Part 23

Whilst he was relating to me this singular species of barbarity, which filled me with terror, his relations, friends, and neighbours arrived to be present at the funeral. They dressed the corpse of the woman in the richest attire, as on the day of her nuptials, and decorated her with all her jewels. They then placed her uncovered on a bier, and the procession set out. The husband, drest in mourning, went immediately after the body of his wife, and the rest followed. They bent their course towards a high mountain, and when they were arrived, a large stone, which covered a deep pit, was raised, and the body let down into it, without taking off any of the ornaments. After that, the husband took his leave of his relations and friends, and without making any resistance, suffered himself to be placed on a bier with a jug of water, and seven small loaves by his side; he was then let down as his wife had been. This mountain extended a great way, and served as a boundary to the ocean: and the pit was very deep. When the ceremony was completed the stone was replaced, and the company retired. I need scarcely add, gentlemen, that I was particularly affected with this ceremony. All the others, who were present, did not appear to feel it, from their being habituated to see the same kind of scene so frequently. I could not avoid telling the king my sentiments on this subject. “Sire,” said I, “I cannot express my astonishment at the strange custom which subsists in your dominions, of interring the living with the dead; I have visited many nations, but in the whole course of my travels I never heard of so cruel a law.”--“What can I do, Sindbad,” replied the king, “it is a law common to all ranks, and even I submit to its decree; I shall be interred alive with the queen, my consort, if she happens to die first.”--“Sire,” resumed I, “will your majesty allow me to ask, if foreigners are obliged to observe this custom?”--“Certainly,” said the king, smiling at the motive of my question; “they are not exempted when they marry in the island.”

I returned home thoughtful and sad at this reply. The fear that my wife might die first, and that I must be interred with her, was a reflection of the most distressing nature. Yet how could I remedy this evil? I must have patience, and submit to the will of God. Nevertheless I trembled at the slightest indisposition of my wife, and alas! I soon had good reason to fear; she was taken dangerously ill, and died in a few days. Judge of my sorrow. To be interred alive did not appear to me a more desirable end than that of being devoured by the anthropophagi; yet I was obliged to comply. The king, accompanied by his whole court, would honour the procession with his presence; and the principal inhabitants of the city also, out of respect to me, were present at my interment.

When all was in readiness for the ceremony, the corpse of my wife, decorated with her jewels, and most magnificent clothes, was placed on a bier, and the procession set out. Being the second personage in this woeful tragedy, I followed the body of my wife, my eyes bathed in tears, and deploring my miserable destiny. Before we arrived at the mountain, I wished to make trial of the compassion of the spectators. I first addressed myself to the king, then to those who were near me, and bowing to the ground to kiss the hem of their garment, I entreated them to have pity on me. “Consider,” said I, “that I am a stranger, who ought not to be subject to so rigorous a law; and that I have another wife and children in my own country.” I pronounced these words in an affecting tone, but no one seemed moved; on the contrary, they hastened to put the corpse in the pit, and soon after I was let down also on another bier, with a jug of water and seven loaves. At last, this fatal ceremony being completed, they re-placed the stone over the mouth of the pit, notwithstanding the excess of my grief, and my piteous lamentation.

As I approached the bottom, I discovered by the little light that shone from above, the shape of this subterraneous abode. It was a vast cavern, which might be about fifty cubits deep. I soon smelt an insupportable stench, which arose from the carcases, that were spread around. I even fancied I heard the last sighs of some, who had lately fallen victims to this inhuman law. I had no sooner reached the bottom than I left the bier, and stopping my nostrils, went to a distance from the dead bodies. I threw myself on the ground, where I remained a long time bathed in tears; then reflecting on my cruel fate, “It is true,” said I, “that God disposes of us as seems best to his all-seeing Providence; but, unhappy Sindbad, is it not your own fault that you are now brought to this singular death? Would to Heaven I had perished in some of the dreadful wrecks, from which I have been saved! I should not have had to languish in this miserable abode of lingering death. But have I not brought it on myself by my accursed avarice? Ah, wretch! I ought to have remained with my family, and enjoyed peaceably the fruits of my former labours.”

