I
held onto the raft, for fear of falling off it, whilst the waves
tossed me right and left, and the craft continued to descend with
the current, nor could I avail to stop it nor turn it shoreward till
it stopped me at a great and goodly city, grandly edified and
containing much people. And when the townsfolk saw me on the raft,
dropping down with the current, they threw me out ropes, which I had
not strength enough to hold. Then they tossed a net over the craft and
drew it ashore with me, whereupon I fell to the ground amidst them, as
I were a dead man, for stress of fear and hunger and lack of sleep.
After a while, there came up to me out of the crowd an old man of
reverend aspect, well stricken in years, who welcomed me and threw
over me abundance of handsome clothes, wherewith I covered my
nakedness. Then he carried me to the hammam bath and brought me
cordial sherbets and delicious perfumes. Moreover, when I came out, he
bore me to his house, where his people made much of me and, seating me
in a pleasant place, set rich food before me, whereof I ate my fill
and returned thanks to God the Most High for my deliverance.
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