nd white brocades. And they went
thence to the second chamber, and opened a closet in it, and, lo, it was
filled with arms and weapons of war, consisting of gilded helmets, and
coats of mail, and swords, and lances, and maces, and other instruments
of war and battle. Then they passed thence to the third chamber, in
which they found closets having upon their doors closed locks, and over
them were curtains worked with various kinds of embroidery. They opened
one of these closets, and found it filled with weapons decorated with
varieties of gold and silver and jewels. And they went thence to the
fourth chamber, where also they found closets, one of which they opened,
and they found it full of utensils for food and drink, consisting of
various vessels of gold and silver, and saucers of crystal, and cups set
with brilliant pearls and cups of carnelian, and other things. So they
began to take what suited them of those things, and each of the soldiers
carried off what he could. And when they determined to go forth from
those chambers, they saw there a door inlaid with ivory and ebony, and
adorned with plates of brilliant gold. Over it was hung a curtain of
silk worked with various kinds of embroidery, and upon it were locks of
white silver, to be opened by artifice, without a key. The Sheikh
Abd-Es-Samad therefore advanced to those locks, and he opened them by
his knowledge and excellent skill. And the party entered a passage paved
with marble, upon the sides of which were curtains whereon were figured
various wild beasts and birds, all these being worked with red gold and
white silver, and their eyes were of pearls and jacinths: whosoever
beheld them was confounded.

They then passed on, and found a saloon constructed of polished marble
adorned with jewels. The beholder imagined that upon its floor was
running water, and if any one walked upon it he would slip. The Emeer
Moosa therefore ordered the Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad to throw upon it
something that they might be enabled to walk on it; and he did this, and
contrived so that they passed on. And they found in it a great dome
constructed of stones gilded with red gold. The party had not beheld, in
all that they had seen, anything more beautiful than it. And in the
midst of that dome was a great dome-crowned structure of alabaster,
around which were lattice windows, decorated, and adorned with oblong
emeralds, such as none of the kings could procure. In it was a pavilion
of broca