ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 25

the fishermen fear it; wherefore they knock some
pieces of wood, and it fleeth from them: and I
saw a fish whose face was like that of the owl.
I likewise saw during that voyage many wonder-
ful and strange things, such that, if I related
them to you, the description would be too long.

I continued to amuse myself with the sight of
those islands and the things that they contained,
until I stood one day upon the shore of the
sea, with a staff in my hand, as was my custom,
and, lo, a great vessel approached, wherein were
many merchants; and when it arrived at the
harbour of the city, and its place of anchoring,
the master furled its sails, brought it to an
anchor by the shore, and put forth the landing-
plank; and the sailors brought out every thing
that was in that vessel to the shore. They
were slow in taking forth the goods, while I
. stood writing their account, and I said to the
master of the ship, “Doth aught remain in thy
vessel?” He answered, ‘“‘ Yes, O my master; I
have some goods in the hold of the ship; but
their owner was drowned in the sea at one of
the islands during our voyage hither, and his _
goods are in our charge; so we desire to sell
them, and to. take a note of their price, in
order to convey it to his family in the city of