1492 Part 11

WE were a long, long way from Spain. A flight of birds went over us.

They were flying too high for distinguishing, but we did not hold them to be sea birds. We sounded, but the lead touched no bottom. West and west and west, pushed by that wind! Late September, and we had left Palos the third of August.

The wind shifted and became contrary. The sea that for so long had been gla.s.sy smooth took on a roughness. A bird that was surely a forest bird beaten to us perched upon a stretched rope and uttered three quick cries. A boy climbed and softly took it from behind. It fluttered in the Admiral's two hands. All came to look. Its plumage was blue, its breast reddish. We wondered, but before we could make it a cage, it strongly strove and was gone. One flash and all the azure took it to itself.

In the night the waves flattened. Rose-dawn showed smooth sea and every sail filled again with that westward journeying wind. Yesterday's roughness and the bird tossed aboard were as a dream.

A day and a day and a day. As much Ocean-Sea as ever, and Asia a lie, and alike at this end and that of the vessel a dull despondency, and Pedro Gutierrez's wit grown ugly. So naked, so lonely, so indifferent spread the Sea of Darkness!

Another day and another and another. When half the ship was at the point of mutiny signs reappeared and thickened. Birds flew over the ships; one perched beside the Admiral's banner and sang. More than that, a wood dove came upon the deck and ate corn that was strewed for it.

"Colombo--Colombo!" quoth the Admiral. "I, too, am 'dove.'" And he opened a window and sent forth a "dove" to find if there were land!

Almost the whole ship from Jason down took these two birds for portents.

Fray Ignatio lifted hands. "The Blessed Francis who knew that birds have souls to save hath sent them!" We pa.s.sed the drifting branch of a tree.

It had green leaves. The sea ran extremely blue and clear, and half the ship thought they smelled frankincense, brought on the winds which now were changeable. At evening rose a great cry of "Land!" and indeed to one side the sinking sun seemed veritable cliffs with a single mountain peak. The Admiral, who knew more of sea and air than any two men upon those ships, cried "Cloud--cloud!" but for a time none believed him.

There sprang great commotion, the _Pinta_ too signaling. Then before our eyes came a rift in the mountain and the cliffs slipped into the sea.

But now all believed in land ahead. It was as though some one had with laughter tossed them that a.s.surance over the horizon straight before us.

Every mariner now was emulous to be the lookout, every man kept eyes on the west. Now sprang clear and real to them the royal promise of ten thousand maravedies pension to him who first sighted c.i.p.ango, Cathay or India. The Admiral added a prize of a green velvet doublet.

We had come nigh eight hundred leagues.

In the cabin, upon the table he spread Toscanelli's map, and beside it a great one like it, of his own making, signed in the corner _Columbus de Terra Rubra_. The depiction was of a circle, and in the right or eastern side showed the coasts of Ireland and England, France, Spain and Portugal, and of Africa that portion of which anything was known. Out in Ocean appeared the islands gained in and since Prince Henry's day. Their names were written,--Madeira, Canaria, Cape de Verde and Azores. West of these and filling the middle map came Ocean-Sea, an open parchment field save for here a picture of a great fish, and here a siren and here Triton, and here the Island of the Seven Cities and here Saint Brandon's Isle, and these none knew if they be real or magical! Wide middle map and River-Ocean! The eye quitting that great void approached the left or western side of the circle. And now again began islands great and small with legends written across and around them. The great island was c.i.p.ango, and across the extent of it ran in fine lettering. "Marco Polo was here. It is the richest of the eastern lands. The houses are roofed with gold. The people are idolaters. There are spices and pearls, nutmegs, pepper and precious stones. Very much gold so that the common people use it as they wish."

We read, the Admiral seated, we, the great cabin group, standing, bending over the table. After the islands came mainland. "Cathay" ran the writing. "Mangi. Here is the seat of the Great Khan. His city is Cambalu." South of all this ran other drawings and other legends. "Here, opposite Africa, near the equator, are islands called Manillas. They have lodestone, so that no ship with iron can sail to them. Here is Java of all the spices. Here is great India that the ancients knew."

