the most painful apprehension
that can be imagined. When day appeared the giant awoke, got up,
went out, and left us in the palace.
The next night we determined to revenge ourselves on the brutish
giant, and did so in the following manner. After he had again
finished his inhuman supper on another of our seamen, he lay down
on his back, and fell asleep. As soon as we heard him snore
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 his
fire till they were burning hot, we thrust them into his eye all
at once, and blinded him. The pain made him break out into a
frightful yell: he started up, and stretched out his hands, in
order to sacrifice I some of us to his rage; but we ran to such
places as he could not reach; and after having sought for us in
vain, he groped for the gate, and went out, howling in agony.
We immediately left the palace, and came to the shore, where we
made some rafts, each large enough to carry three men, with some
timber that lay about in great quantities. We waited till day in
order to get upon them, for we hoped if the giant did not appear
by sunrising, and give over his howling, which we still heard,
that he would prove to be dead; and if that happened to be the
case, we resolved to stay in that island, and not to risk our
lives upon the rafts. But day had scarcely appeared when we
perceived our cruel enemy, accompanied by two others, almost of
the same size, leading him; and a great number more coming before
him at a quick pace.
We did not hesitate to take to our rafts, and put to sea with all
the speed we could. 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 rafts 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 spent that day and the following
night under the most painful uncertainty as to our fate; but next
morning we had the good fortune to be thrown upon an island, where
we landed with much joy. We found excellent fruit, which afforded
us great relief, and recruited our strength.
At night we went to sleep on the sea-shore; but were awakened by
the noise of a serpent of surprising length and thickness, whose
scales made a rustling noise as he wound himself along. It
swallowed up one of my comrades, notwithstanding his loud cries,
and the efforts he made to extricate himself from it; dashing him
several times against the ground, it crushed him, and we could
hear it gnaw and tear the poor fellow's bones, though we had fled
to a considerable distance. The following day, to our great
terror, we saw the serpent again, when I exclaimed, "O Heaven, to
what dangers are we exposed! We rejoiced yesterday at having
escaped from the cruelty of a giant and the rage of the waves, now
are we fallen into another danger equally dreadful."
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 with fruit, we mounted it accordingly.
Shortly after the serpent came hissing to the foot 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 remained 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, and I advanced some
steps to throw myself into the sea; but I withstood this dictate
of despair, and submitted myself to the will of God, who disposes
of our lives at His pleasure.
In the meantime I collected together a great quantity of small
wood, brambles, and dry thorns, and making them up into fagots,
made a wide 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 the
melancholy 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 fortunately reached a
place of safety.
When day appeared he retired, but I dared not leave my fort until
the sun arose.
God took compassion on my hopeless state; for just as I was going,
in a fit of desperation, to throw myself into the sea, I perceived
a ship in the distance. I called as loud as I could, and,
unfolding the linen of my turban, displayed it that they might
observe me. This had the desired effect; the crew perceived me,
and the captain sent his boat for me. As soon as I came on board,
the merchants and seamen flocked about me to know how I came into
that desert island; and after I had related to them all that had
befallen me, the oldest among them said they had several times
heard of the giants that dwelt in that island, that they were
cannibals; and as to the serpents, they added that there were
abundance in the island; that they 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 their provisions; and
took me before the captain, who, seeing that I was in rags, gave
me one of his own suits. Looking steadfastly upon him, I knew him
to be the person who, in my second voyage, had left me in the
island where I fell asleep, and sailed without me, or sending to
seek for me.
I was not surprised that he, believing me to be dead, did not
recognize me.
"Captain," said I, "look at me, and you may know that I am
Sindbad, whom you left in that desert island."
The captain having considered me attentively recognized me.
"God be praised!" said he, embracing me; "I rejoice that fortune
has rectified my fault. There are your goods, which I always took
care to preserve."
I took them from him, and made him my acknowledgments for his care
of them.
We continued at sea for some time, touched at several islands, and
at last landed at that of Salabat, where sandal-wood is obtained,
which is much used in medicine.
From the isle of Salabat we went to another, where I furnished
myself with cloves, cinnamon, and other spices. As we sailed from
this island we saw a tortoise twenty cubits in length and breadth.
