and teeth of elephants.  I confess to you, that this object furnished me with abundance of reflections.  I admired the instinct of those animals; I doubted not but that was their burying place, and that they carried me thither on purpose to tell me that I should forbear to persecute them, since I did it only for their teeth.  I did not stay on the hill, but turned towards the city, and, after having travelled a day and a night, I came to my patron.  I met no elephant in my way, which made me think they had retired farther into the forest, to leave me at liberty to come back to the hill without any obstacle.

As soon as my patron saw me; “Ah, poor Sinbad,” exclaimed he, “I was in great trouble to know what was become of you.  I have been at the forest, where I found a tree newly pulled up, and a bow and arrows on the ground, and after having sought for you in vain, I despaired of ever, seeing you more.  Pray tell me what befell you, and by what good chance thou art still alive.”  I satisfied his curiosity, and going both of us next morning to the hill, he found to his great joy that what I had told him was true.  We loaded the elephant which had carried us with as many teeth as he could bear; and when we were returned, “Brother,” said my patron, “for I will treat you no more as my slave, after having made such a discovery as will enrich me, God bless you with all happiness and prosperity.  I declare before him, that I give you your liberty.  I concealed from you what I am now going to tell you.

“The elephants of our forest have every year killed us a great many slaves, whom we sent to seek ivory.  For all the cautions we could give them, those crafty animals destroyed them one time or other.  God has delivered you from their fury, and has bestowed that favour upon you only.  It is a sign that he loves you, and has some use for your service in the world.  You have procured me incredible wealth.  Formerly we could not procure ivory but by exposing the lives of our slaves, and now our whole city is enriched by your means.  Do not think I pretend to have rewarded you by giving you your liberty, I will also give you considerable riches.  I could engage all our city to contribute towards making your fortune, but I will have the glory of doing it myself.”

To this obliging declaration I replied, “Patron, God preserve you.  Your giving me my liberty is enough to discharge what you owe me, and I desire no other reward for the service I had the good fortune to do to you and your city, but leave to return to my own country.”  “Very well,” said he, “the monsoon will in a little time bring ships for ivory.  I will then send you home, and give you wherewith to bear your charges.”  I thanked him again for my liberty and his good intentions towards me.  I staid with him expecting the monsoon; and during that time, we made so many journeys to the hill, that we filled all our warehouses with ivory.  The other merchants, who traded in it, did the same, for it could not be long concealed from them.