For a time we knew naught of this, and the wind blew fair for us ten
days, after which the lookout man went aloft to see about him and
cried, "Good news!" Then he came down rejoicing and said, "I have seen
what seemeth to be a city as 'twere a pigeon." Hereat we rejoiced, and
ere an hour of the day had passed, the buildings showed plain in the
offing, and we asked the Captain, "What is the name of yonder city?"
and he answered: "By Allah, I wot not, for I never saw it before and
never sailed these seas in my life. But since our troubles have ended
in safety, remains for you only to land where with your merchandise,
and if you find selling profitable, sell and make your market of
what is there, and if not, we will rest here two days and provision
ourselves and fare away."
So we entered the port and the Captain went up town and was absent
awhile, after which he returned to us and said, "Arise, go up into the
city and marvel at the works of Allah with His creatures, and pray
to be preserved from His righteous wrath!" So we landed, and going
up into the city, saw at the gate men hending staves in hand, but when
we drew near them, behold, they had been translated by the anger of
Allah and had become stones.
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