at beholding no one but the guards in the vestibule, all petrified.
I came to a large court. I went from thence into a room richly furnished, where I found a lady also turned into a statue of stone. The crown of gold on her head, and a necklace of pearls about her neck, each of them as large as a nut, proclaimed her to be the queen. I quitted the chamber where the petrified queen was, and passed through several other apartments richly furnished, and at last came into a large room, where there was a throne of massy gold, raised several steps above the floor, and enriched with large inchased emeralds. What surprised me most was a sparkling which came from above the throne. Being curious, I ascended the steps, and saw a diamond as large as the egg of an ostrich; it was so pure that I could not find the least blemish in it, and it sparkled with so much brilliancy, that I could not endure its luster.
The doors being all open, I surveyed some other apartments, that were as beautiful as those I had already seen. In the mean time night came on, and I tried to return by the way I had entered, but I could not find it; I lost myself among the apartments; and perceiving I was come again to the large room, where the throne stood, I resolved to take my night’s lodging there, and to depart the next morning early, to get aboard my ship. I laid myself down upon a
122
