d of this valley, when the eagles have young ones,
and throwing great joints of meat into the valley, the diamonds, upon
whose points they fall, stick to them; the eagles, which are stronger
in this country than anywhere else, pounce with great force upon those
pieces of meat, and carry them to their nests on the precipices of the
rocks to feed their young; the merchants at this time run to their
nests, disturb and drive off the eagles by their shouts, and take away
the diamonds that stick to the meat.

I perceived in this device the means of my deliverance.

Having collected together the largest diamonds I could find, and put
them into the leather bag in which I used to carry my provisions, I
took the largest of the pieces of meat, tied it close round me with
the cloth of my turban, and then laid myself upon the ground with my
face downward, the bag of diamonds being made fast to my girdle.

I had scarcely placed myself in this posture when one of the eagles,
having taken me up with the piece of meat to which I was fastened,
carried me to his nest on the top of the mountain. The merchants
immediately began their shouting to frighten the eagles; and when they
had obliged them to quit their prey, one of them came to the nest
where I was. He was much alarmed when he saw me; but, recovering
himself, instead of inquiring how I came thither, began to quarrel
with me, and asked why I stole his goods. "You will treat me,"
replied I, "with more civility when you know me better. Do not be
uneasy; I have diamonds enough for you and myself--more than all the
other merchants together. Whatever they have they owe to chance; but I
selected for myself, in the bottom of the valley, those which you see
in this bag." I had scarcely done speaking when the other merchants
came crowding about us, much astonished to see me; but they were much
more surprised when I told them my story.

[Illustration: The merchants began their shouting to frighten the
eagles]

They conducted me to their encampment, and there, having opened my
bag, they were surprised at the largeness of my diamonds, and
confessed that they had never seen any of such size and perfection. I
prayed the merchant who owned the nest to which I had been carried
(for every merchant had his own) to take as many for his share as he
pleased. He contented himself with one, and that, too, the least of
them; and when I pressed him to take more, without fear of doing me
any i