LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 QQQOaSTBllib 
 
F3 
 
 
y from the German^ 
 
 of C.FalKenhorst 
 
 75 
 
 "" By Elise L.Lathrop. '''1' 
 
 ^^WITH I L.LU 5TR ATIONS. ^^-^ 
 
 October I2th', 1892— Columbus Souvenip. 
 
 ^ewYoRK. 
 
 \V0RTrilNQT0H Co 747-BROADWAY 
 
ENTRANCE OF COLUMBUS INTO PALOS. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS 
 
 IN 
 
 AMERICA 
 
 ^ Souel 
 
 BY 
 
 C. FALKENHORST 
 
 c. 
 
 ADAPTED BY ELISE L. LATHROP 
 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 
 NI-:\V VORK 
 
 WORTHINGTON COMPANY 
 
 747 Broadway 
 1892 
 
 3S7 
 

 Copyright, 1892 
 WORTHINGTON COMPANY 
 
 New York 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 On a sunny August afternoon in tlie year 1473^ 
 two men might have been seen strolling slowly 
 along the B,ua Direita de Sao Francisco in Lisbon. 
 It was very hot, the sun beat clown upon the pave- 
 ment, the trees looked parched and dusty, while 
 the streets were almost deserted. The two men 
 had chosen the shady side of this particular street, 
 but even here the heat was intense, scarcely a 
 breath of air was stirring; it seemed almost too 
 warm to speak, and they walked on, merely occa- 
 sionally exchanging a remark. 
 
 There was sufficient resemblance between the 
 two for any close observer at once to pronounce 
 them brothers, but the shorter and younger ap- 
 l^eared almost insignificant at the side of the elder; 
 
 * The dates in this work have been compared with Fiske. 
 —Adapter. 
 
4 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 the latter, evidently of recent arrival in the city, 
 for his aj)i3earance was somewhat travel-stained, 
 was tall and broad-shouldered ; his fine figure and 
 magnificent carriage would attract attention at all 
 times. His naturally fair complexion was sun- 
 burned and bronzed, his eyes large, blue, and pierc- 
 ing, but softened by the kindly, genial ex^^iression 
 of the mouth. Although only thirty-five or there- 
 abouts, his hair, which he wore rather long, was 
 snowy Avhite, adding not a little to the general 
 picturesqueness of his appearance. 
 
 As they strolled leisurely on, they drew near 
 a chapel, whose bells were ringing for vesi)ers. 
 Through the oj)en doors could be seen a cool, dark 
 interior, most inviting after the hot, dusty thor- 
 oughfare. 
 
 Involuntarily both brothers halted. 
 
 " What sayest thou, shall we not go in, Barto- 
 lomeo?" said the elder. "It will be cooler after 
 vespers are over, and there is really no reason why 
 we should hurry to your home." 
 
 " Agreed," said the younger, and they entered 
 the chapel. 
 
 The dim light was most refreshing after the 
 glare outside. The chaj)el, an ordinary edifice, 
 differing little from scores of similar ones in the 
 country round, although not large, was lofty, and 
 
AVITII COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 5 
 
 built in the true Gothic style. The excessive heat 
 seemed to have affected both choristers and X3riests, 
 for they droned through the service in a most 
 sleei)-inducing manner. There were but few wor- 
 shippers, and the greater part of these women, 
 whose attention wandered sadly from the service. 
 But no, one excej)tion should be made. On the 
 other side of the church, slightly in front of the 
 two brothers, knelt two figures, both women, the 
 younger a slight, beautiful girl clad all in soft, 
 filmy white, excex)t for the black lace mantilla 
 fastened about her head. Her dress and general 
 appearance indicated that she belonged to the 
 upper class or nobility. More than one pair of 
 eyes rested in admiration upon her, but she seemed 
 wholly unconscious of this. Her head was bowed 
 devoutly, and, with eyes fixed uj)on the ground, 
 she told the beads of her rosary as earnestly as 
 though she were alone in her own room. The 
 elder man seemed positively bewitched : he could 
 scarcely take his eyes from the fair unknown, and 
 yet he could catch but a glimpse of her face, 
 merely the pure, regular profile and outline of a 
 slender, unusually graceful figure. The eyes, as 
 said, were lowered ; he could see the long, dark 
 lashes resting upon her cheeks. 
 Meanwhile the other brother — he addressed as 
 
6 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 Bartolomeo — seemed no less preoccupied, and j)aid 
 as little attention to the service as liis elder com- 
 panion. But it was no fair maiden wlio so en- 
 chained his attention. His features, larger and of 
 a sterner mould than his brother's, were contracted 
 in a frown of intense thought. His eyes, clear and 
 piercing, gazed straight before him, but it is doubt- 
 ful if he noticed any of his surroundings. 
 
 At length the service was at an end, and the 
 congregation prepared to depart. The slight young 
 girl with her companion, a stout, plainly dressed 
 lady of middle age, passed directly in front of the 
 two brothers, the girl with eyes demurely low- 
 ered. 
 
 But just at this moment, O fortunate chance, 
 a rose which had been fastened in the bosom of 
 her gown fell to the pavement; without noticing 
 this, she would have jiassed on, but the man's 
 keen blue eyes had perceived it, and, stooping 
 hastily, he picked np the rose, almost before it 
 had touched the ground, and held it out to the 
 girl with a " Pardon, sehorita." 
 
 She started slightly, raising a pair of magnifi- 
 cent dark eyes to his ; dark, I said — fairly black 
 were they, but soft as velvet, lustrous and spar- 
 kling, shaded by long, curling lashes, while above 
 them arched delicately pencilled eyebrows. She 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 7 
 
 gazed at him for a moment as if fascinated, while 
 a slight flush rose to her pale face as she took the 
 rose, with a grave inclination of the head. Mean- 
 while the girl's companion, not noticing this little 
 incident, had passed on, and, although the whole 
 had occupied but a few seconds, was now sever- 
 al paces ahead. Suddenly she turned. " Felipa, 
 where art thou? " she cried, as, after making some 
 casual remark, she perceived that the girl was no 
 longer at her side. At this Felii)a hastened to re- 
 join her, not without casting another glance at 
 the distinguished-looking stranger. 
 
 The younger brother apparently had been too 
 deeply absorbed in his own thoughts to notice 
 this little scene, and only as they reached the 
 street, and the elder started in the direction taken 
 by the two ladies, did he lay a detaining hand 
 upon his arm, exclaiming: "Why, Cristoforo, 
 whither art thou going ? Hast thou so soon for- 
 gotten the direction which we must take? For one 
 so skilled in guiding a ship through the stormy, 
 pathless seas, methinks thou showest strange con- 
 fusion as to the points of the compass." 
 
 With a slight laugh, Cristoforo turned, and the 
 two brothers walked off in the opposite direction. 
 After they had proceeded a short distance in si- 
 lence, Cristoforo turned and gazed after the fair 
 
8 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 lady with the rose, but she and her companion 
 were already out of sight. 
 
 *' So the fair maiden's name is Felipa! " he mnr- 
 miired to himself. 
 
 " What sayest thou, brother? " asked the 
 younger. 
 
 " Nothing, nothing. I find the habit of soliloquy 
 grows upon me, perchance from my wandering 
 life; for I have found few friends in all my thirty- 
 seven years, Bartolomeo. But now a truce to this; 
 dost thou — or — say, pray tell me, art thou in the 
 habit of frequenting the little chapel we have just 
 left?" 
 
 The younger brother stared at him in surprise. 
 " In truth, no. I have seldom set foot in it; it is a 
 long walk from my abode. AVhy, wast thou so 
 charmed with it? I must fain admit that my 
 thoughts wandered sadly while the holy father 
 intoned the brief service." 
 
 " Oh, 'tis of no consequence ; 'twas but an idle 
 question. What thinkest thou, my brother — for 
 thou hast evaded answering my question until 
 now — can I find sufficient employment here in the 
 fair city of Lisbon to provide me with clothes for 
 my back, and meat and drink for my stomach, to 
 say nothing of a roof over my head? My store of 
 coin is indeed but small," he added, drawing out 
 
AVITII COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 9 
 
 a purse containing a couple of gold j^ieces and 
 some smaller coins. 
 
 "But in what wouldest tliou engage thyself, 
 brother Cristoforo?" asked the younger, hesitat- 
 ingly. 
 
 " In what! " repeated the elder, in surprise. " In 
 what occupation should I, save in map-making, 
 draughting, copying, or the like? Thou knowest 
 well that I am competent for such work " 
 
 " Yes, yes," interposed the other; " but is it pos- 
 sible that thou art willing to settle down to such 
 a life after thy many adventurous voyages ? Why, 
 methought thy last voyage with the noble lords 
 Santarem and Escobar had filled thee with ambi- 
 tion to pursue thine explorations yet farther in 
 this much talked-of search for a water route to 
 the Indies. There are, besides, many opportunities 
 for so good a sailor in our good port : vessels for 
 England, Holland, all ports of the world, leave it. 
 Wouldest thou not do better to seek thy fortunes 
 with them?" 
 
 " No, Bartolomeo, no ; I am weary of a roving 
 life. I will live in quiet and peace until such 
 time as the longing for the sea come upon me with 
 too great force. Speak not of the noble lords 
 Santarem and Escobar to me! Thou hast heard 
 the result of that voyage. Who knows what 
 
10 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 might have been learned could we but have pushed 
 farther on ? Ah^eady we had gone farther than 
 ever had been done before ; but no, sailors were 
 weary, and my lords Santarem and Escobar fully 
 satisfied with the one bit of news they could re- 
 port, that the coast of Africa turned and trended 
 southward at such and such a latitude. Fine 
 news, this! " he continued mockingly. '' How far 
 different might it have been ! No, never will I set 
 out again on such a voyage under the authority 
 of such great lords. / would be the one to deter- 
 mine when to retrace our path, /; and when is it 
 l)robable that I, a poor draughtsman, sailor, copy- 
 ist, what you will, can command my own ship? 
 So for the present let me remain here in Lisbon. 
 And now for an answer to my question, Barto- 
 lomeo : dost thou think it probable that I shall be 
 able to earn enough to satisfy my few wants ? " 
 
 The younger man smiled. 
 
 " There are always maps to be made and copy- 
 ing to be done in this fair city, brother; and such 
 work as thine will surely be always in demand, 
 and yet — however, we Avill see. I misdoubt me if 
 such a quiet, uneventful life Avill long satisfy thee 
 —but of this later. How didst thou leave our 
 revered father, our brother Giacomo and our sister? 
 Is the new home in Savona a pleasant one? " 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 11 
 
 " Our beloved father is well in body ; would that 
 I could say the same of his fortunes," rej^lied 
 Cristoforo, smiling slightly. " He is full of hope 
 that they will soon mend and prosper, if not in the 
 weaving trade, then through the tavern ; but as yet 
 neither has brought him in much. Of our sister's 
 marriage thou hast heard ere this. Her husband 
 seems a thrifty, honest fellow, and sincerely at- 
 tached to her. He keeps our father faithfully 
 supplied wdth cheese, both for his own use and 
 for his guests in the tavern, which latter is no 
 great tax upon him, as you may imagine. Giaco- 
 mo is apprenticed to a man in the town, and seems 
 an industrious lad. Our father spoke thankfully 
 of the money wdiich thou continuest to send him 
 from time to time. 1 fear me thou hast sadly 
 stinted thyself, my brother." 
 
 With this and other chat, the two made their 
 way to the older, shabbier part of the town, w here 
 in a narrow side street of old houses whose lower 
 floors served as shox)s for all kinds of goods, from 
 everything required by a sailor to those common 
 necessaries of life, they paused before a house 
 differing but slightly from its neighbors, and as- 
 cended the first flight of stairs. On a door at the 
 head of the flight was fixed a small sign, bearing 
 the inscription : 
 
12 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 BARTOLOMEO COLOMBO. 
 
 Maps Accurately and Neatly Made. 
 
 Copying Done. 
 
 The younger brother opened the door and led 
 the way into an apartment of medium size with 
 two windows, near one of which stood a table 
 heaped with pens, inks, papers, compasses, etc. 
 The room was plainly, even scantily furnished, 
 but the walls were covered with maps of all the 
 then known portions of the globe. Strange 
 enough would these maj^s aj)pear to our modern 
 eyes. The entire ocean west of Africa was let- 
 tered " Sea of Darkness; •' and a veritable sea of 
 darkness it was to' the mariners of that time. 
 
 Bartolomeo threw o^jen the door of an inner 
 apartment serving as bedroom, and exclaimed: 
 " Here thou seest my home, Cristof oro. It is hum- 
 ble enough, but such as it is thou art more than 
 welcome to share it for such time as thou art con- 
 tent here. To-morrow w^e will see wdiat can be 
 done for thee. Meanwhile thou must be tired 
 from thy long journey." And so speaking, Bar- 
 tolomeo was passing from one room to the other, 
 and in a few minutes both brothers sat down to 
 their frugal sui^per. 
 
 Meanwhile the fair Felipa and her companion, 
 her mother, had walked slowly homeward. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 13 
 
 " Why wast tliou lingering so far beliind me, 
 child ? " said her mother, after they had proceeded 
 for some distance in silence. 
 
 " I — I dropped something, mother," faltered 
 Felipa, somewhat abashed. Then with sudden 
 animation and resolve, she asked: "Didst thou 
 see the tall, noble-looking stranger, mother ? He 
 came out of the chapel directly behind us, and 
 picked up the rose I dropi^ed and handed it to 
 me with such grace and a high-born air ! O mother, 
 from his looks he might be a great lord, and yet 
 he was but shabbily dressed. But didst thou see 
 him, mother? " 
 
 " Felipa, Felipa, thou shouldest be paying at- 
 tention to the services of our holy Church, and 
 not casting thine eyes around and paying atten- 
 tion to strange men. Fie, -my daughter, I am 
 ashamed of thee." 
 
 '' But, indeed, mother, it was not during vespers 
 that I saw him, not until we were coming out — 
 but tell me, didst thou see him? His hair was 
 white, mother, quite white, although he is surely 
 not old." 
 
 "Nay, Felipa, I noticed no such person," re- 
 plied her mother, smiling slightly. " Probably it 
 was some stranger from a newly arrived ship— a 
 sailor, perchance." 
 
14 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 " Sailor ! O mother! " repeated Felipa, in scorn. 
 " Tliis man is surely no sailor." But lier mother 
 evinced no desire to pursue the subject farther, so 
 the girl said no more; but nevertheless she did not 
 cease to think of the handsome man with the 
 winning smile, and, even if the truth must be told, 
 her attention did wander at matins and vespers, 
 which she daily attended at the little chapel; but 
 in spite of all her cautious glances, she did not see 
 him there again for some time, and was beginning 
 to fancy that perhaps she never w^ould, when her 
 wish was one day gratified in the most unexpected 
 manner. 
 
 PerhaiDs a week later, there was a knock at the 
 door of the modest apartments occupied by the 
 mother and daughter. Felipa, busy with some 
 lacework taught her by the nuns at the convent 
 school which she attended, hastened to open the 
 door, and started back in the greatest surprise, 
 quite speechless with amazement, for there on the 
 threshold stood the white-haired stranger, and, 
 looking scarcely less amazed than herself, inquired 
 for Sehora Isabella de Perestrelo. Scarcely could 
 little Felipa recover her composure sufficiently 
 to ask him to be seated. Then hurrying into an- 
 other room, where her mother was busy about 
 various little household duties, she wert close up 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 15 
 
 to her, and announced in a breathless whisper: 
 " He is in there, mother— the man whom I saw in 
 the chapel — dost thou remember? — and he asked 
 for thee by name : ' Sehora Isabella de Perestrelo,' 
 he said." 
 
 At first her mother looked a trifle dazed, as it is 
 doubtful if she had given the subject of her 
 daughter's enthusiastic praise a second thought 
 since the day now nearly a week past. At length 
 she seemed to recall him, however, and looked quite 
 as surprised as her daughter had expected. 
 
 " Art thou sure thou hast not misunderstood 
 him, Felipa? But, no, that is scarcely possible. 
 Did he say what is his business? " 
 
 ^'No, mother— I— think not," said Felipa, hesi- 
 tatingly, not caring to own that she had scarcely 
 given him time for this. Almost as curious as 
 her daughter, the sehora smoothed her hair before 
 a tiny mirror, and entered the small sitting-room, 
 where she found the stranger absorbed in the con- 
 templation of a map which hung on the Avail, and 
 represented the island of Porto Santo, discovered, 
 or, to speak more correctly, rediscovered barely 
 sixty years before. 
 
 So absorbed was he, in fact, that he did not no- 
 tice her presence until she had given a little ad- 
 monishing cough. Then he turned quickly enough, 
 
16 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 and asked her pardon, in fluent Portuguese, which 
 yet had a slight accent. 
 
 "Am I speaking to Senora Isabella de Pere- 
 strelo?" he asked. 
 
 The lady bowed. 
 
 " I am Cristoforo Colombo, and am sent by my 
 brother Bartolomeo, who received word that you 
 wished some copies of maps and charts made." 
 
 '• Yes. I have some maps which belonged to 
 my dead husband. I am unwilling to part with 
 them," said Isabella de Perestrelo, " but wish some 
 copies made, that I may give them to my son -in- 
 law. Bartolomeo Colombo was recommended to 
 me as a careful and good draughtsman, and accord- 
 ingly I sent word to him. You are his brother, 
 you say ? " 
 
 " His elder brother, sefiora." 
 
 " Have you been long in Lisbon, may I ask, sir? " 
 
 " About a week," replied Cristoforo Colombo. 
 
 "So short a time as that! You seemed inter- 
 ested in yonder maj)," said she, pointing to the 
 map which has been mentioned. 
 
 " Yes, in truth I am. It is the first time I have 
 seen such a carefully drawn and apparently accu- 
 rate map of that island. Never having been there, 
 although I have passed it several fcimes, I was inter- 
 ested in it. It belongs to you, senora, I suppose? " 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IT^^ AMKKICi\ 17 
 
 " Yes. Our home, in fact, is there. My husband 
 — you must have heard of liim — Bartolomeo Pere- 
 strelo " 
 
 " Indeed I have. Who has not heard of that 
 brave navigator, who is, besides, a countryman of 
 mine?" 
 
 " All, then you are an Italian ? Fluent as is 
 your Portuguese, I yet susj)ected that you were 
 not a native of Portugal." 
 
 " I was born in Genoa, sehora; and although but 
 little of my life has been spent in the sunny land 
 of Italy, as I have led a roving life, I may yet call 
 it my country. But was not your husband gov- 
 ernor of Porto Santo? " 
 
 " He was until his death, now sixteen years 
 ago," said the lady, pressing her hand to her eyes 
 in rather affected emotion. " He served his prince 
 faithfully, but it is a proof of the ingratitude of 
 Xirinces that such a clever, noble, upright man 
 should die, leaving his dear wife and daughter 
 nothing but a farm upon this island, and a few 
 old maps and charts. Felipa is my only child, for 
 I was my husband's second wife; and the son-in-law 
 of whom I spoke is in reality but the husband of 
 my step-daughter. Ah, times are very different 
 from what they were. Little did I think when 
 young, living here in Lisbon, in my father's house, 
 
18 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 a gay young thing, witli every wish indulged, that 
 I would end my days on a lonely farm on an 
 island far, far from dear Lisbon ! " 
 
 '^Then your home is on this island?" asked 
 Columbus, whom the widoAv's loquacity seemed 
 not to weary in the least, although he did glance 
 in the direction in which the pretty daughter 
 had disappeared, as if hoping that she w^ould 
 reappear. 
 
 " Our home, yes ; but for two years we have lived 
 here in Lisbon. I had some small savings, and, 
 poor as we are, my Felipa must have the educa- 
 tion befitting a Seiiorita Mohez de Perestrelo," said 
 the mother, uttering these names with no small 
 pride. " Her relations too have realized this ne- 
 cessity, although little enough will they do for 
 her, for she is far prettier than all the maidens of 
 the other Perestrelo families, although I her 
 mother do say it. She has attended the convent 
 school of i^ossa Senhora de Graca,'' she continued, 
 " but in a few months we shall return." Then be- 
 thinking herself that she had wandered sadly from 
 the object of their interview, she added somewhat 
 hurriedly : " But as to the maps— do you wish to 
 see them, or is your brother unable to undertake 
 the work?" 
 
 " My brother has all that he can do at present, 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 19 
 
 but sent me in his stead. I have had no little ex- 
 experience in niai>drawing, and should be pleased 
 to try my skill with these. Perhaps you would 
 like to see some specimens of my work " 
 
 "Oh, no," said the sehora, upon whom the 
 stranger's courteous and affable manners — his 
 handsome appearance as well, perhaps — had made 
 no little impression. " I am sure if one so highly 
 spoken of as your brother seems to be on all sides, 
 should send you as his substitute, your work will 
 be excellent." 
 
 Columbus bowed in silent acknowledgment. 
 
 " I will bring the maps I wish copied," said she; 
 then raising her voice, she called: "Felipa, 
 Felipa! " Then as the girl api:)eared in the door- 
 way, she gave her some directions and her daugh- 
 ter disai)peared, returning in a few minutes with 
 several well-worn charts. 
 
 " My daughter, Felipa," said the lady, by way 
 of introduction, " Senor Colombo." 
 
 Felipa courtesied shyly, flushing deeply, while 
 Columbus gazed at her with a look of intense ad- 
 miration. 
 
 The ma]DS were deposited upon a table, and 
 Columbus bent over them with deep interest. 
 
 " It is of these four that my son-in-law wishes 
 copies made," said Isabella Perestrelo, designating 
 
20 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 four of tlie most worn. "And this was tlie reason 
 why I wished to speak with you — or your brother, 
 rather. I am unwilling to send them out of the 
 house, and am anxious to know if you would be 
 willing to make the copies here." 
 
 To this Columbus agreed more readily than she 
 had perhaps expected ; and after the price to be 
 X^aid upon completion of the Avork had been agreed 
 ux)on, the following morning was appointed for him 
 to begin. In the morning, Felipa would be safe at 
 the convent, from which she did not return until 
 quite late in the afternoon. A few more remarks 
 were exchanged, and Columbus took his departure. 
 
 " Is he not handsome, mother? Is it not as I 
 said? Didst thou notice his eyes? Such magnifi- 
 cent blue eyes, mother, blue as the sky!" cried 
 Felipa, almost before he Avas out of hearing. 
 
 "' He is a man of agreeable manners, and not ill- 
 looking, certainly, my child ; but it is unbecoming 
 that thou should st speak of him thus. He is of a 
 different rank from thee, Felipa. Never forget 
 that thou belongest, through both thy father and 
 me, to two noble families. Why, my child, I have 
 been to court in my young days ; and thy father 
 was governor, child, governor of Porto Santo." 
 
 "And yet he was but a navigator at first, 
 mother," replied Felipa, pouting. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 21 
 
 " He was governor when I married liim, Felii:)a," 
 replied lier mother, serenely. " But enough of 
 this; it is time that we sliould make ready for 
 vespers. Fetch your rosary, child, and do not let 
 your mind be so occupied Avitli this Colombo, whoni 
 thou hast seen but twice, and Avill probably never 
 see again." 
 
 At this thought Felipa looked a trifle discon- 
 certed, but hastened to rejoin her mother, and the 
 two went, as usual, to the little chapel for vespers. 
 
II. 
 
 The next morning, and for several sncceeding 
 mornings, Colnmbns was on hand pnnctnally, and 
 set to Avork diligently at map-copying. In vain 
 did he hope to see the fair Felipa, he was invaria- 
 bly admitted by the sehora, who frequently came 
 in and chatted with him. She gave him long and 
 detailed accounts of their life upon Porto Santo 
 during her husband's life, and even mingled girl- 
 ish reminiscences of her own life in Lisbon. To 
 much of this chat Columbus listened with inter- 
 est, but from his manner no one could fancy that 
 it was not all highly entertaining. He was quiet 
 and rather reticent, himself, but was occasionally 
 drawn into relating some of his own early expe- 
 riences. He told her of his mother, his father, and 
 brothers, and even diffidently referred to his many 
 adventures, for his life had been an eventful one. 
 