"We are bearing toward c.i.p.ango," said the Admiral. "I look first for small outward islands, where perhaps the folk are uncouth and simple, and there is little gold."

And again days pa.s.sed. When many times upon the _Santa Maria_ and as often on the _Pinta_ and the _Nina_ some one had cried "Land!" and the ships been put in commotion and the land melted into air before our eyes, and another as plausible island or coast formed before us only to vanish, despair seized us again. Witchcraft and sorcery and monstrous ignorance, and fooled to our deaths! "West--west--west!" till the west was hated. The Pinzons thought we should change course. If there were lands we were leaving them in the north where hung the haze. But the Madman or the Black Magician, our Italian Admiral, would not hear good advice! It was Gutierrez's word, under his breath when the Admiral was in earshot, and aloud when he was not. "Our Italian--our Italian! Why did not Italy keep him? And Portugal neither would have him! Castile, the jade, takes him up!"

Then after absence began again the signs. Flocks of birds went by us. I saw him watching, and truly these flights did seem to come from south of west. On the seventh of October he altered course. We sailed southwest.

This day there floated by a branch with purple berries, and we saw flying fish. Dolphins played about the ship. The very sea felt warm to the hand, and yet was no oppression, but light and easily breathed air, fragrant and lifting the spirits.

And now we saw floating something like a narrow board or a wide staff.

The master ordered the boat lowered; we brought it in and it was given dripping into the Admiral's hand. "It is carved by man," he said.

"Look!" Truly it was so, rudely done with bone or flint, but carved by man with something meant for a picture of a beast and a tree.

We sailed west by south this day and the next. No more man-wrought driftage came our way, but other signs multiplied. We saw many birds, the water was strangely warm and clear, when the wind blew toward us it had a scent, a tone, that cried land breeze! Then came by a branch with yellow flowers, and upon one a b.u.t.terfly. After this none doubted, not Fernando nor any. "Gold flowers--gold flowers--gold, gold!"

This night we lay by so that we should not slip past land in the darkness. When day came there showed haze south and west. A gentle wind sang in our rigging. On board the _Santa Maria_, the Pinta and the Nina all watched for land. Excitement and restlessness took us all.

The Admiral's eyes burned like deep gray seas. I could read in them the images behind. _Prester John and the Release of the Sepulchre. The Grand Khan a tributary Prince. Argosies of gold, silk and spices, sailing steady, sailing fast over a waterway unblocked by Mahound and his soldans. All Europe burning bright, rising a rich Queen. Holy Church with_ _another cubit to her stature. Christopherus Columbus, the Discoverer, the Enricher, the Deliverer! Queen Isabella, and on her cheeks a flush of grat.i.tude; all the Spanish court bowing low. All the friends, the kindred, all so blessed! Sons, brothers; Genoa, and Domenico Colombo clad in velvet, dining with the Doge_.

Dolphins were all about us; once there rose a cry from the mariners that they heard singing over the waves. We held breath and listened, but if they were sirens they ceased their song. But at eve, the sky pale gold, the water a sapphire field, we ourselves sang mightily our "_Salve Regina_."

The Admiral would speak to us. Now all loved him, with golden India rising to-morrow from the sea, with his wisdom proving itself! He had this eve a thrilling voice. G.o.d had been good to us; who could say other? This very eve, at Palos, they thought of us. At Santa Maria de la Rabida, chanting vesper hymn, they prayed for us also. In Cordova the Queen prayed. In Rome, the Holy Father had us in mind. Would we lessen ourselves, disappointing so many, and very G.o.d, grieving very Christ?

"No! But out of this ship we shall step on this land to come, good men, true men, servants and sons of Christ in His kingdom. This night, in India before us, men sigh, 'We weary of our idols! Why tarrieth true G.o.d?' There the learned think, bending over their maps, 'Why doth not some one put forth, bringing all the lands into one garland?' They look to their east whence we come, and they may see in dream tonight these three ships!" His voice rang. "I tell you these Three Ships shall be known forever! Your grandchildren's grandchildren shall say, 'The _Santa Maria_, the Pinta and the Nina--and one that was our ancestor sailed in this one or in that one, to the glory and gain of the world, wherefore we still make festival of his birthday!'"

