once and
went off.

In the morning when I came down, I was ready to throw myself into the
sea in my despair. But I resisted this impulse, and collected a great
quantity of small wood, brambles, and dry thorns, and, making them up
into fagots, made a wide circle with them round the tree, and also
tied some of them to the branches over my head. Within this circle I
shut myself up when night came, with such satisfaction as I could get
from having neglected nothing that could save me. The serpent failed
not to come at the usual hour, but was prevented from reaching me by
the rampart I had made. He lay below me till day, like a cat watching
in vain for a mouse that has reached a place of safety. When day
appeared he retired, but I dared not to leave my fort until the sun
arose.

God took pity on my hopeless state, for, just as I was about to cast
myself into the sea, I saw a ship in the distance. I cried aloud and
waved the linen of my turban. Then I was seen, and the captain sent
his boat for me. When I came on board, the merchants and seamen
flocked about me to hear how I came into that deserted island, in a
region where cannibal giants and serpents were known by the oldest
sailors to abound. When I stood before the captain in rags, he gave me
one of his own suits. Looking steadfastly upon him, 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 seek for me.

"Captain," said I, "look at me, and you may know that I am Sindbad,
whom you left in that desert island."

"God be praised!" he cried, after he had scanned me closely. "I
rejoice that fortune has set right my fault. There are your goods,
which I always took care to preserve." I took them from him, and
thanked him for his care of them.

We remained at sea for some time, touched at several islands, and
landed at last at the island of Salabat, where sandalwood is obtained.
In another island I furnished myself with cloves, cinnamon, and other
spices. After a long voyage, in the course of which I saw such strange
creatures as a tortoise twenty cubits in length and breadth, I arrived
at Bussorah, and thence returned to Bagdad, with so much wealth that I
knew not its extent. I gave a great deal to the poor, and bought
another large estate besides what I had already.

THE FOURTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

After I had rested from the dangers of my third voyage my