 He did in fact seem to have won the sehora's 
 heart; she talked more and more freely to him, 
 she even brought him cool, refreshing drinks. But 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 23 
 
 all these interruptions did not prevent the work 
 from steadily advancing, and at last came the time 
 when one more morning's work, and the maps 
 would be completed. 
 
 Columbus had said but little to his brother Bar- 
 tholomew about his work. The younger brother 
 knew nothing about the Sehora Perestrelo. He 
 had merely been notified that some copying of 
 maps was to be done, and had been asked if he 
 would do it. As he had quite an amount of work 
 on hand, and was anxious to give his brother 
 some, he had sent him to find out particulars. 
 But not a word had Columbus said to his brother 
 of pretty Felipa, or that the mother and daughter 
 had proved to be the very couple he had seen in 
 church. However, it was doubtful if Bartholomew 
 would have remembered the girl, or even if he 
 had noticed her at all. 
 
 This anticipated last morning of work was to 
 prove very different from what Columbus had 
 thought. On this Friday morning, a trifle later 
 than usual, Columbus knocked at the Sehora 
 Perestrelo's door ; but to his great surprise it was 
 o^Dened not by the buxom sehora, but by none 
 other than slight, jDretty Felipa, and unusually 
 pretty did she look, somewhat paler than upon 
 the other two occasions when he had seen her. 
 
24 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 She courtesied demurely as she admitted him, but 
 vanished almost immediately afterward into the 
 adjoining room. 
 
 Columbus had worked for perhaps an hour when 
 the door of this room was hastily opened, and 
 Felipa hurried in, pale, breathless, and, forgetting 
 all her shyness, went close ujd to the table where 
 the sehor was working. '* sehor," she cried, 
 " I am so frightened; my mother " 
 
 She paused and gazed up into his face appeal- 
 ingly. 
 
 " What is it, senorita? " said he, springing up. 
 
 '^ She is ill — oh, she must be very ill. She com- 
 plained 01 not feeling well this morning, and that 
 is why I stayed home from the convent, but she felt 
 better — she was sewing — and now — oh, what shall 
 I do ! " she cried, wringing her hands and looking 
 prettier than ever. 
 
 "Is she really ill?— do you not want a physician 
 called? — can I not be of some assistance? — pray 
 call upon me in any way," all this in one breath, 
 quite a remarkable achievement for reserved Chris- 
 topher Columbus. 
 
 " Oh, if you could — but indeed it is too much — 
 and yet there is no one but old Maria, and she is 
 so slow, if she Avould go, she is cross " 
 
 " Senorita, if you Avould like me to go for a 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN ami:rica. 25 
 
 doctor, Mssuredly I will go. AVill you give me 
 tlie address?" 
 
 " Oh, I do not know of any one. Mother has 
 never, never been ill like this — ah, it is so kind in 
 you, Sehor Colombo, if you Avould bring some 
 one " 
 
 " Sehorita Felipa, a doctor shall be here as soon 
 as I can i30ssibly find one, and that will surely not 
 be long. But do not be so alarmed; it can be 
 nothing serious; the sehora your mother seemed 
 well yesterday; it may be but a passing faint- 
 ness. Do not frighten yourself needlessly. I will 
 go at once," and taking up his hat he left the 
 room. 
 
 Felipa hastened back to her mother's side. 
 Sehora Perestrelo lay back in a large arm-chair, 
 panting for breath, with closed eyes. Her daugh- 
 ter knelt down beside her, chafed her hands, and 
 called her by all sorts of endearing names, but 
 was wholly ignorant of any remedies to use. But 
 almost before she had thought it possible, slow as 
 every moment yet seemed to her, Columbus had 
 returned with a physician, a grave, elderly man, 
 whose very appearance was reassuring. He went 
 up to the sehora, felt her pulse, and then, opening 
 a small bag wdiich he liad brought with him, took 
 out a vial. " Bring me a glass of w\att?r, please," 
 
26 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 said he to Felipa — his iirst remark of any kind 
 since he had entered the house. 
 
 The girl hurriedly fetched it. He dropped a 
 dark liquid into it, and with a spoon forced some 
 of the mixture between the sehora's lips. It had 
 a speedy effect; she sat up and opened her eyes, 
 gazing about her in bewilderment. 
 
 " Are you better, mother ? O dear mother, are 
 you better? " cried Felipa, anxiously. 
 
 "Hush! do you wish to make your mother 
 worse, child? " said the physician, but not un- 
 kindly. "Run into the other i^oom "—but Felipa 
 gazed at him so piteously that he relented and 
 added, "unless you will be very quiet; then you 
 may stay." 
 
 Felipa was quiet as a mouse, and scarcely stirred 
 until her mother herself spoke and called her to 
 her. 
 
 " I am better now, my child ; you iviust not be 
 frightened." 
 
 " Yes, yes, certainly not," added Dr. Lopez. 
 " The heat has been a little too much for your 
 mother, sehorita ; that is all. I will come in again 
 this afternoon. Keep the sehora perfectly quiet, 
 
 and that is all, except " here he added some 
 
 simple directions about the drops to be adminis- 
 tered, and left the room. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 27 
 
 In the adjoining apartment waited Columbus. 
 He joined the physician and followed him to the 
 door. " Is tlie sehora really very ill? " he asked. 
 
 Dr. Lox)ez glanced at him. "A relative?" he 
 asked, 
 
 " Not the slightest," replied Columbus. 
 
 " Hm! well— no, she is not ill now; her heart is 
 affected, however. Good-morning," and he was 
 gone. 
 
 Columbus stood there rather uncertain what to 
 do next. He did not wish to leave the house 
 without proffering his assistance ; he hardly liked 
 to resume his work, and yet did not think it ad- 
 visable to knock at the other room door and dis- 
 turb the sick woman. So he stood there irreso- 
 lute, mec'hanically staring at the various maps. 
 In ten minutes or so the door opened noiselessly 
 and Felipa appeared. Closing it carefully behind 
 her she went up to Columbus. 
 
 " O sehor, let me thank you ; what should I 
 have done had it not been for your kindness ? I 
 am so very, very thankful to you." 
 
 " Pray say nothing of it; it was nothing. I am 
 glad that I could help you. Is Senora Perestrelo 
 feeling better now? " 
 
 " She is asleep," said Felipa. *' She looks better 
 and she is sleeping naturally. Oh, you do not 
 
28 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 think slie is very ill, surely. Tlie doctor said it 
 was nothing; the heat, perhaps." 
 
 " Yes, yes, most probably. The heat has been 
 intense for so many days. But can I be of no 
 further assistance to you? Can I not find some 
 one to stay with you and help you with your 
 
 mother " He paused abruptly, fearing lest 
 
 he might unnecessarily alarm pretty, frightened 
 Felipa. 
 
 " Xo, oh no, there is nothing more that you can 
 do. I need no one. If mother should be ill — but, 
 oh, you do not think that she will! — I should wish 
 to take care of her myself." 
 
 " Doubtless she will be quite herself again by 
 to-morrow. I think we may have cooler weather, 
 the wind is changing," he added, glancing at the 
 slowly moving clouds. " But, sehorita, it will in- 
 convenience you to have me working here. I will 
 postpone finishing the map, and, if you will j^er- 
 mit, will call this evening and inquire for your 
 mother." 
 
 "Thank you," said Felipa, neither assenting 
 nor dissenting, although she shyly offered her 
 hand. 
 
 "Art thou not home early to-day, brother?" 
 asked Bartholomew, looking up from his work. 
 
 "Yes, a trifle, perha^^s," said Christopher. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 29 
 
 " Senora Peres trelo was ill, so I left early. The 
 maps are nearly finished. A couple of hours' Avork 
 will be sufficient to comj)lete them." 
 
 Nothing more was said upon the subject until 
 in the early evening, Avhen, as it had become some- 
 what cooler, Bartholomew suggested to his brother 
 to take a stroll along the river, perhaps even go 
 for a row if they should feel inclined. To his 
 great surprise, however, Christopher declined 
 somewhat confusedly. 
 
 " I have an errand Avhicli I must attend to first," 
 said he. " Suppose thou shouldst wait for me at 
 the little inn where we met last week. Then I 
 will join thee there in a short time." 
 
 Bartholomew looked at him in surprise. " I 
 will go with thee to attend to thy errand. I sup- 
 pose it will not take thee long, eh? " 
 
 ''Oh, that is not worth while. It would be out 
 of thy way. Thou must be tired after thy long- 
 day's work, and this hot walk will only unneces- 
 sarily fatigue thee. It will be best for thee to 
 wait for me as I proposed." 
 
 There Avas something in Christopher's tone, al- 
 though most cordial, which discouraged further 
 argument on Bartholomew's part, so with a shrug 
 of his shoulders he allowed his brother to go his 
 own way. 
 
30 WITH COLUMBUS IN A.MEEICA. 
 
 " Curious fellow, what can lie have in mind 
 now?" he thought, as he strolled slowly toward 
 the appointed rendezvous. 
 
 Christopher Columbus meanwhile turned in the 
 opiDosite direction and, walking quickly, was soon 
 in front of the house in which Sehora Perestrelo 
 and her daughter lived. Having knocked at their 
 door, after a moment's delay it was opened a 
 crack by Felipa. She flushed shyly. 
 
 " Oh, it is you, Sehor Colombo." 
 
 "Yes, sehorita; and how^ is the sehora your 
 mother this evening." 
 
 "Thank you so much, I am sure she is better; 
 she is sleeping quietly. Oh yes, she will soon be 
 well." 
 
 " I must not keep you from her side, I suppose," 
 said Columbus, most unselfishly, " but I will do 
 myself the pleasure to call again to-morrow and 
 inquire for her ; and if I can do anything for you, 
 or serve you in any way," he added somewdiat 
 diffidently, "will you not send for me?" and he 
 handed her a paper ux)on wdiicli w^as written his 
 name and address. 
 
 The young girl thanked him with a smile, as 
 she took the paper, and followed him with her 
 eyes until his tall figure was lost to sight on the 
 dark staircase; then she hurried back to her 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 31 
 
 mother's side. She found to her surprise that 
 she was awake. 
 
 *'Wliom wast thou speaking with, Felipa?" 
 asked she feebly. 
 
 " The sehor Colombo, mother. He came to in- 
 quire for thee. He was so kind this morning ! I 
 do not know what T should have done had it not 
 been for him. He ran for a physician and " 
 
 " Yes, yes, my child." Then after a long pause 
 she asked, even more faintly, " Has he finished 
 the mai^s?" 
 
 Felipa started from her re very. " Yes — no — I 
 — he said he had a little more to do, but that he 
 would Avait until you were better. Is not that 
 right, mother dear? " 
 
 "Very well." 
 
III. 
 
 FoK several days Columbus daily called to in- 
 quire for Sefiora Perestrelo, and one morning 
 Felipa opened the door wide, vvitli a radiant face, 
 and ushered him in, saying : 
 
 "You must come in, senor; mother is up — she 
 is well to-day." 
 
 And there, ensconced in a large arm-chair, sat 
 the sehora, a trifle i3ale, perhaps, but looking quite 
 her usual self. She received him most cordially, 
 invited him to be seated, and chatted with him 
 briskly. Felipa meanwhile seated herself in a 
 low chair, busy with some delicate work, only 
 occasionally participating in the conversation. 
 After some minutes, Columbus mentioned the 
 mapmaking, and asked whether he should flnisli 
 them this morning. But Sehora Perestrelo de- 
 murred, and asked him if xiossible to come the 
 next day. However, she seemed in no hurry to 
 be rid of him, but detained him on one pretext or 
 another until the morning had nearly passed. She 
 
THE TWO SLAVES BEFORE MARCHENA. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. * 33 
 
 dismissed liini most affably, and Feli^Ja gave liim 
 a bewitching smile. 
 
 Ul^on the following morning he appeared quite 
 early and was received by the sefiora alone. He 
 hnished the maps this day without interruption, 
 and also without catching a glimpse of Felii)a. 
 But to his great surprise, after having received 
 the jnice agreed upon, the sehora said to him : " I 
 have noticed that you seemed greatly interested 
 in this map," designating a i)articular one; "and 
 if you care to x)ossess a co])j sufRciently to take 
 the trouble of making one, you are welcome to it. 
 Come some morning and make it." 
 
 He thanked her warmly, and was in fact de- 
 lighted to own a copy of the map, and after a few 
 polite phrases took leave. He walked slowly 
 along the street, but had just reached the corner 
 where he was to turn in a different direction, 
 when, a short distance ahead, he perceived a young 
 girl whom several rough boys were evidently an- 
 noying. One was ai)X)arently begging for a kiss, 
 and the others encouraging him noisily. 
 
 He hurried up to the group, and to his surprise 
 discovered that the girl was none other than 
 Felipa, in a state of the greatest distress, her eyes 
 dilated with light. 
 
 " Why, sehorita, is it indeed you? " 
 
34 * WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 " Senor Colombo! Ah, I am so glad! " and she 
 clung to his arm with childish confidence. 
 
 Her tormentors scattered at once, and Columbus 
 turned and walked with her in the direction of 
 her home. 
 
 " I was so frightened — I am not used to going 
 out alone — but Barbara did not come for me, you 
 see; usually I come home with Maria Parlo and 
 her old nurse, but to-day I could not leave mother 
 alone all day, and Barbara was to come for me; 
 but I waited and waited until I was afraid that 
 something had happened " 
 
 "I can reassure you, senorita, for I have but 
 just left your mother, and she seems perfectly 
 well. 
 
 " Ah, the saints be praised," said little Felipa 
 devoutly, crossing herself. Then her thoughts re- 
 curring to her past annoyances she murmured: 
 " What should I have done if you had not met 
 me? You seem to be always rendering me ser- 
 vices at such critical moments." 
 
 " I am most delighted that I have been fortunate 
 enough to be of any help to you, Senorita Felipa," 
 said Columbus, his tone saying more than the 
 somewhat formal words. Then he added more 
 boldly: " It would be the greatest pleasure of my 
 life if I could always be near you to assist you." 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 35 
 
 He x)ause(l abrui:>tly, fearing lest lie had said too 
 iniicli. 
 
 Felipa had flushed deeply, but did not look dis- 
 pleased, although neither spoke until they reached 
 the door of her house, when she asked without 
 looking at him, '^ Will you not come in, sefior? " 
 
 "No, I thaidv you; I had taken leave of your 
 mother; it remains but for me to bid you farewell, 
 sehorita." 
 
 "Are — are the maps linishedr' asked Felii3a, 
 struck by his tone. 
 
 " They are," said he, Avatching her face. 
 
 "And— and are you coming no more?" asked 
 she, her eyes upon the ground, her Angers playing 
 with her fan. 
 
 " That will be as your mother decides, sehorita," 
 said he decidedly, and without waiting for an an- 
 swer he opened the door for her, gave her one 
 long glance, clasped her hand for a moment in his, 
 and with a low bow was gone. 
 
 Felipa paused on the stairway, her heart beat- 
 ing wildly, her pretty face crimson. What could 
 that mean but that— oh, could it be true? but her 
 mother, what would she say? She waited until 
 she had somewhat recovered her composure before 
 entering her mother's room. She said nothing of 
 her little adventure, but inquired tenderly of her 
 
36 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 
 
 niotlier as to how she had spent the morning, and 
 even — sly little creature ! — listened as if it were the 
 greatest news, when she was told that the maps 
 were finished. Her mother watched her rather 
 closely as she told her this, but Felipa's demeanor 
 was admirable; her face did not change in the 
 slightest. 
 
 The next morning brought a surprise to the 
 mother in the shape of a letter, left by a boy at 
 the door. She turned it over in her hands, won- 
 dering from whom it could come. The writing 
 was firm and wholly unfamiliar to her. After 
 having examined it for a sulficient length of time, 
 she finally resolved to open it, and when she did 
 so her curiosity was changed into amazement, con- 
 sternation, perplexity, for it contained nothing 
 less than a petition for the hand of her daughter, 
 and was signed, " Cristoforo Colombo." At first 
 she could scarcely credit her eyes: such an idea 
 had really never seriously presented itself to her 
 mind, and she read the letter several times before 
 she fairly comprehended it. 
 
 " I am perfectly aware, sehora, of the great dif- 
 ference in rank between your daughter and my- 
 self, and can feel that your objections on this 
 ground alone may be insurmountable, but can 
 plead my love for her alone. I am jjoor, yes, but 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 37 
 
 not hopelessly so. I have already a large order 
 for maj^s and charts for a vessel about to set sail 
 on one of the common voyages of exploring. Be- 
 fore presenting myself before you again, even for 
 the sake of copying the map Avhich you so gra- 
 ciously gave me permission to do, I await your 
 answer, and can but pray that it may be a favor- 
 able one," etc. 
 
 Sehora Perestrelo sat and stared at the epistle 
 for some moments in silence. Her first thought 
 had been instantly to write an abrupt refusal, but 
 other thoughts obtruded themselves. Her late 
 illness— no one kneAv better than she that this was 
 no passing disorder, but rather a deep-seated 
 malady; these attacks would become more and 
 more frequent, her death might occur at any mo- 
 ment — and Felipa! her young, sweet, helx)less 
 daughter! She had no one to whose charge she 
 could commit her, knowing that she would be 
 kindly treated. She had no near relatives ; the only 
 ones, although wealthy, were out of the question. 
 With them, Felipa would occujiy a position little 
 better than that of a servant— her pretty Felipa ; 
 no, a thousand times no! And yet, fortuneless, 
 living ui-)on an island like Porto Santo, what bet 
 ter chances would probably i)resent themselves 
 for securing her child's future? This man at least 
 
38 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 had many good qualities, and, although decidedly 
 Felipa's inferior, still 
 
 " Felipa," she called, " come here, child." 
 
 The girl obeyed, coming from the adjoining 
 room, where she had been busy and had not heard 
 the knock of the boy who had brought this im- 
 portant letter. She gazed at her mother in aston- 
 ishment ; then she saw the paper lying in her lap, 
 and gave a slight start. 
 
 Without perceiving it, her mother went straight 
 to the point. 
 
 ''This letter, Felipa, is from Senor Cristoforo 
 Colombo, and contains nothing less than a peti- 
 tion for thy hand in marriage ! " Here she paused 
 to allow the girl to grasj) the full significance of 
 her words, meanwhile gazing at her closely. If 
 she ex]Dected great surprise on Felipa's part she 
 was nnstaken. A burning blush suffused her face, 
 but she did not look amazed, rather pleased. Her 
 mother stared at her and finally asked : 
 
 " Well, what dost thou say, Felipa? " 
 
 "It is for thee to say, mother. Thou hast said 
 nothing." 
 
 The mother nodded with satisfaction. 
 
 " As I have said before, my child, thy birth is 
 far superior to that of a Genoese sailor, however 
 agreeable a man he may be " 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 39 
 
 "O mother," the girl interrupted her," he is 
 no common sailor. I am sure — yes, I know — that 
 he will be a great man yet. He is so clever, so 
 wonderfully clever, he speaks so well, and " 
 
 '• But, my child," her mother interfered, rather 
 amused, "how canst thou possibly have learned 
 all this during the few interviews thou hast had 
 with him?" 
 
 Felipa said nothing, abashed, but her mother 
 continued : 
 
 " I grant thee that he is not a common man, that 
 in fact he is rather uncommon; but whether that 
 makes him a suitable match for Sehorita Monez 
 de Perestrelo " 
 
 "Ah, mother! " interrupted Felipa, "what does 
 all that matter if " 
 
 "If what, Felipa?" 
 
 " If he loves me, and— and I love him? " she con- 
 cluded more boldly. 
 
 " Thou lovest him ! Thou, a mere child, lovest a 
 man whom thou hast seen how many times, three 
 times, Felipa?" 
 
 "Many more than that, surely, mother. Ah, 
 mother, thou wilt consent, say thou wilt consent. 
 It may be strange, mother, but I think I loved 
 him the first time I saw him, he is so kind, so gen- 
 tle, and yet so brave and daring." 
 
40 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 '* Pray how dost thou know? " 
 
 " I have heard about him. Dost thou not know 
 Mna Rinaldini, one of my pkiymates? She has 
 told me. Her father was captain of a ship, and he 
 — Sehor Colombo — sailed with him. Oh, she has 
 told me many stories of his bravery " 
 
 " There, there, my child. Thou hast never men- 
 tioned this before." 
 
 " No, mother. But let me tell thee something 
 else, for which thou shouldst surely be grateful 
 to him, mother dear," and the girl recounted her 
 adventure of the day before. 
 
 It cannot l^e said that this tale of rescue decided 
 Sehora Perestrelo to give her consent, but she 
 realized that possibly her daugliter's happiness 
 would be seriously involved should she refuse it, 
 and the conversation was concluded by the writ- 
 ing of a note in which Sehor Colombo was re- 
 quested to come at a certain hour late that after- 
 noon, and discuss the matter with her. This 
 conversation ended most happily for the lovers. 
 Perhaps Sehora Perestrelo had been already half 
 won over by the man's chivalrous, gentle manners ; 
 but be that as it may, her consent was finally 
 given, and Felipa called into the room, where, 
 radiant with happiness, she laid her hand in that 
 of her betrothed. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS 11^ AMERICA. 41 
 
 Some weeks later tliey were married in the lit- 
 tle chapel where they had first met, with but few 
 witnesses, among them of course Bartholomew, 
 who had hardly recovered from the utter amaze- 
 ment and surprise Avhich he had felt when his 
 brother had announced to him his engagement. 
 He had seen his pretty little sister-in-law many 
 times, and had become very fond of her, having 
 also won Sehora Perestrelo's respect and liking, 
 but he could never have won the i)lace in her 
 heart already occupied l)y her '' dear Colombo." 
 
 It had finally been decided that the young 
 couple and the sehora should all return to Porto 
 Santo, where the sailor and draughtsman could 
 now try his hand at farming, managing the little 
 farm owned by his wife's mother, and the brothers 
 Avere therefore soon parted again for an indefinite 
 period. These past few months often seemed a 
 mere dream to the solitary Bartholomew after his 
 brother had finally departed with his bride, 
 neither brother knowing when he would see the 
 other, or even hear of him, as Porto Santo was 
 somewhat isolated, and means of communication 
 would be rare. 
 
IV. 
 
 Nearly eleven years have elapsed since Felij^a 
 Perestrelo gave lier liand to the unknown draughts- 
 man. But little of this time has Columbus sj^ent 
 upon the quiet farm on Porto Santo. A new, 
 daring scheme has been occupying him ; although 
 he has been on many voyages, never for one in- 
 stant has this scheme left his thoughts, and it is 
 none other than a new way of seeking this long 
 hoped-for, long-sought water route to the Indies. 
 He has determined to sail west and find the Indies 
 thus. This is no vague, visionary fancy ; not for 
 months did he confide it to a soul, and only after 
 many letters had been exchanged with the eminent 
 astronomer Toscanelli did it seem possible that his 
 plan might some day in the near future be carried 
 out. 
 
 Alfonso of Portugal having applied to this as- 
 tronomer inquiring what his opinion of a shorter 
 route was, the astronomer had presented this west- 
 ward scheme, using in part the maps Columbus 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 43 
 
 had sent him. But ten years had passed, the 
 aged astronomer was dead, and after all this wait- 
 ing, now at last had Columbus found opportunity 
 to present his plans to the present king, John. 
 
 The little family, Felij^a and her three children, 
 had settled in Lisbon, where Columbus now daily 
 hoped for an interview with the king. 
 
