82 THE THIRD VOYAGE OF

me, during that voyage, great gain, whereat I
rejoiced exceedingly, congratulating myself on
my safety, and on the restoration of my wealth
to me. And we ceased not to sell and buy at
the islands until we arrived at the country of
Es-Sind, where likewise we sold and bought.
And I beheld in that sea [which we navigated,
namely, the Sea of India,] many wonders and
strange things that cannot be numbeted nor
calculated. Among the things that I saw there
were a fish in the form of a cow, and a creature
in the form of an ass; and I saw a bird that.
cometh forth from a sea-shell, and layeth its—
eges and hatcheth them upon the surface of
the water, and never cometh forth from the
sea upon the face of the earth. After this we
continued our voyage, by permission of God
(whose name be exalted!), and the wind and
voyage were pleasant to us, until we arrived
at El-Basrah, where I remained a few days.
Then I came to the city of Baghdad, and re-
paired to my quarter, entered my house, and
saluted my family and companions and friends.
I rejoiced at my safety and my return to my
country and my family and city and district,
and I gave alms and presents, and clad the
widows and the orphans, and collected my com-