The elephants of our forest have every year killed us a great many slaves, whom we sent to seek ivory. For all the cautions we could give them, those crafty animals killed them one time or other. God has delivered you from their fury, and has bestowed that favour upon you only. It is a sign that he loves you, and has use for your service in the world. You have procured me incredible gain. We could not have ivory formerly, but by exposing the lives of our slaves, and now our whole city is enriched by your means. Do not think I pretend to have rewarded you by giving you your liberty; I will also give you considerable riches. I would engage all our city to contribute towards making your fortune, but I will have the glory of doing it myself. To this obliging discourse I replied, Patron, God preserve you. Your giving me my liberty is enough to discharge what you owe me, and I desire no other reward for the service I had the good fortune to do to you and your city, but leave to return to my own country. Very well, said he, the monsoon [53] will in a little time bring ships for ivory. I will send you home then, and give you wherewith to bear your charges. I thanked him again for my liberty, and his good intentions towards me. I staid with him, expecting the monsoon; and during that time, we made so many journeys to the hill, that we filled all our warehouses with ivory. The other merchants, who traded in it, did the same thing, for it could not be long concealed from them. At these words Scheherazade, perceiving day, broke off. NINETIETH NIGHT. [54] Sir, said she to the sultan of the Indies, Sindbad went on with his seventh voyage thus: The ships arrived at last, and my patron himself having made choice of the ship wherein I was to embark, he loaded half of it with ivory on my account, he laid in provisions in abundance for my passage, and besides obliged me to accept a present of the curiosities of the country of great value. After I had returned him a thousand thanks for all his favours, I went aboard. We set sail, and as the adventure which procured me this liberty was very extraordinary, I had it continually in my thoughts. We stopped at some islands to take in fresh provisions. Our vessel being come to a port on the main land in the Indies, we touched there, and not being willing to venture by sea to Balsora, I landed my proportion of the ivory, resolving to proceed on my journey by land. I made vast sums of my ivory, I bought several rarities, which I intended for presents, and when my equipage was got ready, I set out in company of a large caravan of merchants. I was a long time on the way, and suffered very much; but endured all with patience, when I considered that I had nothing to fear from the seas, from pirates, from serpents, nor of the other perils I had undergone.