 Felipa had lost none of her intense admiration 
 for her husband ; she still believed him one of the 
 greatest, cleverest men, and hoped to see him one 
 day universally acknowledged as such. It was 
 she who, although not fully understanding his 
 plans herself, yet encouraged him under his many 
 disappointments, and the tantalizing delays which 
 interfered with the long-hoped-for interview. It 
 was Felipa who had herself visited her distant 
 relatives, to whom she had long been almost an 
 entire stranger, but, nothing daunted, she found 
 her way to those of them whose position made it 
 possible for them to be of use to her husband. By 
 dint of her ardent pleading for his views — views 
 regarded as visionary by the majority, but which 
 yet found encouragement among a few learned 
 men — she managed to win over two of the influen- 
 tial members of her family, and these two had 
 finally secured the x)romise of a personal inter- 
 view with the king. 
 
44 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 This interview had taken x>lace, but no decision 
 had been received ; it was for this second summons 
 that Columbus was now waiting. 
 
 He returned home late one afternoon from an 
 idle stroll along the banks of the river. It was a 
 bright, cloudless day in early September, but the 
 heat was intense. The house they had lived in 
 for the past six months was in a close, hot quar- 
 ter of the city, for money was scarce with them, 
 and Felii^a's smooth young brow had worn a look 
 of anxiety for some time. The outlook for the 
 future was unj)romising. Suppose the king should 
 decline to have anything to do with her husband's 
 plans? And only this afternoon, her cousin, the 
 Sehor Paolo de Martinez de Perestrelo, had been 
 to see her, and held out but little hopes of the 
 success of these i^lans unless certain modifications 
 were made, and had indeed advised Felipa to 
 persuade her husband to consent to these modifi- 
 cations. 
 
 Accordingly Felipa met him with a somewhat 
 absent-minded air. At first Columbus did not 
 l^erceive this, being occupied with his own rather 
 gloomy thoughts. Felipa was the first to mention 
 the subject nearest both hearts. She asked hesi- 
 tatingly: 
 
 " No summons as yet, Cristoforo mio? " 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEUICA. 45 
 
 He started from his re very and looked up. 
 " None," said he slowly. Then after a short pause 
 he asked, " Has no one been here to-day? " 
 
 " Sehor Paolo de Perestrelo," answered Felij)a, 
 for she was not on sufficiently intimate terms with 
 her relatives to address them in any less formal 
 style. 
 
 '' And what did he have to say? " 
 
 Here Avas opening enough for Felij)a surely, but 
 she did not hasten to improve it. Not until her 
 husband repeated his question in a slightly sur- 
 prised tone did she begin hesitatingly : 
 
 " He said that he thought — that it was the gen- 
 eral ox)inion that— that thy demands were too 
 great, that the king was unwilling to accede to 
 such demands, and if thou wast to make some 
 concessions " 
 
 " Yes, if I were to make concessions, to discover 
 the route for them for nothing perhaps, leaving 
 His Majesty to give all honors and rewards to 
 some favorite courtier; "while I — I to whom it was 
 justly due — should be left utterly unrewarded ; if 
 I should agree to this, then perhaps they would 
 permit me to carry out my j)lans, forsooth. No, 
 not a single concession will I make ; I have asked 
 but little in comparison wdth the advantages which 
 may be theirs. And what do they lose by promis- 
 
46 WITH COLUMBUS IN^ AMERICA. 
 
 ing me these rewards ? Should the enterprise 
 prove a faihire, who is the loser, who is exposed 
 to ridicule ? The humble subject, Cristoforo Co- 
 lombo, is it wdio sinks into oblivion. But it will 
 not be a failure," he added, with a change of tone, 
 his whole face lighting up with enthusiasm, his 
 eyes sparkling. " It will not be a failure. It will 
 succeed, succeed, and then! " 
 
 Felipa, watching him, felt all doubts vanish. 
 Yes, he was right— his plans would succeed ; and 
 then Avhat reward could be too great for this 
 wonderful man ? 
 
 But two weeks passed and there was no change 
 in their condition. No change! Ah, yes, but a 
 change which affected their own little home circle 
 alone. The two youngest children, little Felipa 
 and Bartolomeo, w^ere ill. They seemed to have 
 no particular ailment, but lay motionless in their 
 little bed and grew daily weaker and weaker. 
 The doctor prescribed some simple remedies, but 
 with no eifect; he spoke of country air and de- 
 clared the hot city no place for them, but poor 
 Felipa knew that it was utterly useless even to 
 think of a country trip now. 
 
 Finally, one day, utterly exhausted from watch- 
 ing with them, she had lain down for a short 
 rest, leaving Diego, the eldest, perhaps live years 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 47 
 
 old, to watch tliem, witli directions to call her 
 should they ask for anything. She had fallen 
 into a light slumber, but suddenly started up in 
 alarm. The gaze of a pair of eyes hxed fully ux)on 
 her had roused her from her sleep. She sat up 
 and saw her husband standing beside the couch, 
 but liis face wore such a strange expression that 
 she was alarmed. 
 
 " What is it? " she asked hurriedly. 
 
 ^' I leave for Spain this very day," he answered, 
 with set teeth. 
 
 "For Spain!" 
 
 "Yes. I will no longer have anything to do 
 with this faithless country. Faithless! That is 
 too mild a word," he continued, with growing ex- 
 citement, his blue eyes flashing. 
 
 " But what is it, Cristoforo? what has happened? 
 I do not understand," said FelijDa, in utter bewil- 
 derment. 
 
 "What has happened! Listen, Felipa mia. 
 Thou knowest how day after day have I been 
 kept waiting here, waiting and hoping for a favor- 
 able reply, but thou dost not know why. I did 
 not until this very day. Oh, His Majesty did well 
 to put me off for weeks. He thought he saw a 
 way of securing the benefits of my scheme with- 
 out being forced to share them with such an in- 
 
48 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 significant party as myself. As to the honorable- 
 ness of his action, oh, that did not trouble him ! " 
 Columbus j)aused, out of breath, and Felipa, 
 wholly uncomprehending, gazed at him in dismay. 
 Never in all these years had she seen him so furi- 
 ously indignant, so greatly excited. 
 
 He saw her dismay, and with an effort controlled 
 himself and began more quietly: 
 
 " Felipa, after listening to my plans, after en- 
 couraging me to tell them fully, His Majesty King 
 John of Portugal condescended secretly to fit out 
 a vessel, sending it ostensibly with a cargo to the 
 Cape Verde Islands, but with directions to push 
 on westward and see what there was in this wild 
 idea of mine. Of course they were given all the 
 benefit of my majDs and charts left in charge of 
 the government! " 
 
 Felii^a gave a cry of alarm. 
 
 " But it has not succeeded, this cowardly, dis- 
 honorable plan ! I learned of it to~day. The cow- 
 ards wxre afraid — yes, afraid — when they found 
 themselves alone on the great ocean, and realized 
 that they were about to sail whither man had 
 never yet sailed, that they Avere starting on a voy- 
 age whose end no one could foretell, and they 
 have returned. 
 
 '' But after this, never, never will I sail under 
 
AVITir COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 49 
 
 this king's authority. I shall go to Castile, and 
 lay my plans before the Crown. I look for a more 
 favorable reception there. I was foolish to tarry 
 here so long; and now, Felipa, listen to my plans. 
 Thou knowest that our store of money is but 
 scanty, and with the sick children and our strait- 
 ened means it is impossible for me to take you 
 with me. To wait is also out of the question; so 
 there is nothing left for me but to go alone— or 
 not alone, for I have thought it will be best for 
 me to take our little son Diego with me as far 
 as Huelva. Thy sister has often begged us to 
 lend her one of our children for a time. He 
 will be well cared for, and thou wilt have one 
 less to tax thy time and strength. What dost 
 thou say?" 
 
 Felipa clung to him convulsively. " Must thou 
 really go? And on this long, long journey to 
 Spain? Oh, when, when shall I see thee again? " 
 
 " Take courage, my Felipa, all wall yet be well. 
 There are better days in store for us. I feel, I 
 know it. 'This j^arting is unavoidable, but it will 
 not be for long, and I may yet return a wealthy 
 man, and be able to surround thee and our little 
 ones with every luxury. Then thou wilt look 
 upon these dark days as a hateful dream, and 
 gradually they wall fade from thy remembrance 
 
50 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 entirely. Look up, and bid me good-by with a 
 cheerful face, Felipa," 
 
 Although she had grown deathly jjale, Felipa 
 tried to force a smile, but it was a ghastly effort. 
 She shed no tears, hoAvever, but set about making 
 the necessary preparations, for the time was but 
 short, as her husband intended to leave Avith their 
 little son that very evening. An acquaintance 
 was going part of the way, and had offered to take 
 the travellers for some distance in his wagon. 
 All this had been arranged before Columbus came 
 home. 
 
 There was but little time for sentiment now 
 when these arrangements were finally completed. 
 They looked over their small stock of money to- 
 gether, and had an animated discussion as to the 
 amount Columbus should take with him, Felipa 
 wishing to leave but a mere trifle for her own use. 
 The rooms which comprised their home she was 
 sure of for the next three months, the rent having 
 been paid for that time, and before that she might 
 hope to receive something from the farm on Porto 
 Santo, which was in charge of one of the settlers, 
 and a friend of the couple. 
 
 The hour of departure had arrived. Little 
 Diego, like all children, excited and delighted at 
 the prospect of a change, could scarcely wait for 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 51 
 
 his father to leave the house. Felipa bore up 
 bravely until the last. She stood in the doorway 
 and watched the two until they were out of sighf 
 — her husband's tall figure, and the chubby little 
 child at his side— and not until they had turned 
 the corner, waving her a last adieu, did she turn 
 back into the little sitting-room, and, throwing 
 herself upon the lounge, burst into tears, sobbing 
 out in her despair: " I shall never see him again! 
 I shall never see him again ! " 
 
 Poor little Felipa, her unconscious prophecy 
 was fulfilled. Within two short months from this 
 day, fever had carried off both her two little ones 
 and herself, and not until Aveeks after — owing to 
 the slowness Avith which news travelled in those 
 days— did Columbus learn of his losses; learn that 
 the Avife Avho to the last had believed in and en- 
 couraged his i)lans, as fully as he himself believed 
 in them, Avho to the last had lived for and loA'ed 
 but him, Avas no more. 
 
V. 
 
 Seven years of varied vicissitudes followed 
 Columbus' journey to Spain, years of bafl9ed hopes, 
 of discouragements, and yet with occasional 
 gleams of hope renewed. His arrival at the Span- 
 ish court had been at a most unpropitious time. 
 Engaged in warring with the Moors, the king and 
 queen Jiad little time and less money to devote to 
 these schemes to them so visionary. Although 
 received in an encouraging manner, and even 
 granted some slight monetary assistance, he was 
 kept waiting, waiting in vain for the final deci- 
 sion. At one time his fortune did indeed seem 
 decided favorably. The duke of Medina Cell had 
 entertained him most hospitably, and entered so 
 warmly into his plans, that he even resolved to fit 
 out several ships at his own exx3ense ; but the queen 
 would not give her consent to this plan, alleging 
 that she had not yet decided that she would not 
 take up the affair herself. 
 
 This was in the spring of 1491. But months 
 
AVITII COLT'MBUS IN AMERICA. 53 
 
 passed, and Columbus liad received no definite 
 reply. Sick at heart, he finally decided to leave 
 this country where he had wasted so many years, 
 and accordingly he went to Hiielva, where his lit- 
 tle son Diego had remained all these years with 
 his aunt, and, with the boy, prepared to depart for 
 either France or England, he had not as yet de- 
 cided. 
 
 With Diego at his side, he set out one autumn 
 afternoon from the little town on his way to Palos. 
 The years had left but few traces on his face and 
 figure. He was still erect, vigorous, and hand- 
 some ; he still was as firm a believer in his plans 
 as ever, although discouraged and disheartened 
 at the receptions they had met with. The future 
 looked black enough as he strode along the road, 
 gazing neither to the right nor the left, absorbed 
 in his thoughts, and paying but little attention 
 even to Diego. 
 
 The little fellow tramped along right manfully 
 at first, but they had walked a long distance, he 
 had long since eaten the small lunch his aunt had 
 done up for him when they started, and the child 
 was both hungry and thirsty. He glanced at his 
 father, this father who was almost an entire 
 stranger to him ; but Columbus strode on, slightly 
 ahead; he had evidently forgotten all about him. 
 
54 WITH COLUMBUS IT^^ AMEEICA. 
 
 After a f eAv minutes, seeing that his father still 
 seemed totally oblivious of his surroundings, he 
 ran up to him, and touched his arm. 
 
 " Father, I am very hungry ; have we much far- 
 ther to go?" 
 
 The man started and looked at the child. He 
 seemed very tired, and suddenly Columbus real- 
 ized how long they had been Avalking. 
 
 "Thou art tired, Diego?" he asked gently. 
 
 " Yes, father ; but more than that, I am very 
 hungry and thirsty." 
 
 Columbus gazed about him uncertainly. There 
 was nothing in sight with Avhicli the boy could 
 satisfy his hunger, no fruit or even a nut tree. 
 He paused irresolutely; then his eyes fell upon 
 a long building upon a hill near by, a building 
 which he fancied a monastery. He pointed it out 
 to the child, and encouraged him to exert himself 
 and push on toward it, hoping tliat they might 
 procure food there. He was not mistaken, it was 
 the monastery of La Rabida, inhabited by mem- 
 bers of the Franciscan order. They reached the 
 portal, and only then did Columbus realize how 
 exhausted he was. 
 
 He was kindly received, and his petition to be 
 allowed to rest for a while, and also for food for 
 himself and his little son, was readily granted. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 55 
 
 After having satisfied their hunger, the monks 
 escorted father and son into a large room, whose 
 windows overlooked the ocean. Diego threw him- 
 self down on the floor in a dark corner and was 
 soon asleep. Columbus was standing at one of 
 the windows, gazing out upon the water, when one 
 of the monks, whom he had not seen before, en- 
 tered the room and accosted him pleasantly. 
 
 " You seem to have walked some distance to- 
 day, sir. The little boy is quite exhausted," said 
 he in a deep, pleasant voice. 
 
 " Yes, we have walked from Huelva,'' replied 
 Columbus. 
 
 '' From Huelva ! That is indeed a long journey. 
 What is your destination? " 
 
 "God knows!" replied Columbus, bitterly. 
 Then, seeing that the monk looked surprised, he 
 added, in a more natural tone : " I go either to 
 England or to France ; my choice will be decided 
 by the first o^Dportunity which I have of winning 
 my passage to either countiy. I am a sailor. I 
 hox^e to find some captain willing to engage my 
 services, even with the additional burden of my 
 little son." 
 
 The brother looked at him Avith evident interest. 
 This was no common sailor, yet he was poor, that 
 was plainly seen. But his whole appearance, his 
 
56 WITH COLUMBUS IT^ AMERICA. 
 
 manners, liis language, betokened some one far 
 above a sailor. 
 
 '' Am I right in thinking you a fellow-country- 
 man, a Spaniard? " asked the monk. 
 
 " A Spaniard, no, and yet I have lived in Spain 
 for seven years; a Portuguese, no, and yet I lived 
 there for longer yet. I am in reality a Genoese ; 
 at least I was born in Genoa, but have lived in 
 many places, and sailed over almost all the waters 
 of this sphere— the known waters," he added in 
 an undertone. 
 
 Now, two exjDressions in this speech had at- 
 tracted the especial attention of this monk, who 
 was none other than Father Juan Perez de Mar- 
 chena. Queen Isabella's confessor, and a very intel- 
 ligent and learned man. One was the fact tliat 
 Columbus had said " the waters of this sphere," 
 and the other the words he had added, words 
 evidently meant only for himself. Now, as Father 
 Marchena knew very well, the belief that the earth 
 was a si)here was by no means general; in fact it 
 was bitterly contested by many, and wholly un- 
 known to the ignorant. It was possible and yet 
 hardly probable that the man had used the ex- 
 pression unwittingly. And as to the other expres- 
 sion, " the known waters," it certainly betokened 
 that this stranger, whoever or whatever he was, be- 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 57 
 
 lieved that there were other regions as yet totally 
 unknown to the exx)lorers of the time. These 
 facts might mean but little in themselves, but 
 they, added to the distinguished appearance of 
 the man even in his dusty, travel-worn clothes, 
 interested Father Juan in him. 
 
 " Is it possible that you believe this earth to be 
 a sphere?" asked he suddenly, in a purposely 
 depreciatory tone. 
 
 '^Possible!" replied Columbus, quickly. ''Is 
 there any other rational belief? " He spoke impa- 
 tiently; as the result of the opposition he had en- 
 countered, he was now ready to resent the slight- 
 est contradiction. But Father Marchena did not 
 seem offended at his impatient rejoinder ; he smiled 
 slightly, and with increased interest he asked: 
 
 " You are a scholar, then, if that is your opin- 
 ion, for the masses have most different ideas." 
 Columbus glanced quickly at him. 
 
 " Ah, then your opinion is the same; you know 
 how absurd, how preposterous, are those fools 
 who assert that such a belief is contradictory to 
 the scriptures, impious, and the like." 
 
 "I do know that it is absurd; but they are 
 blindly prejudiced, those poor creatures. But 
 you speak feelingly, stranger; have you perhaps 
 suffered from this ignorance? " 
 
58 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 "Have I not?" said Columbus, in his former 
 bitter tone ; then gazing fully at the monk, some- 
 thing in his face inspired him Avitli contidence, 
 and, with a frankness which would have surprised 
 himself a few moments before, Columbus poured 
 out his troubles to the monk's willing ear. He 
 told him all his plans, his disappointments, his 
 vain efforts to win the support of either the king 
 of Portugal or Spain. Even if Father Marchena 
 had not been the intelligent, scholarly man that 
 he was, he might perhaps have been carried away 
 by Columbus' speech, for the man's enthusiasm 
 and confidence were contagious. As it was, he 
 could understand him, his jDlans did not seem 
 visionary, and finally he became almost as enthu- 
 siastic as Columbus himself. One after another, 
 some six or eight monks, who had passed the 
 door and become curious as to what this eager talk 
 could be about, had entered the room, and formed 
 a group about the two men. Even Diego had 
 awakened, and sat up in his corner, staring in 
 surprise. When Columbus paused in his flow of 
 words. Father Juan interposed: 
 
 " You said you were on your way to either 
 France or England —Sehor " 
 
 "Cristoforo Colombo," answered Columbus. 
 " Yes, father, I am about to try my fortune with 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 59 
 
 the sovereigns of one of tliese two countries. My 
 brother Bartolomeo is already in England, trying 
 to interest the king in my behalf. If possible I 
 shall go there." 
 
 " This must not be," said Marchena, glancing at 
 the group as if to find confirmation of his words. 
 " Spain must not lose, through foolish indecision, 
 such a chance." The last words he spoke in an 
 undertone to himself; then he drew one of the 
 monks aside and spoke to him for several minutes 
 in an undertone, then dispatched him on some 
 errand. In a fev/ minutes he returned with a 
 peasant boy, to whom Father Juan gave some di- 
 rections incomprehensible to Columbus, and the 
 boy departed. The father now turned again to 
 Columbus. 
 
 "I have sent for two friends of mine, Sehor 
 Colombo," said he, " to whom I should like you to 
 explain your plans fully, as you have just now 
 done to me. They will be here before long; mean- 
 while — you are fresh from court — tell us the lat- 
 est news of this terrible war with the infidels, the 
 Moors." 
 
 Father Juan Perez was an interesting compan- 
 ion, and the time did not seem long to Columbus 
 before the door opened, and the monk who had 
 been so hurriedly dispatched returned, accompa- 
 
60 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 nied by two men, to whom he was forthwith pre- 
 sented. One was Garcia Hernandez, a physician 
 of Palos, an intelligent man, somewhat of a cos- 
 mographer; the other, Alonzo Pinzon. Father 
 Juan briefly explained his reasons for sending for 
 them, and they seated themselves and jDrepared 
 to listen to Columbus with the utmost attention. 
 He described his views to them with even more 
 enthusiasm and warmth than he had displayed 
 with Father Juan alone. This time he felt sure 
 of sympathetic hearers, and the monk watched 
 him with great satisfaction. When he had fin- 
 ished. Father Juan turned to the two friends he 
 had summoned. 
 
 " Well, what do you say to this, Garcia Her- 
 nandez? This is no wild scheme of a madman, 
 is it?" 
 
 " In truth, it seems to me most plausible and 
 well worthy of the risk," replied Hernandez. 
 
 "And thou, Pinzon?" 
 
 " I am ready — no, anxious — to embark in the 
 first ship which sets sail Avestward under the guid- 
 ance of Sehor Cristoforo Colombo!" cried the 
 ship-owner and mariner Alonzo Pinzon, enthu- 
 siastically. 
 
 Columbus' face flushed with pleasure at these 
 encouraging words. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS I?^ AMERICA. 61 
 
 Juan Perez also looked pleased. 
 
 "I shall write to Her Majesty," lie declared 
 firmly. 
 
 Columbus gazed at him somewhat sceptically, 
 although deeply thankful to him for his symj)athy. 
 
 "Father, for these seven years have I vainly 
 tried to infiuence her or her nobles in my plans. 
 1 have utterly failed, with one exception. I am 
 convinced that it is the queen's counsellors who 
 are most opposed to me, but this influence it is 
 useless to combat.-' 
 
 " It is not useless, my son; it can and shall be 
 done," replied he, decidedly. " Sehor Colombo, 
 you and your little son must remain with us as 
 our guests for a few days, until 1 can receive 
 an ansAver from Her Majesty. She must listen 
 to you, and she Avill. For many years I was 
 her father confessor, and I do not believe that I 
 have lost all my influence with her. You have 
 no definite plans; the delay will not seriously 
 inconvenience you. You will stay, will you 
 not?" 
 
 Columbus assented willingly enough, but in a 
 state of amazement. AVas it x^ossible that at 
 last, at last, his fortunes were to turn? that there 
 was hope, after all? The prior's confidence en- 
 couraged him to new hope. 
 
62 WITH C0LU3IBUS IN AMP^RICA. 
 
 That very day an epistle to the queen was dis- 
 patched by a mounted messenger. 
 
 Sooner than Columbus had dared hope for an 
 answer, it arrived, summoning tlie prior to wait 
 upon the queen in the camp before Grenada. 
 
 In great excitement did Columbus await the 
 return of his cliamx)ion, and when at last he 
 arrived at La Rabida he brought most encourag- 
 ing news. He brought a purse of money for Co- 
 lumbus, and in December the indefatigable prior 
 accompanied his ^protege to the camp, while his 
 little son remained in charge of the Franciscans. 
 
 Once more did Columbus urge his plans before 
 the queen's counsellors, her confessor, and learned 
 prelates, but here in Grenada he met with a far 
 more favorable recex)tion than in Salamanca. Not 
 an inch did his pride yield; and it was not until 
 after much debating, hesitating, and indeed after 
 having once utterly refused, that the queen con- 
 sented to his demands. He had actually started 
 for France, when his partisans j)re vailed upon her 
 not to let this opportunity of a lifetime, of an 
 age indeedj slip from her hands, and once more 
 he was recalled. Not until April was the agree- 
 ment finally signed, and Columbus vowed to de- 
 vote all the wealth which he might obtain to the 
 rescue of the Holy Sepulchre. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 63 
 
 When at length the little fleet of three vessels 
 set sail, one under the command of his enthusi- 
 astic sui)porter Martin Pinzon, on that Friday, 
 August 3d, 1492, with what varied emotions did 
 Columbus stand u^Don the deck of his shix) ! His 
 wishes were fulfllled; the desire of his heart, his 
 long-cherished plan, was to be carried out, he was 
 to And the new route to the Indies! Not for an 
 instant did he shudder at the thought of the long, 
 dangerous voyage, the voyage over this vast, track- 
 less ocean. No, his heart beat high, and his cour- 
 age would suffice, that he knew. 
 
