Page:History of Sindbad the sailor.pdf/35

35 treated me well, and clad me handsomely for a slave. Some days after not knowing what I was, he asked me if I understood any trade; I answered that I was no mechanic, but a merchant and that the Corsairs who sold me, robbed me of all I had "But tell me,” replies he "can you shoot with a bow” I answered "That the bow was one of the exercises of my youth, and I had not yet forgot it.” Then he gave me a bow and arrows and, with a dress peculiar to the island, carried me to a forest some leagues from the town. We went a great way into the forest, and when he thought fit to stopt he bid me alight, and shewing me a great tree, “Climb up that tree” says he, "and shoot at the elephants as you see them pass by, for there is a prodigious number of them in this forest, and if any of them fall, come and give me notice of it.” Having spoke thus, he left me victuals, and returned to the town, and I continued upon the tree all night.

I saw no elephant during that time, but the next morning, as soon as the sun was up, I saw a great number. I shot several arrows among them, and at last one of the elephants fell, the rest retired immediately, and left me at liberty to go and acquaint my patron with my booty when I told him the news he gave me a good meal, commended my dexterity, and caressed me mightily.

I continued this game for two months, and killed an elephant every day, getting sometime upon one tree, and sometimes upon another. One morning, as I looked for the elephants, I perceived with an extreme amazement, that instead of passing by me across the forest as usual, they stopped, and came to me with a horrible noise, in such numbers that the earth was covered with them, and shook under me. They encompassed the tree where I was, with their trunks extended, and their eyes all fd upon me. At this frightful spectacle I continued immoveable, and was so much frightened that my bow and arrows fell out of my hand.