other sails, for a rumor ran that the King of Portugal was
sending ships to intercept us, sink us and none ever be the wiser, it
not being to his interest that Spain should make discoveries! Pedro it
was who put this into my ear as we hauled at the same rope. I laughed.
"Here beginneth the marvelous tale of this voyage! If all happens that
all say may happen, not the Pope's library can hold the books!"

The _Santa Maria_ was a good enough ship, though fifty men crowded it.
It was new and clean, a fair sailer, though not so swift as the Pinta.
We mariners settled ourselves in waist and forecastle. The Admiral, Juan
de la Cosa, the master, Roderigo Sanchez, Diego de Arana and Roderigo de
Escobedo, Pedro Gutierrez, a private adventurer, the physician Bernardo
Nunez and Fray Ignatio had great cabin and certain small sleeping cabins
and poop deck. In the forecastle almost all knew one another; all ran
into kinships near or remote. But the turn of character made the real
grouping. Pedro had his cluster and Sancho had his, and between swayed
now to the one and now to the other a large group. Fernando, I feel
gladness in saying, had with him but two or three. And aside stood
variations, individuals. Beltran the cook was such an one, a bold,
mirthful, likable man. We had several dry thinkers, and a braggart and
two or three who proved miserably villainous. We had weathercocks and
men who faced forward, no matter what the wind that blew.

The Admiral knew well that he must have, if he could, a ship patient,
contented and hopeful. I bear him witness that he spared no pains.

We had aboard trumpet and drum and viol, and he would have frequent
music. Each day toward evening each man was given a cup of wine. And
before sunset all were gathered for vesper service, and we sang _Salve
Regina_. At night the great familiar stars shone out above us.

Second day passed much like first,--light fickle wind, flapping sails,
smooth sea, cloudless sky. To-day beheld sea life after shore grown
habitual. We might have sailed from Marseilles or Genoa and been sailing
for a month. If this were all, then no more terror from the Sea of
Darkness than from our own so well-known sea! But Fernando said, "It is
after the Canaries! We know well enough it is not so bad this side of
them. Why do they call them Dog Islands?"

"Perhaps they found dogs there."

"No, but that they give warning like watchdogs! 'If you go any further
it shall be to your woe!'"