Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 3.djvu/37

late, he drank it all off. There being enough of it to fuddle him, he became drunk immediately, and the Fumes getting up into his Head, he began to ſing after his manner, and to dance with his Breech upon my Shoulders. His jolting about made him vomit, and he looſen’d his Legs from about me by degrees; ſo finding that he did not preſs me as before, I threw him upon the Ground, where he lay without Motion, and then I took up a great Stone, with which I cruſh’d his Head to Pieces.

I was extreamly rejoyc’d to be freed thus for ever from this curſed old Fellow, and walk’d upon the Bank of the Sea, Where I met the Crew of a Ship that had caſt Anchor, to take in Water and refreſh themſelves. They were extremely ſurpriz’d to ſee me, and to hear the Particulars of my Adventures. You fell, ſay they, into the Hands of the old Man of the Sea, and are the firſt that ever eſcap’d ſtrangling by him. He never left thoſe he had once made himſelf Maſter of, till he deſtroy’d them, and he has made this Iſland famous by the Number of Men he has ſlain, fo that the Merchantsand Mariners, who landed upon it, dar’d not to advance into the Iſland but in Numbers together.

After having inform’d me of thoſe Things, they carry’d me with them to the Ship, the Captain receiv’d me with great Satisfaction, when they told him what had befallen me. He put out again to Sea, and after ten Days fail, we arriv’d at the Harbour at a great City, whoſe Houſes were built with good Stone.

One of the Merchants of the Ship, who had taken me in to his Friendſhip, oblig’d me to go along with him, and carry’d me to a Place appointed for a Retreat for foreign Merchants. He gave me a great Bag, and having recommended me to ſome People of the Town, who us’d to gather Cocoes, he deſired them to take me with them to do the like; Go, ſays he, follow them, and do as you ſee them do, and don’t ſeparate from them, otherwiſe you endanger your Life. Having thus ſpoke, he gave me Proviſions for the Journey, and I went with them.

We came to a great Foreſt of Trees extreme ſtrait and tall, and their Trunks were ſo ſmooth that it was not poſſible for any Man to climb up to the Branches that bore the Fruit. All the Trees were Cocoe Trees, and when we enter’d the Foreſt we ſaw a great Number of Apes of ſe-