# Arabian Nights Entertainments (1706)/Volume 3/The ſecond Voyage

The ſecond Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor.
I Defign’d after my firſt Voyage, to ſpend the reſt of my Days at Bagdad, as I had the Honour to tell you Yeſterday; but it was not long ere I grew weary of an idle Life. My Inclination to Trade reviv’d. I bought Goods the proper for the Commerce I deſign’d, and put to Sea a ſecond Time with Merchants of known Probity. We embark’d on Board a good Ship, and after recommending our ſelves to God, ſet ſail; we traded from Iſland to Iſland and exchanged Commodities with great Profit. One Day we landed in an Iſle cover’d with ſeveral Sorts of Fruit-Trees, but ſo deſert, that we could neither fee Man nor Houfe upon it. We went to take a little freſh Air in the Meadows, and along the Streams that water’d them. Whilſt ſome diverted themſelves with gathering Flowers, and others with gathering Fruits; I took my Wine and Proviſions, and ſat down by a Stream betwixt two great Trees, which form’d a curious Shade. I made a very good Meal, and afterwards fell aſleep. I can’t tell how long I ſlept, but when I waked the Ship was gone. Here Scheherazade broke off, becauſe Day appear’d, but next Night continued the Story thus.
The Seventy Third Night.
I Was very much ſurpriz’d, ſays Sinbad, to find the Ship gone; got up, look’d about every where, and could not ſee one of the Merchants who landed with me. At laſt I perceived the Ship under ſail; bur at ſuch a Diſtance, that I loſt Sight of her in a very little Time,
I leave you to gueſs at my melancholy Reflections in this ſad Condition; I was like to die of Grief; I cry’d out ſadly; I beat my Head and Breaſt and threw my ſelf down upon the Ground, where I lay along Time in a terrible Agony, one afflicting Thought being ſucceeded by another ſtill more afflicting, I upbraided my ſelf an hundred times, for not being content with the Product of my firſt Voyage that might very well have ſerved me all my Life. But all this was in vain, and my Repentance out of Seaſon.
At laſt I reſign’d my ſelf to the Will of God; and not knowing what to do, I climb’d up to the Top of a great Tree, from whence I look’d about on all Sides to ſee if there were any Thing that could give me Hopes. When I look’d towards the Sea, I could fee nothing but Sky and Water; but, looking towards the Land, I ſaw ſomething white; and coming down from the Tree, I took up what Proviſion I had left, and went towards it, the Diſtance being ſo great, that I could not diſtinguiſh what it was.
When I came nearer, I thought it to be a white Bowl, of a prodigious Height and Bigneſs; and when I came up to it, I touch’d it, and found it to be very ſmooth, I went round to ſee if it was open on any Side, but ſaw it was not, and that there was no climbing to the Top of it, it was ſo ſmooth. It was at leaſt 50 Paces round.
By this Time the Sun was ready to ſet, and all of a ſudden the Sky became as dark as if it had been cover’d with a thick Cloud. I was much aſtoniſh’d at this ſudden Darkneſs, but much more when I found it occaſion’d by a Bird of a monſtrous Size, that came flying towards me. I remembred a Fowl, call’d Roc, that I had often heard Mariners ſpeak of, and conceiv’d that the great Bowl, which I ſo much admir’d, muſt needs be its Egg. In ſhort the Bird lighted, and ſat over the Egg to hatch it. As I perceiv’d her coming, I crept cloſe to the Egg, ſo that I had ​before me one of the Legs of the Bird, that was as big as the Trunk of a Tree, I tied my ſelf ſtrongly to it with the Cloth that went round my Turban, in hopes that when the Roc flew away next Morning, ſhe would carry me with her out of this deſart Iſland, And after having paſs’d the Night in this Condition, the Bird actually flew away next Morning, as ſoon as ’twas Day, and carry’d me ſo high that I could not ſee the Earth; ſhe afterwards deſcended all of a ſudden with ſo much Rapidity, that I loſt my Senſes. But when the Roc was ſate, and that I found my felf on the Ground, I ſpeedily untied the Knot, and had ſcarce done, when the Bird having taken up a Serpent of a monſtrous Length in her Bill, flew ſtrait away.
