Unknown

“ Moreover, the trees of the island are all of the most precious aloes-wood, both Chinese and Comorin; but there is no way of issue from the place, for it is as an abyss midmost the sea; the steepness of its shore forbiddeth the drawing up of ships, and if any approach the mountain, they fall into the eddy aforesaid; nor is there any resource [6] in that island.
So we abode there, daily expecting death, and whoso of us had with him a day’s victual ate it in five days, and after this he died; and whoso had with him a month’s victual ate it in five months and died also. ”

“ He read the letter and taking the present, rejoiced therein with an exceeding joy and entreated me with the utmost honour. Then said he to me, ‘O Sindbad, is this king, indeed, such as he avoucheth in this letter?’ I kissed the earth and answered, saying, ‘O my lord, I myself have seen the greatness of his kingship to be manifold that which he avoucheth in his letter. ”

“ If it bring me to the mainland or to a place where I may find relief and safety, [well and good] ; else I shall [but] perish, even as my companions have perished.’ Then I collected of the riches and gold and precious stuffs, cast up there, whose owners had perished, a great matter, and of jacinths and crude ambergris and emeralds somewhat past count, and laid all this on the raft [together with what was left me of victual] . ”

“ On the day of his audience, [13] there is set up for him a throne on the back of a huge elephant, eleven cubits high, whereon he sitteth and with him are his officers and pages and session-mates, standing in two ranks on his right hand and on his left. At his head standeth a man, having in his hand a golden javelin, and behind him another, bearing a mace of the same metal, tipped with an emerald, a span long and an inch thick. ”

“ Now there was before us a high mountain, [1] rising [abruptly] from the sea, and the ship fell off into an eddy, [2] which bore it on till presently it struck upon the skirt [3] of the mountain and broke in sunder ”