While I was thinking on this, the wife of one of my neighbours, with whom I had contracted a very strict friendship, fell sick, and died. I went to see and comfort him in his affliction, and finding him swallowed up with sorrow, I said to him as soon as I saw him, God preserve you and grant you a long life. --Alas! replied he, how do you think I should obtain that favour you wish me? I have not above an hour to live. --Pray, said I, do not entertain such a melancholy thought; I hope it will not be so, but that I shall enjoy your company for many years. --I wish you, said he, a long life; but for me, my days are at an end, for I must be buried this day with my wife. [29] This is a law which our ancestors established in this island, and always observed it inviolably. The living husband is interred with the dead wife, and the living wife with the dead husband. Nothing can save me; every one must submit to this law. While he was entertaining me with an account of this barbarous custom, the very hearing of which frighted me cruelly, his kindred, friends, and neighbours came in a body to assist at the funerals. They put on the corpse the woman’s richest apparel, as if it had been her wedding-day, and dressed her with all her jewels; then they put her into an open coffin, and lifting it up, began their march to the place of burial. The husband walked at the head of the company, and followed the corpse. They went up to a high mountain, and when they came thither, took up a great stone, which covered the mouth of a very deep pit, and let down the corpse, with all its apparel and jewels. Then the husband, embracing his kindred and friends, suffered himself to be put into another open coffin without resistance, with a pot of water, and seven little loaves, and was let down in the same manner as they let down his wife. The mountain was pretty long, and reached to the sea. The ceremony being over, they covered the hole again with the stone, and returned. It is needless, gentlemen, for me to tell you that I was the only melancholy spectator of this funeral, whereas the rest were scarcely moved at it, the practice was so customary to them. I could not forbear speaking my thoughts of this matter to the king: Sir, said I, I cannot but wonder at the strange custom in this country, of burying the living with the dead. I have been a great traveller, and seen many countries, but never heard of so cruel a law. --What do you mean, Sindbad? said the king: it is a common law. I shall be interred with the queen, my wife, if she die first. --But, sir, said I, may I presume to ask your majesty, if strangers be obliged to observe this law? --Without doubt, replied the king, (smiling at the occasion of my question,) they are not exempted, it they be married in this island.