"A rapid current carries the ship along with it, and we shall all perish in less than a quarter of an hour. Pray God to deliver us from this peril. We cannot escape, if He does not take pity on us."
At these words he ordered the sails to be lowered, but all the ropes broke, and the current carried the ship to the foot of a mountain, where she struck and went to pieces, but in such a way that we saved our lives, our provisions, and the best of our goods.
The foot of the mountain was covered with wrecks, with a vast number of human bones, and goods and riches of all kinds beyond belief. In all other places it is usual for rivers to run into the sea; but here a river of fresh water runs from the sea into a dark cavern, with a very high and spacious entrance. What is most strange in this place is that the stones of the mountain are of crystal, rubies, and other precious stones. Here also are ambergris and wood of aloes.
It is not possible for ships to get off from this place when once they approach within a certain distance. If the wind is from the sea, this and the current drive them on. If it is a land wind, it is stopped by the height of the mountain, which causes a calm, so that the force of the current carries them ashore. What is worse, it is no more possible to ascend the mountain than to escape by sea. Here we remained in a state of despair, expecting death every day.
When we landed, we divided the food equally, and thus each one lived a longer or shorter time, according to the use he made of his share. I outlived my comrades, and, when I buried the last of them, had so little food left that I dug a grave for myself. But God once more took pity on me, and put it in my mind to go to the bank of the river which ran into the cavern. I said to myself,—
"This underground river must somewhere have an outlet. If I make a raft, and leave myself to the current, it will convey me to some inhabited country, or I shall perish. If I be drowned, I only change one kind of death for another."
Out of pieces of timber and cables from the wrecks, I soon made myself a solid raft. Then I loaded it carefully with some chests of rubies, emeralds, ambergris, rock crystal, and bales of rich stuffs, and went on board with two oars that I had made, leaving the raft to the course of the river, and resigning myself to the will of God.
As soon as I entered the cavern, I lost all light, and the stream carried me I knew not whither. Thus I floated on, eating only enough to keep myself alive. But the food was soon spent, and I lost my senses. When I revived, I found myself on the brink of a river, where my raft was tied, amidst a great number of negroes. When I saluted them, they spoke to me, but I did not understand their tongue. In my joy I recited aloud the following words in Arabic,—
"Call upon the Almighty. He will help thee; shut thine eyes, and while thou art asleep, God will change thy bad fortune into good."
One of the negroes, who understood Arabic, came forward and told me that they had seen my raft, and fastened it until I should awake. Through him I told the others, at their request, of all that had befallen me. The story was so strange that they said I must tell it to their king myself. Then they mounted me on a horse, and some led the way, and some followed with my raft and cargo.