nd by degrees to loosen his legs from about me.
Finding that he did not press me as before, I threw him upon the
ground, where he lay without motion; then I took up a great stone and
slew him.

I was extremely glad to be thus freed forever from this troublesome
fellow. I now walked towards the beach, where I met the crew of a ship
that had cast anchor, to take in water. When I told them of my
adventure, they said, "You fell into the hands of the Old Man of the
Sea, and are the first who ever escaped strangling. He never quitted
those he had once embraced till he had destroyed them, and many are
the men he has slain."

Their captain received me with great kindness, and after some days'
sail we arrived at the harbor of a great city, the houses of which
overhung the sea.

With some of the people of this town I went to gather cocoanuts after
their own method. When we reached a thick forest of cocoanut trees, we
saw a great number of apes of several sizes, which fled as soon as
they saw us, and climbed to the tops of the trees with amazing
swiftness.

The merchants with whom I was gathered stones, and threw them at the
apes on the trees. I did the same; and the apes, out of revenge, threw
cocoanuts at us so fast and with such gestures as to show their anger
clearly. We gathered up the cocoanuts, and from time to time threw
stones to provoke the apes. In this way we filled our bags with
cocoanuts, and by degrees I got enough to produce me no small sum of
money.

We set sail, and traded in various islands, at one of which I hired
divers and with other merchants went a-pearl-fishing. Some of the
pearls they brought me up were very large and pure. Then I returned to
Bagdad, and gave a tenth of my gains in alms, and rested from my
fatigues.

THE SIXTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

I know, my friends, that you will wish to hear how, after having been
shipwrecked and having escaped so many dangers, I could resolve again
to tempt fortune, and expose myself to new hardships. When I reflect
upon it now it seems that I must have been led by destiny, from which
none can escape. Be this as it may, after a year's rest, I prepared
for a sixth voyage, though my kindred and friends did all in their
power to dissuade me.

Once more I traveled through several provinces of Persia and the
Indies, and arrived at a seaport, where I embarked on a ship bound on
a long voyage, in which the captain and the pilot lost thei