Such were the useless expressions of rage and despair with which I made the cavern re-echo. I beat my head and breast, and gave way to the most violent grief. Nevertheless, shall I confess to you, that instead of calling on death to release me from this habitation of despair, the love of life still glowed within me, and induced me to prolong my days. I felt my way to the bier on which I had been placed; notwithstanding the intense obscurity which prevailed, I found my bread and water, and eat of it. The cave now appeared to be more spacious, and to contain more bodies than I had at first supposed. I subsisted for some days on my provisions, but as soon as they were exhausted I prepared to die. I was resigned to my fate, when I heard the stone above raised. A corpse and living person were let down. The deceased was a man. It is natural to have recourse to violent methods, when reduced to the last extremity. While the woman was descending, I approached the spot where the bier was to be placed, and when I perceived the aperture above to be closed, I gave the unhappy female two or three great blows on the head with a large bone. She was stunned, or more properly speaking, I killed her, and as I only committed this inhuman action to obtain the bread and water, which had been allowed her, I had now provisions for some days. At the end of that time a dead woman and her living husband were let down. I killed the man in the same manner; and as at that time there happened, fortunately for me, to be a mortality in the city, I was not in want of food; employing always the same means to obtain it.

One day, when I had just put an end to an unfortunate woman, I heard a sound like breathing, and a footstep. I advanced to the part from whence the sound proceeded; I heard a louder breathing at my approach, and I fancied I saw something fleeing from me. I followed this species of shadow, which occasionally stopped, and then again retreated panting, as I drew near. I pursued it so long, and went so far, that at last I perceived a small speck of light, resembling a star. I continued to walk towards this light, sometimes losing it, according to the obstacles which arose, but always recovering it again, till I arrived at an opening in the rock, large enough to allow me to pass.

At this discovery I stopped for some time to recover from the violent emotion occasioned by my walking quick; then passing through the crevice I found myself on the sea-shore. You may imagine the excess of my joy; it was so great, that I could scarcely be satisfied that my imagination did not deceive me. When I became convinced that it was a reality, and that my senses were still sound, I perceived, that the thing which I had heard pant, and which I had followed, was an animal that lived in the sea, and was in the habit of going into that cave to devour the dead bodies.

I examined the mountain, and observed, that it was situated between the city and the sea, without any communication between them, for it was so steep, that it was not practicable. I prostrated myself on the shore, to thank God for the mercy he had shown me. I then returned to the cave to get some bread, which I brought out and eat with much better appetite than I had enjoyed since my interment in that gloomy mansion.

I returned again to collect, as well as I could, by feeling on the different biers, all the diamonds, rubies, pearls, golden bracelets, in short, every thing of value that I could find, and brought it all to the shore. I tied them up in several packets, with the cords which had served to let down the biers, of which there was a great quantity. I left them in a convenient place, till a proper opportunity should offer, without fear of their being spoiled by the rain; for it was not the season for wet weather.

At the end of two or three days, I perceived a vessel just sailing out of the harbour, and passing by the spot where I was. I made signs with the linen of my turban, and cried aloud with all my strength. They heard me on board, and dispatched the boat to fetch me. When the sailors inquired by what misfortune I had got in that place, I replied, that I had been wrecked two days since on that shore, with all my merchandize. Fortunately for me, these people did not consider whether my story was probable, but satisfied with my answer, they took me on board, with my bales.

When we had reached the vessel, the captain, happy in being instrumental to my safety, and occupied with the management of the ship, believed, without any difficulty, the tale of the wreck; to convince him of which, I offered him some precious stones, but he refused them.

We passed several islands, amongst others, the island of Bells, distant about ten days sail from that of Serendib, [6] sailing with a fair wind, and six days from the isle of Kela, where we landed. Here there were some lead mines, some Indian canes, and excellent camphor.

The king of the isle of Kela is very rich, and powerful. His authority extends over the island of Bells, which is two days journey in extent; the inhabitants are still so uncivilized, as to eat human flesh. After we had made an advantageous traffic in this island, we again set sail, and touched at several ports. At length, I arrived happily at Bagdad, with immense riches, of which it is needless to give you a detail. To show my gratitude to Heaven for the mercies shown me, I spent a great deal in charity, some for the support of mosques, and some for the subsistence of the poor. I then entirely gave myself up to the society of my relations and friends, and passed my time in feasting and entertainments.

Sindbad here concluded the relation of his fourth voyage, which occasioned still more surprise in his audience than the three preceding ones had done. He repeated his present of an hundred sequins to Hindbad, whom he requested, with the rest of the company, to return the following day to dine, and hear the detail of his fifth voyage. Hindbad and the others took their leave and retired. The next day, when all were assembled, they sat down to table, and when the repast was over, Sindbad began the account of his fifth voyage, as follows.

THE FIFTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD, THE SAILOR.

The pleasures I enjoyed soon made me forget the pains I had endured; yet they were not sufficiently attractive to prevent my forming the resolution of venturing a fifth time on the sea. I again provided myself with merchandize, packed it, and sent it by land-carriage to the nearest sea-port; where, unwilling to trust any more to a captain, and wishing to have a vessel of my own, I built and equipped one at my own expense. As soon as it was finished, I loaded it and embarked; and as I had not sufficient cargo to fill it myself, I received several merchants of different nations, with their goods.

