yield camphire. This tree is so large, and its branches so thick,
that one hundred men may easily sit under its shade. The juice, of which
the camphire is made, exudes from a hole bored in the upper part of the
tree, and is received in a vessel, where it thickens to a consistency,
and becomes what we call camphire. After the juice is thus drawn out,
the tree withers and dies.

In this island is also found the rhinoceros, an animal less than the
elephant, but larger than the buffalo. It has a horn upon its nose,
about a cubit in length; this horn is solid, and cleft through the
middle. The rhinoceros fights with the elephant, runs his horn into his
belly, and carries him off upon his head; but the blood and the fat of
the elephant running into his eyes and making him blind, he falls to the
ground; and then, strange to relate, the roc comes and carries them both
away in her claws, for food for her young ones.

I pass over many other things peculiar to this island, lest I should
weary you. Here I exchanged some of my diamonds for merchandise. From
hence we went to other islands, and at last, having touched at several
trading towns of the continent, we landed at Bussorah, from whence I
proceeded to Bagdad. There I immediately gave large presents to the
poor, and lived honourably upon the vast riches I had brought, and
gained with so much fatigue.

Thus Sindbad ended the relation of the second voyage, gave Hindbad
another hundred sequins, and invited him to come the next day to hear
the account of the third.

CHAPTER VIII

THE WHITE CAT

There was once a king who had three sons, all remarkably handsome in
their persons, and in their tempers brave and noble. Some wicked
courtiers made the king believe that the princes were impatient to wear
the crown, and that they were contriving a plot to deprive him of his
sceptre and his kingdom. The king felt he was growing old; but as he
found himself as capable of governing as he had ever been, he had no
inclination to resign his power; and therefore, that he might pass the
rest of his days peaceably, he determined to employ the princes in such
a manner, as at once to give each of them the hope of succeeding to the
crown, and fill up the time they might otherwise spend in so undutiful a
manner. He sent for them to his cabinet, and after conversing with them
kindly, he added: "You must be sensible, my dear children, that my great
age prevents me from attending so closely