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We ceased not to live after this loving fashion for a full year,

when I resolved to sell my wares abroad and first to fit me a

conveyance for Bassorah; so I equipped a large ship, and loaded

her with merchandise and valuable goods for traffic, and with

provaunt and all needful for a voyage, and said to my sisters,

"Will ye abide at home whilst I travel, or would ye prefer to

accompany me on the voyage?" "We will travel with thee," answered

they, "for we cannot bear to be parted from thee." So I divided

my monies into two parts, one to accompany me and the other to be

left in charge of a trusty person, for, as I said to myself,

"Haply some accident may happen to the ship and yet we remain

alive; in which case we shall find on our return what may stand

us in good stead." I took my two sisters and we went a voyaging

some days and nights; but the master was careless enough to miss

his course, and the ship went astray with us and entered a sea

other than the sea we sought.