356 THE ARABIAN NiGHTS’ ENTERTAINMENTS.
and permitted such persons as were go inclined to land ; of this number
I was one.

But while we were enjoying ourselves in eating and drinking, and
recovering ourselves from the fatigue of the sea, the island on a sudden
trembled and shook us terribly.

The trembling of the island was perceived on board the ship, and
we were called upon to re-embark speedily, or we should all be lost;
for what we took for an island proved to be the back! of a sea monster.
The nimblest got into the sloop, others betook themselves to swimming ;
but as for myself, I was still upon the island when it disappeared into
the sea, and I had only time to catch hold of a piece of wood that we
had brought out of the ship to make a fire. Meanwhile, the captain,
having received those on board who were in the sloop, and taken up
some of those that swam, resolved to improve the favourable gale that
had just risen, and hoisting his sails pursued his voyage, so that it was
impossible for me to recover the ship.

Thus was I exposed to the mercy of the waves all the rest of the day
and the following night. By this time I found my strength gone, and
despaired of saving my life, when happily a wave threw me against an
island. The bank was high and rugged; so that I could scarcely have
got up had it not been for some roots of trees which I found within
reach. When the sun arose, though I was very feeble, both from hard
labour and want of food, I crept along to find some herbs fit to eat, and
had the good luck not only to procure some, but likewise to discover a
spring of excellent water, which contributed much to recover me, After
this I advanced farther into the island, and at last reached a, fine plain,
where I perceived some horses feeding. I went towards them, when I
heard the voice of a man, who immediately appeared, and asked me
who I was. I related to him my adventure, after which, taking me by
the hand, he led me into a cave, where there were several other people,
no less amazed to see me than I was to see them.

I partook of some provisions which they offered me. I then asked
them what they did in such a desert place; to which they answered
that they were grooms belonging to the Maha-raja, sovereign of the
island, and that every year they brought thither the king’s horses for
pasturage. They added that they were to return home on the morrow,
and had I been one day later I must have perished, because the in-
habited part of the island was a great distance off, and it would have
been impossible for me to have got thither without a guide.

Next morning they returned to the capital of the island, took me with

 

1 Milton thus describes the Leviathan :

‘How haply, slumbering on the Norway foam,
The pilot of some small night-founder’d skiff,
Deeming some island, oft as seamen tell,
With fixed anchor in his seally rind
Moors by his side.’