nd the drums and trumpets returned as
before. On the third day, I had the satisfaction of seeing a body of
men, who, on landing, were astonished to see me there. Having related
to them how I came hither, they told me they were grooms of King
Mihrage; that the island belonged to genii, who visited it every night
with drums and trumpets; that the genii had allowed their sovereign to
train his colts upon the island; and that they, being sent every six
months to select some, had arrived for that purpose.

The grooms carried me to King Mihrage, who allowed me apartments in his
palace.

One day I saw men unloading a ship in the harbor, and saw that some of
the bales were those which I had sent to Balsora. Going up to the
captain, I said:

"Captain, I am Sindbad."

"Surely," said he, "I and the passengers saw Sindbad swallowed in the
waves many hundred miles away."

Some others, however, coming up, I was recognized; and the captain then
restored me the bales, with many congratulations. I made a valuable
present to King Mihrage, who bestowed a rich gift on me in return; and,
having made some advantageous purchases, I arrived at Balsora, where,
after I had sold my goods, I found myself possessed of a hundred
thousand sequins.

THE SECOND VOYAGE

[Illustration]

Becoming weary of a quiet life in Balsora, and having bought trading
goods, I again went to sea with some merchants. After touching at
several places, we landed at an uninhabited island. We amused ourselves
in different ways, but I, having taken my wine and provisions, sat down
and fell asleep. When I awoke, I found that my companions were gone, and
that the ship had sailed. I climbed to the top of a very high tree, and
perceived at a distance an object that was very large and white. I
descended to the ground, and ran toward this strange-looking object.
When I approached it I found it was about fifty paces in circumference,
quite round, and as smooth as ivory, but had no sort of opening. It was
now almost sunset, and suddenly the sky became darkened. I looked up and
beheld a bird of enormous size, moving like a prodigious cloud toward
me. I recollected that I had heard of a bird called the roc, so large
that it could carry away young elephants, and I therefore conjectured
that the large object I had been looking at was the egg of this bird.

As the bird approached I crept close to the egg, so that I had one of
the legs of this winged animal before me when it