 .p^^ 
 
YI. 
 
 Father Juan stood at tlie window of liis lofty, 
 spacious apartment. His gaze was fixed upon the 
 infinite ocean, and his heart was torn with con- 
 flicting emotions. 
 
 The young curly, black-haired Jacob, the only 
 son of his dead brother, caused him anxiety. 
 The boy was Avide-awake, industrious, but his 
 heart longed violently for a life of greater activity. 
 Up to this time he had passed his days in a neigh- 
 boring cloister, had enlarged his knowledge under 
 the care of the prior there. Now the cloister 
 rooms were too small for the boy, he wished to go 
 out into the world among the students of Sala- 
 manca. 
 
 Father Juan knew that city, with its gloomy, 
 narrow streets; knew the university, which, 
 founded in the year 1222, now stood above all 
 others, and gave scientific instruction to thousands 
 of students. But he also knew the peril and 
 dangers which threatened a young man there. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 65 
 
 He gazed out upon the sea. How calm it was to- 
 day ! how many ships i)loughed their way through 
 its waves, unsuspicious of danger! and in a few 
 hours how the scene could change! A raging 
 hurricane might sweep over the ocean, the weaves 
 might tarn up mountain-high, and man's proud 
 ships would be as much at the mercy of the 
 mighty unchained elements as tiny nut-shells. 
 Finally, all human knowledge and skill would 
 fail in this struggle; man could but fold his hands 
 and pray to God. This life is like the sea— to- 
 day calm and peaceful, inviting us to long jour- 
 neys, and to-morrow a prey to wild storms. 
 
 All this Father Juan thought of, and he wished 
 to warn the young Jacob, and, if the youth perse- 
 vered in his wishes, to give him some good advice 
 for his first journey out into the wide world. 
 
 But Father Juan was disturbed in his revery. 
 There was an impatient knock at the door, and a 
 man of about thirty years of age, whose face wore 
 an exiDression of the greatest excitement, entered 
 the room. 
 
 "Ah, it is you, Garcia Hernandez," said the 
 prior, turning to him, " but wdiat in the w^oiid has 
 excited you so? You are not the calm, composed 
 scholar that you usually appear. What brings 
 you to me?" 
 5 
 
66 WITH COLUMBUS IIS" AMEEICA. 
 
 Garcia Hernandez, who lived in tlie neighbor- 
 ing town of Palos, was indeed a scholar, physi- 
 cian, physicist, and cosmographist ; he was very 
 learned, had a keen mind, and busied himself 
 with studies in natural science, but, above all, w^as 
 deeply interested in the distant countries of the 
 earth, Avhich were still wrapped in a veil of mys- 
 tery for human eyes, and of which but vague ideas 
 w^ere held. He was usually most composed in his 
 actions and manners, but to-day he seemed wholly 
 robbed of all self-possession. His breath came 
 rapidly, for he had fairly run to the cloister, and 
 drawing a deep breath he cried, " Father Juan, 
 do you remember the man Avho came to the cloister 
 two years ago, the w^hite-haired man whom we 
 recommended to Queen Isabella?" 
 
 Garcia Hernandez seated himself on a chair, for 
 his beating heart must first grow calm. 
 
 "Christopher Columbus," said Father Juan, 
 slowly, as though collecting his scattered thoughts 
 and trying to recall something to his memory. 
 "How should I have forgotten him? He w^as an 
 extraordinary man ; in his eyes shone the fire of 
 genius. Happy is he w^ho meets such a man in 
 his life ! Most happy he whom God has blessed 
 by permitting him to be of use to such a remarka- 
 ble being ! By an interposition of God we were 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 67 
 
 called to help Christopher Columbus to the means 
 for his voyage. And was it not undertaken in a 
 pious spirit? Did he not promise to give funds for 
 a new crusade to Jerusalem, to free our Saviour's 
 sacred truth from the hand of the Saracens? How 
 often, as I have stood here at the window, and 
 my thoughts i)ierced beyond the bounds of the 
 horizon, has my spirit been with him and his 
 vessels! How often has my heart trembled for 
 him when the storm Avrapi^ed everything in mist 
 and fog; for that is a journey for life and death 
 — bolder indeed than all the voyages of the Por- 
 tuguese, who have always hugged the coast of 
 Africa. Ah, they advanced slowly, step by step, 
 but Columbus has undertaken a truly heroic 
 flight, and how often I ask myself in timid doubt, 
 Is it not an Icarian flight? But your eyes sparkle 
 joyously. Have you news of him ? Has he re- 
 turned? " 
 
 "Wonderful! Father Juan," cried Garcia Her- 
 nandez, '' what rumors the merchants of Sevilla 
 bring us! One of Columbus' ship-captains, Alonso 
 Pinzon, you remember, has landed in the north- 
 western part of Spain, in Bayonne, and has dis- 
 patched accounts of truly discovered lands to the 
 king. And Columbus himself — he was forced to 
 put into Lisbon, owing to contrary winds. The 
 
68 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 envious Portuguese wished to take him prisoner, 
 but the protecting letter of our king of Castile 
 and Leon must be respected. Columbus can 
 arrive in Palos at any hour now. And what does 
 he bring with him! Wonders of wonders, red 
 men, gay birds, rare spices, fruits such as we have 
 never seen — and gold, Father Juan, solid gold in 
 quantities." 
 
 " Praised be God in Heaven ! " cried the father, 
 clasping his hands. " So the great work has suc- 
 ceeded, and the sea route to the wealthy Indies 
 discovered ! " 
 
 " Now you know it, Father Juan,- ' said Garcia 
 Hernandez eagerly. " And I am going. I shall 
 sit upon the shore and not leave it until I have 
 pressed Columbus' hand. All the people are wild 
 with excitement ! " 
 
 " I too must greet the discoverer," replied the 
 prior, "and accompany him to the house of God, 
 that he may thank the Almighty for his protec- 
 tion, without which all the letters of all the 
 princes and powers of this world cannot avail to 
 save us." 
 
 With the greatest astonishment had young 
 Jacob listened to this conversation. What was 
 it which had so excited these two learned men? 
 Red men? Were there such beings? Gay birds? 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 69 
 
 gold, real gold, spices from tlie fairy-like Indies ! 
 And they planned a new crusade; his uncle had 
 spoken of it. 
 
 All these things were riddles for the boy. He 
 followed the father and Garcia Hernandez me- 
 chanically, as they walked along engaged in an 
 animated conversation. He did not understand 
 what he heard of the conversation, but he jDUshed 
 on, anxious to see all those wonders with his own 
 eyes, for the bells of Palos were ringing gayly. 
 
 A few hours later, Jacob, standing near his 
 uncle, could have a good look at the man who 
 was being lionized by all the inhabitants of the 
 city. 
 
 The famous navigator appeared older than he 
 was, but all the hardships of the long sea-voyage 
 had not bowed his tall, powerful figure. Jacob 
 de Marchena could not take his eyes from him; a 
 strange fascination attracted him to this man, and 
 he followed him in the procession to the city 
 with bent head, followed him as a dog follows his 
 master, without being able to explain to himself 
 why so suddenly every fibre of his heart seemed 
 to go out to the stranger. It was the power of 
 genius, and, strangely enough, he had scarcely 
 a glance for the coj)X)er-colored Indians in their 
 national garb ; he paid no attention to the strange 
 
70 WITH COLUMBUS 11^ AMEEICA. 
 
 parrots, the spices; tlie gold excited no admira- 
 tion — this man alone seemed great, admirable to 
 him, this man who had achieved something which 
 had been impossible for all his predecessors. 
 
 He of course had no x)art in the conversation 
 which the admiral, Columbus, carried on with his 
 friends Father Juan and Garcia Hernandez — he 
 was too young for this ; but he waited patiently 
 outside the door until Columbus reappeared, and 
 was content and happy to have seen him again. 
 
 Columbus did not long remain in Palos. He 
 hastened to Barcelona, where the court was then 
 staying; he proceeded through all Sj^ain in tri- 
 umph, and in triumph he entered Barcelona. 
 When he appeared in the palace, accompanied by 
 numerous nobles, the king and queen rose from 
 their throne, and received him with the greatest 
 honor and graciousness, even permitting him to 
 sit in their presence. The fame of the great ex- 
 ploring voyage spread throughout Sj^ain and the 
 whole civilized world as well, and the admiral at 
 ODce began fitting out a new fleet. 
 
 But Jacob had remained in Palos, solitary and 
 in quiet, and pondered over all that he had heard. 
 He had for a long time been in the habit of spend- 
 ing his leisure hours in the house of the physician 
 and cosmograplier Garcia Hernandez, where, with 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEEICA. 71 
 
 lier mother, lived the physician's young sister, 
 little Mercedes. There was a secret agreement 
 between the two children, of which no one else 
 knew that when Jacob should return from Sala- 
 manca with his degree they should be married. 
 This was their firm intention. 
 
 Now, Jacob went here oftener than ever, but he 
 chose the hours when he was sure to find Garcia 
 at home. He kex)t near him, accompanied him 
 on walks, and began to question the learned phy- 
 sician upon all sorts of things relating to Colum- 
 bus, about which young Jacob was very uncertain. 
 
 Garcia Hernandez was pleased with this thirst 
 for knowledge in the young man, and initiated 
 him in the geograx)hical knowledge of that time. 
 Through Hernandez's instructions, Jacob's men- 
 tal horizon enlarged. Garcia told him of distant 
 lands which had been visited by famous explor- 
 ers, of the Avonderful India where all the jirecious 
 spices grew, and of Columbus' plan to sail west 
 and reach this wonderful land, since the overland 
 route was endangered by the hostile Moors and 
 Turks. 
 
 " My young friend," said he, " Columbus' great 
 voyage is but the first of many more famous voy- 
 ages. The islands are rich in gold, and will* 
 therefore allure many to their shores ; but whether 
 
72 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 those are really tlie kingdoms of Cathay and 
 Cipango, or new lands of which we have as yet 
 known nothing, the future alone can show. But 
 if you are so deeply interested in such things, the 
 letter which Columbus wrote to the king about 
 his voyage will certainly interest you. I can give 
 it to you. Read it and wonder! " 
 
 Jacob seated himself in Garcia's arbor, and for 
 the first time became clear as to the true, con- 
 nected history of Columbus' first voyage. This 
 letter was a kind of journal, beginning with the 
 words: "After your Highnesses in this year 1492 
 had finished the war against the Moors, who 
 ruled in Europe, and had made peace in the great 
 city of Granada, this same year, on the second 
 day of the month January, I saw the banner of 
 your Highnesses float on the towers of the Alham- 
 bra, and saw the Moorish king march out of the 
 city and kiss your Majesty's hands. 
 
 " In the same month, your Highnesses as Catho- 
 lics, and lovers and spreaders of the holy Christian 
 religion, and as enemies of Mohammedanism and 
 all idolatry and heresy, were pleased to send me, 
 Christopher Columbus, to the region of the Indies 
 of which I had spoken to your Highnesses, and 
 ordered me to repair to the Grand Khan, which in 
 our language means king of kings. You did not 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 73 
 
 command me to travel in the usual way to the 
 land of the Orient, but to reach India by a 
 westward route across the sea, which, as far as 
 one can tell, has never before been tried by any 
 one." 
 
 Then the discoverer related how he had resolved 
 carefully to note doAvn all the events of the day, 
 to make a new chart, and closed with the words: 
 " It is of chief importance, therefore, that I learn 
 to dispense with sleep, and pursue my way with 
 endurance, and to fulfil all the obligations of a 
 great work." 
 
 Then young Jacob read of the voyage to the 
 Canary Islands, and of the steering out into the 
 unknown ocean. Far to the west, the geographers 
 of that time suspected an island, Antilla, to which 
 in the year 734 Spanish Christians had fled from 
 the Moors. Columbus also believed in the exist- 
 ence of this island, and in his ox)inion sailed quite 
 near it, but his aim was India, and he therefore 
 did not stop for secondary matters. For thirty- 
 four days he saw only sky and water. What 
 struggles ! what conflicts with his men, did he not 
 endure ; how often was he deceived by a false cry 
 of, "Land! Land!" until at last Guanahani, the 
 small island which he called San Salvador, was 
 reached. Young Jacob read and marvelled. Men 
 
74 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 neither black nor white, dogs which did not bark, 
 did the admiral describe. Then they sailed from 
 one island to another, until, in Cuba, Columbus 
 thought he had reached the main land of Asia, in 
 Hispaniola or Hayti, Cipango or Japan, and sent 
 messengers to the Grand Khan. Errors these, 
 which only a later period should refute. 
 
 Garcia Hernandez might permit himself doubts, 
 Jacob was entranced by other portions of the ac- 
 count. He fancied himself with the admiral in 
 Cuba. " The perfume of the flowers and trees," 
 he read, " is sweet beyond description. Evidently 
 there were cows here and other large animals, for 
 skeletons with the heads of cows were found. 
 All night long we could hear the birds singing, 
 the twittering of sparrows, the chirping of crick- 
 ets. The air was mild and balmy at night, neither 
 cold nor hot." He followed the two Spaniards 
 who had undertaken the first exploring tour of 
 Cuba, and who had met many men and women, 
 all of whom carried a glowing coal wrapped in 
 fragrant herbs in their hands. They were dried 
 herbs wrapped in one large dried leaf. They 
 were lighted at one end; at the other end the 
 j)eople drew in or, so to say, drank the smoke. 
 "They become sleepy and intoxicated by this," 
 wrote Columbus, "but they are evidently kept 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 75 
 
 from weariness thereby. The x)eople call this 
 dried herb tobacos^ 
 
 Then the mention of the golden ornaments, and 
 the admiral's ejaculation, '' May God in his mercy 
 permit me to find the gold mines ! " Then the first 
 Christmas in the New World, the storm and shii)- 
 wreck of the Santa Maria^ the founding of the 
 first settlement, Navidad or Christmas, upon His- 
 paniola; then the dangerous return voyage over 
 the stormy sea — all this the young reader de- 
 voured. His thoughts flew to America, to the 
 Spanish settlers in Navidad, and he longed to be 
 there. He was a child of his times, and he firmly 
 resolved to go. 
 
 In one moment Salamanca and the university 
 were forgotten. Mercedes joined him in the arbor, 
 and to her he poured out his hopes and plans. 
 She tried to dissuade him, but he persisted in his 
 resolves; she pitied him, that he was going so 
 young to a certain death. She even wept, but 
 her tears had no effect upon the great Columbus' 
 ardent admirer. 
 
 The carrying out of his plans did not, to be sure, 
 depend uj)on him alone. His guardian, Father 
 Juan, must give his consent, as Jacob kne^v very 
 well, and he applied to his friend Garcia Hernan- 
 dez for assistance. 
 
76 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 There was great enthusiasm in Palos over the 
 next voyage of Columbus, and the two friends of 
 the former weary wanderer looked upon the great 
 discovery as their work also, as it was through 
 their recommendation to the queen that Columbus 
 had secured the means for his first voyage. 
 Therefore Jacob de Marchena had no very difficult 
 task in obtaining his guardian's consent. He was 
 already eighteen years old, and in Spain this 
 means a more mature age than in northern coun- 
 tries. He was strong and healthy, and the prior 
 gave his consent. Columbus would not forget, in 
 the person of the nephew, the service which the 
 uncle had once rendered him ; of this the prior was 
 sure, and so Jacob collected his small belongings, 
 and with a happy heart set out for Cadiz to join 
 the great fieet. 
 
 For it was a great fleet which Columbus now 
 had under his guidance. Seventeen vessels, twelve 
 hundred armed men, with infantry and cavalry, 
 were put at his disposal. He was now to take 
 possession of the discovered land. The first 
 settlers were already established in Navidad, and 
 Columbus' rej^orts had had such an insx>iring 
 eifect that not only adventurers, but also members 
 of the Spanish nobility, were among the emigrants. 
 They took with them European domestic animals, 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 77 
 
 as well as grains, vegetables, and grai^e-vine cut- 
 tings. The viceroy intended to found a colony on 
 Hispaniola, and then to continue his voyage of 
 exploration. He cherished a proud plan: not 
 only would he visit those markets of the world, 
 Cathay, Cipango, and India, but, sailing steadily 
 westward, he would circumnavigate the globe. 
 And he was sure of the success of his undertak- 
 ing ! How near Japan was to Spain he had proved 
 by his discoveries, and could declare that the 
 earth was not nearly as large as astronomers and 
 cosmographers had declared. 
 
 He was wrong ; he had accomplished a greater 
 deed than he knew ; he had discovered an entire 
 hemisphere wholly unknown to humanity. But 
 of this he had not the slightest idea when on the 
 25th of September, 1493, his fleet weighed anchor 
 in the harbor of Cadiz, and he began his second 
 memorable voyage. 
 
yii. 
 
 Slowly Columbus' fleet sailed through the 
 group of Lesser Antilles toward the island of 
 Hispaniola. On the 22d of November they reached 
 it, and cries of joy resounded on board. The eyes 
 of the admiral also sparkled joyously, for he built 
 great hopes upon this splendid island. 
 
 The settlers in Navidad had certainly not been 
 idle; they had entered into trade with the natives, 
 had exchanged the worthless trifles left with 
 them for gold. So thought Columbus, and in his 
 imagination this strange land must conceal other 
 IDroducts which the settlers had probably learned 
 of by this time. AVith all these treasures he 
 wished to load part of his fleet and send them to 
 the king of Spain. Then he looked for a sj)eedy 
 prosperity in his vice-kingdom from these new 
 supplies and troops. 
 
 But the harbor of Navidad was a long distance 
 away, and so they sailed into the harbor of Monte 
 Christi, where they anchored. 
 
ITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 79 
 
 As usual, several men landed to get a sujiply 
 of water. Among these was Jacob de Marchena. 
 
 Everything that he saw here was new. The 
 trees, the flowers, the birds, all w^ere different 
 from those of his home, and his astonished eyes 
 wandered from one object to another. Here he 
 now sat on the bank of a brook which issued from 
 a little grove, and plunged noisily into the sea. 
 Before him extended a grassy meadow, reaching 
 to the edge of the sea. This was no grass such as 
 they were familiar with in Europe; it was much 
 higher and stronger. Gay butterflies floated 
 above it. Busy insects hummed; they were all 
 active, for the sun w^as just touching the edge of 
 the horizon, and in the east the moon was rising, 
 night was fast ai3j)roaching, night which brought 
 resu to one swarm of insects and aAvakened another 
 to life. His companions prepared to return to 
 the boat and row back to the ship. One must 
 be prudent in this strange land. Uni^leasant facts 
 had been learned of other islands, and unmistaka- 
 ble traces of cannibalism remarked along the coast. 
 
 Jacob rose to follow his companions. His 
 thoughts had wandered from these strange sur- 
 roundings back to his far distant home in Spain, 
 to the garden wiiere he had so often sat, to little 
 Mercedes, his constant companion. How long 
 
80 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 would it be before lie would see her again, liow 
 many, many years? Meclianically lie followed 
 the men. When they drew near the boat, and 
 the sun had just dropped out of sight, a brilliant 
 insect flew close in front of him and seated itself 
 upon a tall blade of grass. The bright spots on 
 the beetle's breast shone like two green lanterns. 
 The glow-worm could not be compared to this 
 beautiful beetle; its brilliancy was a hundred 
 times brighter, and of a wonderful beauty of 
 color. Jacob de Marchena was suddenly seized 
 with the desire to possess this living jewel; he 
 drew near and tried to catch it. Away it flew, 
 and Jacob after it. But he suddenly paused — a 
 disagreeable odor of decomi^osition was notice- 
 able ; and as he gazed in the direction from which 
 it seemed to arise, a raven-like bird flew up out 
 of the tall grass at his left. 
 
 Urged on by curiosity, Jacob pushed on toward 
 the sjDot; but he started back, for there before 
 him lay the corpse of a man stretched out in the 
 grass. He overcame his horror sufficiently to 
 draw nearer; then a cry of alarm escaped him ; did 
 the twilight deceive him, or was it really the 
 corpse of a white man? 
 
 Alarmed by the call, his companions stood still. 
 He beckoned to them, and they approached. But 
 
AVITJI COLUMBUS IN AMP:RICA. 81 
 
 no one could positively assert that this corpse 
 was that of an Indian or a white man, as decom- 
 position had progressed too far. But all recog- 
 nized the cause of death of the unfortunate vic- 
 tim: the man had been strangled; the cord still 
 was twisted about his neck. 
 
 Most of the men still stood around the mysteri- 
 ous corpse in stux^id bewilderment, when one who 
 had strolled slightly farther uttered a fresh ex- 
 clamation of surx)rise; he had found a second, 
 likewise unrecognizable corj^se, whose feet were 
 tied together with a cord. 
 
 As the twilight deei^ened, they tarried no 
 longer on the shore. They hurried into the boat 
 and rowed tovv^ard the vessel. They sat in silence, 
 no one wished to be the first to give voice to his 
 thoughts, but each one secretly feared that these 
 w^ere the corj)ses of Spaniards, and that some 
 misfortune had befallen the settlement. Navidad 
 was indeed but twelve miles distant from the 
 harbor of Monte Christi. 
 
 This news was soon known to all on the ad- 
 miral's ship; it awakened the same melancholy 
 suspicions here. 
 
 " You could not a'scertain positively that they 
 were Indian corpses?" they asked the returned 
 explorers. 
 
82 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 " No," was the short answer. 
 
 Even the admiral Avas distressed ; he commanded 
 that on the next morning the beach should be 
 searched by a strong detachment of armed men. 
 Until then, each was left to his own snsj)icions as 
 to the fate of the Spaniards left in Navidad. 
 
 Jacob sat on the fore-deck beside young Alonso 
 Ojeda. 
 
 " Matters look bad," said he. 
 
 " Why? " asked Jacob de Marchena. 
 
 "You have seen that the feet of one corpse 
 were tied together; that proves that the settlers 
 were overpowered and taken prisoners." 
 
 "The settlers?" asked Marchena. "Could they 
 not have been Indians whose bodies we found?" 
 
 " If only they were not so near Navidad," re 
 plied Ojeda, "and if the coast were not so de- 
 serted! Why are there no signs of Indians? 
 They have certainly seen us. And why do they 
 not come on the beach as these wild men usually 
 do ? They have guilty consciences ; they are afraid 
 of us and therefore avoid us." 
 
 " You express my own thoughts, Alonso," said 
 Marchena. "I have thought the same myself, 
 for why do the murderers avoid us? Only be- 
 cause they see in us the avengers of the murdered 
 ones ! " 
 
WITJI COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 83 
 
 " You are perfect ravens," interrupted a sharp 
 voice. Margarite, the commander of the troops, 
 drew near. '• I forbid you to carry on such con- 
 versations and dishearten the men. I expected 
 diiferent things of tlie nobles of Castile— courage, 
 but not faint-heartedness." 
 
 "Oh, permit me but one word!" cried Ojeda. 
 "True courage is shown not in conversations 
 between two friends, but on the battle-field. But 
 if you command I must of course be silent." 
 
 "Pray hush, let us have no disputing! " cried 
 Marchena. 
 
 "What?" cried Margarita "No disputing? 
 You have forgotten that your superior is before 
 you. You add to your cowardice disobedience. 
 Disputing? There can be no question of that. 
 Whoever contradicts me is a mutineer." 
 
 "Margarite!" called the mild voice of the ad- 
 miral in the background. "I wish to speak to 
 you." 
 
 Margarite was forced to obey the admiral, who 
 spoke to him calmly of the landing for the morrow, 
 and of various plans for the future. He had 
 heard the dispute, and was forced again to inter- 
 fere conciliatingiy with his men. 
 
