Sinbad the Sailor | 9 253

gulf, since nothing ever returns from it—it is not possible for ships to
get away again when once they come near it. If they are driven
thither by a wind from the sea, the wind and the current ruin them;
and if they come into it when a land-wind blows, which might seem
to favour their getting out again, the height of the mountain stops the
wind, and occasions a calm, so that the force of the current runs them

‘ ashore, where they are broken to pieces, as ours was; and that which
completes the misfortune is that there is no possibility to get to the
top of the mountain, or to get out any manner of way.

We continued upon the-shore, like men out of their senses, onal
expected death every day. At first we divided our provisions as
equally as we could, and thus everyone lived a longer or. shorter
time, according to. their temperance, and the use they made. of
their provisions.

Those who died first were interred by the rest; and, 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 provision 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 I dug a
grave, resolving to lie down in it, because there was none left 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 raft, and leave myself to the
cufrent, it will bring me to some inhabited country, or drown.me. If