to the palace, unperceived by any
one, but we heard a confused noise of trumpets, drums, and other
instruments of war. We soon understood by the thick cloud of
dust, which almost darkened the air, that it was the arrival of a
formidable army: and it proved to be the same vizier that had
dethroned my father, and usurped his place, who with a vast
number of troops was come to possess himself of that also of the
sultan my uncle.

My uncle, who then had only his usual guards about him, could not
resist so numerous an enemy; they invested the city, and the
gates being opened to them without any resistance, soon became
masters of it, and broke into the palace where my uncle defended
himself, and sold his life at a dear rate. I fought as valiantly
for a while; but seeing we were forced to submit to a superior
power, I thought on my retreat, which I had the good fortune to
effect by some back ways, and got to one of the sultan's servants
on whose fidelity I could depend.

Being thus surrounded with sorrows and persecuted by fortune, I
had recourse to a stratagem, which was the only means left me to
save my life: I caused my beard and eye-brows to be shaved, and
putting on a calender's habit, I passed, unknown by any, out of
the city; after that, by degrees, I found it easy to quit my
uncle's kingdom, by taking the bye-roads.

I avoided passing through towns, until I had reached the empire
of the mighty governor of the Moosulmauns, the glorious and
renowned caliph Haroon al Rusheed, when I thought myself out of
danger; and considering what I was to do, I resolved to come to
Bagdad, intending to throw myself at the feet of that monarch,
whose generosity is renowned throughout the world. "I shall move
him to compassion," said I to myself, "by the relation of my
uncommon misfortunes, and without doubt he will take pity on a
persecuted prince, and not suffer me to implore his assistance in
vain."

In short, after a journey of several months, I arrived yesterday
at the gate of this city, into which I entered about the dusk of
evening; and stopping a little while to consider which way I was
to turn, another calender came up; he saluted me, and I him: "You
appear," said I, "to be a stranger, as I am." "You are not
mistaken," replied he. He had no sooner returned this answer,
than a third calender overtook us. He saluted us, and told us he
was a stranger newly come to Bagdad; so that as brethren we
joined together, resolving no