AFTER my first voyage I had expected to spend the remainder of my life quietly at Bagdad. But the weariness of an idle life soon overcame me, and I was seized with a desire to set forth once more. Accordingly, with several other merchants, I set sail, and we came in the course of time to an uninhabited island. Here we landed and dined heartily, for there were many things good to the taste in this island. Finding myself disposed to sleep, I withdrew into a shady place and lay down to rest. How long I slept, I do not know, but when I awoke the ship was gone, and I was left alone. My surprise and grief were extreme. At first I be moaned my fate and cried out in agony, - but then I bethought myself how useless it was to weep over what could not be helped. So I calmed myself, and the better to see what kind of a place I was in, I climbed a tall tree. At a short distance I beheld a great white object. When I approached it I found it so smooth that it was impossible to climb it. It was fifty paces round and of a great height. It was now the time of sunset, and all of a sudden the sky suddenly darkened as if it had been covered with a thick cloud. Looking up, I beheld a bird of size so monstrous that it completely shut out the light of heaven. I remembered that I had often heard sailors tell of a monstrous bird called the roc. I next bethought me that the great dome by which I stood must be its egg. I ex The place where I was left was a deep valley, surrounded on all sides with mountains so steep that it was impossible to climb them. I soon found that I was no way benefited by the exchange. As I walked along, I perceived the ground was strewed with diamonds. amined them with much pleasure, but presently saw objects which at once put an end to all my pleasure. These were serpents, the least of which was capable of swallowing an elephant. They had now retired to their dens, to avoid their enemy, the roc; but I had no doubt I should have everything to fear from them at night. I at once began to look for a secure retreat, and was so lucky as to find one. In the evening, as I expected, all the serpents left their dens, and came hissing about my retreat. Though they could not hurt me, they put me into such extreme fear that I could not sleep. When the day came, the serpents retired, and I came out of my cave trembling, and I can truly say that I walked a long time upon diamonds, without having the least inclination to touch them. At last, spent with fatigue and want of rest, I was obliged to lie down to sleep; but had scarce shut my eyes when I was awakened by a great piece of fresh meat which fell close to me. Then I saw others fall from the rocks in different places. I had never believed the stories told of the valley of diamonds, and of the means used by merchants to get jewels thence; but now I found them true. This valley, from the height and from the rocks which bound it, being utterly inaccessible to man, the adventurers come as near as may be at the time eagles hatch their young, and, by the help of machines, throw very large pieces of raw flesh high into the air. These fall upon the diamonds, whose points enter the flesh, and so they stick. The eagles, which are larger here than in any other country, convey these pieces of meat to their nests, to feed their young. But the merchants frighten away the old bird, and possess themselves of the diamonds. I now no longer doubted the truth of this account. I began therefore very deliberately to select the largest and clearest diamonds I could find; and having filled my provision bag with them, and secured it to my girdle, I took a piece of meat, and tying it to my back, I laid myself down with my face to the ground. In a short time one of the eagles seized me, and conveyed me to his nest. As soon as the eagle had deposited me, the merchants, as usual, drove him away. Every merchant had his distinct nest, which was considered as his peculiar property. When the owner of the nest where I was ascended to it and saw me, he was at first much frightened. When he had recovered himself, he began to upbraid me for his disappointment; he helped me, notwithstanding, to descend, and introduced me to the other merchants, who heard my story with wonder. When the merchants were satisfied, we all prepared to return to our several countries. Before we parted, I took aside the merchant in whose nest I was found, and showed him the bag of diamonds I had selected in the valley. told him I considered him as my deliverer, and frankly offered to share them with him. He was astonished at their size and beauty; but I could prevail with him to accept of but one, and that one of the smallest, which, he said, would raise him as great a fortune as he wished for. We parted perfectly satisfied with each other, and I returned by the first ship to Bagdad. I We touched at the isle of Roha, where the trees grow that yield camphor. On my arrival at Bagdad, I gave large sums to the poor, and lived honorably on the vast riches I had acquired with so much danger and fatigue. A BOISTEROUS WINTER EVENING WHAT way does the wind come? What way does he go? He rides over the water, and over the snow, Through wood and through vale; and o'er rocky height Which the goat cannot climb, takes his sounding flight. He tosses about in every bare tree, As, if you look up, you plainly may see; But how he will come, and whither he goes, He will suddenly stop in a cunning nook, Save, in a corner, a heap of dry leaves. That he's left, for a bed, to beggars or thieves! As soon as 'tis daylight to-morrow, with me |