And this
stratagem they make use of to get the diamonds out of the valley,
which is surrounded with such precipices that nobody can enter it.
I believed till then that it was not possible for me to get out of
this abyss, which I looked upon as my grave; but now I changed my
mind, for the falling in of those pieces of meat put me in hopes of
a way of saving my life.
I began to gather together the largest diamonds that I could see,
and put them into the leathern bag in which I used to carry my
provisions. I afterwards took the largest piece of meat I could
find, tied it close round me with the cloth of my turban, and then
laid myself upon the ground, with my face downward, the bag of
diamonds being tied fast to my girdle, so that it could not
possibly drop off.
I had scarcely laid me down before the eagles came. Each of them
seized a piece of meat, and one of the strongest having taken me
up, with a piece of meat on my back, carried me to his nest on the
top of the mountain. The merchants fell straightway to shouting, to
frighten the eagles; and when they had obliged them to quit their
prey, one of them came to the nest where I was. He was very much
afraid when he saw me, but recovering himself, instead of inquiring
how I came thither, he began to quarrel with me, and asked why I
stole his goods.
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