But one thing which I was fond of, and succeeded
in, was penmanship. In this I surpassed all the celebrated scribes of
our kingdom.
The fame of my learning reached the Emperor of Hindustan, who sent an
embassy with rich presents to my father and invited me to his court. I
returned with the ambassador.
We had been about a month on our journey when we saw in the distance
an immense cloud of dust, and soon after we discovered fifty fierce
horsemen, sons of the desert, well armed.
Not being able to repel force by force, we told them we were the
ambassadors of the sultan of India; but the sons of the desert
insolently answered, "Why do you wish us to respect the sultan, your
master? We are not his subjects, nor even within his realm." They
attacked us on all sides.
I defended myself as long as I could, but finding that I was wounded,
and that the ambassador and all our attendants were overthrown, I took
advantage of the remaining strength of my horse, and escaped. My horse
was wounded and suddenly fell dead under me. Alone, wounded, and a
stranger, I bound up my own wound and walked on the rest of the day,
and arrived at the foot of a mountain, where I perceived, as the sun
set, a cave; I went in, and stayed there that night, after I had
eaten some fruits that I gathered by the way. I continued my journey
for several successive days without finding any place of abode; but
after a month's time I came to a large town, well inhabited.
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