Some time after, my two sisters, on pretence that they would not be chargeable to me, told me they had thoughts to marry again. I answered them, that if their putting me to charge was all the reason, they might lay those thoughts aside, and be very welcome to stay with me; for what I had would be sufficient to maintain us all three in a manner answerable to our condition. --But, said I, I rather believe you have a mind to marry again; which if you have, I am sure it will very much surprise me; after the experience you have had of the small satisfaction there is in wedlock, is it possible you dare venture a second time? You know how rare it is to meet with a husband that is a real honest man. Believe what I say, and let us live together as comfortable as we can. All my persuasion was in vain; they were resolved to marry, and so they did. But after some months were past, they came back again, and begged my pardon a thousand times for not following my advice. You are our youngest sister, said they, and abundantly more wise than we; but if you will vouchsafe to receive us once more into your house, and account us your slaves, we shall never commit such a fault again. My answer was, Dear sisters, I have not altered my mind in respect to you since we last parted from one another; come again, and take part of what I have. Upon this I embraced them again, and we lived together as we did formerly. We continued thus a whole year in perfect love and tranquillity; and, seeing that God had increased my small stock, I projected a voyage by sea, to hazard somewhat in trade. To this end I went with my two sisters to Balsora, where I bought a ship ready fitted for sea, and laded her with such merchandise as I brought from Bagdad. We set sail with a fair wind, and soon cleared the Persian gulf; and when we got into the ocean, we steered our course to the Indies, and the twentieth day saw land. --It was a very high mountain, at the bottom of which we saw a great town; and, having a fresh gale, we soon reached the harbour, where we cast anchor. I had not patience to stay till my sisters were dressed to go along with me, but went ashore in the boat by myself; and making directly to the gate of the town, I saw there a great number of men upon guard, some sitting, and others standing with batons in their hands; and they had all such dreadful countenances that it frightened me; but perceiving they had no motion, not so much as with their eyes, I took courage, and went nearer, and then found they were all turned into stones. I entered the town, and passed through the several streets, wherein stood every where men in various attitudes, but all motionless and petrified. On that side where the merchants lived I found most of the shops shut, and in such as were open I likewise found the people petrified. I looked up to the chimnies, but saw no smoke, which made me conjecture that the inhabitants, both within and without, were all turned into stone.