We observed also an amphibious animal like a cow, which gave milk;
its skin is so hard that they usually make bucklers of it. I saw
another, which had the shape and color of a camel.
In short, after a long voyage, I arrived at Bussorah, and thence
returned to Bagdad with so much wealth that I knew not its extent.
I gave a great deal to the poor, and bought another considerable
estate in addition to what I had already.
Thus Sindbad finished the story of his third voyage. He gave
another hundred sequins to Hindbad, and invited him to dinner
again the next day to hear.
THE FOURTH VOYAGE
After I had rested from the dangers of my third voyage, my passion
for trade and my love of novelty soon again prevailed. I therefore
settled my affairs, and provided a stock of goods fit for the
traffic I designed to engage in. I took the route of Persia,
travelled over several provinces, and then arrived at a port,
where I embarked. On putting out to sea, we were overtaken by such
a sudden gust of wind as obliged the captain to lower his yards
and take all other necessary precautions to prevent the danger
that threatened us. But all was in vain; our endeavors had no
effect; the sails were split into a thousand pieces, and the ship
was stranded; several of the merchants and seamen were drowned,
and the cargo was lost.
I had the good fortune, with several of the merchants and
mariners, to get upon some planks, and we were carried by the
current to an island which lay before us. There we found fruit and
spring water, which preserved our lives. We stayed all night near
the place where we had been cast ashore.
Next morning, as soon as the sun was up, we explored the island,
and saw some houses, which we approached. As soon as we drew near,
we were encompassed by a great number of negroes, who seized us,
shared us among them, and carried us to their respective
habitations.
I and five of my comrades were carried to one place; here they
made us sit down, and gave us a certain herb, which they made
signs to us to eat. My comrades not taking notice that the blacks
ate none of it themselves, thought only of satisfying their
hunger, and ate 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 negroes fed us afterward with rice, prepared with oil of
cocoanuts; and my comrades, who had lost their reason, ate of it
greedily. I also partook of it, but very sparingly. They 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
supplied us with rice to fatten us; for, being cannibals, their
design was to eat us as soon as we grew fat. This accordingly
happened, for they devoured my comrades, who were not sensible of
their condition; but my senses being entire, you may easily guess
that instead of growing fat, as the rest did, I grew leaner every
day. The fear of death under which I labored turned all my food
into poison. I fell into a languishing distemper, which proved my
safety; for the negroes, having killed and eaten my companions,
seeing me to be withered, lean and sick, deferred my death.
Meanwhile I had much liberty, so that scarcely any notice was
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
speed, and quickly got out of sight. At that time there was none
but the old man about the houses, the rest being abroad, and not
to return till night, which was usual with them. Therefore, being
sure that they could not arrive in time to pursue me, I went on
till night, when I stopped to rest a little, and to eat some of
the provisions I had secured; 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 cocoanuts, which
served me both for meat and drink. On the eighth day I came near
the sea, and saw some 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 as soon as they saw
me, and asked me in Arabic who I was, and whence I came. I was
overjoyed to hear them speak in my own language, and satisfied
their curiosity by giving them an account of my shipwreck, and how
I fell into the hands of the negroes. "Those negroes," replied
they, "eat men; and by what miracle did you escape their
cruelty?" I related to them the circumstances I have just
mentioned, at which they were wonderfully surprised.
I stayed with them till they had gathered their quantity of
pepper, and then sailed with them to the island from whence they
had come. 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 afterward gave me clothes, and commanded
care to be taken of me.
The island was very well peopled, plentiful in everything, and the
capital a place of great trade. This agreeable retreat was very
comfortable to me after my misfortunes, and the kindness of this
generous prince completed my satisfaction. In a word, there was
not a person more in favor with him than myself, and consequently
every man in court and city sought 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 bridle or stirrups. I went one day 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 afterward went to a smith, who made me a bit,
according to the pattern I showed him, and also 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 pleased with them that he testified his satisfaction by
large presents.
I made several others for the ministers and principal officers of
his household, which gained me great reputation and regard.