The Place where it left me was a very deep Valley, encompaſs’d on all Sides with Mountains ſo high, that they ſeem’d to reach above the Clouds, and ſo full of ſteep Rocks, that there was no Poſſibility to get out of the Valley. This was a new Perplexity upon me; ſo that when I compar’d this Place with the deſart Iſland, the Roc brought me from, I found that I gain’d nothing by the Change.
As I walk’d through this Valley, I perceiv’d it was ſtrew’d with Diamonds, ſome of which were of a ſurpriſing Bigneſs, I took a great deal of Pleaſure to look upon them; but ſpeedily ſaw at a Diftance ſuch Objects as very much diminiſh’d my SatisfaCtion, and which I could not look upon without Terror; that was a great Number of Serpents, ſo big, and ſo long that the !eaſt of ’em was capable of ſwallowing an Elephant. They retir’d in the Day Time to their Dens, where they hid themſelves from the Roc their Enemy, and did not come out but in the Night-time,
I fpent the Day in walking about the Valley, reſting my ſelf at Times in ſuch Places as I thought moſt commodious. When Night came on, I went into a Cave, where I thought I might be in ſafety; I ftop’d the Mouth of it, which was low and ſtrait, with a great Stone, to preſerve me from the Serpents; but not ſo exacty fitted as to hin-​der Light from coming in. I ſupped on part of my Proviſions; but the Serpents, which began to appear, hiſſing about in the mean Time, put me into ſuch extream Fear, that you may eaſily imagine I did not ſleep. When Day appear’d, the Serpents retir’d, and I came out of the Cave trembling. I can juſtly ſay, that I walked a long Time upon Diamonds, without having a Mind to touch any of ’em. At laſt I ſate down, and notwithſtanding my Uneaſneſs, not having ſhut my Eyes during the Night, I fell alſeep after having eat a little more of my Proviſions. But had ſcarce ſhut my Eyes, when ſomething, that fell by me with a great Noiſe, waken’d me, and that was a great Piece of freſh Meat, and at the ſame Time I ſaw ſeveral others fall down from the Rocks in different P;aces.
I always look’d upon it to be a Fable, when I heard Mariners and others Diſcourſe of the Valley of Diamonds, and of the Stratagem made uſe of by ſome Merchants to get Jewels from thence; but then I found it to be true. For in reality, thoſe Merehants come to the Neighbourhood of this Valley, when the Eagles have young Ones, and throwing great Joints of Meat into this Valley, the Diamonds, upon whoſe Points they ſail, ſtick to them; the Eagles, which are ſtronger in this Country than any where elſe, fall down with great Force upon thoſe pieces of Meat, and carry them to their Neſts, upon the Top of the Rocks to feed their young Eagles with; at which Time the Merchants, running to their Neſts, frighten the Eagles by their Noiſe, and take away the Diamonds which ſick to the Meat. And this Stratagem they make uſe of to get the Diamonds out of the Valley, which is ſurrounded with ſuch Precipices that no Body can enter it.
I believ’d ever till then, that it was not poſſible for me to get out of this Abyſs, which I look’d upon as my Grave, but then I chang’d my Mind; for the falling in of thoſe Pieces of Meat, put me in hopes of a Way of ſaving my Life. Here Day began to appear, which oblig’d Scheherazade to break off; but ſhe went on with it next Night as follows.
The Seventy Fourth Night.
SIR, ſays ſhe to the Sultan, Sinbad continued the Story of the Adventures of his ſecond Voyage thus: I began to gather together the greateſt Diamonds that I could ſee, and put them into the Leather Bag where I uſed to carry my Proviſions. I afterwards took the largeſt Piece of Meat I could find, tied it cloſe round me with the Cloth of my Turban, and then laid my ſelf upon the Ground with my Face downward, the Bag of Diamonds being tied faſt to my Girdle, that it cou’d not poſſibly drop off.
