Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 3.djvu/16

Balfora; from whence I went to Bagdad. There I immediately gave great Alms to the Poor, and lived honourably upon the vaſt Riches I had brought and gain’d with ſo much Fatigue. Thus Sindbad ended the Story of his ſecond Voyage, gave Hindbad another 100 Sequins, and invited him to come next Day to hear the Story of the third. The reſt of the Gueſts returned to their Homes, and came again the next Day at the ſame Hour, and to be ſure the Porter did not fail, having by this Time almoſt forgot his former Poverty. When Dinner was over, Sindbad demanded Attention, and gave them an Account of his third Voyage, as follows.

THE Pleaſures of the Life which I then led, ſoon made me forget the Risks I had run in my two former Voyages; but being then in the Flower of my Age, I grew weary of living without Buſineſs, and hardening my ſelf againſt the Thought of any Danger I might incur, I went from Bagdad with the richeſt Commodities of the Country of Balſora. There I embark’d again with other Merchants. We made a long Navigation, and touch’d at ſeveral Ports, where we drove a conſiderabe Commerce. One Day being out in the main Ocean, we were attack’d by a horrible Tempeſt, which made us loſe our Courſe. The Tempeſt continued ſeveral Days, and brought us before the Port of an Iſland, where the Captain was very unwilling to enter, but we were oblig’d to caſt Anchor there. When we had furl’d our Sails, the Captain told us, That this, and ſome other Neighbouring Iſlands, were inhabited by hairy Savages, who would ſpeedily attack us, and, tho’ they were but Dwarfs, yet our Misfortune was ſuch, that we muſt make no Reſiſtance, for they were more in Number than the Locuſts, and if we happen’d to kill one of them, they would all fall upon us and deſtroy us. Here Day beginning to appear, Scheherazade broke off her Story, and continued it next Night as follows.