ued in any land of ours, for gifts to the Grand Khan and his
ministers, or the Emperor of Cipango and his. For Queens and Empresses
and Ladies also. And there was a wondrous missal for Prester John did
we find him! But this was evidently a little island afar, and these were
naked, savage men. The expedition was provident. It had for all. The
Portuguese, our great navigators, had taught what the naked African
liked. A basket stood at hand filled with pieces of colored cloth,
beads, caps, hawk bells, fishhooks, toys of sorts. For that we might
have trouble, four harquebus men and four crossbows were going. The
_Santa Maria_ carried two cannon. Now at the Admiral's signal, one of
these was discharged. It was a voice not heard before in this world.
If he wished to produce awe that should accompany him like the ancient
pillars of cloud and fire, he had success. When the smoke cleared we saw
the wild men prostrate upon the ivory beach as though a scythe had cut
them down. They lay like fallen grain, then rose and made haste for the
wood. We could thinly hear their shouting.

Christopherus Columbus descended into the boat of the _Santa Maria_,
Fray Ignatio after him. Diego de Arana, Roderigo Sanchez, Escobedo,
Gutierrez and Juan Lepe the physician followed. Juan de la Cosa stayed
with the ship, it not being wise to take away all authority. Our armed
men came after and the rowers. We drew off and the small boat filled.
Boats of the Pinta and the Nina joined us. The great banner over us, the
Admiral's hand upon its standard, we rowed for Asia.

Nearer and nearer. The water hung about us, plain marvel, not dark blue,
but turquoise and clear as air. We could see the strange, bright-hued
fish and the white bottom. The air breathed Maytime, and now we thought
we could tell the spices. And so ivory-white it was, the long curved
beach, and so gayly bright the emerald of the wood! There were many
palms with other trees we knew not. It was low, the island, and it shone
before us silver and green, and the trees moved gently in a wind more
sweet, we thought, than any Andalusian zephyr. Pedro Gutierrez stared.
"Paradise--Paradise!"

It was not what we had looked for, but it was good enough. It seemed
divine, that morning!

Nearer we drew, nearer. The beach was now bare. We made out the dark,
naked folk at edge of the wood, in tree shadows, watching us. Were they
strange to us, be sure we were stranger to them!

The azure water, so mar