As I paid my court very constantly to the king, he said to me one
day, "Sindbad, I love thee, I have one thing to demand of thee,
which thou must grant. I have a mind thou shouldst marry, that so
thou mayst stay in my dominions, and think no more of thy own
country." I durst not resist the prince's will, and he gave me one
of the ladies of his court, noble, beautiful, and rich. The
ceremonies of marriage being over, I went and dwelt with my wife
and for some time we lived together in perfect harmony. I was not,
however, satisfied with my banishment; therefore designed to make
my escape the first opportunity, and to return to Bagdad, which my
present settlement, how advantageous soever, could not make me
forget.
At this time the wife of one of my neighbors, 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
absorbed in sorrow, I said to him as soon as I saw him, "God
preserve you and grant you a long life." "Alas!" replied he, "how
do you think I should obtain the favor you wish me? I have not
above an hour to live, for I must be buried this day with my wife.
This is a law in this island. The living husband is interred with
the dead wife, and the living wife with the dead husband."
While he was giving an account of this barbarous custom, the very
relation of which chilled my blood, his kindred, friends, and
neighbors came to assist at the funeral. They dressed the corpse
of the woman in her richest apparel and all her jewels as if it
had been her wedding day; then they placed her on an open bier,
and began their march to the place of burial. The husband walked
first, next to the dead body. They proceeded to a high mountain,
and when they had reached the place of their destination, they
took up a large stone which formed the mouth of a deep pit, and
let down the body with all its apparel and jewels. Then the
husband, embracing his kindred and friends, suffered himself to be
placed on another bier without resistance, with a pot of water and
seven small loaves, and was let down in the same manner. The
ceremony being over, the mouth of the pit was again covered with
the stone, and the company returned.
I mention this ceremony the more particularly, because I was in a
few weeks' time to be the principal actor on a similar occasion.
Alas! my own wife fell sick and died. I made every remonstrance I
could to the king not to expose me, a foreigner, to this inhuman
law. I appealed in vain. The king and all his court, with the most
considerable persons in the city, sought to soften my sorrow by
honoring the funeral ceremony with their presence; and, at the
termination of the ceremony, I was lowered into the pit, with a
vessel full of water and seven loaves. As I approached the bottom,
I discovered, by the aid of the little light that came from
above, the nature of this subterranean place. It seemed an endless
cavern, and might be about fifty fathoms deep. I lived for some
time there upon my bread and water, when one day, just as it was
on the point of exhaustion, I heard something tread, and breathing
or panting as it moved. I followed the sound. The animal seemed to
stop sometimes, but always fled and breathed hard as I approached.
I pursued it for a considerable time, till at last I perceived a
light, resembling a star. I went on, sometimes lost sight of it,
but always found it again, and at last discovered that it came
through a hole in the rock, which I got through, and found myself
upon the seashore, at which I felt exceeding joy. I prostrated
myself on the shore to thank God for this mercy, and shortly
afterward I perceived a ship making for the place where I was. I
made a sign with the linen of my turban, and called to the crew as
loud as I could. They heard me, and sent a boat to bring me on
board. It was fortunate for me that these people did not inspect
the place where they found me, but without hesitation took me on
board.
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. Lead mines are
found in the island; also Indian canes and excellent camphire.
The king of the Isle of Kela is very rich and powerful, and the
Isle of Bells, which is about two days' journey in extent, is also
subject to him.
The inhabitants are so barbarous that they still eat human flesh.
After we had finished our traffic in that island we put to sea
again, and touched at several other ports; at last I arrived
happily at Bagdad. Out of gratitude to God for His mercies, I
contributed liberally toward the support of several mosques and
the subsistence of the poor, and enjoyed myself with friends in
festivities and amusements.
Here Sindbad made a new present of one hundred sequins to Hindbad,
whom he requested to return with the rest next day at the same
hour, to dine with him and hear the story of his fifth voyage.
THE FIFTH VOYAGE
All the troubles and calamities I had undergone could not cure me
of my inclination to make new voyages. I therefore bought goods,
departed with them for the best seaport; and there, that I might
not be obliged to depend upon a captain, but have a ship at my own
command, I remained 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 agreed to take with me several
merchants of different nations, with their merchandise.