He used to put them into bottles of brass, and to cast them into the sea.

And the Prince of the Faithful approved of these words, and said, By Allah, I desire to see some of these bottles!  So Talib the son of Sahl replied, O Prince of the Faithful, thou art able to do so and yet remain in thy country.  Send to thy brother Abd-El-Azeez, the son of Marwan, desiring him to bring them to thee from the Western Country, that he may write orders to Moosa to journey from the Western Country, to this mountain which we have mentioned, and to bring thee what thou desirest of these bottles; for the furthest tract of his province is adjacent to this mountain.—­And the Prince of the Faithful approved of his advice, and said, O Talib, thou has spoken truth in that which thou hast said, and I desire that thou be my messenger to Moosa the son of Nuseyr for this purpose, and thou shalt have a white ensign, together with what thou shalt desire of wealth or dignity or other things, and I will be thy substitute to take care of thy family.  To this Talib replied, Most willingly, O Prince of the Faithful.  And the Khaleefeh said to him, Go, in dependence on the blessing of God, and his aid....

So Talib went forth on his way to Egypt ... and to Upper Egypt, until they came to the Emeer Moosa, the son of Nuseyr; and when he knew of his approach he went forth to him and met him, and rejoiced at his arrival; and Talib handed to him the letter.  So he took it and read it, and understood its meaning; and he put it upon his head, saying, I hear and obey the command of the Prince of the Faithful.  He determined to summon his great men; and they presented themselves; and he inquired of them respecting that which had been made known to him by the letter; whereupon they said, O Emeer, if thou desire him who will guide thee to that place, have recourse to the sheykh ’Abd-Es-Samad, the son of Abd-El-Kuddoos Es-Sa-moodee; for he is a knowing man, and hath traveled much, and he is acquainted with the deserts and wastes and the seas, and their inhabitants and their wonders, and the countries of their districts.  Have recourse, therefore, to him, and he will direct thee to the object of thy desire.—­Accordingly he gave orders to bring him, and he came before him; and lo, he was a very old man, whom the vicissitudes of years and times had rendered decrepit.  The Emeer Moosa saluted him, and said to him, O sheykh ’Abd-Es-Samad, our lord the Prince of the Faithful, Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwan, hath commanded us thus and thus, and I possess little knowledge of that land, and it hath been told me that thou art acquainted with that country and the routes.  Hast thou then a wish to accomplish the affair of the Prince of the Faithful?—­The sheykh replied, Know, O Emeer, that this route is difficult, far extending, with few tracks.  The Emeer said to him, How long a period doth it require?  He answered, It is a journey of two years and some months going, and the like returning; and on the way are difficulties