As I was thinking of death, continued Sindbad, I heard the stone
lifted up from the mouth of the cave, and immediately the corpse of
a man was let down. When men are reduced to necessity, it is natural
for them to come to extreme resolutions. While they let down the
woman, I approached the place where her coffin was to be put, and as
soon as I perceived they were covering again the mouth of the cave,
I gave the unfortunate wretch two or three great blows over the
head, with a large bone that I found; which stunned, or, to say the
truth, killed her. I committed this inhuman action merely for the
sake of the bread and water that was in her coffin, and thus I had
provisions for some days more. When that was spent, they let down
another dead woman, and a live man: I killed the man in the same
manner, and, as good luck would have it for me, there was then a
sort of mortality in the town, so that by this means I did not want
for provisions.
One day, as I despatched another woman, I heard something walking,
and blowing or panting as it walked. I advanced towards that side
from whence I heard the noise, and upon my approach the thing puffed
and blew harder, as if it had been running away from me. I followed
the noise, and the thing seemed to stop sometimes, but always fled
and blew as I approached. I followed it so long, and so far, till at
last I perceived a light, resembling a star; I went on towards that
light, and sometimes lost sight of it, but always found it again,
and at last discovered that it came through a hole in the rock,
large enough for a man to get out at.
Upon this I stopped some time to rest myself, being much fatigued
with pursuing this discovery so fast: afterwards coming up to the
hole, I went out of it, and found myself upon the bank of the sea. I
leave you to guess the excess of my joy: it was such, that I could
scarce persuade myself of its being real.
But when I was recovered from my surprise, and convinced of the
truth of the matter, I found the thing which I had followed, and
heard puff and blow, to be a creature which came out of the sea, and
was accustomed to enter at that hole to feed upon the dead
carcasses. [31]
I examined the mountain, and perceived it to be situated betwixt the
sea and the town, but without any passage or way to communicate with
the latter, the rocks on the side of the sea were so rugged and
steep. I fell down upon the shore to thank God for this mercy, and
afterwards entered the cave again to fetch bread and water, which I
did by day-light, with a better appetite than I had done since my
interment in the dark hole.
I returned thither again, and groped about among the biers for all
the diamonds, rubies, pearls, gold bracelets, and rich stuffs I
could find; these I brought to the shore, and tying them up neatly
into bales, with the cords that let down the coffins, I laid them
together upon the bank, waiting till some ship passed by, without
fear of rain, for it was not then the season.
After two or three days, I perceived a ship that had but just come
out of the harbour, and passed near the place where I was. I made a
sign with the linen of my turban, and called to them as loud as I
could. They heard me, and sent a boat to bring me on board, when the
mariners asked by what misfortune I came thither: I told them that I
had suffered shipwreck two days ago, and made shift to get ashore
with the goods they saw. It was happy for me that those people did
not consider the place where I was, nor inquire into the probability
of what I told them; but, without more ado, took me on board with my
goods. When I came to the ship, the captain was so well pleased to
have saved me, and so much taken up with his own affairs, that he
also took the story of my pretended shipwreck upon trust, and
generously refused some jewels which I offered him.
We passed by several islands, and among others that called the isle
of Bells, [32] about ten days’ sail from Serendib, with a regular
wind, and six from that of Kela, where we landed. This island
produces lead mines, Indian canes, [33] and excellent camphire.
The king of the isle of Kela is very rich and potent, and the isle
of Bells, which is about two days’ journey in extent, is also
subject to him. The inhabitants are so barbarous that they still eat
human flesh. After we had finished our commerce in that island, we
put to sea again, and touched at several other ports: at last I
arrived happily at Bagdad with infinite riches, of which it is
needless to trouble you with the detail.
Out of thankfulness to God for his mercies, I gave great alms for
the support of several mosques, and for the subsistence of the poor,
and employed myself wholly in enjoying my kindred and friends, and
making merry with them.
Here Sindbad finished the relation of his fourth voyage, which was
more surprising to the company than all the three former. He gave a
new present of a hundred sequins to Hindbad, whom he prayed to
return with the rest next day at the same hour, to dine with him,
and hear the story of his fifth voyage. Hindbad and the rest of his
guests took leave of him, and retired. Next morning when they all
met, they sat down at table, and when dinner was over, Sindbad began
the relation of his fifth voyage, as follows:
The fifth voyage of Sindbad the sailor.
The pleasures I enjoyed had again charms enough to made me forget
all the troubles and calamities I had undergone, without curing me
of my inclination to make new voyages. Therefore I bought goods,
ordered them to be packed up and loaded, and set out with them for
the best sea-port; and there, that I might not be obliged to depend
upon a captain, but have a ship at my own command, I staid till one
was built on purpose, at my own charge. When the ship was ready, I
went on board with my goods; but not having enough to load her, I
took on board with me several merchants of different nations, with
their merchandize.
We sailed with the first fair wind, and, after a long navigation,
the first place we touched at was a desert island, where we found an
egg of a roc, equal in bigness to that I formerly mentioned. There
was a young roc in it, just ready to be hatched, and the bill of it
began to appear.
At these words Scheherazade stopt, because day began to enter the
sultan’s apartment; but next night she resumed her story thus: