They were slow to learn that the wind pushed us, acting
like a thousand tireless rowers. We were thrillingly new to
them and altogether magical. To any seeing eye a ship under
full sail is a beautiful, stately, thrilling thing! To these
red men there was a perilous joy in the vision. If to us in
the ships there hung in this voyage something mystic, hidden,
full of possibility, inch by inch to unroll, throbbing all
with the future which is the supernatural, be sure these, too,
who were found and discovered, moved in a cloud of mystery
torn by strange lightnings!

Sometimes we came into haven, dropped anchor and lowered
sails, whereupon those on the shore again cried out.
When we took our boats and went to land we met always
the same reception, found much the same village, carried on
much the same conversations. Little by little we collected
gold. By now, within the Admiral's chest, in canvas bags,
rested not a little treasure for Queen Isabella and King
Ferdinand. And though it was forbidden, I knew that many
of our seamen hid gold. All told we found enough to whet
appetite. But still the Indians said south, and Babeque and
Bohio!

At last we had sailed to the very eastern end of Cuba and
turned it as we might turn the heel of Italy. A great spur
that ran into the ocean the Admiral dubbed Alpha and
Omega, and we planted a cross.

It fell to me here to save the Admiral's life.