eft us. But no sooner
had they reached land and told of great kindness on the part of the
inhabitants of heaven than other canoes and other swimmers put forth.
This might go on all day, so we checked it by ourselves going ashore.

This day we filled our water casks and took aboard much fruit and all
the cakes that they brought us. Moreover we explored the island, finding
two villages of a piece with the first, and in the middle land a fair
pool of water. This day like yesterday was blissful wine.

All blessed Christopherus Columbus. No man now but, for a while, did his
bidding with an open heart.

In the morning we sailed away, not without plentiful promises of return.
When we put up our white sails they cried out and pointed to the cloud
sierra. No! We would not go back to heaven--or if we did so we would
come again, loving so our gentle friends upon earth! We sailed, and in
all our after wanderings we never came back to this island. And never
again, I think, while Columbus voyaged, did there come to us just the
bright, exquisite thrill of that first land after long doubt and no
land. San Salvador--Holy Saviour Island!

CHAPTER XVII

WE were in a throng of islands. We might drop all for a little while,
then from masthead "Land ho!" None were great islands, many far smaller
than San Salvador. At night we lay to, not knowing currents and shoals;
then broke the day and we flung out sail.

We had with us upon the _Santa Maria_ three San Salvador men. They
had come willingly, two young, fearless men, and one old man with a
wrinkled, wise, interested face. Assiduous to gain their tongue and
impart our own, the Admiral, beside his own effort, told off for
especial teachers and scholars Luis Torres and Juan Lepe. We did gain
knowledge, but as yet everything was imperfect, without fine shading,
and subject to all miscomprehension. But like the rest of us, the
Admiral guessed in accordance with his wishes and his previous belief.

All these islands lay flat or almost flat upon the sea. All showed ivory
beach, vivid wood, surrounding water, transparent and heavenly blue,
inhabited by magically colored fish. When we dropped anchor, took boat
and landed, it was to find the same astonished folk, naked, harmless,
holding us for gods, bringing all they had, eager for our toys which
were to them king's treasures and holy relics. Every island the Admiral
named; he gave them goodly names! Over and over the Indians pointed
sou