my escaping so many dangers, they brought me the best of their provisions; and the captain, seeing that I was in rags, was so generous as to give me one of his own suits. We continued at sea for some time, touched at several islands, and at last landed at that of Salabat, where sandal wood is obtained, which is of great use in medicine. We entered the port, and came to anchor. The merchants began to unload their goods, in order to sell or exchange them. In the meantime, the captain came to me and said: ‘Brother, I have here some goods that belonged to a merchant, who sailed some time on board this ship, and he being dead, I design to dispose of them for the benefit of his heirs.’ The bales he spoke of lay on the deck, and showing them to me, he said: ‘There are the goods; I hope you will take care to sell them, and you shall have factorage.’ I thanked him for thus affording me an opportunity of employing myself, because I hated to be idle.
“The clerk of the ship took an account of all the bales, with the names of the merchants to whom they belonged, and when he asked the captain in whose name he should enter those he had given me the charge of, ‘Enter them,’ said the captain, ‘in the name of Sinbad.’ I could not hear myself named without some emotion; and looking steadfastly on the captain, I knew him to be the person who, in my second voyage, had left me in the island where I fell asleep.
“I was not surprised that he, believing me to be dead, did not recognise me. ‘Captain,’ said I, ‘was the merchant’s name, to whom those bales belonged, Sinbad?’ ‘Yes,’ replied he, ‘that was his name; he came from Bagdad, and embarked on board my ship at Bussorah.’ ‘You believe him, then, to be dead?’ said I. ‘Certainly,’ answered he. ‘No, captain,’ resumed I; ‘look at me, and you may know that I am Sinbad.’
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