APPENDIX 269

of terrible appearancé; and whatsoever ship arriveth at
this region, there cometh up to her from the sea a great
fish, which swalloweth her with all that she containeth.”

So when we heard these words from the master, we
wondered extremely at his account; and he had not
finished his speech to us when the ship began to rise
with us from the water and then to descend, and we
heard a great cry, like the loud-pealing thunder, whereat
we were struck with terror and became as dead men,
making sure, at that moment, of destruction. And, lo,
a great fish approached the ship, like a lofty mountain,
and we were terrified at it. We wept for ourselves
with a violent weeping, and prepared for death, and were
looking at that great fish, wondering at its terrible
formation, when, lo, another great fish approached us;
and we had not beheld aught more monstrous than it,
nor anything greater. Upon this, therefore, we bade
one another farewell, weeping for ourselves. And, lo, a
third great fish approached, and it was greater than the
two that had come to us before it. So we became
without memory and without understanding, and our
minds were stupefied by the violence of our fear and
terror. Then these three great fishes began to com-
pass the ship, and the third fish darted down to swallow
the ship with all that was in her. But, lo, there rose-a
great. wind, whereupon the ship rose, and fell upon a
great reef, and broke in pieces; all the planks were
separated, and all the bales, and the merchants and
other passengers were submerged in the sea. I there-
fore pulled off all the clothes that were upon me except

one garment, and swam a little, and reached one of the
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