 Man's worst enemy is his own passion, and 
 therefore the admiral detained the violent colonel 
 
84 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 of liis troops until lie perceived tliat liis anger 
 had vanished. 
 
 "A vain fool! " said Ojeda, meanwhile. 
 
 " But he is our caj^tain ! " rejilied Marchena. 
 
 "The devil!" replied Ojeda. "I have not 
 sailed to these islands under his rule. My judge 
 is the king alone." 
 
 " The king is far from us," said Marchena warn- 
 ingly to his friend. 
 
 " I know that very well," replied Ojeda. " One 
 should have pondered deeply before putting such 
 a wide, desolate waste of waters as this ocean be- 
 tween himself and the crown of Castile and Leon, 
 but I will know how to helx3 myself ! " 
 
 He went away, and Jacob de Marchena gradu- 
 ally fell fast asleep. He had become accustomed 
 to these scenes during the long voyage. Ojeda, 
 however, was joined by another Castilian, Fran- 
 cisco Roldan. 
 
 " Do not trust this greenhorn," said he in warn- 
 ing to Ojeda. "He is a favorite of the Genoese, 
 a child of his friend. Say yourself, should not 
 the king have made a Spaniard admiral and vice- 
 roy? Columbus would have sailed with the 
 fleet as j)ilot. But he, the Italian, is our master, 
 and has even brought his brother Diego along, 
 who cringes to him like a dog." 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 85 
 
 Ojecla was silent. To a certain extent the clever 
 Roldan was right. Spanish pride revolted against 
 being forced to serve under a foreigner and obey 
 him. This pride also blinded them. They forgot 
 that the Genoese was the discoverer of those lands 
 in which they were now to found a New Spain. 
 
 With the daAvn of the next day a number of 
 boats put off to search the shore. The admiral 
 was among the first to land, and close beside him 
 were Marchena, Ojeda, Margarite, and Roldan. 
 
 The coast was absolutely deserted; not a single 
 native was visible ; nowhere, as far as the eye could 
 reach, was a pillar of smoke visible to betray a 
 human settlement. An uncanny stillness pre- 
 vailed, unbroken by the song of birds. 
 
 The men landed full of anxious expectation. 
 First of all they sought the corpses found by 
 Marchena the day before; even now, wdien the 
 sun shone brightly down from the sky, they were 
 unrecognizable. 
 
 They now began to search the shore, arranged 
 in long rows. The helmets of the Castilians 
 sparkled over the grass, but for a long time no 
 sound was uttered. 
 
 The admiral sat under a tree and listened to the 
 wonderful song of a bird which his eyes could not 
 distinguish in the thick foliage. This melodious, 
 
86 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 vibrating song had already delighted him upon 
 his first visit to this land ; he thought the bird a 
 nightingale, and thus named it in his letters. 
 Later this error was also j)roved. It was the mock- 
 ing-bird, the king of American feathered song- 
 sters, which so enchanted by its sweet tones the 
 discoverer of the New World. 
 
 He was so susceptible to the beauties of nature 
 that for a moment he even forgot the fate of his 
 settlers. 
 
 A loud cry from Ojeda, "Here, here, Castil- 
 ians ! " roused him from his reveries. He sprang 
 np, and, accompanied by Marchena, went to the 
 spot where the other Spaniards had assembled 
 around Ojeda. As the two apx)roached the circle 
 of men, who were crowding more and more closely 
 together, Marchena heard Ojeda say to Margarite: 
 "I do not wish to croak, captain; but tell me, 
 have the natives such a heavy growth of beard? 
 That is unfortunately a European beard. I would 
 take my oath to that! " 
 
 " There are exceptions everywhere," cried Mar- 
 garite. 
 
 Soon after Marchena stood near Columbus be- 
 side the corpses; this one also was completely 
 unrecognizable, but Ojeda was right — the Indians 
 had no such heavy beards. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IX AMERICA. 87 
 
 " But he is naked," remarked one of the Span- 
 iards. 
 
 '' Oh, the garments would certainly be fine booty 
 for the Indians," replied Ojeda, ironically. " Be- 
 lieve me, comrade, none of us would be given 
 to mother-earth in full state by these savages. 
 Naked as w^e have come upon this earth will the 
 Christians be thrown in the thickets and grass 
 here after their death." 
 
 The soldiers murmured in assent. Columbus 
 also seemed to share Ojeda's opinion, for he did 
 not waste time in further searching along this 
 uncanny shore, but commanded that they return 
 to the ships, weighed anchor, and steered toward 
 Navidad. 
 
 The night of the 27th of November had already 
 descended when they perceived the heights of 
 Navidad. The admiral knew this unfavorable, 
 rocky entrance of the harbor, and therefore he 
 remained outside for that night, and merely dis- 
 charged two cannon to announce his arrival. But 
 all remained silent on the shore. Not even a fire 
 w^as kindled as signal. 
 
 Hours of anxious expectation followed. 
 
 The leaders and soldiers gazed across the sea 
 looking for a boat or any sign of life, but all search 
 was vain. 
 
88 WITH COLUMBUS m AMERICA. 
 
 Few could close their eyes that night; all 
 awaited with impatience the dawn. 
 
 Near Marchena stood two Indians whom Co- 
 lumbus had brought back to Spain, and who now 
 accompanied the admiral as interj^reters. Their 
 gaze also sought to pierce the darkness, for yon- 
 der on the shore rose their huts; there stood the 
 village in which their chief, Guacamari, ruled. 
 They would see their friends and relatives again, 
 and what news they had to relate to them ! What 
 wonders they had seen! AVonders of the Old 
 World which filled the children of the New World 
 with even more astonishment than the famous 
 sj)lendor of the American nature did the Sj^an- 
 iards. Cities with their houses of stone, with 
 their huge churches and high towers, strange 
 animals, horses, oxen, goats, sheep — all these 
 things which were unknown on the Antilles. 
 And these men, these knights in dazzling armor, 
 these sharj) swords of Toledo steel, and these 
 powerful machines which belched forth thunder 
 and lightning. Oh, yes, through their children, 
 the two worlds had much to tell each otlier. 
 
 Day had not yet dawned, the sea was still 
 wrapped in darkness, when one of the Indians 
 uttered a cry of joy, raised his hand, and pointed 
 to the sea. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEIIICA. 89 
 
 Involuntarily Marcliena gazed in the indicated 
 direction, and there, on the water in which the 
 stars were reflected, he discovered one of the small 
 canoes of the natives. It came nearer and nearer 
 to the admiral's ship, impelled by oars. IS'ow one 
 could plainly see three naked forms with feathers 
 on their heads seated in it. 
 
 A strange excitement passed through the whole 
 shi^D. 
 
 The men crowded together, and sailors helped 
 the new arrivals on board. 
 
 The admiral stood near the mast. Api)arently 
 calm and comj)osed, his heart yet secretly beat 
 rapidl}^ In a few moments he would learn the 
 fate of the men they had left behind. 
 
 But why did only three Indians come to greet 
 them? Why had not the Spaniards hastened to 
 salute their brethren, to receive from their lips 
 news of the old home on the other side of the 
 ocean ? The admiral tried to banish these thoughts. 
 He sought refuge in the hope that all would yet 
 be happily explained. 
 
 The Indians stood on deck. They gazed shyly 
 at the strange Spaniards, and exchanged a few 
 words with the Indian interpreters. 
 
 "What do they say? What do they wish?" 
 came from the group. 
 
90 WITH COLUMBUS I^ AMERICA. 
 
 " They wisli to see the admiral," rej)lied the 
 interpreters. 
 
 " Good, let lis take them to him." 
 
 In a moment the three sons of the wilderness 
 stood before the great discoverer. Their eyes 
 were fixed iix)on his tall form, sought to pierce 
 the darkness of night, but in vain, they could not 
 distinguish his features. 
 
 Again they turned to the interpreters. 
 
 " They wish to have a light that they may see 
 if it is really the admiral." 
 
 Soon wax candles were brought, and by their 
 light the Indians recognized the strange white 
 man with the bright blue eyes. Yes, it was he, 
 and they greeted him. 
 
 One of them introduced himself as a cousin of 
 the chief, Guacamari. But why this ceremony! 
 
 " How are the Christians? " they were asked. 
 
 The answer came slowly, hesitatingly. 
 
 " They are well," said the cousin of the chief, 
 "but not all, for some were carried off by sick- 
 ness, others again were killed by their own 
 brothers in a fight, and others fell in battle with 
 our enemies. We are glad that you have come 
 again, for we have experienced hard times." 
 
 " Other kings, Caonabo and Manin, have in- 
 vaded our land with their hordes of warriors— 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 91 
 
 our village is desolated, our king Guacamari 
 wounded. He would gladly have come to greet 
 you, but lie Avas forced to stay at home, for he can- 
 not walk." 
 
 This was not such good news as they had hoped 
 for, but the Spaniards were nevertheless consoled. 
 
 Navidad still existed, and the settlers had surely 
 explored the country. The colonies must surely 
 flourish now, when they brought such abundant 
 suj)plies, horses and cattle, vegetables and grain 
 of all kinds, and hundreds who wished to settle 
 there. 
 
 Meanwhile day dawned, the sun rose dazzlingly 
 from the waves of the ocean. His rays irradiated 
 the shore, but not a soul was to be seen there. 
 
 Why prolong this uncertainty? A detachment 
 of Sj^anish soldiers landed, Margarite at their 
 head, and our friends Ojeda and Marchena among 
 them. The Sx)aniards directed their steps toward 
 the village of Guacamari, near which lay the set- 
 tlement. 
 
 But what a sight! Not one of the natives', 
 miserable huts w^as left standing; only heaps of 
 ashes indicated the spots w^here once humble 
 human habitations had been. And Navidad! 
 There stood a bare ruin ; a desolate, fire-blackened 
 ruin. The Spanish bulwarks were half burned 
 
i>2 WITH coLrMBr> rx America. 
 
 down, half torn down. And where were the sur- 
 vivors { They looked for the Indians who could 
 give them information, but they ke^n at a dis- 
 tance: they avoided the Spaniards as though they 
 had in fact guilty consciences. Or did they fear 
 them ? 
 
 Margarite made use of other means; he allured 
 the savages to him with all kinds of trities. with 
 little bells and glass beads: and finally they did 
 approach him, and were induced to go to the ad- 
 mirars ship. They were well treated and gradu- 
 ally their tongues loosened. 
 
 "The Spaniards are all dead," was their answer: 
 "Caonabo and Maynin killed them all. Guaca- 
 mari lies in a hut in the interior, wounded by a 
 spear- thrust in his foot." 
 
 "Where is this Caonabo.'" cried Ojeda. stamp- 
 ing his foot and gi*asj)ing his sword-hilt. "* ^'en- 
 geance for the Spanish blood shed ! "* 
 
 Columbus glanced calmly at the enraged man. 
 
 '* Do not be so hasty in your jtidgment," said 
 he, turning to them all. "Do you know posi- 
 tively that these savages are guilty? Let us first 
 make inquiries and investigations, and not alann 
 the naked children of the Xew AVorld by warlike 
 demeanor. Eh, Roldan," he continued, "you 
 have been appointed judge of the new settlement; 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IX AMERICA. 93 
 
 your judgment is calm and moderate. Say, is it 
 not better to conquer peaceably tlian to make 
 our way over corpses? " 
 
 " Listen to the admiral," said Roldan, bowing 
 deeply. "He has piloted us safely across the 
 boundless ocean, we must trust his wisdom in this 
 also." 
 
 Then he walked away ; but when he stood be- 
 hind Ojeda, he whispered in his ear: "He is a 
 foreigner; what does he care for spilt Sx)anisli 
 blood ? " 
 
 The admiral landed, himself, to visit the chief, 
 Guacamari. Chanca, the surgeon, accompanied 
 him, and among the soldiers was Marchena again. 
 
 "Caonalj;), Maynin," murmured Ojeda, as they 
 marched through the tall grass, '^ it is all the same 
 what these wretches are called. They all are 
 rapacious dogs, a band of murderers— no better 
 than the remorseless cannibals on the other 
 islands." 
 
 " You are right, Ojeda," replied a short, stout 
 man, Castaneda by name, who had turned his 
 back to Spain because of too frequent conflicts 
 with the law. " They deserve death. These gold 
 coins are far too good to hang in the ears and 
 noses of these devils. They must fill our purses. 
 Let us pull their ears out and cut off their noses." 
 
94 WITH COLUMBUS 11^ AMERICA. 
 
 " Shame on yon, Castaneda," said Marchena. 
 " They are men like ns." 
 
 "Ha, ha!" langhed Castaneda, "look at the 
 dainty doll! Yon really deserve to be the ad- 
 miral's favorite ! " 
 
 Marchena flnshed. Doll! Slionld he snbmit to 
 snch insnlt? He was abont to answer the mocker, 
 bnt at this moment they heard calls from the ad- 
 vance gnard. 
 
 An Indian village had been reached. Six or 
 seven miserable lints bnilt of light staves and 
 grass formed the whole nnmber. All was silence, 
 not an inhabitant was in sight ; they had fled from 
 the apx)roacliing Spaniards. 
 
 " Ha, let ns rnmmage the pig-pen," cried Casta- 
 neda. " They are men like ns, and do not even 
 know how to bnild a decent honse! " 
 
 They entered the low hovels. 
 
 " Gang of thieves ! " cried Castaneda. " Here 
 we have it! Ha, is that a fine Moorish mantle; 
 and see, rolled np jnst as it came from Castile ! 
 They have stolen it, bnt it was valueless to them. 
 Snch pariahs do not even know how to pnt on 
 clothes ! And here are stockings— they prefer to 
 run barefoot — and what is an anchor doing here ! 
 They snrely do not wish to anchor their frail little 
 skiffs!" 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 95 
 
 "That is wreckage," cried Ojecla; "the anchor 
 belonged to the admiral's first ship, which stranded 
 here on this coast; it belonged to the Santa 
 Maria ! " 
 
 "Halt!" cried Marchena, "here hangs some- 
 thing; it feels quite hard through the covering. 
 Comrades, it is a ham ! " 
 
 He drew out his knife and cut the cloth casing, 
 but he started back, deathly pale. 
 
 "Ha, dolly, are you afraid?" said Castaneda 
 scornfully, and sprang up to it. " Let us see what 
 it is. Oh! a man's head! But it did not belong 
 upon a Spanish neck ; it is a beardless Indian's 
 head; perhaps it is the chief's, the king of this 
 village, which is hung up in this stately hut, this 
 most magnificent of temples ; let us leave it hang- 
 ing! It is human, Marchena, to bury the dead 
 thus!" 
 
 The Spaniards left the huts after they had 
 taken wdtli them the property of the murdered 
 settlers of Navidad. Similar finds had been made 
 in the other huts. 
 
 They tarried no longer in the deserted village, 
 and pushed on to the residence of Guacamari. 
 The same miserable huts met their gaze, as they 
 reached the village situated in very low^ lands. 
 
 " In truth a magnificent country this, to w^hich 
 
96 • • WITH COLUMBtTS IN AMERICA. 
 
 the admiral leads the nobility of Castile," said 
 Castaneda, approaching Ojeda. 
 
 " Hush, he is the king's viceroy," said Roldan. 
 " But we will not be premature in our judgment. 
 Who knows? Perhaps this Mr. Cluacamari sits 
 on a golden throne or lies in a bed of solid gold." 
 
 Beside Columbus, Roldan, Ojeda, Marchena, 
 and the physician Chanca entered the hut in 
 which the sick chief lay. His bed was not of 
 solid gold, bat it astonished the Spaniards. jN'o, 
 such a swinging bed they had never seen before. 
 It was a netting of strong cotton threads, and 
 fastened by both ends to the jjosts of the hut. 
 
 "That is curious," said Castaneda, "I should 
 like to pitch the fellow out at once and see how 
 one can sleep in it." 
 
 One must i^ardon the Spaniards their astonish- 
 ment, for it was the first hammock which they 
 had ever seen in their lives. 
 
 With the help of the inter j)reters the admiral 
 sought to communicate with the chief. The latter 
 laid all the blame of the Spaniards' murder upon 
 the chiefs Caonabo and Maynin. He himself had 
 been wounded in the fight by a stone from a 
 sling. 
 
 "Lies have short legs," said Ojeda; "see how 
 they contradict themselves. His cousin said 
 
WITH COLUMBUS I^- AMERICA. 97 
 
 Guacamari Avas wounded by a spear-tlirust, and 
 Guacamari liimself speaks of slings." 
 
 " Doctor,'' said Castaneda, " you niiglit examine 
 the wound." 
 
 Clianca did in fact offer to cure the chief, but 
 it was too dark in the room to examine the 
 wounded foot, and so, leaning upon Columbus, 
 the chief went out into the open air. 
 
 The foot was bandaged. Chanca loosened the 
 cloths, but was unable to find the slightest trace 
 of a wound. Nevertheless the chief complained 
 of unbearable agony. 
 
 " Look at the liar ! " cried Castaneda. 
 
 " He is guilty of the murders in Navidad," burst 
 out Ojeda. 
 
 " Hush, friends," said Eoldan, so softly that the 
 admiral could not hear him, "they were only 
 Spaniards, no Genoese." 
 
 " Admiral," said Ojeda, advancing, '' their guilt 
 is i^roved. The chief must be arrested. Our 
 countrymen's blood cries for vengeance. An ex- 
 ample must be made. These savages must learn 
 that they cannot murder Spaniards and go un- 
 punished." 
 
 But Columbus shook his head. 
 
 "Is not his village burned down?" he replied. 
 "Was he not forced to flee to this desert place? 
 
98 WITE COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 Much speaks against liim, but also much for him. 
 Let us be mild and not too hasty in our judgment. 
 When I first came to this country, where God 
 willed for me to undergo severe trials, Guacamari 
 was my friend. I cannot f oi^get that ; and besides 
 you did not understand what we spoke about 
 together; he complained of the manner in which 
 the Spaniards have opiDressed his i3eople." 
 
 The admiral w^as silent and stood absorbed in 
 thought. Before his eyes the fate of Navidad, 
 the first settlement founded by him, now rose 
 clearly. 
 
 Instead of meeting the natives cordially, the 
 settlers had treated them horribly. Doubtless 
 first of all, the little king Guacamari and his peo- 
 ple had been subjugated. All his gold had been 
 taken from him, his people enslaved. He must 
 obey the powerful strangers; he sighed under 
 their yoke. But these strangers, after plundering 
 Guacamari's district, had extended their plunder- 
 ing expeditions. They attacked the neighboring, 
 more powerful tribes, but overestimated their 
 power. But thirty-nine Spaniards had remained 
 in Navidad, each single chief could x>lace hundreds 
 of warriors in the field. Thus the Spaniards must 
 have been vanquished in the skirmishes; the 
 bodies on the shore of Monte Christi proved it. 
 
AVITII COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 99 
 
 Encouraged by tliese successes, tlie savages re- 
 solved wholly to exterminate tliese ox)pressors who 
 seemed to have fallen from the clouds. The chiefs 
 formed an alliance. One night their warriors 
 advanced stealthily upon Navidad. In the fight 
 Guacamari's village, as well as the settlers' fortress, 
 was destroyed. The enemies were dead, and the 
 oppressed Indians breathed freely. Guacamari 
 wisely had been but an inactive spectator of this 
 fight probably. Thus thought the admiral, and 
 without anger for the chief. 
 
 But while Columbus, with bleeding heart, pon- 
 dered nj)on the fatal story of his first settlement, 
 Roldan whisxDered to his comrades : " Do you 
 notice, the Spaniards were the first to begin the 
 fight ; it is the fault of the Sj^aniards that they 
 were killed." 
 
 " Only wait," replied Castaneda, " we will soon 
 be commanded to serve Mr. Guacamari as lackeys ; 
 but he does not seem rich to me; the feathers on 
 his head are not worth much, and the two gold 
 pieces in his ears are not even worth a ducat. Oh, 
 it is a rich land to which the Genoese has brought 
 us." 
 
 Guacamari followed Columbus to the ship. 
 There he found the Indian women whom they 
 had brought away from the Carib Islands. The 
 
100 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 chief conversed with the women in his language, 
 which was so incomprehensible to the Sx)aniards; 
 then he admired the horses and cattle which Co- 
 lumbus had brought with him from Sj^ain. The 
 animals were new to him, for on the Antilles, ex- 
 cept dogs, rats, and such like, there were no large 
 animals. A hundred years later, indeed, His- 
 paniola was the Eldorado of bull-fights, but these 
 bulls descended from animals which had run away 
 from the Spanish settlements, and had become 
 wild among the savannas of Hispaniola. A hun- 
 dred years later there were droves of wild horses 
 and herds of wild swine. But these were, so to 
 say, gifts which the Old World had brought to the 
 island kingdom of the Antilles. 
 
 All this was new to the chief Guacamari. But 
 he was not seized with a religious aw^e of the 
 whites wdio were one day under Cortez to make 
 the civilized emperors of Mexico and Peru tremble. 
 No, Guacamari was a wdly savage and knew how 
 to help himself. 
 
 At even, he returned to his village, having 
 escax)ed in the darkness with the Indian woman 
 with wdiom he had spoken. And when the Span- 
 iards landed to demand back their captives, there 
 w^as not a trace to be found of either Guacamari 
 or his subjects. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 101 
 
 Weary with vain seeking, the Spaniards returned 
 to their ships, and Roldan said scornfully : " How 
 well the admiral knows these savages ! Did he not 
 wish yesterday to found a city here on the site of 
 the destroyed Navidad ? I fear we will starve 
 here, for our provisions are on the wane, and I 
 see neither wheat nor rye fields. These people 
 prepare themselves a kind of flour out of roots, 
 and eat rats and fishes, but that is no suitable food 
 for any length of time for a Castilian stomach." 
 
 Thus dissatisfaction increased among the people 
 even at their first landing upon the blessed island 
 of Hispaniola. The majority of the Spaniards 
 had come here thinking that they could here col- 
 lect treasures of gold without the slightest exer- 
 tion, and return as Avealthy men to the Old World 
 by the first ship that sailed. They now perceived 
 a country which in spite of all its natural beauty 
 seemed poor to them, with its destroyed fortresses 
 and desolate, miserable villages. 
 
 " He filled his mouth a little too full," sneered 
 Castaneda, " but we should have told ourselves 
 from the start, that in Genoa bragging is part of 
 the trade." 
 
 "And it was not even an honorable battle," 
 complained Ojeda; "the wretched robbers seem to 
 venture nocturnal attacks alone." 
 
102 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 
 
 All these speeches cut young Marchena to the 
 heart. He had learned from Garcia Hernandez 
 that long voyages are of other value to humanity 
 beside mere collecting of glittering gold. By 
 them the treasures of human knowledge are en- 
 larged. And how greatly that was the case here ! 
 Other human beings, new kinds of birds, unknown 
 flowers, trees of all kinds, so totally different 
 from those which grew in Spain. At each step 
 the eye was caught by new sights, everywhere an 
 inexhaustible fund for thought was offered to 
 the mind. The words of Erastothenes, which 
 Marchena had heard from Garcia's lips, echoed in 
 the boy's heart: that in the distant regions of 
 the earth there might be new island Avorlds, and 
 that on these, as Strabo added, the animals and 
 plants must also be of different appearance. 
 
 How often already on this journey had he 
 watched the admiral, as he stood thoughtfully be- 
 fore a tree or bush, as he dug up a root and tried 
 to taste it. Columbus not only sought for gold, 
 but wished also to find out the other treasures of 
 nature. In truth, to accomplish this it was neces- 
 sary to toil hard ; and in the crowd of' adventurous 
 Castilians who had followed him, there were but 
 few who really wished to work. 
 
