2160 XK The First Voyage of

 

belonged to him, and I am resolved to trade with them until I meet.
with some of his family, to whom I may return the profit.’

- *Captain’ said I, ‘I am that Sinbad whom. you. oe to
be dead, and those bales are mine.’

When the captain heard me speak thus, ‘O heaven,’ said he,
‘whom can we ever trust now-a-days? There is no faith left among
men. I saw Sinbad perish with.my own eyes, and the passengers
on board saw it as well as I, and yet you tell me you are that
Sinbad. What impudence is this! To look at you, one would
take you to be a man of honesty, and yet you tell a horrible
falsehood, in order to possess yourself of what does not belong
to you.’ :

‘Have patience, captain, replied I; ‘do me the favour to hear
what I have. to say.’ .

‘Very well, said he, ‘speak; I am ready to hear you.’ “Then I
told him how I escaped, and. by what adventure I met with the
grooms of King Mihrage, who brought me to his court.

He was soon persuaded that I was no cheat, for there came
people from his ship who knew me, paid me great compliments, and
expressed much joy to-see.me alive. At last he knew me himself;
and embracing me, ‘Heaven be praised, said he, ‘for your happy
escape; I-cannot enough express my joy for it: there are your goods;
take and do with them what you will’ I thanked him, acknowledged
his honesty, and in return offered him part of my goods as a pce
which he generously refused.

I took out what was most valuable in my bales, and presented
it to King Mihrage, who, knowing my misfortune, asked me how I
came by such rarities. I acquainted him with the whole story. He
was mightily pleased at my good luck, accepted my present, and
gave me one much more considerable in return. Upon this I
took leave of him, and went aboard the same ship, after I had
exchanged my goods for the commodities of that country.. I carried

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