380 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS’ ENTERTAINMENTS.

 

I concealed nothing from the king; but related to him all that I have
told you. At last my rafi was brought in, and the bales opened in his
presence: he admired the quantity of wood of aloes and ambergris ; but,
above all, the rubies and emeralds, for he had none in his treasury that
equalled them.

Observing that he looked on my jewels with pleasure, and viewed the
most remarkable among them, one after another, I fell prostrate at his
feet, and took the liberty to say to him, ‘Sire, not only my person is at
your majesty’s service, but the cargo of the raft, and I would beg of you
to dispose of it as your own.’

He answered me with a smile, ‘ Sindbad, I will take nothing of yours;
far from lessening your wealth, I design to augment it, and will not let
you quit my dominions without marks of my liberality.’

He then charged one of his officers to take care of me, and ordered
people to serve me at his own expense. The officer was very faithful
in the execution of his commission, and caused all the goods to be carried
to the lodgings provided for me.

I went every day at a set hour to make my court to the king, and
spent the rest of my time in viewing the city, and what was most worthy
of notice.

The capital of Serendib stands at the end of a fine valley, in the
middle of the island, encompassed by high mountains. They are seen
three days’ sail off at sea. Rubies and several sorts of minerals abound.
All kinds of rare plants and trees grow there, especially cedars and
cocoa-nut. There is also a pearl-fishery in the mouth of its principal
river ; and in some of its valleys are found diamonds. I made, by way
of devotion, a pilgrimage to the place where Adam was confined after
his banishment from Paradise, and had the curiosity to go to the top of
the mountain.

When I returned to the city I prayed the king to allow me to return
to my own country, and he granted me permission in the most obliging
and honourable manner. He would force a rich present upon me; and
at the same time charged me with a letter for the Commander of the
Faithful, our sovereign, saying to me, ‘I pray you give this present from
me, and this letter, to the Caliph Haroun Alraschid, and assure him of
my friendship.’

The letter from the King of Serendib was written on the skin of
a certain animal of great value, very scarce, and of a yellowish colour.
‘The characters of this letter were of azure, and the contents as follows :—

‘The King of the Indies, before whom march one hundred elephants,
who lives in a palace that shines with one hundred thousand
rubies, and who has in his treasury twenty thousand crowns
enriched with diamonds, to Caliph Haroun Alraschid.

‘Though the present we send you be inconsiderable, receive it, how-
ever, as a brother and a friend, in consideration of the hearty friendship
which we bear for you, and of which we are willing to give you proof.