156 THE SIXTH VOYAGE OF

way of saving myself, it -will be better for me to
die in this river than in this place.” And I sighed
for myself. Then I arose and went and collected
pieces of wood that were upon that island, of
Sanfee and Kaméree aloes-wood, and bound
them upon the shore of the sea with some of the
ropes of the ships that had been wrecked; and
I brought some straight planks, of the planks of
the ships, and placed them upon these pieces of
wood. I made the raft to suit the width of the
river, less wide than the latter, and bound it well
and firmly; and, having taken with me some of
those minerals and jewels and goods, and of the
large pearls that were like gravel, as well as
other things that were upon the island, and some
of the crude, pure, excellent ambergris, I put them
upon that raft, with all that I had collected upon
the island, and took with me what remained of
the provisions. JI then launched the raft upon
the river, made for it two pieces of wood like
oars, and acted in accordance with the following
saying of one of the poets :—

Depart from a place wherein is oppression, and leave the house
to tell its builder’s fate ;
For thou wilt find, for the land that thou quittest, another ;
_ but no soul wilt thou find to replace thine own.
Grieve not on account of nocturnal calamities; since évery
affliction will have its end ;