bo
mounting up in the Admiral.

He would let nothing in the canoe be touched. Instead he had placed
aboard a pot of honey and a flask of wine and three pieces of cloth,
then with a strong shove it was sent landward, and the tide making in,
it came to shore. We saw two venture from the wood and draw it up on
beach.

In a little while came around a point of shore a canoe with one Indian
who made toward us, using his oar very dexterously, and when he entered
our shadow holding up cotton and fruit. It was to be seen that he had
had no communication with the men of the large canoe.

The Admiral himself called out encouragingly and snatching the first
small thing at hand held it up. The Indian scrambled on board. He stood,
as fine a piece of bronze as any might see, before the Genoese, as great
a figure as might be found in all Italy--all Spain--all Europe.

The elder touched the younger, the white man the red man, as a king, a
father, might have touched a prince, a son. He himself took the youth
over our ship, showing him this, showing him that, had the music play
for him, brought him to Fray Ignatio who talked of Christ, pointing oft
to heaven. (To my thinking this action, often repeated, was one of the
things that for so long made them certain we had come from the skies.)
In the cabin he gave the Indian a cup of wine and a biscuit dipped in
honey. He gave him a silken cap with a tassel and himself put round his
throat one of our best strings of beads, and into his hand not one but
three of the much-coveted hawk bells. He was kinder than rain after
drought. First and last, he could well lend himself to the policy of
kindness, for it was not lending. Kindness was his nature.

In an hour this Indian, returned to his canoe, was rowing toward shore
with a swelling heart and a determined loyalty. He touched the island,
and we could trust him to be missionary, preaching with all fervor of
heaven and the gods.

Ay, me!

Whatever the other's defection, he more than covered it, the return of
the canoe aiding. Santa Maria de la Concepcion became again friendly.
But the Admiral that evening gave emphatic instruction to Martin and
Vicente Pinzon and all the gathered Spaniards. Just here, I think, began
the rift between him and many. Many would have by prompt taking, as they
take in war. Were not all these heathen and given? But he would have
another way round, though often he compromised with war; never wanting
war but forced