The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-12


 which. I think. will interest you" So Sindbad begah the story of his First voy- age.
 Upon the death of his father, a wealthy merchant, Sindbad had been left a large ] fortune, which he had wasted in riotous living, and he had wasted what was still more precious-his time. Suddenly realiz- ing this, he took the remnants of his for | tune and, joining with some merchants. embarked with them In ship which they had fitted out and loaded at Bussorah. Out of the Persian gulf they sailed. and shaped their course to the shores of the wonderful land of the Indies, where, touching at various ports they sold their goods or~exchanged them for spices and sandalwood, Ivory and gems, silks and rich fabrics, filmy muslins shot through with threads of silver and gold, wonderful i carpets of Agra and Benares and cloth of Kashmir One day when they were far from the coast the wind died out en- tirely upon the languid ocean, and the captain ordering the sails to be furled. , gave such of the crew as desired it per- mission to land on a small island, near ] which the ship lay. Joyfully a party of | the bronzed and hardy, bare-throated sailors rowed to the island in their shall lop, and with many a song and joyous shout began eating and drinking and re- covering themselves from the tolls of the waves.
 Suddenly the small island began to tremble violently and from the ship the captain called to them to embark quickly lest they all be lost. The men sprang into the small boat and pulled away. just as the island-which was no island at all but huge sea monster which had been sleeping upon the surface-dived beneath the surging swfrling waters. All em- parked except Sindbad He had not been quick enough and found himself tossed about in the whirlpool which the monster made in diving. He was clinging for life to piece of wood which had been this help managed to keep his head above water But what was his distress to see the ship at once hoist sail and stand away from the spot before the gentle breeze which sprung up. All that day and ! all that night which followed he was i swept along at the mercy of the waves and, finally. when the dawn once more be- gan to steal across the oceans cheek, he was cast half dead upon the high and rugged shores of an unknown island. Sindbad managed to scramble up the l bank and, after recovering his breath. l began feebly to search for herbs fit to eat. | By good luck he found some and also a spring of pure water.
 Having somewhat satisfied his hunger | and slaked his consuming thirst he now proceeded toward the interior of the isl- | and, and finally came within sight of a great green meadow in which many horses were feeding. As he gazed upon | the sight a groom suddenly appeared 1 from the underbrush and asked him what | he did there. Sindbad told his story, and the groom took him to cave where were several other grooms, who made 1 him welcome, and when he had recounted his adventures gave him abundantly of ! the food they had with them. They were servants of the king of the island, they | said, and once a year came to graze the royal horses upon the lush grass of the wide and verdant meadow. The time of the grazing was up next day, and, talk ing the sailor with them, they returned to | the chief city of the island and brought Sindbad before the King. Touched with compassion, the King, when he had heard Sindbads tale, ordered that he be sup piled with everything needful, and had him often to court, where he questioned him about his country and the customs of his people.
 There were many ships coming and go- ing from the port of the kings city, and Sindbad haunted the quays in hope of seeing a ship in which he could get pas- sage to Persia or to some country from whence he could reach home But for a long time all the ships which came and went were from strange lands, far off
 and unknown to the world as Sindbad knew it. At last one day. he saw como sailing his ship-the ship in which he had sailed from Bussorah.
 When the captain landed Sindbad went
 up to him and said, T would like those
 bales of goods of mine which you have
 on board your ship" Sindbad was dress-s ed in the peculiar costume of a merchant
 of the island, and the captain, after
 looking at him in astonshment, said,
 'Sir, what do you meanT T mean"
 replied Sindbad, that I want the bales of goods on your ship marked with my name" "And what is your name?" said the captain. "I am Sindbad," replied the sailor. The captain started and looked intently at him, exclaiming, Tt is im-. possible, saw poor Sindbad with my own eyes perish in the sea-"
 Then sndbad told the captain what had
 befa1len him and, convinced at last, the
 worthy mariner embraced him and turned
 over to him the bales of goods. Sindbad
 introduced the captain to the merchants
 of the place, with whom he did a good
 business, and taking some of the most
 valuable of his own goods he presented them to the king, who had been so kind
 to him in his misfortune. In return the
 king gave Sindbad presents of much
 greater value, and after finishing their
 business at the kings city the ships
 company sailed away for Bussorah, Sind bad having collected in exchange for some
 of his goods much wood of aloes, nut megs, pepper and ginger, and when he at last arrived home and settled his af- | fairs he found that the voyage had netted him the sum of one hundred thou , sand pieces of gold.
 Having completed the story of his first l l voyage, Slndbad ordered the musicians