Pagina 393 de 1116

As soon as it was day, I donned my clothes and rose to look

whither I should walk. Presently I came to a thicket of low

trees; and, making a cast round it, found that the spot whereon I

stood was an islet, a mere holm, girt on all sides by the ocean;

whereupon I said to myself, "Whatso freeth me from one great

calamity casteth me into a greater!" But while I was pondering my

case and longing for death behold, I saw afar off a ship making

for the island; so I clomb a tree and hid myself among the

branches. Presently the ship anchored and landed ten slaves,

blackamoors, bearing iron hoes and baskets, who walked on till

they reached the middle of the island. Here they dug deep into

the ground, until they uncovered a plate of metal which they

lifted, thereby opening a trap door.