seen the sun's town? Was it
beside us in heaven, in "Europe"? The sun went down under the mountains,
and there he found a river and his canoe. He rowed all night until he
came to his town. Then he ate cassava cakes and rested, while the green
and gold and red Lizard [These were "Lizard" folk. They had a Lizard
painted on a great post by the cacique's house.] went ahead to say that
he was coming. Then he rose, right out of the great water, and there was
day again! But we must know about the sun's town; we, the gods!

Luis and I could have stayed long while and disentangled this place and
loved the doing it.

But it was to return to the Admiral and the waiting ships.

The three tobacco men would go with us to see wonders, so we returned
nine in number along the path. Before we set out we saw that a storm
threatened. All six Indians were loth to depart until it was over, and
the cacique would have kept us. But Luis and I did not know how long the
bad weather might hold and we must get to the ships. It was Jerez who
told them boastfully that gods did not fear storms,--specimen of that
Spanish folly of ours that worked harm and harm again!

We traveled until afternoon agreeably enough, then with great swiftness
the clouds climbed and thickened. Sun went out, air grew dark. The
Indians behind us on the path, that was so narrow that we must tread one
after the other, spoke among themselves, then Diego Colon pushed through
marvelously huge, rich fern to Luis and me. "They say, 'will not the
gods tell the clouds to go away?'" But doubt like a gnome sat in the
youth's eye. We had had bad weather off Isabella, and the gods had had
to wait for the sun like others. By now Diego Colon had seen many and
strange miracles, but he had likewise found limitations, quite numerous
and decisive limitations! He thought that here was one, and I explained
to him that he thought correctly. Europeans could do many things but
this was not among them. Luis and I watched him tell the Cubans that he,
Diego Colon, had never said that we three were among the highest gods.
Even the great, white-headed, chief god yonder in the winged canoe was
said to be less than some other gods in heaven which we called Europe,
and over all was a High God who could do everything, scatter clouds,
stop thunder or send thunder, everything! Had we brought our butio with
us he might perhaps have made great magic and helped things. As it was,
we must take luck. That seemin