Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 1.djvu/163

145 kindness to them. We lived thus for a whole year, at the end of which time I was minded to travel. So I fitted out a great ship at Bassora and loaded her with merchandise and victual and other necessaries for a voyage, and said to my sisters, “Will you come with me or abide at home till I return?” “We will go with thee,” answered they, “for we cannot endure to be parted from thee.” So I took them and set sail, after dividing my money into two parts, one of which I deposited with a trusty person, saying, “Maybe ill-hap shall betide the ship and yet we remain alive; but now, if we return, we shall find what will be of service to us.” We sailed days and nights, till the captain missed the true course and the ship went astray with us and entered a sea other than that we aimed at. We knew not of this awhile and the wind blew fair for us ten days, at the end of which time, the watch went up to the mast-head, to look out, and cried, “Good news!” Then he came down, rejoicing, and said to us, “I see a city in the distance as it were a dove.” At this we rejoiced and before an hour of the day was past, the city appeared to us afar off: and we said to the captain, “What is the name of yonder city?” “By Allah!” replied he, “I know not, for I never saw it before nor have I ever sailed this sea in my life; but since the affair has issued in safety, ye have nought to do but to land your goods, and if ye find a market, sell and buy and barter, as the occasion serves; if not, we will rest here two days, re-victual and depart.” So we entered the harbour and the captain landed and was absent awhile, after which he returned and said to us, “Arise, go up into the city and marvel at God’s dealings with His creatures and seek to be preserved from His wrath.” So we landed and going up to the city, saw at the gate men with staves in their hands; but when we drew near them, behold, they had been stricken by the wrath of God and were become VOL. I.