Page 354 of 1116

I descended the mountain and found at the foot a desert plain,

long and broad, over which I travelled for the space of a month

till my course brought me to the brink of the briny sea.[FN#227]

After standing there awhile, I was ware of a ship in the offing

which ran before a fair wind making for the shore. I hid myself

behind a rock on the beach and waited till the ship drew near,

when I leaped on board. I found her full of merchants and

passengers and one of them cried, "O Captain, this ill omened

brute will bring us ill luck!" and another said, "Turn this ill

omened beast out from among us;" the Captain said, "Let us kill

it!" another said, "Slay it with the sword;" a third, "Drown it;"

and a fourth, "Shoot it with an arrow." But I sprang up and laid

hold of the Rais's[FN#228] skirt, and shed tears which poured

down my chops. The Captain took pity on me, and said, "O

merchants!