1492

by Mary Johnston

  CHAPTER XV

  THE Admiral set a watch and commanded all beside to sleep. To-morrowmight be work and wakefulness enough! The ship grew silent. With the_Pinta_ and the Nina it lay under the moon, and all around was silverwater.

  He did not sleep this night, I am sure. At all times he was a providentand wakeful sea king who knew his ship through and through. His habitwas light sleep and not many hours of that. He studied his books atnight while others slept. Lying in his bed, with eyes open or eyes shut,he watched form in the darkness lands across sea.

  This night so far from Europe passed. The sense of day at hand wrappedus. In the east arose a cool, a stern and indifferent pallor. Itchanged, it flushed. We carried in the _Santa Maria_ a cock and hens.Cock crew.

  Christopherus Columbus had Italian love for fit, harmonious noting ofvast events. This morning the trumpeter also of the Santa Maria wakedthose who slept. The clear and joyful notes were heard by the Pinta andthe Pinta, too, answered with music. The Nina took it from her. Beltranthe cook and his helpers gave us a stately breakfast. The Admiral cameforth from his cabin in a dress that a prince might have worn, crimsonand tawny, and around his throat a golden chain. Far and near rushedinto light, for in these lands and seas the dawn makes no tarrying. Itis almost night, then with a great clap of light it is day.

  We had voyaged, all thought, to Asia over an untrodden way. Every eyeturned to land. Not haze, not dissolving cloud, not a magic nothing inthe thought, but land, land, solid, palpable, like Palos strand! Had weseen a great port city, had we seen ships crowding harbor, had we seena citadel on some height, armed and frowning, had we marked temples andpalaces and banners afloat in this divine cool wind of morning, manyaboard us would have had now no surprise, would have cried, "Of course,I really knew it, though for the fun of it I pretended otherwise!"

  But others among us could not expect such as this after the quiet night;no light before us save that one so soon quenched, no stir of boatat all or large or small; an unearthly quiet, a low land still as asleeping marsh under moon.

  The light brightened. The water about us turned a blue that none therehad ever seen, so turquoise, so cerulean, so penetrable by the eye!Before us gentle surf broke on a beach bone-white. The beach with littlerise met woodland; thick it seemed and of a vivid greenness and fairlycovering the island. It was island, masthead told us, who saw blueribbon going around. Moreover, there were two others, no greater, uponthe horizon. Nor, though the woodland seemed thick as pile of velvet,was it desolate isle. We made out in three places light plumes of smoke.Now some one uttered a cry, "Men!"

  They were running out of the wood, down upon the white beach. Theremight be a hundred.

  "Naked men! They are dark--They are negroes!"--"Or magicians!"

  The Admiral lifted his great voice. "Mariners all! India and Cathay arefringed with islands, as are many parts of Europe. A dozen of you havesailed among the Greek islands. There may be as many here as those. Thisis a small island and its folk simple. They are not Negroes, but theskin of the Indian is darker than ours, and that of Cipango and Cathayis yellow. As for clothing, in all warm lands the simpler folk wearlittle. But as for magicians, there may be magicians among them asthere are among all peoples, but it is falseness and absurdity to speakof all as magicians! Nonsense and cowardice! The man who cried that goesnot ashore to-day!"

  Not Great India before us nor Golden Cipango! But it was land--land--itwas solid, there were folk! How long had flowed the sea around us, forthis was the twelfth of October, five weeks since Gomera and above twomonths since Palos had sunk away and we had heard the last faint bell ofLa Rabida! And there had been strong doubt if ever we should see again awhite beach, or a tree, or a kindly fire ashore, or any men but those ofour three ships, or ever another woman or a child. But land--land!Here was land and green woods and crowds of strange folk. The marinerslaughed, and the tears stood in their eyes and friends embraced. Andthey grew mightily respectful to the Admiral.

