86 THE FOURTH VOYAGE OF

myself to a party of the chief men of El-Basrah,
and we set forth on our voyage. ‘The vessel
proceeded with us, confiding in the blessing of
God (whose name be exalted !), over the roaring
sea agitated with waves, and the voyage was
pleasant to us; and we ceased not to proceed
in this manner for a period of nights and days,
from island to island and from sea to sea, until
a contrary wind rose against us one day. ‘The
master therefore cast the anchors, and stayed
the ship in the midst of the sea, fearing that
she would sink in the midst of the deep. And
while we were in this state, supplicating and
humbling ourselves to God (whose name be
exalted !), there rose against us a great tempest,
which rent the sails in strips, and the people
were submerged with all their bales and their
commodities and wealth. I was submerged
among the rest, and I swam in the sea for half
a day,. after which I abandoned myself; but.
God (whose name be exalted!) aided me to lay
hold upon a piece of one of the planks of the
ship, and I and a party of the merchants got
upon it. We continued sitting upon this plank,
striking the sea with our feet, and the waves
-and the wind helping us; and we remained in
this state a day and a night. And on the