268 APPENDIX

But while we were in this state, a stormy wind rose
from the quarter a-head of the ship, and there fell upon
us a violent rain, by which we were wetted, and our
bales also; wherefore we covered the bales with felt
and canvas, fearing that the goods would be spoiled by
the rain; and we began to supplicate God (whose name
be exalted !), and to humble ourselves before Him, that
He might remove the affliction that had befallen us,
And thereupon the master of the ship arose, and tight-
ened his girdle, and tucked up his clothes, and ascended
the mast. Then he turned his eyes to the right and
left, after which he looked at the people of the ship,
and slapped his face and plucked his beard. So we
said, “O master, what is the news?” And he answered
us, “Seek ye of God (whose name be exalted!) escape
from the peril into which we have fallen, and weep for
yourselves, and bid one another farewell; for know that
the wind hath prevailed against us, and cast us into the
furthest of the seas of the world.” The master then
descended from the mast-head, and opened his chest,
and took forth from it a cotton bag, which he untied,
and he took out of it some dust like ashes, moistened
this with water, and, having waited over it a little, he
smelt.it; after which he took forth from that chest a
small book, and read in it, and said to us, “ Know, O ye
passengers, that in this book is a wonderful property,
indicating that whosoever arriveth at this region, he will
not escape from it, but will perish; for this region is
called the Clime of the Kings, and in it is the tomb of
our lord Suleyman, the son of Daood (on both of whom
be peace !), in which are serpents of enormous size and