Page:Voyages and travels of Sindbad the sailor (2).pdf/6

 preparation for dinner, shouting, laughing, and had kindled a large fire to dress our provisions, the island began to move, and at the same moment those who were left in the ship called to us to re-embark instantly, or we should all be lost, as what we had taken to be an island, was only the back of a monstrous whale. The nimblest sprung into the sloop; others jumped into the waves, and betook themselves to swimming; but for my part I was still on the back of the whale when he dived into the sea, and had only time to catch hold of a broad piece of wood that had been brought out of the ship to serve as a table. On this piece of wood I floated, but the current carried me away from the ship; and the captain having received on board those who were in the boat, and picked up one or two of the swimmers, he concluded that I was lost. A favourable gale just then springing up, he pursued his voyage. I struggled to save myself all the rest of the day and the following night, when happily a wave threw me against an island. I advanced along the shore till I came to a cave, wherein I lay down and slept. When I awoke it was almost sun-set. I left my cave and came to a small plain, surrounded with fine trees bearing all sorts of fruit; and what surprised me most was to see a great number of beautiful young colts grazing together, but no traces of any other animals. I supped upon fruit, and climbed the branches of a high tree for my lodging. About midnight I was greatly astonished and alarmed to hear the sound of trumpets and drums, which seemed to pass all round the island, and continued through the night; but when morning came, it still appeared uninhabited. I climbed my tree again that night, and the drums and trumpets at midnight seemed to be even louder than before. On the third day, to my great joy, a party of men landed on the island, who were astonished to find me there. They informed me they were the grooms of king Mihrage, and that the island upon which I was thrown was called Cassel, and belonged to tho warlike geni Degial, who visited it every night with drums and trumpets; and that the geni being the friend of king Mihrage, permitted him to have his young colts trained upon the island, which contained such admirable pasture, that they became the swiftest and finest horses in the world ; and that they, the grooms of the king, were sent at the expiration of every six months, to the island, to select such of the young horses as were fit to be placed in the royal stables. The grooms carried me with them to the capital of king Mihrage, which has a fine harbour where ships arrive daily from all quarters of the world. The king allowed me apartments in his palace, and delighted in my conversation.