The vessel in which I arrived sailed with the merchants, who loaded her with cocoas.  I expected the arrival of another, which landed speedily for the like loading.  I embarked on board the same all the cocoas that belonged to me, and when she was ready to sail, I went and took leave of the merchant who had been so kind to me; but he could not embark with me, because he had not finished his affairs.  We set sail towards those islands where pepper grows in great plenty.  From thence we went to the isle of Comari[Footnote:  This island, or peninsula, ends at the cape which we now call Cape Comorin.  It is also called Comar and Comor.], where the best kind of wood of aloes grows, and whose inhabitants have made it an inviolable law to themselves to drink no wine, nor to suffer any place of debauch.  I exchanged my cocoas in these two islands for pepper and wood of aloes, and went with other merchants a pearl-fishing.  I hired divers, who fetched me up those that were very large and pure.  I embarked joyfully in a vessel that happily arrived at Balsora; from thence I returned to Bagdad, where I made vast sums of my pepper, wood of aloes, and pearls.  I gave the tenth of my gains in alms, as I had done upon my return from other voyages, and endeavoured to ease myself from my fatigues by diversions of all sorts.

When Sindbad had finished his story, he ordered one hundred sequins to Hindbad, who retired with all the other guests; but next day the same company returned to dine with rich Sindbad, who, after having treated them as formerly, demanded audience, and gave the following account of his sixth voyage.

The Sixth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor.

Gentlemen, says he, you long, without doubt, to know how, after being shipwrecked five times, and escaping so many dangers, I could resolve again to try my fortune, and expose myself to new hardships.  I am astonished at it myself when I think on it, and must certainly have been induced to it by my stars.  But, be that as it will, after a year’s rest I prepared for a sixth voyage, notwithstanding the prayers of my kindred and friends, who did all that was possible to prevent me.  Instead of taking my way by the Persian gulph, I travelled once more through several provinces of Persia and the Indies, and arrived at a sea-port, where I embarked on board a ship, the captain of which was resolved on a long voyage.  It was very long, indeed, but at the same time so unfortunate, that the captain and pilot lost their course, so that they knew not where they were.  They found it at last, but we had no ground to rejoice.  We were all seized with extraordinary fear, when we saw the captain quit his post, and cry out.  He threw off his turban, pulled the hair off his beard, and beat his head like a madman.  We asked him the reason, and he answered, that he was in the most dangerous place in all the sea:  a rapid current carries the ship along with it, and we shall all perish in less than a quarter of an hour.  Pray to God