of bamboo-sticks, and carried him
off with rapid strides. They soon reached a place where the river
became deeper, and broader, so that it was navigable for boats. Here
lay a vessel on the bank, into which they carried him, and conveyed
him up the stream. After a journey of several hours, they reached a
great city. They passed by several gardens and country houses, and at
last arrived at the middle of the city, which was divided by the
river, but connected by several high bridges. They lay off the shore,
and carried Jussuf out of the ship into the court of a great palace,
where everybody collected at once from the neighbourhood, even the
casual passers-by. They observed him with curious looks, handled his
clothes, which were all cut and torn about by his wanderings in the
thicknesses of the woods, and laughed at him. At last the owner of the
palace appeared at the principal gate with a large retinue of
distinguished servants. From the respect of those around him, and the
awe with which all present withdrew to a distance, Jussuf concluded
that he must be the Sultan, or the Prince of the country. He looked at
the poor captive, and spoke to his servants in a language which Jussuf
did not understand. They immediately brought a large cage of strong
bamboo-poles. Jussuf was unbound, pushed in, and locked up. They then
brought out a tame elephant, put the cage on it, and so led him
through the streets of the town, whilst the crier called out some
taunting thing in every street, and pointed at him with his stick. The
boys threw stones at him, and even persons of more mature age derided
him in every possible manner. If he showed himself in pain from any of
the stones hitting him, and crouched up, or if he evaded any of the
stones by the bars of his prison, every one burst out into an
immoderate fit of laughter. Tired of their ill treatment, he cowered
on the ground, turning his face downwards, and putting his hands over
his head, to guard it against the blows of the stones. As soon as the
crier remarked this, he pushed him with his long stick, and gave him
such pokes in the ribs, that he was obliged to sit up. Jussuf was
enraged and in despair. He turned round as quickly as possible in his
narrow cage, seized a bar of the lattice-work, and, shaking it,
screamed out,

"Is there any man among you who understands my language? Do you take
me, then, for a strange outlandish animal, that you lead me about in a
cage as a sight?"

An