arrived
there, the companion of Abaquir encouraged him to exert new strength.

"You may," said he, "suffer a little fatigue, but reflecting that you
are to reap the fruit of it, you must redouble your courage. Be not
astonished at what you are about to see. This mountain contains in its
bosom a treasure which cannot be estimated. These riches are abandoned
to magi, like me; but we despise using them for ourselves. Do not
spend your time in gathering gold, which you will find here in great
quantity: take nothing but precious stones. This is the best method of
enriching yourself speedily."

After this advice, the dervish threw off his cloak, and appeared as a
magician. He was covered only with his large particoloured girdle
which adorned his breast. He took from a purse which hung from his
girdle an instrument for striking fire, and, having lighted a taper,
he burnt perfumes, and running over a book, he pronounced with a loud
voice a magical charm. Scarcely had he finished when the earth shook
under his feet, opened before him, and discovered a square stone of
marble, upon the middle of which the magician immediately scattered
perfumes. When he thought the air sufficiently purified and refreshed
with them, he girded Abaquir with a rope under his arms, put a taper
in his hand, and let him down into the opening.

As soon as Abaquir had got into it, his eyes were dazzled by the
splendour of the riches with which he was surrounded. But, faithful
to the advice of the magician, he picked up only precious stones, with
which he filled the basket which his guide had let down to him by a
cord. When it was full and lifted out of the pit, the magician took
it; and at that moment a dreadful noise was heard, the fatal trap was
shut, and the young Abaquir found himself swallowed up in the bowels
of the earth, without any hope of ever getting out.

He believed he was betrayed by the magician, and, without great vigour
of mind, would have abandoned himself to despair. But, after having
shed some tears, he retraced in his memory the events of his former
life. Threatened in his early infancy with becoming the prey of a
tiger, Providence had protected him from danger. Attacked afterwards
by robbers, the same protection had saved him. "The arm which hath
defended me," said he, "will not cease to do so still. I am innocent
and betrayed." In this confidence he prostrated himself before Him who
has the keys of the deep, and rested with conf