 The detachment sent to search for Guacamari 
 
AYITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 103 
 
 had again assembled in the ships. Columbus 
 himself must now give up his plan of rebuilding 
 Navidad. Besides, the country here was moist 
 and swamijy, and therefore unhealthy. He sailed 
 farther along the coast to lind a suitable place 
 for the founding of a colony. 
 
 This short voyage was much harder than the 
 long one across the ocean, for day by day storms 
 arose, contrary winds which prevented them either 
 from landing or advancing. For three months 
 the fleet battled Avith the elements, until at length, 
 ten miles on the other side of the harbor of Monte 
 Christi, a place was found upon which a new 
 settlement could be built. 
 
 With ardent prayers of thanks the Spaniards 
 landed, for their sufferings had been unbounded. 
 They had lived on short rations to save x)rovisions ; 
 many had been ill, and nearly all were weakened. 
 Now they all longed for the Indian food, for that 
 kind of turnip which the Indian women offered 
 for sale in tall baskets. The Indians called them 
 ages; they were the American potatoes. 
 
 At this time the Castilians did not ask for 
 gold — they only wished to purchase food ; and how 
 glad they were that the savages would give it to 
 them in exchange for all kinds of valueless trifles, 
 even for china and glass beads. 
 
104 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 Marcliena sat shivering beside a quickly kindled 
 fire; lie was feverish and hungry at once! Casta- 
 neda had borne all the trials of this dangerous 
 voyage better; he glanced scornfully at the young 
 man and said: "Dolly, we have not seen each 
 other for months. You were always on the ad- 
 miral's ship ; but say, Dolly, you look very pale. 
 If only you had remained in Castile! " 
 
 He walked on, for in this moment of need he 
 had his little business to attend to. While others 
 traded for the necessaries of life, Castaneda began 
 to bargain with the Indians for gold. 
 
yiii. 
 
 From tlie mountains whose summits could be 
 seen in the distance, a clear stream descended 
 and emptied into the sea. At the mouth of this 
 stream the city of Isabella was founded. It was 
 bounded on one side by water and such a steep 
 group of rocks that the city needed scarcely any 
 fortifications ; the other side was enclosed by such 
 a thick hedge that even a rabbit could scarcely 
 slip through. The trees and bushes were so fresh 
 and green that they would resist any fire. 
 
 A scene of great activity soon presented itself 
 here. The axe resounded in the forest, and logs 
 were hauled to build strong block-houses; they 
 even began to divert a branch of the stream, and, 
 according to the architect's plan, lead it through 
 the city to turn the wheels of saw-mills, and thus 
 be enabled to build all kinds of factories for which 
 water-power is required. 
 
 The Indians came and were astonished. What 
 kinds of tools were these ? What was that dark, 
 
106 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 shining metal which pierced the hardest metal? 
 The iron api^eared much more valuable to them 
 than all the gold of the island, for these savages 
 were unacquainted with it. Their knives, axes, 
 and spears they made of stone, as did our fore- 
 fathers in Europe, in the dark ages. But while 
 some settlers built the city, others handled spades, 
 and laid out gardens in this New World, in which 
 all kinds of vegetables and grains were sown. 
 Now they wondered at the fertility of the soil and 
 the mildness of the climate, for all these plants 
 grew more in a week here than in three at home. 
 
 There were, to be sure, disax^pointments also, 
 for the chief subsistence of man, the grains which 
 they had brought with them from Europe, would 
 not thrive. Affairs did not run as smoothly here 
 as on Crusoe's wonderful island. 
 
 Nothing makes men hapx)ier than work — hard, 
 continuous work. It banishes all evil thoughts ; 
 envy and dissent have no power over really in- 
 dustrious peoi)le. The Spaniards must now work, 
 that they knew; they must have roofs to cover 
 their heads before they could think of anything 
 else, and there were over a thousand people work- 
 ing diligently here. 
 
 Unfortunately they could not all work with the 
 same strength. This perpetual spring of the 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 107 
 
 Antilles was treacherous. It did not strengthen 
 their frames with its mild breezes, but enervated 
 them. Fever lurked in the damp hollows and 
 swamps, and laid one after another of the Chris- 
 tians upon a sick-bed. The admiral also fell a 
 victim, and was so weak and ill that for thre5 
 months he was unable to write up his diary. 
 
 Young Marchena took as good care of him as 
 he could; he saw that all Dr. Chanca's orders 
 were carried out minutely. Although he himself 
 was weak and ill, he did not leave the bedside of 
 the admiral, who was for him no foreigner, no 
 Genoese, but a great hero. 
 
 Columbus' brother, Diego, as the Spaniards had 
 translated his name, Giacomo, meanwhile under- 
 took the governing of the new settlement. Now 
 the Spaniards grumbled still more. "I had 
 thought you would be the representative of the 
 invalid," said Roldan to Margarite, and the latter 
 replied : 
 
 " The precedence really belongs to the judge, 
 Roldan; but hush! viceroys and rulers should 
 here be foreigners alone; the Spaniards are good 
 enough to die for the fame of the Genoese." 
 
 Now Marchena appeared among his friends, 
 so he was eyed askant. 
 
 " The doll is not so stupid as you think," said 
 
108 WITH COLUMBUS I^ AMERICA. 
 
 Castaneda, when they were again alone ; " the boy 
 is sly : he ingratiates himself more and more with 
 the admiral ; he will some tine day be made ade- 
 lantado (governor). You will see ! " 
 
 But better times were in store. In spite of 
 mckness and want, the city, such as it was, was 
 built. The cattle brought with them from Europe 
 throve fairly well on the neighboring meadows. 
 The Spaniards had gradually accustomed them- 
 selves to the food which the land afforded, and 
 from time to time received rations from the ship 
 supplies. The Indians of the region were reduced 
 partly to a tributary state, and forced to pay a 
 tribute of the fruits of their land to the white 
 men. And they did so willingly enough, for 
 what wonderful beings these were, who rode these 
 horses, these strange animals ! They both admired 
 and feared the Spaniards. What availed their 
 lances against the machines which sjjit fire, or 
 against the sharp ring of Toledo steel ? The 
 Sj)aniards had brought something else with them 
 before which the Indians recoiled in terror — dogs, 
 but no lap-dogs like the tame animals of the 
 Antilles, but those feared bloodhounds which 
 were trained to fight human beings, and which 
 later filled the New World with horror of their 
 deeds. Later there were celebrated bloodhounds 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 109 
 
 in the bands of Spanish adventurers, which often 
 tore in pieces more Indians than tlieir masters 
 could lull, and in the division of booty won a 
 larger share than the bravest soldier. Even at 
 that time, the Sjjaniards had brought these fight- 
 ing comrades to the New World, and one or the 
 other unruly Indian had felt their sharp teeth. 
 There were no beasts of prey upon the island of 
 Hispaniola, ancl so these new opponents seemed 
 all the more fearful to the Indians. 
 
 At first the Si3aniards had been unable to un- 
 derstand the Indians' speech, but gradually from 
 necessity they learned this language, and the 
 chaplain, Boyle, could begin the difficult task of 
 conversion. 
 
 But unfortunately the conquerors of the New 
 World Avere not active in the work of Christianiz- 
 ing these Indians. The Spaniards were still bar- 
 barians ; the influence of the Moorish rule had not 
 yet been overcome ; and in Andalusia, slave mar- 
 kets still flourished. Besides, they regarded the 
 Indians as inferior beings ; the settlers considered 
 themselves their unbounded masters, and made 
 slaves of the natives whenever they chose. That 
 was the custom of the times, and even Columbus 
 made no scruj^le of sending living, cargoes back to 
 Spain. 
 
110 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEEICA. 
 
 Meanwhile tliey had been busy making inqui- 
 ries as to gold mines in the neighborhood. The 
 brave Ojeda undertook a journey of exx)loration 
 to Niti, where Caonabo, the murderer of the 
 Christians, lived, and returned with tangible 
 proofs of the wealth of gold in the land, in the 
 shape of nuggets of gold as thick as his linger. 
 
 But news had been brought to the admiral of a 
 land still richer in gold. It lay but twenty Span- 
 ish miles from the city of Isabella, and was called 
 Cibao. 
 
 Cibao! What recollections and suspicions did 
 this name awaken in Columbus' mind ! 
 
 On his llrst journey he had been firmly con- 
 vinced that in Cuba he had reached the east coast 
 of Asia, the land of the great khan; now the 
 richest region of this island was called Cibao; was 
 not this name similar to Cipango — that island 
 rich in gold which lay oif the east coast of Africa? 
 Yes, in his mind there was no longer any doubt 
 that he was now u^jon this island ; and so he re- 
 solved to visit Cibao himself. 
 
 He selected the most reliable men, and with 
 floating flags and to the sound of martial music 
 the admiral marched into the interior of the land. 
 
 They found a charming region, both mountain- 
 ous and with level stretches of grass land; numer- 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. Ill 
 
 ous streams had their sources in the mountains, 
 and along these streams were built the natives' 
 huts. Around these huts stretched fields of po- 
 tatoes. 
 
 The Indians received the exploring Spaniards 
 with awe, and, when they were questioned about 
 gold mines, pointed to the sand along the banks 
 of the rivers. Detachments wei:e sent out in dif- 
 ferent directions, and with feverish haste the 
 soldiers began to dig in the sand and wash it out. 
 
 Cries of joy resounded from all sides : each of 
 the gold-washers held in his hand little grains 
 and lumi^s of the noble metal. The first results 
 encouraged the seekers; the work was continued 
 from early morning to late in the night of the 
 next days;, the Indians were forced into the work, 
 and the grains increased with each hour; they 
 even found lumps of gold as large as a hazelnut, 
 and one day the delighted admiral held in his 
 hand a shining nugget as large as a goose-egg. 
 
 He had not deceived himself. God had led him 
 in the right way; he certainly now stood upon the 
 soil of the gold island Cipango, and another 
 thought flashed through his mind — he had found 
 the gold-yielding Ophir of Solomon. 
 
 Now he could return to Isabella, could send 
 back the superfluous ships to Spain, laden with 
 
112 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 specimens of the treasures discovered, and beg the 
 king to send fresh supplies. Supi)lies— these the 
 new settlers needed above everything. Clothes, 
 tools, drugs, all these the old home must furnish 
 in the beginning. Yes, even flour and meat, for 
 the Sx)aniards could not live ux)on the food of the 
 savages alone. 
 
 Columbus surveyed his magnificent Ophir, and 
 with proud emotion named it Vega-real. Here 
 should the first advance stations of the Spaniards 
 in the interior of the country be erected. Mar- 
 garite was stationed in a block-house with sixty 
 soldiers, to guard the rich gold mines. 
 
 In the eyes of the admiral this gold was no 
 ownerless property: it belonged to the king of 
 Spain, and to him, the discoverer; therefore he 
 made a law that each person should deliver a 
 third part of the gold found to the government in 
 Isabella. Margarite was chosen to see to the en- 
 forcing of this order, to which the Spaniards, 
 dazzled by the glitter of such abundant treasure, 
 submitted without a murmur. 
 
 But the admiral was no adventurer who was 
 bent only on the search for gold; his ambition 
 soared higher — he did not wish the title of viceroy 
 to be but an empty name, and so he sought to 
 assure the future of his colony from the outset. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IX AMEllICA. 113 
 
 In the neighborhood of IsabeHa, attempts at 
 farming had already been niade. The soil in 
 Yega-real seemed to him even more fruitful, and 
 the wide savannas especially adapted to cattle- 
 raising. Therefore a farming station should also 
 be laid out here near the gold mines. 
 
 Columbus mentally passed in review the band 
 of men who had crossed the ocean with him. 
 
 Who of all these was best suited to carry out 
 this plan? He thought of the most distinguished, 
 but was forced to abandon this idea with a shake 
 of the head. These people had come to the New 
 AVorld with other intentions. They had heard of 
 boundless riches, and wished to accumulate these 
 so as to return home wealthy as soon as possible. 
 
 They all thought only of gold, of enjoyment, 
 but drew back at the thought of work. Planters ! 
 farmers! No, these occupations they would not 
 engage in; they could have been these in Spain. 
 
 " See the foreigner," the colonists already mur- 
 mured among themselves; ''he wishes to make 
 us his vassals ! " 
 
 Then his eyes fell upon young Jacob de Mar"^; 
 chena. In the cloister where he had received 
 his education, he had also learned gardening; he 
 had been obliged to work Avith the rest, and knew 
 how to dig and plant as did scarcely another 
 
114 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 among the settlers. In tlie vegetable gardens of 
 Isabella he was the most industrious worker. 
 And he had yet another advantage : of almost all 
 the adventurers who had sailed under Columbus' 
 banner to take possession of the NeAV World, he 
 was i^erhaps the only one who had sympathy or 
 pity for the Indians, v/ho perceived in them his 
 brother-men. When they performed their en- 
 forced tasks in the fields of Isabella, he did not 
 swing a stick over their backs if the work pro- 
 ceeded slowly; he sought to teach them, to en- 
 courage them by good work, and that was easy 
 for him, as he was actively engaged in learning 
 the language of the savages, and trying to under- 
 stand their manner of thinking. Thus he recog- 
 nized the deep gulf which separated the Indians 
 from the Europeans. In his eyes, these savages 
 were sx)oiled children who must be brought into 
 the right Avay by painstaking training. 
 
 This young man seemed to Columbus peculiarly 
 suited to here win from the earth other treasures 
 than glittering gold. He was seldom seen among 
 the gold- washers, but could be found at the out- 
 skirts of the forest, collecting plants, digging 
 roots; or he was found engaged in conversation 
 with the Indians, from whom he learned the 
 value of his finds. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 115 
 
 Yes, here was a man such as Columbus sought. 
 The admiral summoned March ena and gave him 
 his commissions. 
 
 How the young man's eyes sparkled ! he felt so 
 pleased at this confidence that he kissed the ad- 
 miral's hand. 
 
 Thus Marchena was made first Jiaciendero in 
 the delightful Yega-real, situated between two 
 ranges of mountains, and his hacienda was sub- 
 ject, not to Colonel Margarite, but to the represen- 
 tative of the admiral directly, to his brother, Diego. 
 
 Marchena could choose land for the buildings 
 where he would. He received some head of cattle 
 of which he was to have charge, he received farm- 
 ing utensils, a supj^ly of sugar-cane, grapevine 
 cuttings, and several kinds of seeds, but no la- 
 borers. It would be hard indeed for the young- 
 man to find a Spaniard who would obey him; he 
 must seek his laborers, himself, among the Indians. 
 
 He soon found a suitable site in Yega-real, at 
 the foot of the wooded mountains, for his settle- 
 ment and an Indian village, which from this time 
 should be subject to him. Then the cattle were 
 driven thither from Isabella. The king's bailiff, 
 Marchena, followed proudly ; he passed the gold- 
 washings and Margarite's fort and pushed on. 
 He purposely wished to avoid the gold-seekers, 
 
116 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 and had therefore settled some miles distant from 
 them. He relinquished the protection of the sol- 
 diers, for he wished not to make war upon the 
 Indians, but to live in peace with them. He re- 
 lied firmly upon another, higher protection, Avith- 
 out which — his guardian's words still rang in his 
 heart —all the letters of princes and all the protec- 
 tion of the world cannot avail. 
 
 The gold-seekers let him go his way. 
 
 The brave Ojeda smiled scornfully. But Casta- 
 neda accosted him and said: "I wish you much 
 good fortune, Sir Haciendero ; but one need not 
 cross the ocean to attain that. You could have 
 been a cowherd in Spain ! " 
 
 Marchena paid no attention to this speech. He 
 went his way, thinking: "If in spite of all their 
 gold they become hungry some fine day, they 
 will come to me soon enough ! " 
 
IX. 
 
 Months had passed. On a liill in Yega-real rose 
 tlie little hacienda^ a small but pleasant house 
 with a veranda. Upon this veranda, the bailiff, 
 Marchena, sat of evenings, and surveyed his king- 
 dom. 
 
 On the north side of the house, along which ran 
 the veranda, gay flowering troi)ical jDlants grew, 
 but on the other side the grapevines had already 
 taken root and bloomed for the first time in His- 
 paniola. Before the veranda, in a sheltered situ- 
 ation, were beds of all kinds of vegetables : here 
 stood radishes, there jiarsley; yonder yellow 
 blossomed cucumber and melon vines climbed 
 stout sticks, Eurox)e's children who throve well 
 in the tropics. 
 
 Bailiff Marchena took pleasure in them, but 
 the bailiff Marchena was a clever man ; he knew 
 very well that he could not satisfy hungry stom- 
 achs with these. His fields lay elsewhere, at the 
 foot of the hill. 
 
118 WITH COLUMBUS IN A.MEEICA. 
 
 There were little X3atches of wheat, rye, and bar- 
 ley, but they looked very unpromising. If he 
 could but obtain a crop ! He himself had little 
 hope for this year. 
 
 On this island he had had no predecessor in 
 Spanish farming; he did not understand the cli- 
 mate; he must first become familiar with the 
 change of seasons, so as to govern his planting 
 thereby. He was convinced that in time his 
 efforts would succeed, but for the jDresent he must 
 do without rye and wheat bread. 
 
 But during this period of his efforts, he had no 
 desire to suffer from hunger, and so near these 
 experimental fields he had others of a more certain 
 character. In these he planted what the land 
 already yielded — potatoes and beans — which were 
 far finer than the kind of bean then known to 
 Europe. Of these he had now a great supj)ly, 
 and was proud that his liacienda could now be 
 of assistance to the Sj)aniards at the gold -wash- 
 ings. At the back of the hill along a clear stream 
 lay the huts of his laborers who had settled there 
 with their wives and children. He had brought 
 them from the Indian village near by, after having 
 chosen them as the best and most reliable men. 
 At first they had gone unwillingly, but now a 
 friendly relation seemed established. Near the 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 119 
 
 village was a large enclosure in which the cattle 
 grazed. These were his greatest care, for they 
 became more and more wild, and betrayed a desire 
 to wander over the wide plains of Vega-real. In 
 spite of all teaching, the Indians did not under- 
 stand how to manage them. The swine were far 
 less trouble to him. 
 
 However, the liaciendero was satisfied with his 
 efforts, and now toward sunset he sat down to 
 rest, while he drank a glass of lemonade and — 
 smoked a cigar. Yes, a cigar. Living on his se- 
 cluded farm, among the Indians, he had taken up 
 the habit of smoking, and passed many leisure 
 hours gazing after the clouds of smoke, parted by 
 the breeze. 
 
 A well-knoAvn sound which he had not heard 
 for many a day roused him from his reveries: 
 was not that the tramp of horses' hoofs? 
 
 He looked up. Yes, the figures of two riders 
 api^eared above the tall grass of the savannas, and 
 they were coming from the gold mines. 
 
 Who could it be? Who had time there to leave 
 the gold- washing and visit him in his loneli- 
 ness? 
 
 The riders came nearer; he recognized the one 
 in advance, and a look of x^leasure lit \\\) his face. 
 "Welcome, Ojeda!" he cried, at the top of his 
 
120 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 
 
 voice, but liis face soon darkened, for in the otlier 
 rider he recognized Castaneda. 
 
 " An unusual visit ! " he said, as the riders dis- 
 mounted, and hitched the horses to the posts of 
 the veranda. " What brings you to me, Ojeda? " 
 
 Ojeda stood still, and looked around the jilace. 
 " You are indeed finely fixed, Marchena," said he, 
 ^' you even have flowers climbing over the veranda. 
 And these smooth x^aths, this fine vegetable gar- 
 den, and there the broad potato and bean fields. 
 Friend, you could keep a regiment with this farm ; 
 it Avas wrong in you to settle so far from oui' 
 fort. But, joking aside! we are really hungry, 
 and from this farm refreshments beckon to the 
 rider! " 
 
 " How can I serve you ? " asked Marchena, 
 smiling. 
 
 " How can he serve us ! " cried Ojeda. " This 
 proud expression! Friend, we live upon pota- 
 toes, potatoes, nothing but potatoes. They send 
 us less and less from Isabella. The admiral has 
 gone on further explorations, and his dear brother 
 Diego plays the niggard more than ever. We 
 are hungry and would even be content with Indian 
 bread." 
 
 "What, Indian bread! " interrupted Castaneda, 
 "you must not be so modest, Ojeda; he can give 
 
AVITH COLUMBUS IX AMERICA. 121 
 
 US more. Is lie not the owner of herds? Can he 
 not kill a calf?" 
 
 '* That I must not do," replied Marchena; " you 
 know, Castaneda, the admiral forbade it. These 
 cattle are for breeding purj^oses, the nucleus of 
 the future herds of cattle of Hisj)aniola. But wait 
 a little ; I will order my cook to roast a duck." 
 
 ''Roast duck!" cried Ojeda, "wdiat a bill of 
 fare!" 
 
 " And if you will stay until to-morrow, in honor 
 of the day we will have a roast pig." 
 
 " The man lives like a prince," said Ojeda, " he 
 probably has butter and milk also." 
 
 " And he drinks tobacco smoke like an Indian," 
 rei^lied the other; "keeps cooks who know how 
 to roast ducks. This is in truth an excellent dis- 
 covery, worth a gold mine for Hispaniola. We 
 must come here often to satisfy our hunger. Only 
 we must say nothing about this in Cibao, or the 
 regiment would come and eat the liacienda out. 
 You know that they already have planned to send 
 a cattle requisition here.'^ 
 
 Meanwhile Marchena reappeared. On a Avooden 
 plate he brought a kind of flat cake, and offered 
 it to his guests as a luncheon." 
 
 "What is that?" asked Ojeda, "it tastes ex- 
 cellent." 
 
122 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 " It is cassava bread," replied Marcliena. '' My 
 chief article of food after the potato. Would you 
 like to see the x^lant from which it comes? " 
 
 He led his guests through the vegetable garden 
 to a hedge of bushes about six feet high, and with 
 hand-shaped leaves. 
 
 One of these was half pulled from the earth. 
 Marchena cut oif a bit of the root with his knife, 
 and said to his guests : " See Avhat a quantity of 
 milky sa]3 this root contains. Do not taste it— it 
 is sharp and poisonous. But in the root there is 
 a kind of flour. It must be powdered, washed 
 often and pressed, then dried by the fire; and 
 from this comes a fine fiour of which we bake such 
 bread as this." 
 
 " Magnificent ! " cried Castaneda. 
 
 " Yes, this New World offers us more than we 
 think," cried Marchena, enthusiastically. " What 
 timber I have seen in the forests ! I must some- 
 time beg Don Diego to send me over a joiner." 
 
 "What are you thinking of!" replied Ojeda. 
 "You live here like a hermit in the desert, and do 
 not know what goes on out in the world. In the 
 colonies we have no time to think of such things. 
 There are rumors of trouble with the Indians; 
 they would like to make a second Navidad of 
 Isabella; in the gold districts it has already 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 123 
 
 come to skirmishes — a Spaniard has fallen. We 
 must take the lead of these savages ! " 
 
 "What, you wish to make war?" asked Mar- 
 chena, painfully moved. 
 
 " The band becomes rebellious," replied Ojeda, 
 defiantly. "Before all, the dog Caonabo, who 
 has as yet received no punishment for the massa- 
 cre of Navidad. Tell me, does not a j)ath lead over 
 the black mountains behind this farm to Caonabo, 
 and a path over which one can easily ride? " 
 
 "A xmtli certainly does lead there," replied 
 Marchena, " but at the top of the mountain it is 
 so steep that riding would he impossible there." 
 
 "My horse is sure-footed," said Ojeda confi- 
 dently; " can you show me the way? " 
 
 " Certainly," replied Marchena ; " you can see it 
 on my map, and to-morrow I will take you there. 
 But I tell you the path is at most fit only for 
 Harras, the bold leaper." 
 