We hoisted our sails the first fair wind, and put to sea. After sailing a considerable time, the first place we stopped at was a desert island, where we found the egg of a roc, as large as that I spoke of on a former occasion; it contained a small roc, which was just ready to hatch, its beak having begun to make its appearance. The merchants who were with me broke the egg with hatchets, and cut out the young roc, piece by piece, and roasted it. I had seriously advised them not to touch the egg, but they would not attend to me.

They had scarcely finished their meal, when two immense clouds appeared in the air at a considerable distance from us. The captain, whom I had hired to have the care of the vessel, knowing, by experience, what it was, cried out, that it was the father and mother of the young roc, and warned us to re-embark as quickly as possible, to avoid the danger which threatened us. We took his advice, and set sail immediately.

The two rocs approached, uttering the most frightful screams, which they redoubled on finding the state of their egg, and that the young one was no more. Designing to revenge themselves, they flew away towards the part from whence they came, and disappeared for some time, during which we used all diligence to sail away, and prevent what nevertheless befel us.

They returned, and we perceived that they each had an enormous piece of rock in their claws. When they were exactly over our ship, they stopped, and, suspending themselves in the air, one of them let fall the piece of rock he held. By the address of the pilot, who suddenly turned the vessel, it did not tumble on us, but fell close to us into the sea, in which it made such a chasm, that we could almost see the bottom. The other bird, unfortunately for us, let his piece of rock fall so immediately on the ship, that it broke and split it into a thousand pieces. The sailors and passengers were all either crushed to death or drowned. I was myself under water for some time, but rising again to the surface, I had the good fortune to seize a piece of the wreck. Thus, swimming sometimes with one hand and sometimes with the other, still holding what I had fixed myself to, and having the wind and current both in my favour, I at length reached an island, where the shore was very steep. I nevertheless overcame this difficulty, and got on land.

I seated myself on the grass to rest from my fatigue, after which I arose, and advanced into the island, to reconnoitre the ground. It seemed to be in a delicious garden; wherever I turned my eyes I saw beautiful trees, some loaded with green, others with ripe fruits, and transparent streams meandering between them. I eat of the fruits, which I found to be excellent, and quenched my thirst at the inviting brooks.

Night being arrived, I laid down on the grass in a convenient spot, but I did not sleep an hour at a time; my sleep was continually interrupted by the fear of being alone in such a desert place, so that I employed the greatest part of the night in lamenting and reproaching myself for the imprudence of venturing from home, when I had every thing to make me comfortable there. These reflections led me so far, that I began to form a project against my life; but day returning with its cheerful light, dissipated my gloomy ideas. I arose, and walked amongst the trees, though not without some degree of apprehension.

When I had advanced a little way in the island, I perceived an old man, who appeared much broken down. He was seated on the bank of a little rivulet; at first, I supposed he might be, like myself, shipwrecked. I approached and saluted him, to which he made no other return than a slight inclination of the head. I asked him what he was doing, but instead of replying, he made signs to me to take him on my shoulders, and cross the brook, making me understand that he wanted to gather some fruit.

I supposed he wished me to render him this piece of service; so taking him on my back, I stemmed the stream; when I had reached the other side, I stooped, and desired him to alight; instead of which (I cannot help laughing whenever I think of it,) this old man, who appeared to me so decrepid, nimbly threw his tegs, which I now saw were covered with a skin like a cow’s, over my neck, and seated himself fast on my shoulders, at the same time squeezing my throat so violently, that I expected to be strangled; this alarmed me so much, that I fainted away.

Notwithstanding my situation, the old man kept his place on my neck; he only loosened his hold sufficiently to allow me to breathe. When I was a little recovered, he pushed one of his feet against my stomach, and kicking my side with the other, obliged me to get up. He then made me walk under some trees, and forced me to gather and eat the fruit we met with. He never quitted his hold during the day, and, when I wished to rest at night, he laid himself on the ground with me, always fixed to my neck. He never failed to awaken me in the morning, which he effected by pushing me, and then he made me get up and walk, kicking me all the time. Conceive, gentlemen, the plague of bearing this burden, without the possibility of getting rid of it.

One day, having found on the ground several dried gourds, which had fallen from the tree that bore them, I took a pretty large one, and after having cleared it well, I squeezed into it the juice of several bunches of grapes, which the island produced in great abundance. When I had filled the gourd, I placed it in a particular spot, and some days after returned with the old man, when tasting the contents, I found it to be converted into excellent wine, which for a little time made me forget the ills that oppressed me. It gave me new vigour, and raised my spirits so high, that I began to sing and dance as I went along.

