that the supposed cloud is in reality an enormous bird, and remembers having heard the sailors speak of a prodigious creature of this kind, called a roc, and conjectures that the great white circular mass must be its egg. In this he finds he is not mistaken, for the monster alights and proceeds to sit on the egg. He approaches and notices the claw, which is as big as the trunk of a large tree. This suggests to him a mode of escaping from his difficulties. He takes off and unfolds his turban, and ties himself by it to the roc's leg. In the morning the bird flies away, and carries him with it to such a height that he cannot distinguish the earth. Then he descends with equal rapidity. As soon as it reaches the ground Sindbad unties the knot, and has scarcely released himself, when the bird seizes a huge serpent in its beak and flies away with it.

Here are two circumstances, both of which, I suppose, appear quite incredible to the general reader—first the prodigious size ascribed to the egg, and mother-bird, and secondly the incident of Sindbad's being carried by the latter through the air, in the manner described. As regards the first of these two matters-the size of the roc and other birds-that will be considered in a subsequent chapter: the second we will examine now. It may certainly be affirmed that there exists no bird at the present time which could carry anything like such a weight as that of a man of ordinary size, nor has any such existed in the recorded experience of any trustworthy writer. But as in the instance of the enormous fish, so here too, it must be observed that this story of Sindbad does not stand alone. Other independent authorities relate the same. The classical reader will remember the fable of Ganymede, who was said to have been carried up to the skies on the back of an eagle. The old Danish story, reproduced by Hans Andersen, describes

a lady being similarly transported through the air by twelve swans. In the "Baital Pachisi " mention is made of Ganu, a gigantic bird with a human face, said to be the vehicle of Vishnu. The descent of Ganu is described in the fifteenth tale in the following terms:

"The prince perceived that each leg of this bird was as long as four bamboos, that his beak was as long as a palm-tree, his belly like a mountain, his eyes like gates, and his feathers like clouds. All at once he rushed with open beak upon the prince. The first time the prince saved himself, but the second, the bird flew up with him in his beak, and began wheeling upwards with him in the air." ("Baital Pachisi," p. 126.)

El Kazweenee, the Arabian geographer, whom we have already quoted, has a story very like that of Sindbad's second voyage. It is contained in the "Khitab-el-Ajaib" (Book of Wonders), and is somewhat of the longest. But it is so much to the purpose, that it ought not to be omitted here.

"A man of Ispahan related to me, that he was burdened with debts, and the expenses of supporting his family. So he quitted Ispahan, and misfortune so accompanied him, that he went to sea with some merchants. 'The waves,' he says, 'beat us about, until we came to the well known whirlpool of the sea of Persia. Thereupon the merchants came to the master of the vessel, and said, "Dost thou know any escape from this whirlpool, except such as God may provide?”

"So, I said, "O people, we are all in a place of destruction, and I am a man wearied by misery, and I wish for death." Now there was in the ship a party of men from Ispahan. I said therefore to them, "Swear that ye will discharge my

debts, and act with beneficence to my children, and I will ransom you at the cost of my own life." And I said to the master of the ship, "What dost thou command me to do?" He answered, "I command that thou stand upon this island" -for there was near unto the whirlpool an island, the extent of which was six days' and six nights' journey-" and that thou cease not to beat this drum." So I replied, "I will do it."

"Accordingly they swore to me severe oaths that they would comply with the conditions that I had imposed upon them; and they gave me water and food, which would suffice me for some days. And I stood on the shores of the island, and began to beat the drum. Whereupon I beheld the waters move, while I looked at the ship until it was out of sight. Then I went to and fro upon the island, and, lo! I beheld an enormous tree, such as I have not seen any greater, and upon it was something like a large roof. At the close of the day I heard a great vehement, harsh voice, and lo! a huge bird, than which I have not seen any greater, came and alighted upon the roof of that tree. So I hid myself, fearing lest he should make me his prey, until the light of the morning approached, when he shook his wings and flew away. The next night he came again, and alighted upon his nest, and I was again in despair of my life, and contented to await destruction. I approached him, but he and flew away in the morning. And when the third night came, I sat by him without consternation, until he shook his wings at daybreak. On his doing so, I laid hold upon his legs, and he flew away with me, with a most rapid flight, until the daybreak arose, when I looked towards the earth, and saw naught save an abyss of water. Upon this I was about to quit my hold of his legs by reason of the violence of the

showed no hostility to me,