panish money in a different way, say that what Queen Isabella gave
toward the expedition was not over three or four thousand dollars of our
money. Perhaps as much more was borrowed from King Ferdinand, although
he was to have no share in the enterprise in which Queen Isabella and
Columbus were partners.

It was just an hour before sunrise on Friday, the third of August, 1492,
that the three little ships hoisted their anchors and sailed away from
the port of Palos. I suppose it was a very sorry and a very exciting
morning in Palos. The people probably crowded down on the docks, some of
them sad and sorrowful, some of them restless and curious. Their fathers
and brothers and sons and acquaintances were going--no one knew where,
dragged off to sea by a crazy old Italian sailor who thought there was
land to be found somewhere beyond the Jumping-off place. They all knew
he was wrong. They were certain that nothing but dreadful goblins and
horrible monsters lived off there to the West, just waiting to devour
or destroy the poor sailors when these three little ships should tumble
over the edge.

But how different Columbus must have felt as he stepped, into the
rowboat that took him off to his "flag-ship," the Santa Maria. His
dreams had come true. He had ships and sailors under his command, and
was about to sail away to discover great and wonderful things. He who
had been so poor that he could hardly buy his own dinner, was now called
Don and Admiral. He had a queen for his friend and helper. He was given
a power that only the richest and noblest could hope for. But more than
all, he was to have the chance he had wished and worked for so long. He
was to find the Indies; he was to see Cathay; he was to have his share
in all the wealth he should discover and bring away. The son of the
poor wool-weaver of Genoa was to be the friend of kings and princes; the
cabin boy of a pirate was now Admiral of the Seas and Governor of the
Colonies of Spain! Do you wonder that he felt proud?

So, as I have told you, just before sunrise on a Friday morning in
August, he boarded the Santa Maria and gave orders to his captains
"to get under way." The sailors with a "yo heave ho!" (or whatever the
Spanish for that is) tugged at the anchors, the sails filled with the
morning breeze, and while the people of Palos watched them from the
shore, while the good friar, Juan Perez, raised his hands to Heaven
calling down a blessing on the enterprise, whi