I had ſcarce laid me down, till the Eagles came, each of ’em ſeiz’d a Piece of Meat, and one of the ſtrongeſt having taken me up, with the Piece of Meat on my Back, carry’d me to his Neſt on the Top of the Mountain. The Merchants fell ſtraighway a ſhouting to frighten the Eagles; and when they had oblig’d them to quit their Prey, one of them came up to the Neſt where I was: He was very much afraid when he ſaw me; but recovering himſelf, inſtead of enquiring how I came thither, he began to quarrel with me, and ask’d, Why I ſtole his Goods? You will treat me, reply’d I, with more Civility, when you know me better, Don’t trouble your ſelf. I have Diamonds enough for you and me too, more than all the other Merchants together. If they have any, ’tis by Chance; but I choſe my ſelf in the Bottom of the Valley all thoſe which you ſee in this Bag; and having ſpoke thoſe Words, I ſhew’d ’em him. I had ſcarce done ſpeaking when the other Merchants came trooping about us, very much aſtoniſh’d to ſee me; but they were much more ſurpriz’d when I told them my Story: Yet they did not ſo much admire my Stratagem to ſave my ſelf, as my Courage to attempt it.
They carry’d me to the Place where they Raid altogether, and there having open’d my Bag, they were ſurpriz’d at the largeneſs of my Diamonds, and confeſs’d, Thay in all the Courts where they had been, they never ſaw any that came near them. I pray’d the Merchant, to whom the Neſt belong’d whither I was carry’d, for every Merchant had his own to take as many for his Share as he pleas’d; he contented himſelf with one, and that too the leaſt of ’em; ​and when preſs’d him to take more for fear of doing me any Injury: No, ſays he, I am very well ſatisfy’d with this, which is valuable enough to ſave me the Trouble of making any more Voyages, to raiſe as great a Fortune as I deſire.
I ſpent the Night with thoſe Merchants, to whom I told my Story a ſecond Time, for the Satisfaction of thoſe who had not heard it. I could not moderate my Joy, when I found my ſelf delivered from the Dangers I have mention’d; I thought my ſelf to be in a Dream, and could ſcarce believe my ſelf to be out of Hazard.
The Merchants had thrown their Pieces of Meat into the Valley for ſeveral Days. And each of them being ſatisfy’d with the Diamonds that had fallen to his Lot, we left the Place next Morning altogether, and travell’d near high Mountains, where there were Serpents of a prodigous Length, which we had the good Fortune to eſcape. We took the firſt Port we came at, and came to the Iſle of Reha, where the Trees grow that yield Camphire. This Tree is ſo large, and its Branches ſo thick, that 100 Men may eaſt’y fit under its Shade. The Juice of which the Camphire is made, runs out from a Hole bor’d in the upper Part of the Tree, is received ina Veſle], where it grows to a Conſiſtency, and becomes what we call Camphire; and the Juice thus drawn out, the Tree withers and dies,
There is in this Iſland the Rhinoceros, a Creature leſs than the Elephant, bur greater than the Buffalo; they have a horn upon their Noſe, about a Cubit long; this Horn is ſolid, and cleft in the middle from one end to another, and there is upon it white Draughts, repreſenting the Figure of a Man. The Rhinoceros fights with the Elephant, runs his Horn into his Belly, and carries him off upon his Head; but the Blood and the Fat of the Elephant running into his Eyes and making him blind he falls to the Ground; and that which is aſtoniſhing, the Roc comes and carries them both away in her Claws, to be Meat to her young Ones.
I paſs over many other Things peculiar to this Iſland, leſt I ſhould be troubleſome to you. Here I exchang’d ſome of my Diamonds for good Merchandize. From thence we went to other Iſles, and at laſt, haying touch’d at ſeveral trading Towns of the firm Land, we landed at ​Balfora; from whence I went to Bagdad. There I immediately gave great Alms to the Poor, and lived honourably upon the vaſt Riches I had brought and gain’d with ſo much Fatigue. Thus Sindbad ended the Story of his ſecond Voyage, gave Hindbad another 100 Sequins, and invited him to come next Day to hear the Story of the third. The reſt of the Gueſts returned to their Homes, and came again the next Day at the ſame Hour, and to be ſure the Porter did not fail, having by this Time almoſt forgot his former Poverty. When Dinner was over, Sindbad demanded Attention, and gave them an Account of his third Voyage, as follows.