Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/61

ſlands, every one of which lie almoſt in ſight of my Capital City.

The firſt thing I did was to viſit the Provinces: I afterwards caus’d to fit out and man my whole Fleet, and went to my Iſlands to gain the Hearts of my Subjects by my Preſence, and to confirm them in their Loyalty; and ſome time after I return’d, I went thither again, Theſe Voyages giving me ſome Taſte of Navigation, I took ſo much pleaſure in it, that I reſolv’d to make ſome Diſcoveries beyond my Iſlands; to which end I cauſed only ten Ships to be fitted out, embark’d on board them, and ſet Sail.

Our Voyage was very ſucceſsful for 40 Days together, but on the 41ſt Night the Wind became contrary, and withal ſo boiſterous, that we were like to have been loſt in the Storm. About Break of Day the Wind grew calm and the clouds were diſpers’d, and the Sun having brought back fair Weather, we came cloſe to an Iſland, where we remain’d two Days to take in freſh Proviſions; this being done, we put off again to Sea. After ten Days Sail we were in hopes of ſeeing Land, for the Tempeſts we had gone through had ſo much abated my Curioſity, that I gave Orders to ſteer back to my own Coaſts; but I perceived at the ſame time that my Pilot knew not where we were. Upon the 10th Day, a Seaman being ſent to look out for Land from the Main-maſt-head, he gave notice, that on Starboard and Larboard he could ſee nothing but the Sky and the Sea, which bounded the Horizon; but juſt before us upon the Stem, he ſaw a great Blackneſs.

The Pilot chang’d Colour at this Relation, and throwing his Turban on the Deck with one Hand, and beating his Breaſt with t’other, cried, Oh, Sir, we are all loſt, not one of us will eſcape; and with all my Skill it is not in my Power to prevent it! Having ſpoke thus, he fell a crying like a Man who foreſaw unavoidable Ruin; his Deſpair put the whole Ship’s Crew into a Terror. I ask’d him what reaſon he had thus to deſpair? He told me, the Tempeſt, which he had out-liv’d, had brought us ſo for out of our Courſe, that to morrow about Noon we ſhall come near to that black Place, which is nothing elſe but the black Mountain that is a Mine of Adamant, which at this very Minute draws all your Fleet towards it, by virtue of the Iron and Nails that are in your Ships; and when we come to-morrow at a Certain Diſtance,