Mazim finding it in vain to oppose, allowed himself to be sewn up in the camel’s skin with the loaves and water, recommending himself by mental prayer to the protection of Allah and his prophet.  The magician having finished his work retired to some distance, when, as he had said, a monstrous roc, darting from a craggy precipice, descended with the rapidity of lightning, grasped the skin in her widely extended talons, and soaring swifter than the eagle soon alighted on the table-land of the mountain; when Mazin, feeling himself on the ground, ripped the stitches of his dangerous enclosure, and the roc being alarmed, uttered a loud scream and flew away.  Mazin now arose, and walked upon the surface of the mountain, which he found covered with black dust; but he beheld also the skeletons of the young men whom the accursed Bharam, after they had served his purpose, had left to perish.  His blood became chilled with horror at the view, as he apprehended the same unhappy fate:  he however filled his bag with the black powder, and advanced to the edge of a precipice, from which he beheld the magician eagerly looking upwards to discover him.  Mazin called out; and when the hypocrite saw him, he began dancing and capering for joy, at the same time exclaiming, “Welcome, welcome, my son! my best friend, beloved child! all our dangers are now over, throw me down the bag.”  “I will not,” said Mazin,” but will give it thee when thou hast conveyed me safely from this perilous summit.”  “That is not in my power,” answered Bharam, “till I shall have the bag:  cast it down, and I swear by the fire which I worship immediately to procure thee a safe descent.  “Mazin, relying on his oath, and seeing no other chance of escape, cast down the bag; which having taken up, the accursed sorcerer mounted his camel and was departing.  The unhappy Mazin in agony called after him, saying, “Surely thou wilt not forfeit thy oath, nor leave me to perish!” “Perish thou must, Mussulmaun dog!” exclaimed the treacherous magician, “that my secret may be kept, nor can thy boasted prophet save thee from destruction; for around thee are mountains impassable, and below a fathomless sea.  I have obtained what I wished, and leave thee to thy fate.”  Having said thus he speeded onwards, and was soon out of sight.

Mazin was now in an agony of despair, not a ray of hope comforted his mind; he beat his bosom, threw himself on the ground amid the mouldering skeletons of the former victims to the treachery of the magician, and lay for some time in a state of insensibility.  At length the calls of hunger and thirst forced him back to a sense of wretched existence; and the love of life, however miserable, made him have recourse to his water and his loaves.  Being somewhat revived, religion came to his aid, and he began to pray for resignation to submit to the decrees of Heaven, however painful.  He then walked to the edge of the mountain overhanging the sea, which he observed to wash the