edicine. We entered the
port, and came to anchor. The merchants began to unload their
goods, in order to sell or exchange them. In the mean time, the
captain came to me, and said, "Brother, I have here some goods
that belonged to a merchant, who sailed some time on board this
ship, and he being dead, I design to dispose of them for the
benefit of his heirs, when I find who they are." The bales he
spoke of lay on the deck, and shewing them to me, he said, "There
are the goods; I hope you will take care to sell them, and you
shall have factorage." I thanked him for thus affording me an
opportunity of employing myself, because I hated to be idle.
The clerk of the ship took an account of all the bales, with the
names of the merchants to whom they belonged. And when he asked
the captain in whose name he should enter those he had given me
the charge of; "Enter them," said the captain, "in the name of
Sinbad." I could not hear myself named without some emotion; and
looking stedfastly on the captain, I knew him to be the person
who, in my second voyage, had left me in the island where I fell
asleep, and sailed without me, or sending to see for me. But I
could not recollect him at first, he was so much altered since I
had seen him.
I was not surprised that he, believing me to be dead, did not
recognize me. "Captain," said I, "was the merchant's name, to
whom those bales belonged, Sinbad?" "Yes," replied he, "that was
his name; he came from Bagdad, and embarked on board my ship at
Bussorah. One day, when we landed at an island to take in water
and other refreshments, I knew not by what mistake, I sailed
without observing that he did not re-embark with us; neither I
nor the merchants perceived it till four hours after. We had the
wind in our stern, and so fresh a gale, that it was not then
possible for us to tack about for him." "You believe him then to
be dead?" said I. "Certainly," answered he. "No, captain," I
resumed; "look at me, and you may know that I am Sinbad, whom you
left in that desert island."
The captain, continued Sinbad, having considered me attentively,
recognized me. "God be praised," said he, embracing me; "I
rejoice that fortune has rectified my fault. There are your
goods, which I always took care to preserve." I took them from
him, and made him the acknowledgments to which he was entitled.
From the isle of Salabat, we went to another, where I furnished
myself with cloves, cinnamon, and other spices
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