Travels of Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela (Google Books ⧉, Amazon ⧉, Bookshop ⧉)

The Travels of Marco Polo

The story takes a peculiar form in the Travels of Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela. He heard that when ships were in danger of being lost in the stormy sea that led to China the sailors were wont to sew themselves up in hides, and so when cast upon the surface they were snatched up by great eagles called gryphons, which carried their supposed prey ashore, etc.