" When the passengers
and crew heard my words, they gathered about me and some of them
believed me and others disbelieved, but presently, behold, one of
the merchants, hearing me mention the Valley of Diamonds, came up to
me and said to them: "Hear what I say, good people! When I related
to you the most wonderful things in my travels, and I told you that at
the time we cast down our slaughtered animals into the Valley of
Serpents (I casting with the rest as was my wont), there came up a man
hanging to mine, ye believed me not and live me the lie." "Yes," quoth
they, "thou didst tell us some such tale, but we had no call to
credit thee." He resumed: "Now this is the very man, by token that
he gave me diamonds of great value and high price whose like are not
to be found, requiting me more than would have come up sticking to
my quarter of meat. And I companied with him to Bassorah city, where
he took leave of us and went on to his native stead whilst we returned
to our own land. This is he, and he told us his name, Sindbad the
Seaman, and how the ship left him on the desert island. And know ye
that Allah hath sent him hither, so might the truth of my story be
made manifest to you.
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