ee nights' weather that truly
drove us apart, the _Pinta_ and the _Nina_. We lost each other in the
darkness and never found again. We were beaten into the Tagus, the
_Pinta_ on to Bayonne. Then, mid-March, we came to Palos, landed and
the wonder began. And in three days who should come limping in but the
_Pinta_? But she missed the triumph, and Martin Pinzon was sick, and
there was some coldness shown. He went ashore to his own house, and his
illness growing worse he died there. Well, he had qualities."

"Aye," I answered, with a vision of the big, bluff, golden-haired man.

"Vicente Pinzon is here; his ship the _Cordera_ yonder. What's the stir
now? The Admiral will go to see Guacanagari?"

That, it seemed, was what it was, and presently came word that Juan
Lepe should go with him. A body of cavaliers sumptuously clad, some even
wearing shining corselet, greaves and helm, was forming about him who
was himself in a magnificent dress. Besides these were fifty of the
plainer sort, and there lacked not crossbow, lance and arquebus. And
there were banners and music. We were going like an army to be brotherly
with Guacanagari. Father Buil was going also, and his twelve gowned men.
"Who," I asked Luis, "is the man beside the Admiral? He seems his kin."

"He is. It is his brother, Don Diego. He is a good man, able,
too, though not able like the Admiral. They say the other brother,
Bartholomew, who is in England or in France, is almost as able. How
dizzily turns the wheel for some of us! Yesterday plain Diego and
Bartholomew, a would-be churchman and a shipmaster and chart-maker! Now
Don Diego--Don Bartholomew! And the two sons watching us off from Cadiz!
Pages both of them to the Prince, and pictures to look at! 'Father!' and
'Noble father! and 'Forget not your health, who are our Dependance!'"

Waiting for all to start, I yet regarded that huge dazzle upon the
beach, so many landed, so many coming from the ships, the ships
themselves so great a drift of sea birds! As for those dark folk--what
should they think of all these breakers-in from heaven? It seemed to
me to-day that despite their friendliness shown us here from the first,
despite the miracle and the fed eye and ear and the excitement, they
knew afar a pale Consternation.

At last, to drum and trumpet, we passed from shining beach into
green forest. I found myself for a moment beside Diego Colon--not the
Admiral's brother, but the young Indian so named. Now he w