ed him to let me
return to my own country, which he readily agreed to, and even gave me
a letter and a present to my sovereign, the Caliph Haroun Alrashid. The
present consisted of a ruby made into a cup, and decorated with pearls;
the skin of a serpent, which appeared like burnished gold, and which
could repel disease; some aloe-wood, camphire, and a beautiful female
slave. I returned to my native country, delivered the present to the
Caliph, and received his thanks, with a reward.

THE SEVENTH AND LAST VOYAGE

[Illustration]

The Caliph Haroun Alrashid one day sent for me, and told me I must bear
a present to the King of Serindib. I ventured to protest on account of
my age, but I could not persuade him to give up his plan. I arrived at
Serindib, and prayed an audience with the King. I was conducted to the
palace with great respect, and delivered to the monarch the Caliph's
letter and present. The present consisted of the most ingenious and
valuable works of art, with which the King was exceedingly delighted,
and he was also pleased to acknowledge how much he esteemed my services.
When I departed, the monarch bestowed on me some rich gifts; but the
ship had not long been at sea, before it was attacked by pirates, who
seized the vessel, and carried us away as slaves. I was sold to a
merchant. When my master found that I could use the bow and arrow with
skill, he took me upon an elephant, and carried me to a vast forest in
the country. My master ordered me to climb a high tree, and wait there
until I saw a troop of elephants pass by. I was then to shoot at them,
and if one of them fell, I was to go to the city and give the merchant
notice. Having given me these directions, and a bag of provisions, he
left me. On the morning of the second day, I saw a great number of
elephants. I succeeded in shooting one of them, upon which the others
went away, and I returned to the city and told my employer, who praised
my work. We went back to the forest and dug a hole, in which the
elephant was to remain until it decayed and left the teeth free. I
continued this trade nearly two months, and killed an elephant almost
every day. One morning all the elephants came up to the tree in which I
was and trumpeted dreadfully. One of them fastened his trunk round the
tree and tore it up by the roots. I fell with the tree; the animal took
me up with his trunk, and placed me on his back, and then, at the head
of his troop, he brought me to a