by reason of the straitness I had suffered in my former journey,
and I would fain have stayed the raft and landed on the mountain-
side; but the current overpowered me and drew it into the
subterranean passage like an archway; whereupon I gave myself up
for lost and said, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might
save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!" However, after a little,
the raft glided into open air and I saw before me a wide valley,
whereinto the river fell with a noise like the rolling of thunder
and a swiftness as the rushing of the wind. I held on to the
raft, for fear of falling off it, whilst the waves tossed me
right and left; and the craft continued to descend with the
current nor could I avail to stop it nor turn it shorewards, till
it stopped with me at a great and goodly city, grandly edified
and containing much people. And when the townsfolk saw me on the
raft, dropping down with the current, they threw me out ropes
which I had not strength enough to hold; then they tossed a net
over the craft and drew it ashore with me, whereupon I fell to
the ground amidst them, as I were a dead man, for stress of fear
and hunger and lack of sleep. After awhile, there came up to me
out of the crowd an old man of reverend aspect, well stricken in
years, who welcomed me and threw over me abundance of handsome
clothes, wherewith I covered my nakedness. Then he carried me to
the Hammam-bath and brought me cordial sherbets and delicious
perfumes; moreover, when I came out, he bore me to his house,
where his people made much of me and, seating me in a pleasant
place, set rich food before me, whereof I ate my fill and
returned thanks to God the Most High for my deliverance.
Thereupon his pages fetched me hot water, and I washed my hands,
and his handmaids brought me silken napkins, with which I dried
them and wiped my mouth. Also the Shaykh set apart for me an