  So many were to go ashore in the first boat, and so many in the second.The _Pinta_ and the Nina were lowering their boats. Our hidalgos aboard,Diego de Arana, Roderigo Sanchez and the rest, had also fine apparelwith them--seeing that the Grand Khan would have a court and ourSovereigns must be rightly represented--and this morning they suitedthemselves only less splendidly than did the Admiral. The great bannerof Castile and Leon was ready for carrying. Trumpet, drum and fifeshould land. Fray Ignatio was ready--oh, ready! His liquid dark eyes hadan unearthly look. Gifts were being sorted out. There were aboard richthings, valued in any land of ours, for gifts to the Grand Khan and hisministers, or the Emperor of Cipango and his. For Queens and Empressesand Ladies also. And there was a wondrous missal for Prester John didwe find him! But this was evidently a little island afar, and these werenaked, savage men. The expedition was provident. It had for all. ThePortuguese, our great navigators, had taught what the naked Africanliked. A basket stood at hand filled with pieces of colored cloth,beads, caps, hawk bells, fishhooks, toys of sorts. For that we mighthave trouble, four harquebus men and four crossbows were going. The_Santa Maria_ carried two cannon. Now at the Admiral's signal, one ofthese was discharged. It was a voice not heard before in this world.If he wished to produce awe that should accompany him like the ancientpillars of cloud and fire, he had success. When the smoke cleared we sawthe wild men prostrate upon the ivory beach as though a scythe had cutthem down. They lay like fallen grain, then rose and made haste for thewood. We could thinly hear their shouting.

  Christopherus Columbus descended into the boat of the _Santa Maria_,Fray Ignatio after him. Diego de Arana, Roderigo Sanchez, Escobedo,Gutierrez and Juan Lepe the physician followed. Juan de la Cosa stayedwith the ship, it not being wise to take away all authority. Our armedmen came after and the rowers. We drew off and the small boat filled.Boats of the Pinta and the Nina joined us. The great banner over us, theAdmiral's hand upon its standard, we rowed for Asia.

  Nearer and nearer. The water hung about us, plain marvel, not dark blue,but turquoise and clear as air. We could see the strange, bright-huedfish and the white bottom. The air breathed Maytime, and now we thoughtwe could tell the spices. And so ivory-white it was, the long curvedbeach, and so gayly bright the emerald of the wood! There were manypalms with other trees we knew not. It was low, the island, and it shonebefore us silver and green, and the trees moved gently in a wind moresweet, we thought, than any Andalusian zephyr. Pedro Gutierrez stared."Paradise--Paradise!"

  It was not what we had looked for, but it was good enough. It seemeddivine, that morning!

  Nearer we drew, nearer. The beach was now bare. We made out the dark,naked folk at edge of the wood, in tree shadows, watching us. Were theystrange to us, be sure we were stranger to them!

  The azure water, so marvelous, met that sand white like crushed bone,strewn with delicate shells. Never was wind so sweet as that which blewthis morning! Green plumes, the palms brushed the sky; there seemed tous fruit trees also, with satin stems and wide-laden boughs. When welooked over shoulder the _Santa Maria_, the Pinta and the Nina each rodedouble, mast and hull in sky, mast and hull in mirror sea. Somethingstrange and divine was about us, over us. We wished to laugh, we wishedto weep.

  Boat head touched clean sand. The oars rested. Christopherus Columbusthe Admiral stepped from boat first and alone, all waiting as was right.He took with him the banner of Spain. He walked a few yards, then struckthe standard into the sand. There was air enough to open the folds,to make them float and fly. Kneeling, he bowed himself and kissed theearth. We heard his strong voice praying. "_Domine Deus, aeterne etomnipotens, sacro tuo verbo coelum, et terra, et mare, creasti_--"

  We also bowed our heads. He rose and cried to Fray Ignatio. TheFranciscan was the next to enter this new world. After him sprang outDiego de Arana and the others. The Pinzons, too, were now leaving theirboats. All were at last gathered about the Admiral, between blue waterand green wood. Fifty Spaniards, we gathered there, and we heard ourfellows left upon the ships c
heering us. We kneeled and Fray Ignatiothanked God for us.

