Page:Voyages and travels of Sindbad the sailor (3).pdf/12

12 the cable, towed the ship to land, and having made us all get out, they carried off our ship in triumph to another island.

We went forward into the island on which we were landed in deep dismay, expecting nothing but death. When we had got a little way, we found a lofty palace, with a folding gate of ebony, which we pushed open and entered a spacious court, that led to a vast apartment with a porch, having on one sido a great heap of human bones, and on the other a number of roasting spits. At this terrible spectaclo our legs trembled under us, and we fell to the ground with fear.

Presently the gate of the apartment opened, and there came lout a black monster as tall as a palm tree. He had but one eye, which was in the very middle of his forehead, and looked like a ball of fire. His fore-teeth were long and sharp, his under lip hung down upon his breast, his ears resembled those of an elephant, and covered his shoulders.

At the sight of so hideous a giant we eould scarcely keep from swooning, while he sat down in the porch gazing upon us. At length he advanced, and taking me up by the skin of the neck, as I would take up a kitten, and having viewed mo well, and perceived that I was nothing but skin and bone, he threw me on the ground with disdain. He took up all the rest one by one, and examined them in the same manner, and the poor captain being the fattest amongst us, fell the victim to his savage appetite: he was presently killed, roasted, and eaten by the dreadful monster, who then stretched himself upon a great stone bench and fell asleep snoring louder than thunder.

We passed the night in the most distressing fears imaginable. Day being eome, the giant awoke, got up, stretched himself, and went out, leaving us in the palace, which now resounded with our eries and lamentations. At length I cried to my companions in misfortune, “Let us not waste the hours in useless sorrow. Let us make floats of the timber we saw on the coast, and eommit ourselves upon them to the sea. We had better trust to the mercy of the winds and waves than continue here, to fall one after the other a prey to the appetite of that devouring monster.”

My advice was adopted; we hastened down to the sea shore, taking with us tools from the apartment, and laboured hard to make our floats ready to carry us out to sea, before the giant should discover our purpose. We had not finished them till the evening, and before we could push them from the beach our tyrant came in search of us, and drove us like, a flock of sheep before him to the palace. We had the anguish to behold nnother of our unfortunate comrades roasted for his supper.

Our desperate situation now gave us courage to attempt somo