17. Such a venture as Columbus proposed could scarcely be carried out
at that time except by the help of kings, so to the kings went
Columbus.

18. Naturally, Portugal, with her proved interest in discovery, came
first in his thought; and before Portugal's king he laid his project.
The king should fit him out with vessels and men, and with them
Columbus would sail to the Indies, not by the route around Africa,
which the Portuguese had so long been seeking, but by a nearer
way--straight across the Atlantic. Think of the untold wealth from the
empire of the khan rolling in to Portugal if this connection could be
established! And think of converting those heathen to our blessed
mother church! It was worth thinking about, and the king called a
council of his wise men to consider the startling idea. Not long were
the wise men in wisely deciding that the plan was the wild scheme of
an adventurer, likely to come to no good whatever; and when the king,
hardly satisfied, laid it before another council, they, too, wisely
declared it ridiculous.

19. O ye owlish dignitaries! Still, the king was not convinced. "We
have discovered much by daring adventure, why not more?" "Stick to the
coast, and don't go sailing straight away from all known land into
waters unknown and mysterious," said the wise men. "But if the unknown
waters bring us to the riches of Cathay?" said the king. "That's the
extravagant dream of a visionary; it contains no truth and much
danger," said the wise men. "Try it yourself, and see. Unbeknown to
this Columbus, just send out a ship of your own to the west, and let
them come back and tell us what they find."

20. It was a most underhand piece of business all around; but the king