Those who died first, continued Sindbad, were interred by the rest,
and as for my part, I paid the last duty to all my companions: nor
are you to wonder at this, for besides that I husbanded the
provision that fell to my share better than they, I had provisions
of my own, which I did not share with my comrades, yet when I buried
the last, I had so little remaining, that I thought I could not hold
out long, so that I dug a grave, resolving to lie down in it,
because there was none left alive to inter me. I must confess to you
at the same time, that while I was thus employed, I could not but
reflect upon myself as the cause of my own ruin, and repented that I
had ever undertaken this last voyage; nor did I stop at reflections
only, but had well nigh hastened my own death, and began to tear my
hands with my teeth.
But it pleased God once more to take compassion on me, and put it in
my mind to go to the bank of the river which ran into the great
cave; where, considering the river with great attention, I said to
myself, This river, which runs thus under ground, must come out
somewhere or other. If I make a float, and leave myself to the
current, it will bring me to some inhabited country, or drown me. If
I be drowned, I lose nothing, but only change one kind of death for
another; and if I get out of this fatal place, I shall not only
avoid the sad fate of my comrades, but perhaps find some new
occasion of enriching myself. Who knows but fortune waits upon my
getting off this dangerous shelf, to compensate my shipwreck with
usury?
I immediately went to work on a float. I made it of large pieces of
timber and cables, for I had choice of them, and tied them together
so strong, that I had made a very solid little float. When I had
finished, I loaded it with some bales of rubies, emeralds,
ambergris, rock-crystal, and rich stuffs. Having balanced all my
cargo exactly, and fastened them well to the float, I went on board
it with two little oars that I had made, and leaving it to the
course of the river, I resigned myself to the will of God.
As soon as I came into the cave, I lost all light, and the stream
carried me I knew not whither. Thus I floated some days in perfect
darkness, and once found the arch so low that it very nigh broke my
head, which made me very cautious afterwards to avoid the like
danger. All this while I eat nothing but what was necessary to
support nature; yet, notwithstanding this frugality, all my
provisions were spent. Then a pleasing sleep seized upon me. I
cannot tell how long it continued; but when I awakened, I was
surprised to find myself in the middle of a vast country, at the
brink of a river, where my float was tied amidst a great number of
negroes. I got up as soon as I saw them, and saluted them. They
spoke to me, but I did not understand their language. I was so
transported with joy, that I knew not whether I was asleep or awake;
but being persuaded that I was not asleep, I recited the following
words in Arabic, aloud: Call upon the Almighty, he will help thee;
thou needest not perplex thyself about any thing else: shut thy
eyes, and while thou art asleep, God will change thy bad fortune
into good.
One of the blacks, who understood Arabic, hearing me speak thus,
came towards me, and said, Brother, be not surprised to see us; we
are inhabitants of this country, and came hither to-day to water our
fields, by digging little canals from this river, which comes out of
the neighbouring mountain. We perceived something floating upon the
water, went speedily to see what it was, and perceiving your float,
one of us swam into the river, and brought it hither, where we
fastened it, as you see, until you should awake. Pray tell us your
history, for it must be extraordinary; how did you venture yourself
into this river, and whence did you come? I begged of them first to
give me something to eat, and then I would satisfy their curiosity.
They gave me several sorts of food; and when I had satisfied my
hunger, I gave them a true account of all that had befallen me,
which they listened to with admiration. As soon as I had finished my
discourse, they told me, by the person who spoke Arabic, and
interpreted to them what I said, that it was one of the most
surprising stories they ever heard, and that I must go along with
them, and tell it their king myself; the story is too extraordinary
to be told by any other than the person to whom it happened. I told
them I was ready to do whatever they pleased.
They immediately sent for a horse, which was brought in a little
time; and having made me get upon him, some of them walked before me
to show me the way, and the rest took my float and cargo, and
followed me.
Here, Scheherazade was obliged to stop, because day appeared; but
towards the close of the next night, resumed the thread of her story
thus: