26 THE FIRST VOYAGE OF

Baghdad, the Abode of Peace.” I therefore said
to the master, “What was the name of that
man, the owner of the goods?” He answered,
“His name was Es-Sindibid of the Sea, and
he was drowned on his voyage with us in the
sea.” And when I heard his words, I looked at
him with a scrutinising eye, and recognised him ;
and I cried out at him with a great cry, and said,
“O master, know that I am the owner of the
goods which thou hast mentioned, and I am Ks-
Sindibéd of the Sea, who descended upon the
island from the ship, with the other merchants
who descended; and when the fish that we
were upon moved, and thou calledst out to us,
some got up into the vessel, and the rest sank,
and I was among those who sank. But God
(whose name be exalted!) preserved me and
saved me from drowning by means of a large
wooden bowl, of those in which the passengers
were washing, and I got into it, and began to
beat the water with my feet, and the wind and
the waves aided me until I arrived at this
island, when I landed on it, and God (whose
name be exalted!) assisted me, and I met the
grooms of the King El-Mihraj, who took me
with them and brought me to this city. They
then led me in to the King El-Mihrdj, and I