284 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.

After a journey of several months by land as well as by sea,
the princess, who had continued the disguise of Prince Camaral-
zaman, in order to reach the islands of the Children of Khaledan,
arrived at the capital of the Isle of Ebony, the reigning king of
which was named Armanos. As those of her people who dis-
embarked the first to seek a lodging for her, had published in
the town that the vessel which was just arrived bore Prince
Camaralzaman, who was returning from a long voyage, and
whom bad weather had obliged to make for this port, the in-
telligence soon reached the palace of the king.

King Armanos, accompanied by the greatest part of his court,
immediately set out to receive the princess, and met her just as
she had left the vessel, and was going to the lodging that was
engaged for her. He received her as the son of a king who was
his friend and ally, with whom he had always lived on terms of
amity, and conducted her to his palace, where he lodged her and
her whole suite, notwithstanding her earnest entreaties to be
permitted to have a lodging to herself. He conferred upon her
all the honours imaginable, besides regaling her for three days
with extraordinary magnificence.

When the three days were expired, King Armanos, finding
that the princess, whom he still supposed to be Prince Camaral-
zaman, talked of re-embarking and continuing her voyage, and
being quite charmed with a prince who appeared to him so
handsome and well-made, and possessed of so much wit and
knowledge, spoke to her in private. “Prince,” said he, “at the
advanced age to which you see I am arrived, with little hope of
living much longer, I endure the mortification of not having a
son to whom I can bequeath my kingdom. Heaven has bestowed
on me one only daughter, who is possessed of such beauty as
cannot be matched but with a prince of such high birth, and
such mental as well as personal accomplishments as distinguish
you. Instead, therefore, of preparing to return to your own
country, accept her from my hands, together with my crown,
which I from this moment resign in your favour, and remain
with us. It is now time for me to repose, after having borne the
weight of it for so many years; I cannot do it with more satis.
faction to myself than at a period when I am likely to see my
state governed by so worthy a successor.”

This generous offer of the king of the Island of Ebony, to