esty, begging him to accept several bales of merchandise in token of
my gratitude, but he would take nothing. Of the choicest of my goods I
prepared a present for King Mihrage, who was at first amazed, having
known that I had lost my all. However, when I had explained to him how
my bales had been miraculously restored to me, he graciously accepted my
gifts, and in return gave me many valuable things. I then took leave of
him, and exchanging my merchandise for sandal and aloes-wood, camphor,
nutmegs, cloves, pepper, and ginger, I embarked upon the same vessel and
traded so successfully upon our homeward voyage that I arrived in
Balsora with about one hundred thousand sequins. My family received me
with as much joy as I felt upon seeing them once more. I bought land and
slaves, and built a great house in which I resolved to live happily, and
in the enjoyment of all the pleasures of life to forget my past
sufferings.

Here Sindbad paused, and commanded the musicians to play again, while
the feasting continued until evening. When the time came for the porter
to depart, Sindbad gave him a purse containing one hundred sequins,
saying, "Take this, Hindbad, and go home, but to-morrow come again and
you shall hear more of my adventures."

The porter retired quite overcome by so much generosity, and you may
imagine that he was well received at home, where his wife and children
thanked their lucky stars that he had found such a benefactor.

The next day Hindbad, dressed in his best, returned to the voyager's
house, and was received with open arms. As soon as all the guests had
arrived the banquet began as before, and when they had feasted long and
merrily, Sindbad addressed them thus:--

"My friends, I beg that you will give me your attention while I relate
the adventures of my second voyage, which you will find even more
astonishing than the first."

SECOND VOYAGE

I had resolved, as you know, on my return from my first voyage, to spend
the rest of my days quietly in Bagdad, but very soon I grew tired of
such an idle life and longed once more to find myself upon the sea.

I procured, therefore, such goods as were suitable for the places I
intended to visit, and embarked for the second time in a good ship with
other merchants whom I knew to be honorable men. We went from island to
island, often making excellent bargains, until one day we landed at a
spot which, though covered with fruit-trees and abounding in springs