t however at last, and the king, when he dismissed
me, made me a very considerable present. I embarked immediately
to return to Bagdad, but had not the good fortune to arrive there
so speedily as I had hoped. God ordered it otherwise.

Three or four days after my departure, we were attacked by
corsairs, who easily seized upon our ship, because it was no
vessel of force. Some of the crew offered resistance, which cost
them their lives. But for myself and the rest, who were not so
imprudent, the corsairs saved us on purpose to make slaves of us.

We were all stripped, and instead of our own clothes, they gave
us sorry rags, and carried us into a remote island, where they
sold us.

I fell into the hands of a rich merchant, who, as soon as he
bought me, carried me to his house, treated me well, and clad me
handsomely for a slave. Some days after, not knowing who I was,
he asked me if I understood any trade? I answered, that I was no
mechanic, but a merchant, and that the corsairs, who sold me, had
robbed me of all I possessed. "But tell me," replied he, "can you
shoot with a bow?" I answered, that the bow was one of my
exercises in my youth. He gave me a bow and arrows, and, taking
me behind him upon an elephant, carried me to a thick forest some
leagues from the town. We penetrated a great way into the wood,
and when he thought fit to stop, he bade me alight; then shewing
me a great tree, "Climb up that," said he, "and shoot at the
elephants as you see them pass by, for there is a prodigious
number of them in this forest, and if any of them fall, come and
give me notice." Having spoken thus, he left me victuals, and
returned to the town, and I continued upon the tree all night.

I saw no elephant during that time, but next morning, as soon as
the sun was up, I perceived a great number. I shot several arrows
among them, and at last one of the elephants fell, when the rest
retired immediately, and left me at liberty to go and acquaint my
patron with my booty. When I had informed him, he gave me a good
meal, commended my dexterity, and caressed me highly. We went
afterwards together to the forest, where we dug a hole for the
elephant; my patron designing to return when it was rotten, and
take his teeth to trade with.

I continued this employment for two months, and killed an
elephant every day, getting sometimes upon one tree, and
sometimes upon another. One morning, as I looked for the
elephants, I perceived with ext