Baghdad: they were the merchants, the pedlars, the barbers, and
intriguers-general of south-western Asia, and therefore the
Oriental materials with which the Arabian tales were wrought must
have been completely at the command of the inventive people to whom
I would attribute their origin.

We were nearing the isle of Cyprus when there arose half a gale of
wind, with a heavy chopping sea. My Greek seamen considered that
the weather amounted not to a half, but to an integral gale of wind
at the very least, so they put up the helm, and scudded for twenty
hours. When we neared the mainland of Anadoli the gale ceased, and
a favourable breeze sprung up, which brought us off Cyprus once
more. Afterwards the wind changed again, but we were still able to
lay our course by sailing close-hauled.

We were at length in such a position, that by holding on our course
for about half-an-hour we should get under the lee of the island
and find ourselves in smooth water, but the wind had been gradually
freshening; it now blew hard, and there was a heavy sea running.

As the grounds for alarm arose, the crew gathered together in one
close group; they stood pale and grim under their hooded capotes
like monks awaiting a massacre, anxiously looking by turns along
the pathway of the storm and then upon each other, and then upon
the eye of the captain who stood by the helmsman. Presently the
Hydriot came aft, more moody than ever, the bearer of fierce
remonstrance against the continuing of the struggle; he received a
resolute answer, and still we held our course. Soon there came a
heavy sea, that caught the bow of the brigantine as she lay jammed
in betwixt the waves; she bowed her head low under the waters, and