Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 3.djvu/13

der Light from coming in. I ſupped on part of my Proviſions; but the Serpents, which began to appear, hiſſing about in the mean Time, put me into ſuch extream Fear, that you may eaſily imagine I did not ſleep. When Day appear’d, the Serpents retir’d, and I came out of the Cave trembling. I can juſtly ſay, that I walked a long Time upon Diamonds, without having a Mind to touch any of ’em. At laſt I ſate down, and notwithſtanding my Uneaſineſs, not having ſhut my Eyes during the Night, I fell alſeep after having eat a little more of my Proviſions. But had ſcarce ſhut my Eyes, when ſomething, that fell by me with a great Noiſe, waken’d me, and that was a great Piece of freſh Meat, and at the ſame Time I ſaw ſeveral others fall down from the Rocks in different P;aces.

I always look’d upon it to be a Fable, when I heard Mariners and others Diſcourſe of the Valley of Diamonds, and of the Stratagem made uſe of by ſome Merchants to get Jewels from thence; but then I found it to be true. For in reality, thoſe Merchants come to the Neighbourhood of this Valley, when the Eagles have young Ones, and throwing great Joints of Meat into this Valley, the Diamonds, upon whoſe Points they fall, ſtick to them; the Eagles, which are ſtronger in this Country than any where elſe, fall down with great Force upon thoſe pieces of Meat, and carry them to their Neſts, upon the Top of the Rocks to feed their young Eagles with; at which Time the Merchants, running to their Neſts, frighten the Eagles by their Noiſe, and take away the Diamonds which ſick to the Meat. And this Stratagem they make uſe of to get the Diamonds out of the Valley, which is ſurrounded with ſuch Precipices that no Body can enter it.

I believ’d ever till then, that it was not poſſible for me to get out of this Abyſs, which I look’d upon as my Grave, but then I chang’d my Mind; for the falling in of thoſe Pieces of Meat, put me in hopes of a Way of ſaving my Life. Here Day began to appear, which oblig’d Scheherazade to break off; but ſhe went on with it next Night as follows.