They did the
same to the prince, who was drowned. I swam some minutes on the
water; but by good fortune, or rather miracle, I felt ground. I
went towards a black place, which, by what I could discern in the
dark, seemed to be land, and actually was a flat on the coast:
when day came, I found it to be a desert island, lying about
twenty miles from Balsora. I soon dried my clothes in the sun;
and as I walked along, found several sorts of fruit, and likewise
fresh water, which gave me some hopes of preserving my life. I
laid myself down in a shade, and soon after I saw a winged
serpent, very large and long, coming towards me wriggling to the
right and to the left, and hanging out his tongue, which made me
think he had got some hurt. I rose, and saw a serpent still
larger following, holding him by the tail, and endeavouring to
devour him, I had compassion on him, and, instead of flying away,
had the boldness and courage to take up a stone that by chance
lay by me, and threw it at the great serpent with all my
strength, whom I hit on the head and killed. The other, finding
himself at liberty, took to his wings and flew away. I looked a
long while after him in the air, as being an extraordinary thing;
but he flew out of sight, and I lay down again in another place
in the shade, and fell asleep. When I awaked, judge how I was
surprised to see a black woman by me, of a lively and agreeable
complexion, who held two bitches tied together in her hand, of
the same colour.
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