I was so transported with joy
that I knew not whether I was asleep or awake; but being persuaded
that I was not asleep, I recited the following words in Arabic aloud:
"Call upon the Almighty, He will help thee; thou needest not perplex
thyself about anything else: shut thy eyes, and while thou art asleep,
God will change thy bad fortune into good."
One of the negroes, who understood Arabic, hearing me speak thus, came
toward me, and said, "Brother, be not surprised to see us; we are
inhabitants of this country, and water our fields from this river,
which comes out of the neighboring mountain. We saw your raft, and one
of us swam into the river, and brought it hither, where we fastened
it, as you see, until you should awake. Pray tell us your history.
Whence did you come?"
I begged of them first to give me something to eat, and then I would
satisfy their curiosity. They gave me several sorts of food, and when
I had satisfied my hunger I related all that had befallen me, which
they listened to with attentive surprise. As soon as I had finished,
they told me, by the person who spoke Arabic and interpreted to them
what I said, that I must go along with them, and tell my story to
their king myself, it being too extraordinary to be related by any
other than the person to whom the events had happened.
They immediately sent for a horse, and having helped me to mount, some
of them walked before to show the way, while the rest took my raft and
cargo and followed.
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