At this they stirred, whether from Palos or Huelva or Fishertown. They looked at him now as though indeed he were great mage, or even apostle.

That evening I heard Roderigo de Escobedo at an enumeration. He seemed to have committed to memory some Venice list. "Mastic, aloes, pepper, cloves, mace and cinnamon and nutmeg. Ivory and silk and most fine cloth, diamonds, bala.s.ses, rubies, pearls, sapphires, jacinth and emeralds. Silver in bulk and gold common as iron with us. Gold--gold!"

Pedro Gutierrez was speaking. "Gold to carry to Spain and pay my debts, with enough left to go again to court--"

Said Escobedo, "The Admiral saith, 'No fraud nor violence, quarreling nor oppression'!"

Gutierrez answered: "The Admiral also thinks to pay his debts! He may think he will be strict as the Saints, but he will not!"

The Admiral was walking the deck. He stopped beside Juan Lepe who leaned upon the rail and watched a strange, glistering sea. It was that shining stuff we see at times at night in certain weather. But to-night Luis Torres, pa.s.sing, had said, "Strewn ducats!"

The Admiral and Juan Lepe watched. "Never a sail!" said I. "How strange a thing is that! Great populous countries that trade among themselves, and never a sail on this sea rim!"

He drummed upon the rail. "Do not think I have not thought of that! I looked to meet first a ship or ships. But now I think that truly there may be many outlying islands without ships. Or there may be a war between princes, and all ships drawn in a fleet to north or south.

One beats one's brains--and time brings the solution, and we say, 'How simple!'"

Turning his great figure, he mounted to our castle built up from deck, whence he could see great distances. The wind had freshened; we were standing to the west; it was behind us again and it pushed us like a shuttle in a giant's hand. The night was violet dark and warm; then at ten the moon rose. Men would not sleep while the ship sailed. A great event was marching, marching toward us. We thought we caught the music of it; any moment heralds, banners, might flame at end of road. We were watching for the Marriage Procession; we were watching for Kings, for the Pope, for I know not what! But there was certain to be largesse.

I went among the mariners. Sancho met me, a young man whom then and afterwards I greatly liked. "Well, we've had luck, senor! Saint Noah himself, say I, wasn't any luckier!"

"Yes, we've done well!"

Beltran the cook's great easy voice rolled in. "Fear's your only barnacle, say I!"

Luis Torres said, "When I studied Arabic and the Hebrew, I thought it was for the pleasure of it. They said around me, 'How you waste your time!' But now some about the Grand Khan should know Arabic. I will be of use."

Pedro said, "Well, it has turned out better than any reasonable man could have expected!" and Fernando, "Yes, it has! Of course there may be witches. I've heard it said there are great necromancers in India!"

"Necromancers! That's them that show you a thing and then blow it away--"

I said, "Do you not know that all of us are the only necromancers?"

"Did you see," asked Sancho, "the glistering in the water? Are we going to lie to after midnight? Saint George! I would like to plunge in and swim!"

On p.o.o.p deck, Diego de Arana called me to him. "Well, Doctor, how goes it?" He and I rested good friends. I said, "Why, it goes well."

"I was thinking, watching the moon, how little I ever dreamed, being no sea-going man, of such a thing as this. Who knows his fate? A man's a strange matter!"

"He is a ballad," I answered. "One stave leads to another and the story mounts."

"I cannot think what to-morrow may show us!"

"Nor can I! But it will be important. We enter by a narrow strait great widths of the future."

"There will be great changes, doubtless. Our world is growing little.

Everybody feels that we must push out! It isn't only Spain, but all kingdoms."

Pedro Gutierrez joined us. "You are a learned man, Doctor! What like are the women of c.i.p.ango?"

The moon, past the full yet strong enough to silver this vast shield, rose higher. The sails of the _Pinta_ and the Nina were curves of pearl, our sails above us pale mountains. The light dimmed our lanterns.

Crowned woman at our prow would be bathed in it as she ran across Ocean-Sea. It washed our decks, p.r.i.c.ked out our moving men. They cast shadows. The master had served out an extra draught of wine. It was hardly needed. We were all lifted, with visions drumming in our heads.