with the raft-boat and its lading of monies and merchandise;
jewels, minerals and golden gear, and brought me to their King,
who was King of Sarandib,[FN#81] telling him what had happened;
whereupon he saluted me and bade me welcome. Then he questioned
me of my condition and adventures through the man who had spoken
Arabic and I repeated to him my story from beginning to end,
whereat he marvelled exceedingly and gave me joy of my
deliverance; after which I arose and fetched from the raft great
store of precious ores and jewels and ambergris and lign-aloes
and presented them to the King, who accepted them and entreated
me with the utmost honour, appointing me a lodging in his own
palace. So I consorted with the chief of the islanders, and they
paid me the utmost respect. And I quitted not the royal palace.
Now the Island Sarandib lieth under the equinoctial line, its
night and day both numbering twelve house. It measureth eighty
leagues long by a breadth of thirty and its wideth is bounded by
a lofty mountain[FN#82] and a deep valley, The mountain is
conspicuous from a distance of three days and it containeth many
kinds of rubies and other minerals, and spice-trees of all sorts.
The surface is covered with emery wherewith gems are cut and
fashioned; diamonds are in its rivers and pearls are in its
valleys. I ascended that mountain and solaced myself with a view
of its marvels which are indescribable and afterwards I returned
to the King.[FN#83] Thereupon, all the travellers and merchants
who came to the place questioned me of the affairs of my native
land and of the Caliph Harun al-Rashid and his rule and I told
them of him and of that wherefor he was renowned, and they
praised him because of this; whilst I in turn questioned them of
the manners and customers of their own countries and got the
knowledge I desired. One day, the King himself asked me of the