y
covering the island. It was island, masthead told us, who saw blue
ribbon going around. Moreover, there were two others, no greater, upon
the horizon. Nor, though the woodland seemed thick as pile of velvet,
was it desolate isle. We made out in three places light plumes of smoke.
Now some one uttered a cry, "Men!"

They were running out of the wood, down upon the white beach. There
might be a hundred.

"Naked men! They are dark--They are negroes!"--"Or magicians!"

The Admiral lifted his great voice. "Mariners all! India and Cathay are
fringed with islands, as are many parts of Europe. A dozen of you have
sailed among the Greek islands. There may be as many here as those. This
is a small island and its folk simple. They are not Negroes, but the
skin of the Indian is darker than ours, and that of Cipango and Cathay
is yellow. As for clothing, in all warm lands the simpler folk wear
little. But as for magicians, there may be magicians among them as
there are among all peoples, but it is falseness and absurdity to speak
of all as magicians! Nonsense and cowardice! The man who cried that goes
not ashore to-day!"

Not Great India before us nor Golden Cipango! But it was land--land--it
was solid, there were folk! How long had flowed the sea around us, for
this was the twelfth of October, five weeks since Gomera and above two
months since Palos had sunk away and we had heard the last faint bell of
La Rabida! And there had been strong doubt if ever we should see again a
white beach, or a tree, or a kindly fire ashore, or any men but those of
our three ships, or ever another woman or a child. But land--land!
Here was land and green woods and crowds of strange folk. The mariners
laughed, and the tears stood in their eyes and friends embraced. And
they grew mightily respectful to the Admiral.

So many were to go ashore in the first boat, and so many in the second.
The _Pinta_ and the Nina were lowering their boats. Our hidalgos aboard,
Diego de Arana, Roderigo Sanchez and the rest, had also fine apparel
with them--seeing that the Grand Khan would have a court and our
Sovereigns must be rightly represented--and this morning they suited
themselves only less splendidly than did the Admiral. The great banner
of Castile and Leon was ready for carrying. Trumpet, drum and fife
should land. Fray Ignatio was ready--oh, ready! His liquid dark eyes had
an unearthly look. Gifts were being sorted out. There were aboard rich
things, val