o be persuaded that there is no
exaggeration in the high praises you bestow on it?" "Sir,"
replied the crier, "the truth is known by the whole city of
Samarcand; but without going any farther, ask all these merchants
you see here, and hear what they say; you will find several of
them will tell you they had not been alive this day had they not
made use of this excellent remedy; and that you may the better
comprehend what it is, I must tell you it is the fruit of the
study and experience of a celebrated philosopher of this city,
who applied himself all his lifetime to the knowledge of the
virtues of plants and minerals, and at last attained to this
composition, by which he performed such surprising cures, as will
never be forgotten; but died suddenly himself, before he could
apply his own sovereign remedy; and left his wife and a great
many young children behind in very indifferent circumstances,
who, to support her family, and to provide for her children, has
resolved to sell it."

While the crier was detailing to prince Ahmed the virtues of the
artificial apple, many persons came about them, and confirmed
what he declared; and one amongst the rest said he had a friend
dangerously ill, whose life was despaired of; which was a
favourable opportunity to shew the experiment. Upon which prince
Ahmed told the crier he would give him forty purses for the apple
if it cured the sick person by smelling to it.

The crier, who had orders to sell it at that price, said to
prince Ahmed, "Come, sir, let us go and make the experiment, and
the apple shall be yours; and I say this with the greater
confidence, as it is an undoubted fact that it will always have
the same effect, as it already has had whenever it has been
applied to save from death so many persons whose lives were
despaired of." In short, the experiment succeeded; and the
prince, after he had counted out to the crier forty purses, and
had received the apple from him, waited with the greatest
impatience for the departure of a caravan for the Indies. In the
mean time he saw all that was curious at and about Samarcand, and
principally the valley of Sogd, which is reckoned by the Arabians
one of the four paradises of this world, for the beauty of its
fields, gardens, and palaces, and for its fertility in fruit of
all sorts, and all the other pleasures enjoyed there in the fine
season.

Ahmed joined himself to the first caravan that set out for the
Indies, and notwithstan