ndian slaves work
in gangs tied together, never seeing the light of day; and lastly (for
he was a man of much knowledge, and had traveled far), he told him of
the valley of the Sacramento in the New World, and of those mountains
where the people of Europe send their criminals, and where now their
free men pour forth to gather gold, and dig for it as hard as if for
life; sitting up by it at night lest any should take it from them,
giving up houses and country, and wife and children, for the sake of a
few feet of mud, whence they dig clay that glitters as they wash it; and
how they sift it and rock it as patiently as if it were their own
children in the cradle, and afterwards carry it in their bosoms, and
forego on account of it safety and rest.

"But, prince," he proceeded, observing that the young man was absorbed
in his narrative, "if you would pass your word to me never to betray me,
I would procure for you a sight of the external world, and in a trance
you should see those places where gold is dug, and traverse those
regions forbidden to your mortal footsteps."

Upon this, the prince threw himself at the old man's feet, and promised
heartily to observe the secrecy required, and entreated that, for
however short time, he might be suffered to see this wonderful world.

Then, if we may credit the story, the old man drew nearer to the
chafing-dish which stood between them, and having fanned the dying
embers in it, cast upon them a certain powder and some herbs, from
whence as they burnt a peculiar smoke arose. As their vapors spread, he
desired the prince to draw near and inhale them, and then (says the
fable) when he should sleep he should find himself, in his dream, at
whatever place he might desire, with this strange advantage, that he
should see things in their truth and reality as well as in their outward
shows.

So the prince, not without some fear, prepared to obey; but first he
drank his sherbet, and handed over the golden cup to the old man by way
of recompense; then he reclined beside the chafing-dish and inhaled the
heavy perfume till he became overpowered with sleep, and sank down upon
the carpet in a dream.

The prince knew not where he was, but a green country was floating
before him, and he found himself standing in a marshy valley, where a
few wretched cottages were scattered here and there with no means of
communication. There was a river, but it had overflowed its banks and
made the central land i