The morning call., 1892-05-29

that voyage, I resolved TO reliBquish voyag-
ing and the affairs of commerce and TO dis
miss from ny mind the anXietleS Of travel,
and betake myself to eating and drinking,
the lows of the chase and the company Of
ny friends and boon companions. But
Allah Whose name be exalted had decreed
otherwise, that what bad been DTedestlned
might be accomplished ere l should be
visited by the separator OF friends and the
Termination Of delights.
] had, however, no sooner bestowed the
legal and other alma, and settled myself In
my house to enjoy life, when the unrest that
has ever plagued my mind and my existence
again took possession Of me. My bosom
became contracted ana | found DO pleasure
u the company of my friends, as compared
with the longing after adventure that had be-
fore Induced NE 10 brave the peTils OF the sea.
desired again to travel and divert myself
with the sight Of the people Of other
countries. So / arose and medtated upon
that subject, ana bought precious goods
suited for a sea voyage and for commerce
with other C untTies. and taking my goods L
proceeded from Baghdad 10 the city OF III
BasTat, and walking along the banks Of the
river l saw great and handsome ship that
pleased NE, and l purchased It and hired
master and sailors, and with my black
slaves and attendants embarked together
with a company Of merchants, who sought
passage with me ana paid me hire. allah
(whOse name be exalted visited US with fair
winds and favorable sky, and we ceased
not TO proceed for 120 days, when 10, q great
storm arose, and the sea became agitated
and a terrible wind blew, and we were all
in a state OF anguish by reason OF our fear.
Then the master Of the ship threw down his
turbaD, and slapped his face, and plucked
his beard, uttered loud cry, and fell down
in fl. When he had recovered from his
it he called to all the people in the ship
and said unto them: There is no strength
nor power but in Allah, the high, the great!
No one may escape what is pTedeStined.
We have fallen upon great peril and there
remaineth for US no way Of escape" Then
all the passengers Tept for themselves and
babe one another farewell. by reason Of the
determination Of their life.
Now there was with Us 10 the ship one Of
my memlnOks who was skillful fellow,
and he took me aside and said in my ear,
81 foresee that the ship will be broken in
pieces and that we shall all be drowned. Let
US therefore make ourselves fast to the
great middle mast Of the ship, that when it
is carried away by the force Of the sea we
shall be carried with it, and perhaps Allah
=tE5ose name be exalted may deliver US
from this peril"
And deeming his stratagem good one
assented, ana We dashed ourselves with
cords TO the mainmast Of the ship and pres
emily great wave tore over the ship and
the mast was carried into the sea and we
with 1t. and the ship was carried beneath
the sea by the force Of the waves, aud all
that were in it persisted. (EXtOlled be the
perfection Of him who dieth nOt)
But as for me and my memlook, we were
carried by the sea, dashed to the mast, for
the space OF two days and were IN a state of
violent distress and excessive anxiety, by
reason Of cur hunger and thirst, and the
heat OF the sun which beat violently upon
Us through the daytime, and the fierce cold
that we experienced at night. At last IN
the evening of the second day, we were
thrown by the force of the waves upon land
which we deemed to be An island, and there
we found fruits growing such as were a
delight to believers, and we ate of them IN
I'll we were satisfied, and having performed
the prayer Of the two reckahs and given
thanks to Allah for our deliverance, we lay
down to rest in the shelter Of some rocks.
And when daylight came. having per-
formed the ablutlOn and recited the morn
ing prayers, we satisfied our hunger upon
theETuits Of the land and proceeded TO jour
uey inland to explore The Island, which we
soon found TO be Of excessive size and great
beauty.
We ceased not 10 proceed in this manner
for the space OF about an hour, when We
were met by an aged Sheykh. who saluted
US, and, observing our unhappy condition,
inquired Of US concerning our case. There
fore we related TO him all the cTcums tanceS
Of our embaTking and our journey and the
great storm, and our deliyerance from the
power Of the sea, whereat he wondered, and
said, PRAISE be TO Allah that you have met
with me, for had you fallen into the hands
of the powers Of this land you would surely
have been gTieYously feeced."
Then he took US to his abode, which seemed
10 be a sort Of khan in the hills, and having
set for US bread and fruit, when we had re-
freshed ourselves he asked II we might not
desire to journey little through the coun-
try, and perhaps make arrangements for
our return unto tho country from whence
we came. And | said unto him, go
Sheykb, what is the name of this coun try
and " DO are its powers, and what is this
that thou sayest that we might have been
erievously heeced by then?" and he said,
'YO1 shall see"
Then he brought forth three mules, and
he said to us Mount and we will proceed
70 the chief city, DeTadventure you may
find there ship in which you may journey
10 your own land, and perhaps Allah (whose
name be exalted may grant you safe
Journey thither" We mounted, therefore,
The mules and proceeded through goodly
land for the space Of several hours, and We
passed by many gardens and beautiful
groves Of trees, where hung the apricot auQ
the Dectarine, and peaches sr,;.n as eruw in
no gardens Of our Id save the gardens OF
the Prince OF me Faithful, and there were
ViaeyGrus on the hills, and In the valleys
81 manner of waving grain, and the looks
If that land were enough to delight the eye
and expand the bosom, yet saw no one
resting In the shade OF those trees, or eat
ing Of those fruits, only every man was