Their captain received me with great kindness, and after some days’ sail we arrived at the harbor of a great city, the houses of which overhung the sea.

With some of the people of this town I went to gather cocoanuts after their own method.  When we reached a thick forest of cocoanut trees, we saw a great number of apes of several sizes, which fled as soon as they saw us, and climbed to the tops of the trees with amazing swiftness.

The merchants with whom I was gathered stones, and threw them at the apes on the trees.  I did the same; and the apes, out of revenge, threw cocoanuts at us so fast and with such gestures as to show their anger clearly.  We gathered up the cocoanuts, and from time to time threw stones to provoke the apes.  In this way we filled our bags with cocoanuts, and by degrees I got enough to produce me no small sum of money.

We set sail, and traded in various islands, at one of which I hired divers and with other merchants went a-pearl-fishing.  Some of the pearls they brought me up were very large and pure.  Then I returned to Bagdad, and gave a tenth of my gains in alms, and rested from my fatigues.

THE SIXTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

I know, my friends, that you will wish to hear how, after having been shipwrecked and having escaped so many dangers, I could resolve again to tempt fortune, and expose myself to new hardships.  When I reflect upon it now it seems that I must have been led by destiny, from which none can escape.  Be this as it may, after a year’s rest, I prepared for a sixth voyage, though my kindred and friends did all in their power to dissuade me.

Once more I traveled through several provinces of Persia and the Indies, and arrived at a seaport, where I embarked on a ship bound on a long voyage, in which the captain and the pilot lost their course.  Suddenly we saw the captain quit his rudder, lamenting loudly, pulling his beard and beating his head like a madman.  In reply to our questions, he answered,—­

“A rapid current carries the ship along with it, and we shall all perish in less than a quarter of an hour.  Pray God to deliver us from this peril.  We cannot escape, if He does not take pity on us.”

At these words he ordered the sails to be lowered, but all the ropes broke, and the current carried the ship to the foot of a mountain, where she struck and went to pieces, but in such a way that we saved our lives, our provisions, and the best of our goods.

The foot of the mountain was covered with wrecks, with a vast number of human bones, and goods and riches of all kinds beyond belief.  In all other places it is usual for rivers to run into the sea; but here a river of fresh water runs from the sea into a dark cavern, with a very high and spacious entrance.  What is most strange in this place is that the stones of the mountain are of crystal, rubies, and other precious stones.  Here also are ambergris and wood of aloes.