 " Maj)? " asked Castaneda; " do you draw maps 
 here?" 
 
 " Yes, I note the paths, so that I shall not lose 
 my way in my wanderings through the woods." 
 
 "You probably are looking for gold, then?" 
 asked Castaneda ironically. 
 
 Marchena started, but then he answered calmly: 
 " No, that is not the object of my walks. I seek 
 
124 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 roots and fragrant woods ; for if this is the border 
 of India, then cloves, cinnamon, nutmegs, and 
 sandalwood must grow here, and these w^ould be 
 as valuable as gold to Spain." 
 
 " I should like to see the map," said Ojeda, 
 " but it has grown dark, and you are probably 
 saving of light," he continued jokingly. " Tell 
 me, have you a candle left? They are all gone at 
 Margarite's fort." 
 
 "I have a lamp which costs nothing," was 
 Marchena's answ^er. 
 
 "How so? Is this another miracle? " 
 
 "Look out at the savannas," answ^ered Mar- 
 chena; "do you not see the many million sparks 
 which shine among the grasses ? They are fireflies. 
 Catch them and they will illuminate the night 
 for you." 
 
 "An original idea," said Ojeda; "you are an 
 artist in a thousand." 
 
 "You are mistaken; I only learn from the sav- 
 ages. The idea originated with them of catching 
 a dozen of these insects, putting them in a per- 
 forated gourd, and thus manufacturing a night 
 lamp," rej)lied Marchena. 
 
 The three Spaniards returned to the house; 
 they seated themselves upon the veranda, and 
 Marchena brought the gourd lamp and his map. 
 
THE LIGHT OF THE ITAU'KIN LAMP. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IX AMERICA. 125 
 
 In fact, by holding the map close to the lanq), by 
 the greenish light of these fireflies the details of 
 the mai^ coiUd easily be distinguished. 
 
 ''I recognize the landscape," said Ojeda; "here 
 is the mountain range which separates us from 
 Caonabo; so, here are woods, here are brooks, 
 and what does this little cross mean here? " 
 
 "That," replied Marchena slowly, as though he 
 Avished first to consider, " that is a spot where I 
 rested upon a rock; from there one has a fine 
 view of a valley. It is a sign of mine — nothing 
 of importance." 
 
 Castaneda listened. The tone of voice seemed 
 peculiar to him. "Nothing of inq^ortance," he 
 thought to himself. " Does one make crosses uj^jon 
 a maj) if no imj^ortance attaches to the spot? " 
 
 He took the card from Ojeda's hand and wished 
 to notice more closely the spot marked with the 
 cross. But at this moment, as if accidentally, 
 Marchena hit the gourd lamp, so that it fell from 
 the primitive table on the edge of the veranda, 
 and the fireflies lay scattered on the ground. 
 
 " Do not spoil your eyes, Castaneda," said Mar- 
 chena hereupon, while he took the map and put 
 it in his i)ocket. " I will show you the way early 
 to-morrow. Then all Avill be much clearer. The 
 map might only confuse you." 
 
126 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 The evening was spent in eating the roast duck, 
 which was very tough, but tasted delicious to the 
 starving gold- seekers, and the guests told of their 
 experiences and the prevailing mood in Isabella 
 and the fort. 
 
 " It is really shameful in the Genoese to demand 
 the third part of the winnings," said Ojeda. 
 "Even the church claims but a tenth, and the 
 king contents himself with an eleventh share." 
 
 "Yes, the king is rich," sneered Castaneda, 
 "but the vice-king Avishes to be rich. But his 
 greed will avail him nothing. Margarite has not 
 the eyes of Argus. He x)uts aside what he can, 
 himself, and so do many others ; and when they 
 have enough, then — well, they will find con^pan- 
 ions who also wish to return to Spain without 
 further delay. And will that be so hard for them? 
 They will simply mutiny, take i^ossession of a 
 ship, and set sail." 
 
 " That would be contemptible," cried Marchena 
 furiously. " It would be black ingratitude to the 
 man who brought us to this magnificent land." 
 
 " Calm yourself," replied Castaneda, ironically. 
 " In Isabella, where fever rages and sickness carries 
 off men, they do not call the land so magnificent. 
 Calm yourself, or, if you will, go to Cibao and 
 Isabella and there preach fidelity and obedience 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 127 
 
 to the admiral and vice-king; for I put nothing 
 aside, and have no idea of being so contemptible, 
 even in dealing with a foreigner." 
 
 '' Friends, why are you quarrelling there? " said 
 Ojeda. "It is getting late, and to-morrow we 
 wish to explore the country. Let us go to sleep ! " 
 
X. 
 
 The next morning Ojeda and Marchena swung 
 themselves in their saddles, and rode uj^ the 
 mountain. Marchena rode Castaneda's horse. 
 No horse had been placed at the liac lender o's dis- 
 posal. Only part of the soldiers were mounted. 
 
 Castaneda remained at the farm. He had 
 looked after the riders for some time, then he 
 went into the house. He was alone: the Indian 
 servant who had wished to keep him company he 
 had immediately sent away; then he Avalked 
 through the two rooms which formed Marchena's 
 house, and insx)ected the furniture. 
 
 A primitive cupboard stood in the first room. 
 Impelled by curiosity Castaneda opened it. There 
 wjBre even drawers in it. What need had this 
 Marchena of joiners from Isabella? He was an 
 excellent carpenter. 
 
 In this cupboard all sorts of things Avere stored : 
 roots, leaves, dried fruits. " An apothecary," said 
 Castaneda scornfully, and walked on. 
 
AviTii COLUMBUS IN amp:kica. 129 
 
 In Marcliena's bedroom lie found sometliing 
 which enchained his attention much more. It 
 was a wooden trunk, with a lock, one of those in 
 Avhich the lirst emigrants brought their trifles of 
 private property from Spain. This trunk had a 
 lock and was locked! This did not vex Casta- 
 neda. On the contrary it filled him with joy. 
 There was certainly something in this trunk which 
 every one was not to see, and such secrets had 
 always had a j)eculiar charm for Castaneda, and 
 at this moment, too, he felt esj)ecially attracted to 
 that old Sx^anish trunk. 
 
 There were no j^anes of glass in the window^s of 
 the room. They w^ere only brought much, much 
 later to America. The windows were closed with 
 massive shutters, the room w^as almost dark, as 
 the light only penetrated through the lialf-ox:)en 
 door of the next room. This twilight pleased 
 Castaneda, for he seated himself beside the wooden 
 trunk and smiled with satisfaction. 
 
 But after a while he rose and went into the 
 next room. He bolted the door leading outdoors, 
 and looked out of the window. Not a soul was in 
 sight about the house. Several Indians were at 
 work in the fields at some distance, and the man 
 who acted as Marchena's body- servant Avas just 
 then sauntering toward the Indian village. 
 9 
 
130 AVITII COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 Castaneda nodded contentedly, and returned to 
 tlie bedroom. 
 
 He sank down npon tlie floor before the trunk 
 and fairly embraced it, as though it were a dear 
 living being. Then he bent forward and inspected 
 the keyhole. He smiled pleasantly and drew 
 from under the folds of his mantle a leather 
 purse. 
 
 This purse Castaneda had filled while in Spain, 
 not with gold, but with a metal far more valuable 
 in Hispaniola— with iron. 
 
 He ox)ened the purse and a number of various 
 sized keys could be seen — an assortment of keys 
 with which one could open a number of locks, 
 especially here on the Antilles; for the Spanish 
 emigrants had only brought simple locks with 
 them. Castaneda had noticed that in Spain. 
 
 He now glanced at the keyhole once more, and 
 then selected one of the keys ; he tried it in the 
 keyhole. How strange ! it fitted. Hoav easily he 
 unlocked the trunk! He was a fine artist, this 
 Castaneda. 
 
 Carefully he now raised the lid and glanced at 
 Marchena's belongings. A mantle lay spread out 
 on top ; Castaneda inspected it carefully, each fold 
 and button. Then he slowly raised it, removed it 
 from the trunk, and placed it on the floor, folded 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 131 
 
 just as it had lain in the trunk. Now he inspected 
 the lower part. Here was no more such order. 
 Different things, a i^air of shoes, a pair of stock- 
 ings, a woollen shirt, and such articles lay jpiled 
 on top of each other in. wild confusion. But 
 Castaneda even wished to make this confusion 
 yet greater. His long, thin fingers rummaged in 
 the dex)ths of the trunk. 
 
 And see ! After a few minutes his face betok- 
 ened great excitement. Once more his fingers felt 
 carefully over the things, and then a devilish ex- 
 pression of joy came over the yellow face of the 
 Castilian. " I have found it! " his eyes said. 
 
 After one more moment of careful search, he 
 drew a leather X3nrse like his from the bottom, 
 and opened it carefully. He looked in. 
 
 NoAv his expression changed. His face depicted 
 great astonishment. 
 
 Gold ! It was genuine gold that he held in his 
 hands. But it was no such gold as they washed 
 out of the sands of the rivers in Cibao ; these 
 were nuggets, lumps as thick as his lingers. This 
 was mountain gold. This Marchena had discov- 
 ered gold mines, and, from all appearances, im- 
 mensely rich gold mines. 
 
 Castaneda trembled with exciteinent. He laid 
 the iDurse down ux^on the floor beside the mantle; 
 
132 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 and continued liis search in the trunk. He found 
 nothing more; but was not that which hiy before 
 him enough? 
 
 With trembling hands he laid the purse in its 
 old place, spread the mantle over all, locked the 
 trunk, and went out of doors. 
 
 " Just look at this doll ! " he thought to him- 
 self. " The fellow is much shar]3er than we think. 
 He has a fine scent. But he finds gold mines and 
 keeps quiet about them. To be sure, who knows 
 Avhat secret agreement Father Juan de Marchena 
 has made with Columbus? Who knows Avhat re- 
 ward this little Jacob will receive from the ad- 
 miral? He says nothing to us about it. So the 
 boy wishes to save the mines for the Genoese. 
 When he comes back to Isabella, Marchena will 
 tell him the secret, and will then open the mines 
 with the Indians as laborers. But I will find out 
 this secret. 
 
 " But where the devil can this place be ! This 
 Marchena goes all over the mountains. One could 
 follow him for a long time. But, halt! I know. 
 He has betrayed himself. The cross — the cross 
 on the map, that is the site of the mines ! I must 
 have the map ! - ' 
 
 He seated himself upon the veranda and pon- 
 dered for a long time. Then he seemed to be 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 183 
 
 satisfied witli liis x)l^ns, and walked over to tlie 
 Indian village. Only wlien the two riders re- 
 turned, toward lioon, did lie return to the house. 
 
 He did not once ask for the map, and he scarcely 
 inquired the result of the expedition ; he was the 
 old Castaneda, and did not refrain from bantering 
 Marchena in his usual way, but his mocking re- 
 ferred only to his farming and digging for roots. 
 He did not speajv a word of gold discoveries. 
 
 Toward evening the two riders dej^arted. 
 
 " You live here as luxuriously as a prince," said 
 Castaneda as they departed. " How often I shall 
 think of your flesh-pots when my stomach cries 
 out for food. Pah! There is certainly a great 
 difference between being a farmer and a gold- 
 washer! " 
 
 " Yes, there should be a great many more plant- 
 ers," replied Marchena. "Vega-real has room 
 for thousands." 
 
 "Do you think so?" said Castaneda, swinging 
 himself into the saddle. " I will consider your 
 proposition." 
 
 " Good-by, Ojeda," said Marchena, in farewell 
 to the brave knight. " God jirotect you ! It is a 
 neck-breaking undertaking which you plan to 
 carry out." 
 
 " As you will," rei:)lied Ojeda. " But tell me, 
 
134 AVITII COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 did not the admiral risk liis life when he crossed 
 the ocean for the first time? I know wdiat I am 
 about. I will secure peace and order by one 
 stroke. But Ave have no time. Thank you for 
 your hosx)itality, Marchena. Forward, Casta- 
 neda." 
 
 He sxDurred his horse, and Avith the Spanish cry, 
 " Santiago ! " he rushed through the savannas. 
 
 " Santiago ! " murmured Marchena. '' Yes, may 
 St. James, the jDatron saint of the Spaniards, pro- 
 tect you! " 
 
 He stood lost in thought. To-morrow, on the 
 other side of that mountain important events 
 were to occur. Perhaps a general war would be 
 the result. But for the present peace was secured 
 to the farm. Ojeda had himself declared the 
 path impassable. In s^jite of all, it was sad new^s 
 that Marchena had received. " Why do they op- 
 press the poor i^eople?" he thought to himself. 
 " How pleasantly and peacefully one can live 
 here, rejoicing over the sprouting seed. But this 
 greed of gold ruins everything. How happy for 
 the land if her rocks and rivers did not conceal 
 the curse-laden gold. No, no gold mine shall be 
 opened in my land until the mild admiral comes." 
 
 Days passed. In the evening Marchena sat be- 
 fore his house and gazed out upon the savannas. 
 
WITH COLUMBITft IK AMERICA. 135 
 
 From time to time lie listened intently, but no 
 sound of horses' lioofs broke tlie stillness. Now 
 the mocking-bird began to sing, ;ind what a won- 
 derful song it was ! The nightingale's notes are 
 perhaps more deeply thrilling and go more to the 
 heart, but the mocking-bird is the king of all 
 singers. He can imitate the notes of all birds, 
 and mocks at them all by forming from their dis- 
 connected notes a harmonious masterpiece. But 
 in those days it did not attract Marchena's atten- 
 tion. His thoughts were with his friend Ojeda. 
 What had become of him ? Marchena could not 
 overcome his anxiety. Accompanied by two 
 Indians, he set out for Cibao. 
 
 Yes, it had been a dangerous venture which 
 young Alonso de Ojeda had risked, a mad act of 
 daring, such as only the bold conquerors of the 
 New World could think of. And it had suc- 
 ceeded. In Cibao, Marchena learned all that had 
 happened. 
 
 What the Indians had planned was a general 
 massacre of the Christians, and at the head of the 
 conspirators stood the chief Caonabo. Alonso de 
 Ojeda had known how to set. aside this dangerous 
 enemy. With a handful of daring comx)anions 
 he sought the chief. He said he c^me as a friend 
 and wished to honor him. He also brought him 
 
136 WITH COLTTMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 visible signs of this distinction — glittering hand- 
 cuffs upon which were fastened little bells in 
 which the Indians took especial delight. The 
 chief, in this manner already half captured — for 
 he at once fell into the trap, and put on these 
 bright new bracelets— must then seat liimself upon 
 Ojeda's horse, so as to appear, thus adorned with 
 the new insignia of a high rank, in the midst of 
 his people. But instead of riding into the village, 
 as agreed upon, Ojeda, mounted behind the chief, 
 si3urred his horse on to the coast. The Indians 
 were so alarmed by the Spanish knight's bold 
 behavior, and the horse, a perfectly strange animal 
 to them, that they thought too late of liberating 
 their lord. Ojeda arrived safely, although ex- 
 hausted and half starved, in Isabella, where he 
 lodged the chief in the fort. He never saw his 
 home again. The leader of the Indians in their 
 fight against the white oppressors, died on the 
 voyage to Spain, where Columbus was taking him. 
 Ojeda had not yet returned from Isabella when 
 Marchena arrived in Cibao. Meanwhile Margarite 
 led a wild life with his band. Now that they 
 knew the chief to be in Isabella, detained as a 
 hostage, they oppressed the timid natives even 
 more. Marchena left Fort Margarite with a heavy 
 heart, for before the fort he had seen a verita- 
 
AN ITJ[ COLIIMBrs IN AMEUICA. Ull 
 
 ble slave lujirket. Spaninrds bargained witli eacli 
 other for tlie wives and cliildren of the Indians. 
 But what most pained him was the fact that 
 several of the slaves Avere reserved for Columbus, 
 who wished to send them back to Spain ahd sell 
 them there to obtain money for tlie equipment of 
 new ships. So Marchena returned sadly to his 
 home. The news of the recent events had mean- 
 while reached even his Indians, for they met him 
 more shyly and reservedly than formerly; sev- 
 eral had even left their huts and fled to the woods 
 
 But INIarchena did not rest until he liad won 
 back the confidence of liis people ; and so better 
 days seemed to have dawned for Yega-real, when 
 one day Ojeda and Castaneda visited him, and the 
 latter declared that he was now weary of the wiLd 
 life at the fort; he wished to become a planter 
 like Marchena ; he had himself spoken Avith Co- 
 lumbus before the latter's departure, and would 
 very shortlj^ settle in Yega-real as his neiglil)or. 
 
 At this Marchena started; it seemed to him 
 that he saw all his difhcultly achieved work totter 
 and fall in ruins. And the news of the admiral's 
 dei^artnre seemed a second misfortune to him. 
 
 ''What? Has Columbus gone already?'' he 
 asked in surprise. 
 
 " Well, he did not ask your permission, then," 
 
188 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 rexilied Castaneda, mockingly. '' He was in great 
 haste ; he must relieve our colonies, and he takes 
 two hundred miserable, sick men back to Spain 
 with him. These will certainly give an edifying 
 account of this magnificent land." 
 
 But Marchena stood there with an anxious ex- 
 pression. He had wdshed to speak wdth the ad- 
 miral, to communicate some joyful news to him. 
 But he had suddenly sailed away. When would 
 he return? Yes, would he ever return? 
 
 But from under Castaneda's bushy brows a 
 piercing glance fell upon him. He revelled in 
 Marchena's sadness, for he believed that he w^as 
 sure of its cause. 
 
XI. 
 
 Only a ten-minutes walk from the govern- 
 mental liacienda arose a new house a few weeks 
 later, and this was occupied by Castaneda. Until 
 then, Marchena's had simx)ly been called The 
 liacienda, as there w^ere no other plantations in 
 Vega-real. Xow a particular name became neces- 
 sary. 
 
 Margarite troubled himself but little about the 
 admirars orders and regulations ; the plantations 
 lay within the territory of the fort ; he was the 
 commander of the fort ; and in his opinion the 
 governor of Yega-real also. The planters, there- 
 fore, as well as the soldiers and miners, must obey 
 him. . 
 
 With this object in view, he made strange 
 rules. The planters must deliver a certain propor- 
 tion of their crox3s to feed the soldiers. He im- 
 posed these taxes upon them, and he also found 
 names for the two nev/ estates. Owing to Mar- 
 chena's fidelity to the admiral, he called his 
 
140 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 hacienda Liguria, and Castaneda's new settle- 
 ment King's Court. 
 
 This was a malicious cliristening of tlie colonel's. 
 The name of Ligurian was hated by most of the 
 Spaniards, and so they looked askance even at 
 the plantation of that name, while the name of 
 King's Court awakened their sympathy. Marga- 
 rite was not indeed the originator of this idea, an- 
 other had suggested the name, and this other was 
 Castaneda. He smiled with quiet satisfaction 
 when he saw Marchena's troubled face ; for when 
 this name was given his place, Marchena Avas cer- 
 tain that his countrymen had no friendly feelings 
 toward him. Castaneda knew what he was doing. 
 The plantations should not flourish. Liguria 
 should be ruined, and its founder come to have 
 other objects in life than raising cattle and sowing 
 seed. But King's Court was not so conducted 
 that it would ever flourish. Castaneda troubled 
 himself little about the farm. 
 
 He laid out no experimental garden ; the natives 
 should manage the fields in their own fashion, so 
 as to pay the demanded tax to the fort. But in 
 order that the Indians should be kejDt in order, 
 Castaneda had brought strange overseers with 
 him. 
 
 At the time that the Spaniards came to the 
 
AVITII COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 141 
 
 Antilles, there was great excitement among tlie 
 Indian tribes. From the American mainland, a 
 robber people overran the little islands; these 
 were the wild Caribs, who were addicted to the 
 horrible crime of cannibalism. Their war-ships 
 were very narrow, but from thirteen to fourteen 
 yards long, so that fifty seamen could find room 
 in them. When favorable winds prevailed, the 
 Caribs raised cotton sails; at other times they 
 used oars to impel these boats, and these oars 
 were handled in time with the leader's. • 
 
 The aborigines of the Antilles, called by the 
 Spaniards Farias, were peaceable people. The 
 crime of cannibalism was unknown to them; they 
 carried only spears as Aveapons in combat. And 
 they lived less by hunting than from the scanty 
 crops of their fields, and ui)on fish. 
 
 The Caribs, on the contrary, carried bows and 
 arrows, had always been upon the mainland, a 
 race of hunters, and wilder and more barbarous 
 in their habits. 
 
 When, therefore, the Caribs invaded the little 
 islands, they had no pity upon the timid, peace- 
 able natives ; they were far superior to them in 
 warfare — they killed the men, ate the children, 
 and took the women captive. The fear of these 
 cannibals was intense and universal. When Co- 
 
142 WITH COLUMBUS 1^ AMEEICA. 
 
 lumbus discovered tlie New World, tlie Caribs 
 were but i^artly settled upon Hispaiiiola. 
 
 There were many Carib slaves in Isabella. Cas- 
 taneda took tliem with him to his new estate. 
 He made them overseers of the Indian laborers ; 
 the Caribs formed his body-guard and also the 
 oppressors of his Indians. The leader of this de- 
 tachment of Caribs was Callinago, a cunning 
 villain, who had ingratiated himself with his 
 white master. 
 
 ^ He formed a true contrast to the colored over- 
 seer of Liguria, the young Henry, as his master 
 called him. Henry idolized Marchena. But his 
 reasons for this were of a different nature. In 
 the wild youth's heart, love awakened by Mar- 
 chena's kindness had taken root. 
 
 The difference in treatment of the Indians in 
 Liguria and King's Court was striking. Here 
 peace and order prevailed, there, there were blows, 
 oppression ; here the laborers were faithful — there, 
 there were always gaps in the ranks of Indians, 
 owing to some Avho had run away. 
 
 One day (it was quite late in the evening) Henry 
 stood at the hedge of cassava, inspecting it to see 
 from which bushes flour should be prepared, in 
 the course of the next few days. He had just 
 completed his work when twilight had already 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 143 
 
 fallen, and now walked along the edge of the 
 savanna to look after the cattle in the enclosure. 
 
 There was a rustle in the grass. Was not that 
 the light step of a human being? Henry stood 
 still. Perliai3S it was one of his workmen. 
 
 The tall grass parted, and a young Indian girl 
 emerged, glancing timidly about. 
 
 Henry started. 
 
 "What are you doing here, Ara?" he asked, 
 for he recognized in the girl one of the workwo- 
 men recently brought from the mountains. 
 
 " Save me! " she cried supplicatingly, and threw 
 herself on her knees before him. 
 
 "AVho threatens you?" he asked, glancing 
 around the quiet savanna. 
 
 "Callinago torments me!" she cried. "I hate 
 him, and he wishes to kill me for this." 
 
 Henry shook his head. 
 
 " I cannot help you," he replied sadly. " You 
 must flee to the mountains. Here they will find 
 you and drag you away like the others. Come, 
 let us sit down on the grass and wait until it is 
 night. Then I will show you the way." 
 
 " Where to ? " asked the girl, bitterly. " Do you 
 not know that our village is burned down ? Oh, 
 these Caribs whom the white man has brought 
 here have x>illaged, burned, and murdered accord- 
 
14-i WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEEICA. 
 
 ing to their custom. I no longer have a home ! 
 You alone can save me," she cried, and clung 
 tightly to the yonng man. 
 
 ''I!" said he slowly, with a bitter laugh. 
 "What can I do against Callinago and Casta- 
 neda? But wait!" cried he suddenly, while his 
 face brightened. " He— he can; come to him! " 
 
 Henry seized the girl's hand and walked slowly 
 wdth her to Marchena's house. 
 
