to tell how he had been brought to this
horrible state, and he began--

"Fifty years ago, I was an influential, distinguished man, and resided
in Algiers: a passion for gain urged me on to fit out a ship, and turn
pirate. I had already followed this business some time, when once, at
Zante, I took on board a Dervise, who wished to travel for nothing. I
and my companions were impious men, and paid no respect to the
holiness of the man; I, in particular, made sport of him. When,
however, on one occasion he upbraided me with holy zeal for my wicked
course of life, that same evening, after I had been drinking to excess
with my pilot in the cabin, anger overpowered me. Reflecting on what
the Dervise had said to me, which I would not have borne from a
Sultan, I rushed upon deck, and plunged my dagger into his breast.
Dying, he cursed me and my crew, and doomed us not to die and not to
live, until we should lay our heads upon the earth.

"The Dervise expired, and we cast him overboard, laughing at his
menaces; that same night, however, were his words fulfilled. One
portion of my crew rose against me; with terrible courage the struggle
continued, until my supporters fell, and I myself was nailed to the
mast. The mutineers, however, also sank under their wounds, and soon
my ship was but one vast grave. My eyes also closed, my breath
stopped--I thought I was dying. But it was only a torpor which held me
chained: the following night, at the same hour in which we had cast
the Dervise into the sea, I awoke, together with all my comrades;
life returned, but we could do and say nothing but what had been done
and said on that fatal night. Thus we sailed for fifty years, neither
living nor dying, for how could we reach the land? With mad joy we
ever dashed along, with full sails, before the storm, for we hoped at
last to be wrecked upon some cliff, and to compose our weary heads to
rest upon the bottom of the sea; but in this we never succeeded. Now I
shall die! Once again, unknown preserver, accept my thanks, and if
treasures can reward thee, then take my ship in token of my
gratitude."

With these words the Captain let his head drop, and expired. Like his
companions, he immediately fell to dust. We collected this in a little
vessel, and buried it on the shore: and I took workmen from the city
to put the ship in good condition. After I had exchanged, with great
advantage, the wares I had on board for others, I hired a crew, richly