In the morning when I came down, I was ready to throw myself into the sea in my despair.  But I resisted this impulse, and collected a great quantity of small wood, brambles, and dry thorns, and, making them up into fagots, made a wide circle with them round the tree, and also tied some of them to the branches over my head.  Within this circle I shut myself up when night came, with such satisfaction as I could get from having neglected nothing that could save me.  The serpent failed not to come at the usual hour, but was prevented from reaching me by the rampart I had made.  He lay below me till day, like a cat watching in vain for a mouse that has reached a place of safety.  When day appeared he retired, but I dared not to leave my fort until the sun arose.

God took pity on my hopeless state, for, just as I was about to cast myself into the sea, I saw a ship in the distance.  I cried aloud and waved the linen of my turban.  Then I was seen, and the captain sent his boat for me.  When I came on board, the merchants and seamen flocked about me to hear how I came into that deserted island, in a region where cannibal giants and serpents were known by the oldest sailors to abound.  When I stood before the captain in rags, he gave me one of his own suits.  Looking steadfastly upon him, I knew him to be the person who, in my second voyage, had left me in the island where I fell asleep, and sailed without me or sending to seek for me.

“Captain,” said I, “look at me, and you may know that I am Sindbad, whom you left in that desert island.”

“God be praised!” he cried, after he had scanned me closely.  “I rejoice that fortune has set right my fault.  There are your goods, which I always took care to preserve.”  I took them from him, and thanked him for his care of them.

We remained at sea for some time, touched at several islands, and landed at last at the island of Salabat, where sandalwood is obtained.  In another island I furnished myself with cloves, cinnamon, and other spices.  After a long voyage, in the course of which I saw such strange creatures as a tortoise twenty cubits in length and breadth, I arrived at Bussorah, and thence returned to Bagdad, with so much wealth that I knew not its extent.  I gave a great deal to the poor, and bought another large estate besides what I had already.

THE FOURTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

After I had rested from the dangers of my third voyage my passion for trade and novelty soon drove me from home again.  When I had settled my affairs and taken a stock of goods for traffic, I took the route of Persia, traveled over several provinces, and arrived at a port where I embarked.  It was not long before our ship was wrecked.  Several of the merchants and seamen were drowned, and the cargo was lost.

I had the good fortune, with a few others, to get upon some planks, and we were carried by the current to an island which lay before us.  There we found fruit and spring water, which saved our lives.  Early the next morning, we explored the island, and saw some houses, which we approached.  As soon as we drew near, we were surrounded by a great number of negroes, who seized us, shared us among them, and carried us to their respective abodes.