78 THE THIRD VOYAGE OF

deliver them to me. And the clerk of the ship
said, “‘O master, what are these bales which the
sailors and porters have brought out, and with
the name of which of the merchants shall I mark
them?” He answered, ‘Write upon them the
name of Es-Sindibdd of the Sea, who was with
us, and was drowned [or left behind] at the
island [of the rukh’], and of whom no tidings
have come to us; wherefore we desire that this
stranger sell them, and take charge of the price
of them, and we will give him somewhat of it
in requital of his trouble and his sale of them.
What shall remain we will take with us until
we return to the city of Baghddd, when, if we
find him, we will give it to him; and if we find
him not, we will give it to his family in Baghdad.”
So the clerk replied, “Thy words are good,
and thy notion is excellent.” And when I heard
the words of the master, mentioning that the
bales were to be inscribed with my name, I said
within myself, “By Allah, I am Es-Sindibdd of
the Sea.” Then I fortified myself, and waited
till the merchants had landed and had as-
sembled conversing and consulting upon affairs
of selling and buying, when I advanced to the
owner of the ship, and said to him, “O my
master, dost thou know what manner of man was