turban,
in hopes that next morning she would carry me with her out of this
desert island. After having passed the night in this condition, the bird
flew away as soon as it was daylight, and carried me so high, that I
could not discern the earth; she afterward descended with so much
rapidity that I lost my senses. But when I found myself on the ground, I
speedily untied the knot, and had scarcely done so, when the roc, having
taken up a serpent of a monstrous length in her bill, flew away.

"The spot where she left me was encompassed on all sides by mountains,
that seemed to reach above the clouds, and so steep that there was no
possibility of getting out of the valley. This was a new perplexity: so
that when I compared this place with the desert island from which the
roc had brought me I found that I had gained nothing by the change.

"As I walked through this valley, I perceived it was strewed with
diamonds, some of which were of a surprising bigness. I took pleasure in
looking upon them; but shortly saw at a distance such objects as greatly
diminished my satisfaction, namely, a great number of serpents, so
monstrous, that the least of them was capable of swallowing an elephant.
They retired in the daytime to their dens, where they hid themselves
from the roc, their enemy, and came out only in the night.

"I spent the day in walking about in the valley, resting myself at times
in such places as I thought most convenient. When night came on, I went
into a cave, where I thought I might repose in safety. I secured the
entrance with a great stone to preserve me from the serpents; but not so
far as to exclude the light. I supped on part of my provisions, but the
serpents, which began hissing round me, put me into such extreme fear,
that I could not sleep. When day appeared, the serpents retired, and I
came out of the cave trembling. I can justly say, that I walked upon
diamonds, without feeling any inclination to touch them. At last I sat
down, and notwithstanding my apprehensions, not having closed my eyes
during the night, fell asleep, after having eaten a little more of my
provision. But I had scarcely shut my eyes, when something that fell by
me with a great noise awaked me. This was a large piece of raw meat; and
at the same time I saw several others fall down from the rocks in
different places.

"I had always regarded as fabulous what I had heard sailors and others
relate of the valley of diamonds, and of the stra