  We rose, drew long breath and looked about us, then turned to theAdmiral with loud praise and gratulation. He was girded with a sword,cross-hilted. Drawing it, he set its point in the sand. Then with onehand upon the cross, and one lifted and wrapped in the banner folds, he,with a great voice, proclaimed Spain's ownership. To the King and Queenof the Spains all lands unchristian and idolatrous that we might findand use and hold, all that were clearly away from the line of the Kingof Portugal, drawn for him by the Holy Father! In the name of God, inthe name of Holy Church, in the name of Isabella, Queen of Castile,and Ferdinand, King of Aragon and their united Power, amen and amen! Hemotioned to the trumpeter who put trumpet to his lips and blew a blastto the north and the south and the east and the west. At the sound thereseemed to come a cry from the fringing wood, a cry of terror.

  The island was ours,--if all this could make it ours.

  A piece of scarlet cloth spread upon the sand had heaped upon itnecklaces of glass and three or four hawk bells with other toys. Weplaced it there, then stood back. At the Admiral's command the harquebusand crossbow men laid their weapons down, though watchful eye was kept.But no arrow flights had come from the wood, and as far as could be seensome kind of lance, not formidable looking, was their only weapon. Nextthe Admiral made our fifer to play a merry and peaceful air.

  We had noted a clump of trees advanced into the sand and we thought thatthe bolder men were occupying this. Now a man started out alone, a youngman by the looks of him, drawn as he was against the white sand, anda paladin, for he marched to meet alone he knew not what or whom."Blackamoor!" exclaimed De Arana beside me, but as he came nearer we sawthat the dead blackness was paint, laid in a fantastic pattern upon hisface and body. Native hue of skin, as we came presently to find in theunpainted, was a pleasing red-brown. He advanced walking daintily andproudly, knowing that his people were watching him. Single Castilian,single Moor, had advanced so, many a time, between camps, or betweencamp and fortress.

  Halting beside the red cloth he stooped and turned over the trinkets.When he straightened himself he had in hand a string of great beads,rose and blue and green. He fingered these, seemed about to put thenecklet on, then refrained as too daring. Laying it gently back upon thescarlet he next took up a hawk bell. These bells, as is known, ring veryclear and sweet. I was afterwards told that the Portuguese had notedtheir welcome among the African people. There was no nail's breadth ofinformation that this man Columbus could not use! He had used this, andin a list for just possibly found savage Indians had put down, "goodnumber of hawk bells."

  The red man painted black, took up the hawk bell. It chimed as he movedit. He dropped it on the sand and gave back a step, then picked it upand set it tinkling. His face, the way in which he moved, said "Musicfrom heaven!"

  The Admiral motioned to Fray Ignatio to move toward him. That good manwent gently forward. The youth gave back, but then braced himself, underthe eyes of his nation. He stood. The Franciscan put out a gowned armand a long, lean kindly hand. The youth, naked as the bronze of agod, hesitated, raised his own arm, let it drop upon the other's. FrayIgnatio, speaking mild words, brought him across and to the Admiral.The latter, tallest of us all and greatly framed, lofty of port, dressedwith magnificence, silver-haired, standing forth from his officers andmen, the banner over him, would be taken by any for Great Captain, chiefgod of these gods, and certes, at the first they thought that we weregods! The Indian put his hands to his face, shrank like a girl and cameslowly to his knees and lower yet until his forehead rested upon theearth. The Admiral lifted him, calling him "son."

  Those of his kind watching from the wood now sent forth a considerabledeputation. There came to us a dozen naked men, fairly tall,well-shaped, skin of red copper, smeared often with paint in bars anddisks and crescents. Their hair was not like the Negro's, the only othernaked man our time knew, but was straight, black, somewhat coarse, notbushy but abundant, cut short with the men below the ear. They area beardless people. Our beards are an amazement to them, as are ourclothes. A fiercely quarrelsome folk, a peace-keeping, gentle folk willsound their note very soon. These belonged to the latter kind. Theirlances were not our huge knightly ones, nor the light, hard ones of theMoors. They were hardly more than stout canes, the head not iron--theyhad no iron--but flint or bone shaped by a flint knife. Where the paintwas not splashed or patterned over them, their faces could be liked verywell. Lips were not over full, the nose slightly beaked, the foreheadfairly high, the eyes good. They did not jabber nor move idly but keptmeasure and a pleasant dignity. They seemed gentle and happy. So werethey when we found them.

