Slartibartfast encountered Arthur Dent when he (along with Zaphod Beeblebrox, Ford Prefect, Trillian and Marvin) traveled to Magrathea. He showed Dent his newly-redesigned Africa, with plenty of fjords because they give a "baroque" feel to a continent. Slartibartfast shared the historical records on Sens-O-Tape with Arthur of the story of Deep Thought and the Answer to the Ultimate Question. Slartibartfast also later assisted Arthur and Ford, through the use of his starship Bistromath, in combatting the menace of the Krikkiteers.