The old man perceiving the effect this draught had taken on my spirits, made signs to me to let him taste it; I gave him the gourd, and the liquor pleased his palate so well, that he drank it to the last drop. There was enough to inebriate him, and the fumes of the wine very soon rose into his head: he then began to sing after his own manner, and to stagger on my shoulders. The blows he gave himself, made him return what he had on his stomach, and his legs loosened by degrees; so that finding he no longer held me tight, I threw him on the ground, where he remained motionless; I then took a large stone and crushed him to death.

I was much rejoiced at having so effectually got rid of this old man, and I walked towards the sea-shore, where I met some people, who belonged to a vessel which had anchored there to get fresh water. They were very much astonished at seeing me, and hearing the account of my adventure. “You had fallen,” said they, “into the hands of the Old Man of the Sea, and you are the first whom he has not strangled; he never left those he had once mastered, till he had put an end to their existence; and this island is famous for the number of persons he has killed. The sailors and merchants who land here, never dare approach excepting they are in a strong body.”

Having informed me of this, they took me to their ship, where the captain received me with the greatest politeness, when he heard what had befallen me. He set sail, and in a few days we landed at the port of a large city, where the bouses were built of stone.

One of the merchants of the ship having contracted a friendship for me, entreated me to accompany him, and conducted me to the lodging destined for foreign merchants. He gave me a large sack, and then introduced me to some people belonging to the city, who were also furnished with sacks; then having desired them to take me with them to gather cocoa, “Go,” said he, “follow them, and do as they do; and do not stray from them, for your life will be in danger if you leave them.” He gave me provisions for the day, and I set off with them.

We arrived at a large forest of tall, straight, trees, the trunks of which were so smooth, that it was impossible to climb up to the branches where the fruit grew. They were all cocoa-trees, and we wanted to knock down the fruit and fill our sacks. On entering the forest, we saw an amazing number of monkeys, of all sizes, which fled at our approach, and ran up the trees with surprising agility. The merchants I was with collected some stones, and threw them with great force at the monkeys, who had reached some of the highest branches. I did the same, and soon perceived that these animals were aware of our design; they gathered the cocoa-nuts, and threw them down at us, with gestures which plainly showed their anger and animosity. We picked up the cocoa-nuts, and, at intervals, threw up stones to irritate the monkeys. By this contrivance, we filled our sacks with the fruit: a thing utterly impracticable by any other method.

When we had got a sufficient quantity, we returned to the city, where the merchant who had sent me to the forest, gave me the value of the cocoa-nuts I had collected. “Continue to do the same every day,” said he, “till you have amassed sufficient money to convey you to your own country.” I thanked him for the good advice he gave me, and by degrees I acquired such a quantity of cocoa-nuts, that I sold them for a considerable sum.

The vessel in which I came had sailed with the merchants, who had loaded it with the cocoa-nuts they had purchased. I waited for the arrival of another, which shortly after came into harbour, for a lading of the same materials. I sent on board all the cocoa-nuts which belonged to me, and when it was ready to sail, I took leave of the merchant to whom I was under so many obligations. As he had not yet settled his affairs, he could not embark with me.

We set sail, and steered towards the island where pepper grows in such abundance. From thence we made the island of Comari, [7] where the best species of the aloe grows, and whose inhabitants submit themselves to a law not to drink wine, or suffer any kind of debauchery. In these two islands I exchanged all my cocoa-nuts for pepper and aloe-wood; and I then engaged myself, with the other merchants, in a pearl fishery, in which I employed many divers, on my own account. I collected, by these means, a great number of very large and perfect ones, with which I joyfully put to sea, and arrived safely at Balsora, from whence I returned to Bagdad, where I sold the pepper, aloes, and pearls, which I had brought with me, for a large sum. I bestowed a tenth part of my profit in charity, as I had done on my return from every former voyage, and endeavoured to recover from my fatigues by every kind of diversion.

Having concluded this narrative, Sindbad gave an hundred sequins to Hindbad, who retired with all the other guests. The same party returned to the rich Sindbad the next day: and after having regaled them in the same manner as on the preceding days, he requested silence, and began the account of his sixth voyage, in the following way.

THE SIXTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD, THE SAILOR.

You are, no doubt, gentlemen, surprised how I could be tempted again to expose myself to the caprice of fortune, after having undergone so many perils in my other voyages. I am astonished myself, when I think of it. It was fate alone that dragged me, at the expiration of a year, to venture myself a sixth time on the unstable sea, notwithstanding the tears and entreaties of my relations and friends, who did all in their power to persuade me to stay.