This account of the captain, continued Sinbad put the whole company into great consternation and we soon found that what he had told us was but too true; an innumerable multitude of frightful savages, about two feet high, covered all over with red hair, came swimming towards us, and encompassed our ship.  They spoke to us as they came near, but we understood not their language; they climbed up the sides of the ship with such agility as surprised us.  We beheld all this with dread, but without daring to defend ourselves, or to divert them from their mischievous design.  In short, they took down our sails, cut the cable, and hauling to the shore, made us all get out, and afterwards carried the ship into another island from whence they had come.  All voyagers carefully avoided the island where they left us, it being very dangerous to stay there, for a reason you shall presently hear; but we were forced to bear our affliction with patience.

We went forward into the island, where we gathered some fruits and herbs to prolong our lives as long as we could; but we expected nothing but death.  As we advanced, we perceived at a distance a vast pile of building, and made towards it.  We found it to be a palace, elegantly built, and very lofty, with a gate of ebony of two leaves, which we forced open.  We entered the court, where we saw before us a large apartment, with a porch, having on one side a heap of human bones, and on the other a vast number of roasting spits.  We trembled at this spectacle, and being fatigued with travelling, fell to the ground, seized with deadly apprehension, and lay a long time motionless.

The sun set, and whilst we were in the lamentable condition I have described, the gate of the apartment opened with a loud crash, and there came out the horrible figure of a black man, as tall as a lofty palm-tree.  He had but one eye, and that in the middle of his forehead, where it looked as red as a burning coal.  His fore-teeth were very long and sharp, and stood out of his mouth, which was as deep as that of a horse.  His upper lip hung down upon his breast.  His ears resembled those of an elephant, and covered his shoulders; and his nails were as long and crooked as the talons of the greatest birds.  At the sight of so frightful a giant, we became insensible, and lay like dead men.

At last we came to ourselves, and saw him sitting in the porch looking at us.  When he had considered us well, he advanced towards us, and laying his hand upon me, took me up by the nape of my neck, and turned round as a butcher would do a sheep’s head.  After having examined me, and perceiving me to be so lean that I had nothing but skin and bone, he let me go.  He took up all the rest one by one, and viewed them in the same manner.  The captain being the fattest, he held him with one hand, as I would do a sparrow, and thrust a spit through him; he then kindled a great fire, roasted, and ate him in his apartment for his supper.  Having finished his repast, he returned to his porch, where he lay and fell asleep, snoring louder than thunder.  He slept thus till morning.  As to ourselves, it was not possible for us to enjoy any rest, so that we passed the night in the most painful apprehension that can be imagined.  When day appeared the giant awoke, got up, went out, and left us in the palace.