  Their speech sounded of no tongue that we knew. Luis Torres and I alikehad knowledge of Arabic. We had no Persian that might be nearer yet, butArabia being immemorially caravan-knit with India, it was thought thatit might be understood. But these bare folk had no notion of it, norof the Hebrew which Luis tried next. The Latin did not do, the Greekof which I had a little did not do. But there is an old, old languagecalled Gesture. If, wherever there is a common language there is onepeople, then in end and beginning surely we are one folk around theearth!

  We were to be friends with these islanders. "Friends first and last!"believed the Admiral. Indeed, all felt it so, this bright day. If theywere not all we had imaged, sailing to them, yet were they men, andunthreatening, novel, very interesting to us with their island and theirmarvelous blue water. All was heightened by sheer joy of landing, andof finding--finding something! And what we found was not horrible nordeathful, but bright, promising, scented like first fruits.

  To them we found we were gods! They moved about us with a kind ofceremony of propitiation. Two youths came with a piece of bark carriedlike a salver, piled with fruits and with thin cakes of some scrapedroot. Another brought a parrot, a great green and rose bird that atonce talked, though we could not understand his words. Two older men hadballs, as large as melons, of some wound stuff that we presently foundto be cotton loosely twisted into yarn. The Admiral's eyes glowed. "Nowif any bring spices or pepper--" But they did not, nor did they bringgold.

  All these things they put down before us, in silence or with words thatwe thought were petitions, moving not confusedly but with a manner ofritual. The Admiral took a necklace and placed it round the throat ofthe young man who first had dared, and in his hand put a hawk bell. Thatwas enough for himself to do, who was Viceroy. Three of us finished thedistribution. They who had brought presents were given presents. Allwould have us go with them to their village, just behind the trees. Ahandful of men we left with the boats and the rest of us crossed sand.Harquebuses and crossbows went with us, but we had no need of them. Theisland apparently followed peace, and its folk greatly feared to giveoffense to gods from the sky. Above the ships held a range of pearlyclouds, out of which indeed one might make strange lands and forms.The Indians--Christopherus Columbus called them "Indians"--pointed fromships to cloud. They spoke with movements of reverence. "You have comedown--you have come down!" We understood them, though their words werenot ours.

  Now the greenwood rose close at hand. The trees differed, the woventhickness of it, the color and blossom, from any wood at home. A spaceopened before us, and here was the village of these folk,--round hutsthatched with palm leaves, set on no streets, but at choice under trees.Earth around was trodden hard, but the green woods pressed close. Hereand there showed garden patches with plants whose names and uses we knewnot. Now we came upon women and children. Like the men the women werenaked. Well-shaped and comely, with long, black, braided hair, theyseemed to us gentle, pleasing and fearless. The children were a crewthat any might love.

  Time lacks to say all that we did and heard and guessed this day uponthis island! It was first love after long weeks at sea, and our crampedships and all our great uncertainty! If it was not what we had expected,still here it was, tangible land that never had been known, wonderfulto us, giving us already rich narrative for Palos and Huelva andFisher
town, for Cordova and the Queen and King. We were sure now thatother land was to be met, so soon as we sailed a reasonable distance tomeet it. Under the horizon would be land surely, and surely of an importthat this small island lacked, like Paradise though it seemed to usthis day! Any who looked at the Admiral saw that he would make no longtarrying here. He named this island San Salvador, but we would not waitin San Salvador.

  This day in shifts, all our men were brought ashore, each divisionhaving three hours of blessed land. So good was earth under foot, sogood were trees, so delectable the fruit, so lovely to move and run andwatch every moving, running, walking thing! And these good, red-brownfolk, naked it was true, but mannerly after their own fashion, whothought every seaman a god, and the ship boys sons of gods! And we alsowere good and mannerly, the _Santa Maria_, the Pinta and the Nina. Ilook back and I see a strange, a boyish and a happy day.

  The sun was westering. We felt the exhaustion of a long holiday withnovelties so many that at last the senses did not answer. Perhaps theIndians felt it too. Often and often have I seen great wisdom guide theAdmiral. An hour before approaching night might have said "Go!" he tookus one and all back to the ships. "_Salve Regina_" was a sound thatevening to hear, and afterwards it was to sleep, sleep,--tired as fromthe Fair at Seville!