ground, and, with the remaining provisions, put on board the vessel. The old man, overcome with sorrow, and not being able to stand, was laid upon a sort of litter, and carried to the ship, which stood out to sea, and in a short time was out of sight.
After the old man and his slaves had gone in the vessel, I was left alone upon the island. I slept that night in the subterranean dwelling, which they had shut up; and when the daylight came I walked round the island, and stopped in various places to rest.
I led this wearisome life for a whole month; after which I perceived the sea to have greatly fallen, the island to be much larger, and the mainland to be drawing near me. At last the water sank so low that there was but a small stream between me and the mainland. I crossed it, and the water did not come above the middle of my leg. I walked so long upon the slime and sand that I was very weary; at last I got upon firm ground, and, when at a good distance from the sea, I saw in the distance before me something like a great fire, which gave me comfort. 'For,' I said to myself, 'I shall find somebody or other, it not being possible that this fire should kindle of itself.' But when I came nearer I found my error, and saw that what I had taken for a fire was a castle of red copper, which the beams of the sun made to look, at a distance, as if it had been in flames.
I stopped near the castle, and sat down to admire its structure, and to rest awhile. I had not taken such a full view of this magnificent building as it deserved when I saw ten handsome young men coming along, as if they had been taking a walk. But what most surprised me was that they were all blind of the right eye. They accompanied an old man, who was very tall, and of a venerable aspect.
I could not but wonder at the sight of so many half-blind men all together, and every one blind of the same eye. As I was thinking they came up to me, and seemed very glad to see me. After the first compliments, they inquired what had brought me thither. I told them my story would be somewhat tedious, but if they would take the trouble to sit down, I would satisfy their request. They did so, and 1 related to them all that had happened since I left my kingdom, which filled them with astonishment.
