How the storms beat on him--how the winds and waves buffeted him, and
tried to drive him back--but--"No, no, he wuz bound for the New Land! he
wuz bound for the West!"

How the sailors riz up and plead with him and begged him to turn
back--but "No," sez he, "I go to the New Land!"

Then they would tell him that there wuzn't any such Land, and stick to
it right up and down, and jeer at him.

Did it turn him round--"No! I sail onward," sez he, "I go to the West!"

Then the principalities and powers of the onseen World seemed to take it
in hand and tried to drive him back. There wuz signs and omens seen that
wuz reckoned disastrous, and threatened destruction.

Mebby the souls of them who had passed over from the New Land, mebby
them disembodied faithful shades wuz a-tryin' to save their free sunny
huntin' grounds from the hands of the invader, and their race from the
fate that threatened 'em--mebby they hurled onseen tommyhawks, and
shrieked down at 'em, tryin' to turn 'em back--

Mebby they did, and then agin mebby they didn't.

But anyway, there wuz lurid lightin' flashes that looked like flights of
fiery arrows aimed at the heads of the Spanish seamen, and shriekin's of
the tempest amidst the sails overhead that sounded like cries of anger,
and distress, and warnin'.

Did Columbus heed them fearful warnin's and turn back? No; dauntless and