ght, which was usual with them. Therefore, being sure that
they could not arrive in time enough to pursue me, I went on till night,
when I stopped to rest a little, and to eat some of the provisions I had
secured; but I speedily set forward again, and travelled seven days,
avoiding those places which seemed to be inhabited, and lived for the
most part upon cocoa-nuts, which served me both for meat and drink. On
the eighth day I came near the sea, and saw some white people like
myself, gathering pepper, of which there was great plenty in that place.
This I took to be a good omen, and went to them without any scruple.
They came to meet me as soon as they saw me, and asked me in Arabic who
I was, and whence I came. I was overjoyed to hear them speak in my own
language, and satisfied their curiosity by giving them an account of my
shipwreck, and how I fell into the hands of the negroes. 'Those
negroes,' replied they, 'eat men, and by what miracle did you escape
their cruelty?' I related to them the circumstances I have just
mentioned, at which they were wonderfully surprised.

"I stayed with them till they had gathered their quantity of pepper, and
then sailed with them to the island from whence they had come. They
presented me to their king, who was a good prince. He had the patience
to hear the relation of my adventures; and he afterward gave me clothes,
and commanded care to be taken of me.

"The island was very well peopled, plentiful in everything, and the
capital a place of great trade. This agreeable retreat was very
comfortable to me, after my misfortunes, and the kindness of this
generous prince completed my satisfaction. In a word, there was not a
person more in favour with him than myself; and consequently every man
in court and city sought to oblige me; so that in a very little time I
was looked upon rather as a native than a stranger.

"I observed one thing which to me appeared very extraordinary. All the
people, the king himself not excepted, rode their horses without bridle
or stirrups. This made me one day take the liberty to ask the king how
it came to pass. His Majesty answered, that I talked to him of things
which nobody knew the use of in his dominions.

"I went immediately to a workman, and gave him a model for making the
stock of a saddle. When that was done, I covered it myself with velvet
and leather, and embroidered it with gold. I afterward went to a smith,
who made me a bit, according to the pa