en they sailed eastwards across
the Atlantic.

On February 12 a storm arose. All the sails were furled and the two
ships lost sight of one another for good. The _Nina_ pitched horribly
and threatened to sink. All made ready for death. Columbus, fearing that
his discoveries would perish with him, wrote a narrative on parchment,
covered it with wax and placed it in a cask, which was entrusted to the
angry waves. The sailors thought that it was an offering with which
Columbus sought to allay the storm.

A few days later the _Nina_ arrived safely at the southernmost island of
the Azores, and thence continued her voyage to the mouth of the Tagus
and Lisbon.

On March 15 the inhabitants of Palos saw the most famous of all the
ships of the world come into the harbour. The people streamed down with
the wildest jubilation and all the church bells were rung. The same
evening the _Pinta_ also sailed in, but was very differently received,
for it was already known that Pinzon wished to usurp the honour of the
discovery, being convinced that Columbus's vessel had been lost in the
storm. No one took any notice of him, and he died a few days later,
probably of chagrin and sorrow.

In Seville Columbus received a summons from the King and Queen, who were
staying in Barcelona. His journey through Spain was one great triumphal
progress. He was feted as a conqueror in every town. He was conducted in
a brilliant procession through the streets, six copper-brown "Indians"
marching at the head with coloured feathers in their head-dresses. This
was Christopher Columbus, who had given new lands to Spain, who had
discovered a convenient sea route to India just at the time when the
Portuguese were looking for a route thither round the coast of Africa.
In Barcelona all his titles and privileges were solemnly confirmed. Now
he was actually the Admiral of the Ocean and Viceroy of India. Now he
had attained the height of worldly honour.

Then began the time of adversity.

On his second voyage, when he set out with seventeen ships, he
discovered the northern Antilles as far as Porto Rico and came in
contact with cannibals. At Haiti he found that the forty men whom he had
left behind on his first voyage had been killed by the natives. He took
it for granted that Cuba was the mainland of Asia, and that thence the
journey to Spain might be made dryshod by following Marco Polo's
footsteps. Discontent was rife among his men, the natives rose up
again