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many unfortunate persons must have perished there. To ⟨climb⟩ this mountain, which almost reached the skies, was ⟨impossible⟩ for it was formed of smooth granite, mixed with rocks of ⟨the⟩ finest crystal, which hung over us, and seemed every ⟨instant⟩ ready to fall upon our heads. In the midst of the ⟨mountain⟩ was a monstrous dark cavern into which ran a broad ⟨black⟩ river, the roaring of whose waves stunned us with the sound.
In this wretched place we continued till my comrades ⟨died⟩ one after the other. I survived them all, and my stock of ⟨food⟩ being exhausted, I suddenly made a desperate resolution ⟨to⟩ trust myself to the current of the black river.
I made a float, and I loaded it with bales of rich stuffs, ⟨and⟩ fastening my eargo with ropes, I went on board my float ⟨with⟩ two little oars, and left it to the mercy of the eurrent.
As soon as I was in the cavern, I lost all light. I ⟨floated⟩ for some days, and once found the arch so low that it ⟨nearly⟩ broke my head. At length a pleasing sleep seized upon me when I awoke, I found myself in a vast eountry, at the brim of a river, where my float was tied up, amidst a great ⟨number⟩ of negroes. I exelaimed aloud, "Alla be praised!" and one ⟨of⟩ the blacks who understood Arabic, came towards me and said "Brother, we came hither to-day to dig canals from this ⟨river⟩ which comes out of yonder mountain to water our fields when we found you floating in this manner. Pray inform ⟨us⟩ whence you came."
I begged of them to give me food, which they did, and ⟨after⟩ I had appeased my hunger, I gave them a true aecount of ⟨all⟩ that had befallen me. They requested I would go with ⟨them⟩ to their king, and they placed me on a fine horse, bringing my cargo and float after me.
We marched thus till we came to Serindib, for it was in ⟨that⟩ island I landed. I prostrated myself before the monarch, ⟨to⟩ whom I related my story, with which he was so surprised and pleased, that he ordered it to be written in letters of gold, and laid up among the archives of the kingdom. He then ordered one of his officers to take care of me, by whom I was condueted to the apartments provided for me, where I found my goods already placed in safety.
When I paid my next visit to the king, I presented him with the choicest pieces of my rock crystal, and then prayed him to allow me to return to my own country, which request he granted, and sent by me a letter and a brilliant present to the sovereign, the Caliph Haroun Alraschid, with many rich gifts for myself, I returned to Bagdad, where my first eare was to present myself at the throne of the Caliph, who received the letter and present of the king of Serendib with tho greatest
