Hearing this, I was sore troubled,
remembering what I had before suffered from the ape kind. Presently
I landed to solace myself in the city, but meanwhile the ship set sail
without me, and I repented of having gone ashore, and calling to
mind my companions and what had befallen me with the apes, first and
after, sat down and fell aweeping and lamenting. Presently one of
the townsfolk accosted me and said to me, "O my lord, meseemeth thou
art a stranger to these parts?" "Yes," answered I, "I am indeed a
stranger and a poor one, who came hither in a ship which cast anchor
here, and I landed to visit the town. But when I would have gone on
board again, I found they had sailed without me." Quoth he, "Come
and embark with us, for if thou lie the night in the city, the apes
will destroy thee." "Hearkening and obedience," replied I, and rising,
straightway embarked with him in one of the boats, whereupon they
pushed off from shore, and anchoring a mile or so from the land, there
passed the night. At daybreak they rowed back to the city, and
landing, went each about his business. Thus they did every night,
for if any tarried in the town by night the apes came down on him
and slew him.
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