 The moon had just risen; she threw^ her silvery 
 light over the broad savannas, bathed in mist, 
 and resembling a sea, brought out the dark out- 
 lines of the mountains more distinctly, and shone 
 on the backs of the two children of the wilder- 
 ness, as wdth beating hearts they approached the 
 veranda. 
 
 • Upon it sat Marchena, absorbed in thought. 
 He w^as alone to-day ; Gastaneda had not visited 
 him— he had gone to the fort. Marchena w^as 
 struggling with a difficult resolve. The neighbor- 
 hood of the Caribs and this gold-seeker apparently 
 converted to farming, Avas obnoxious to him ; it 
 demoralized his people and threatened to destroy 
 all the fruits of his hard work. Marchena had 
 found a beautiful, fertile valley on the other side 
 of a loAV mountain range. It Avas rather inacces- 
 sible, but there one could live in all seclusion 
 
WFTH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 145 
 
 from evil men, quietly and peaceably as in Para- 
 dise. 
 
 What if lie were now to declare that this sa- 
 vanna land was not fertile enough — he wished to 
 leave it? How would it be if he were to tear 
 down his huts and leave Vega-real ? He must then 
 certainly begin anew, but there in that secluded 
 valley surely no one would follow him except his 
 faithful laborers. , The more he considered it, the 
 better the plan seemed to him. 
 
 But could he be so certain that no one would 
 follow him ? His neighbor Castaneda had followed 
 him, who surely had no liking or taste for a 
 planter's life, and yet he settled in this corner of 
 Vega-real. Marchena rested his head in his hand. 
 He had thought of this so often. Could Castaneda 
 have guessed his secret? They had once spoken 
 of the cross on the maj). But no one had said a 
 word of gold mines. 
 
 The secret had been well preserved in his trunk. 
 Castaneda, at the time he and Ojeda visited Mar- 
 chena, ha'd certainly been alone in the house for 
 hours, but the trunk was safely locked, and Mar- 
 chena had found everything in order when, after 
 returning from his ride with Alonso, he again in- 
 spected his home. 
 
 And later! Yes, it was not to be denied that 
 
 lO 
 
146 \YITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 Castaneda visited his neighbor unceremoniously, 
 and rummaged the rooms in his absence ; but the 
 cross was no longer on its old place on the map, 
 and the gold specimens no longer rested in the 
 Castilian chest. They were hidden in the cavity 
 of a tree trunk, deep in the forest, until those 
 should come for wiiom they were destined. 
 
 Yes, although having no just cause of suspicion, 
 yet he did suspect Marchena; he believed that 
 he had discovered gold mines, and joerhaps now 
 secretly profited by them. This was not surpris- 
 ing ; such thoughts and suspicions w^ere very prev- 
 alent among the first Spanish settlers. 
 
 Marchena rightly suspected that Castaneda 
 was here merely for purposes of observation ; he 
 watched his every step and action ; often during 
 his wanderings in the mountains, the form of 
 Castaneda or that of his familiar, the Carib Cal- 
 linago, would unexpectedly appear. The meet- 
 ings were always accidental, as these said, but 
 Marchena thought differently. 
 
 Would Castaneda now give up his investiga- 
 tions if Marchena changed his residence, or would 
 he not rather, follow him like a shadow? The 
 gold mines might be more secure, but the king's 
 bailiff would hardly obtain the rest and peace for 
 which he longed. 
 
AVITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. K7 
 
 He was absorbed in these tlioiiglits when he 
 raised his eyes and saw Henry and Ara advancing 
 in the moonlight to the house. He could not rec- 
 ognize the girl, and even when the two stood close 
 before him he did not know who she was. 
 
 Then the pair fell on their knees before him 
 and raised their hands as if pleading for mercy. 
 
 "Henry, what does this mean?" he asked in 
 surprise. "AVho is the girlt Where does she 
 come from? She seems to be a stranger." 
 
 " O master," replied the servant, " she has fled 
 from Callinago, and begs you for safety and pro- 
 tection." 
 
 Marchina frowned. So it was one of Castaneda's 
 slaves who hoped to find protection here in 
 Liguria. Oh, Henry and this poor girl had over- 
 estimated his power! Far better could one of his 
 slaves seek protection from him in King's Court, 
 for in dispute Margarite would far sooner decide 
 in favor of King's Court than of Liguria. But 
 Marchena would not brusquely dismiss the suppli- 
 cants, and so he inquired why Ara had fled. 
 
 It was a long, sad story. Overpowering, burn- 
 ing, pillage, and the cruellest oppression. Oh, these 
 colored beings had feelings like us. Marchena 
 was touched, and he gazed thoughtfully at his 
 servant Henry, who pleaded for the oppressed 
 
148 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 with all his heart. A joyous expression lit up his 
 features until then so gloomy, and he said : " You 
 plead earnestly for the strange slave, Henry. I 
 know but one means by which she can be saved. 
 Will you make her your wife? " 
 
 The colored servant was silent. The pale moon- 
 light did not show whether his face expressed 
 joy or astonishment, but Ara threw herself vio- 
 lently at Marchena's feet, and embraced his knees, 
 stammering words of thanks. 
 
 '^ If that is your will, Henry," said Marchena, 
 " then take Ara to one of the huts, and tell her to 
 remain hidden there until I call her. I will speak 
 with her master to-morrow." 
 
 The two went away. They were happy, and 
 this happiness seemed as if fallen from Heaven ; 
 but he who had bestowed it did not enter his bed- 
 room happily. He did not yet know whether he 
 could soften the heart of the King's Court slave- 
 owner. He indeed hoped that he could buy poor 
 Ara's freedom with solid gold. But he w^as pre- 
 pared for a hard bargain, for Castaneda was natu- 
 rally avaricious, and yet more so when he saw the 
 glittering metal. 
 
 The next morning Marchena prepared for his 
 unpleasant visit to his neighbor. He had w^alked 
 through his vegetable garden and reached the 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IX AMERK^A. l49 
 
 cassava hedge, when the barking of a dog was 
 heard. Marchena knew^ this sound ; thus did the 
 Spanish bloodhounds bay when they were on a 
 chase. 
 
 The young farmer stood still. His face grew 
 grave. 
 
 " I need not go to him," he whispered to him^ 
 self, " this Bezeriilo is an excellent hunter. Cas- 
 taneda will soon be here.'' 
 
 He gazed out across the savanna from whence 
 the baying of a dog came. From the tall flowery 
 grass appeared men's heads from time to time; 
 from the straw hat he recognized Castaneda at 
 once, before him rushed Callinago, and behind 
 followed two other Caribs wdth bow^s and arrows. 
 Castaneda discovered his neighbor at the same 
 moment. He gave up the hunt and gave the dog 
 in charge of one of the Caribs. He himself w^ent 
 up to the hedge beside which Marchena stood. 
 
 "Good-morning, Castaneda!" cried he. "At 
 work so early? " 
 
 "Ha!" rei^iied Castaneda. "A savage has es- 
 caped, a doe Avho has won my Callinago's heart. 
 T have but recently come from the fort with the 
 dog." 
 
 " And what is the news there? " asked Marchena, 
 as though this slave-hunt did not interest him. 
 
150 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 " What is the news ? " replied Castaneda. 
 "Nothing x>l^^sant, my dear neighbor. This 
 Cibao is far from beiag the Ophir of King Solo- 
 mon. The gold is only on the snrface. The 
 washings yield less and less gold sand ; one finds 
 no more nuggets. There are a thousand Indians 
 at w^ork, and yet the winnings aie not a fourth of 
 what they were." 
 
 "Well, and is the fort to be removed soon?" 
 asked Marchena, with great interest. 
 
 "IN'ot at all," replied Castaneda. "Margarite 
 will set more Indians to work. Since Caonabo 
 was taken captive, they are very docile. Marga- 
 rite says he will not go until he takes the last 
 grain of gold in Cibao away with him." 
 
 He gazed out over the savanna. " But this Ara 
 seems to have ruii around in circles as if mad. 
 What circuits the dog makes ! But, halt ! Now 
 they are coming directly toward us ! " 
 
 "Ara — did you say?" hereupon replied Mar- 
 chena. " Are you looking for this slave, Casta- 
 neda? Then you can give up your hunt. I was 
 on my way to you to speak about this matter. 
 She is, so to say, wildly in love. It is the story of 
 an elopement from King's Court to Liguria, and 
 which we must kindly smooth over." 
 
 Castaneda glanced closely at Marchena. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 151 
 
 "Oh! " said he, "yon know where she is?" 
 
 "Yes," replied Marchena, "in my village. I 
 wished to speak w ith yon abont this very matter." 
 
 At this moment the bloodhound Bezerillo 
 sprang out of the grass, ran along the edge of the 
 savanna to the spot where the two neighbors 
 stood, and remained standing there, confused by 
 many traces. 
 
 " Bravo, Bezerillo! " cried Castaneda, " you have 
 again done well. But in Liguria they do not 
 hunt Indians. So be very polite, Bezerillo. Do 
 not touch Miss Ara!" He laughed at his joke. 
 Then he turned to the Caribs who also came gasp- 
 ing for breath from the long grass. " Go home, 
 Callinago," he commanded. "I have found Ara; 
 she is here with my friend; and take the dog with 
 you." 
 
 Callinago remained motionless. 
 
 " Look at the cannibal," said Castaneda de- 
 risively, "' he will not go without the slave. Go ! " 
 said he again, " she is here. Have you become 
 deaf? " Castaneda swung his stick and the Carib 
 now took the dog by the collar, and, glancing 
 furiously around, walked off toward King's Court. 
 
 "Now, Marchena," said Castaneda, "we are 
 alone. I am anxious to hear the romance which 
 has been enacted in Liguria." 
 
152 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 Maicliena took Castaneda's arm in a friendly 
 manner, and led him to his house. While they 
 walked through the vegetable garden, he told him 
 how Henry and Ara had knelt before him in the 
 moonlight. He sought to represent the affair 
 humorously, and not to offend Castaneda by hints 
 at cruelty. 
 
 Castaneda walked silently beside his neighbor. 
 From time to time he looked at him closely. 
 
 "You will give your consent, will you not?" 
 asked Marchena. " You will do me the favor? " 
 
 They already stood upon the veranda, and 
 Castaneda's glance fell accidentally through the 
 open window of the bedroom, upon the well- 
 known locked chest. He silently seated himself 
 upon the bench, and before his eyes rose the map 
 which he was not to ruin his eyes by insi3ecting 
 closely in the moonlight. Before his eyes shone 
 the fat nuggets which he had been forced to j)ack 
 and lock up again. 
 
 He gazed out upon the savannas, and then his 
 eyes wandered over to the black mountains; it 
 seemed to him that now the favorable opportunity 
 had come to raise the veil of secrecy somewhat. 
 This Marchena had a soft heart, and perhaps 
 Castaneda would succeed in melting this reserved 
 and foolish youth like wax. 
 
AVITir COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 153 
 
 " You do not answer, Castaneda," Marcliena re- 
 peated. "Is it so hard for you to oblige me in 
 this triding matter? " 
 
 *'Is it for me to oblige you?" replied he. "In 
 reality your Henry has carried his purpose, and 
 my Callinago has his disaj)pointment. You will 
 see happy faces around you, and my Carib over- 
 seer will grumble. Remember, the fellow is a 
 cannibal." 
 
 '' Well, there can be found means for reconcil- 
 ing him," interposed Marcliena. 
 
 "Oh, certainly! " replied Castaneda, "you can 
 soften him with a few old beads — but you must 
 not forget that Ara is my slave." 
 
 " Have you not slaves enough ? " asked Ara's 
 protector. 
 
 " You will not understand me," the other burst 
 out. " You should know the state of affairs in 
 Hisx)aniola. Since ancient times the men here 
 have led a lazy life, and left the field work to the 
 women. The men are of no account for sand-dig- 
 ging and gold- washing, one woman works for ten. 
 They know that in the mines. Unfortunately the 
 women age very rapidly in this Avarm, moist land, 
 and therefore young, strong workwomen are in 
 great demand. Only think, such a healthy, strong 
 girl as Ara represents a capital. She is skilful. 
 
154 WITH COLTTMBUS IX AMERICA. 
 
 handy, active. Put her to work at gold- washing, 
 and she will bring you a little heaj) of gold every 
 day, for she has strong arms, quick lingers, and 
 sharp eyes. Such workwomen are in demand in 
 Cibao. I have si:)oken to Margarite. He has 
 plenty of money and would be glad to have Ara. 
 He would buy ten, twenty workwomen and pay 
 well for them ! " 
 
 Marchena gazed at the ground and a slight flush 
 rose to his face, although he sought to control 
 himself. " Thus speaks a Spaniard, thus acts a 
 Christian,'' he thought to himself, but he dared 
 not express his anger. With his views he was 
 completely isolated here. 
 
 " You see, my dear friend and neighbor," con- 
 tinued Castaneda, " you must look at the matter 
 from another side. You must not be vexed with 
 me ; but I do not believe that you are acting from 
 j)ure interest in your Henry alone. Let us be 
 frank: you have a model establishment here, and 
 your Henry is an excellent overseer, you lack on] 3^ 
 a housekeeper. Now, Madam Ara would make 
 an excellent housekeeper; so, my dear friend, you 
 also would i^rofit by this marriage. AYe must 
 treat this affair as a business dealing." 
 
 Marchena bit his lij)s. He had never thought 
 that he would bargain for a human being, but 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 155 
 
 Castaneda spoke plainly, all the roiigliness and 
 commonness of his character were plainly appar- 
 ent. He overcame his inAvard disgust, therefore, 
 and resolved to act. He would not buy Ara for 
 a slave, he would rather buy an unfortunate slave 
 her freedom; and was not that a good work? 
 
 "If I understand you rightly," he therefore 
 said, "you will sell Ara?" 
 
 " Conditionally, yes ! " 
 
 " And what do you ask for her? " 
 
 " Hm ! " said Castaneda slowly. " I must govern 
 myself by the piice in Cibao." 
 
 " Good ! You know my house," said Marchena 
 constrainedly. " You know what I possess. You 
 know my coats and boots, and my Castilian uten- 
 sils as well as I. So choose something and make 
 me a proposal." 
 
 "You are generous, Marchena," replied the 
 slave-dealer, revelling in the uneasiness displayed 
 by Marchena; "you offer the greatest treasures 
 of Hlspaniola, which the Castilian surrenders only 
 in utmost need, and which he would not sell even 
 for glittering gold. You astonish me, but I do 
 not wish people to say I have swindled you, not 
 for such an Indian girl. Give her back to me; I 
 will send Callinago to fetch her to-day." 
 
 "What, Castaneda?" asked Marchena; "did 
 
156 AVITH OOLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 you not declare a few minutes ago that you intend 
 selling Ara to Margarite? Is it not the same 
 whether you sell her to me or to him? " 
 
 "Pah!" cried Castaneda. "Indeed, it is not 
 the same. You will pay me with coats and boots, 
 which I cannot take back to Castile with me. 
 xldmit that in the clothes which we have we can 
 none of us appear at home! With Margarite 
 matters are different. Margarite will shake some- 
 thing into my hand which I can take back to 
 Spain in a little bag, and for which I can receive 
 shirts and boots in abundance. You understand 
 me, from Margarite I will receive for Ara — gold ! " 
 
 " Oh, if this is your only objection! " cried Mar- 
 chena. Castaneda sprang up and clasped Mar- 
 chena's hand. 
 
 " Yes, friend," he cried, looking him directly in 
 the eyes, " this only objection, but this is unalter- 
 able. Ara or gold! or else Callinago shall fetch 
 her back to King's Court— and this very day! " 
 
 He pressed Marchena's hand tighter and asked, 
 whispering in his ear, " Marchena, have you really 
 gold?" 
 
 Castaneda's words affected Marchena like the 
 hiss of a venomous serpent. He tore himself 
 away from his avaricious countryman. 
 
 " Oh, you i3ress my hand too tightly, Castaneda," 
 
AVITII COLUMBUS IN AMEPwICA. 157 
 
 he cried in excuse. Then he pushed his hair 
 back from his foreliead, on Avhich stood pearly 
 beads of sweat and asked, " How much do you 
 require?" 
 
 Castaneda drew back a stej) and laid his finger 
 on his forehead. 
 
 '' Let me consider," said he. 
 
 He considered. How much should he ask? He 
 must receive a large lumj) of gold so that Mar- 
 chena should be forced to confess to him where 
 he had found the rich gold mines. An idea oc- 
 curred to him and he said; "I have just come 
 from the gold washings. I have my scales with 
 me, so we can at once come to an agreement." 
 
 He drew a small purse filled with gold from his 
 pocket. 
 
 "Here!" he cried, "do you see? They pay 
 this much in Cibao for a slave like Ara ! Weigh it 
 in your hand; can you pay so much?" 
 
 Marchena took the purse in his hand; it was 
 light, and he therefore replied calmly: "I will 
 see; I think so, Castaneda." 
 
 The neighbor smiled Avith satisfaction. 
 
 "Then fetch the gold!" he cried. "Here are 
 the scales, " he continued, drawing a small pair 
 of scales from his pocket. " We will weigh the 
 gold ; and if it is sufficient, then Ara is yours ! " 
 
158 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 Marchena went into his house. Castaneda 
 looked curiously into tlie bedroom. Now Mar- 
 chena must open the chest and fetch his treasures. 
 The good-natured fellow had fallen into the trap, 
 he must betray his secret. And such a secret ! Cas- 
 taneda would willingly have captured a hundred, 
 a thousand Indians and given them away for this. 
 
 But moments passed and there was no sign of 
 Marchena in the bedroom. 
 
 "He does not wish to betray himself!" mur- 
 mured Castaneda. " He is deliberating ; butw^ait, 
 my bird, you will soon be tamed ! " 
 
 Meanwhile Marchena returned, a leather purse 
 in his hand. 
 
 "Oho!" thought Castaneda. "He has hidden 
 it in some other place." 
 
 His eyes seemed fairly trying to pierce the 
 purse, and he did not notice that Marchena 
 watched him sharply. 
 
 " Here is the gold," said he, handing him the 
 purse, " it will surely suffice." 
 
 With feverish haste, Castaneda stretched out 
 his hand and seized the purse. His, fingers 
 clutched it and closed tightly over it. But he 
 had expected a different object. The contents 
 were soft and yielding, and the Spaniard's face 
 w^ore a surprised look. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 159 
 
 Marchena watched the avaricious man with 
 disgust; he seemed to him like a bird of prey 
 sweeping down ui3on his victim. 
 
 Meanwhile Castaneda hastily opened the purse 
 and looked in. His features exj)ressed a disap- 
 pointment, boundless disappointment; he ran his 
 iiugers into the gold as if he sought something 
 therein. Then he hissed out an angry curse from 
 between his teeth. There were no lumps of gold 
 in the little purse; it contained merely gold-dust 
 such as he had seen in the old washings. 
 
 " It is indeed gold, Castaneda, real gold," said 
 Marchena, now sharply. "Do you curse the 
 metal for the sake of which you came to His- 
 paniola?" 
 
 Castaneda controlled himself. 
 
 "Ha, ha!" he laughed. "The gold is good, 
 Marchena. But you have overtrumped me. I 
 did not think you were so rich. We scarcely 
 ever saw you at the gold- washings in Cibao." 
 
 " Well, I have been fortunate," replied Mar- 
 chena. " I found a rich gold vein. However, you 
 can ask Margarite whether I have not given up 
 the third part. But how have I overtrumped 
 you, neighbor? " 
 
 " I did not wish to sell Ara to you," said Cas- 
 taneda. " I lixed a price which I did not think 
 
160 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 you would be able to pay. But you are ricli, you 
 are a true Croesus." 
 
 "Weigh tlie dust," replied Marchena. ^'You 
 will see tliat not much will remain to me." 
 
 Castaneda Aveighed it, shook it into his purse 
 and said: "Very well, Ara is yours. You area 
 lucky fellow, Marchena." 
 
 He went. Down in the savannas he paused. 
 " A sly rascal, this youth," he murmured to him- 
 self. " But he has not won the game. Liguria 
 has now a mortal enemy, and this enemy is Cal- 
 linago. Him I will set on your heels, Marchena, 
 and we will see whether he does not discover 
 your secret." 
 
 He walked on and soon entered the neglected 
 King's Court. 
 
 " Where is Ara? " the Carib asked him. 
 
 " Ara ! " replied Castaneda. " She is under my 
 friend's protection, and is to marry Henry." 
 
 The Carib sprang up as though stung by a 
 scorpion. 
 
 "There, pray calm yourself," said Castaneda, 
 "you can soon have her again." He drew his 
 purse from his pocket. "Do you see this gold? 
 When you bring me double the quantity, Mar- 
 chena must give Ara back to me. He has much 
 gold ; gold must be in these mountains; Henry and 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 161 
 
 Marcliena must know it. So if you are so fond 
 of Ara, go in the mountains and look for gokl 
 mines! Henry knows them; do you see, he can 
 buy himself a wife, even if she is an Ara ? " 
 
 Without further troubling himself about the 
 Carib, he Avent into the house, and locked up his 
 newly acquired gold with his old treasures. He 
 surveyed the contents of his trunk, and murmured 
 to himself: "How slowly it accumulates — Avhen 
 that is melted, the pile will nqt be large. And this 
 long, long journey for this ! Marcliena is a lucky 
 fellow. Pah, he has found here not only gold 
 mines, but also golden brooks! But he is as 
 silent as the grave. Not the slightest allusion, 
 and gold and map have disappeared from the 
 chest. But he must have other hiding-places; for 
 I have never seen the purse of gold-dust before. 
 
 " Shame on you, Castaneda! " he went on. ^' In 
 Spain no lock was too artful for you ; you found 
 out the most secret compartments in the greatest 
 palaces. And here you cannot even find out the 
 Iiiding-X3laces of the miserable Jiacienda. To be 
 sure," he went on, "he always disturbs me; I 
 can, I dare, not leave the slightest trace of my in- 
 vestigations, or he would be warned. And how 
 many lumps of gold he must already have added 
 
 to the first three! I might complain of him that 
 II 
 
162 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 he has not given up the third part— but what 
 good would that do me? The whole band would 
 rush over here from Cibao — and share the booty. 
 And why divide it? I am no friend of such do- 
 ings. If I could but make a thorough search of 
 the house, undisturbed — lind the map, and then 
 go to the spot marked with the cross! Undis- 
 turbed — root up everything — ransack. Hm — 
 then, then I would soon attain my object. But 
 then he must not be there — must — suddenly dis- 
 appear in the mountains and ravines ! That would 
 do; but Margarite would be suspicious, and, al- 
 though he hates this doll, he loves gold fondly. 
 He would surely search for the gold — therefore 
 that will not do!" 
 
 Castaneda rested his head on his hand. Before 
 him lay a heap of glittering gold, and his eyes 
 were fixed mechanically upon the yellow metal : 
 his mind formed a thousand plans. But from 
 time to time he murmured : " That will not do ! 
 The affair is a difficult one; much more difiicult 
 than I thought!" 
 
 But while the master made his dark plans, his 
 servant Callinago brooded in front of the house. 
 His eyes gazed full of hatred in the direction of 
 Liguria. Ara was now there — she was to be the 
 wife of the hated Henry ; and was she not really 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 163 
 
 his slave, had he not himself carried her off from 
 her home? And now she belonged to another! 
 The Carib did not long deliberate. He had made 
 his resolve sooner than his master. A devilish 
 smile played about his lips, and now he calmly 
 rose, took bow and arrows, and soon disappeared 
 in the gloomy woods. 
 
 About the same time Marchena, accompanied 
 by the radiant Henry, left his Jiacienda and went 
 into the mountains. A long, difficult march was 
 before him. He wished to visit the beautiful 
 valley, and look about it for a building-site. Yes, 
 he was even more filled with the idea of leaving 
 Vega-real to-day than he had been yesterday, for 
 he suspected what would now happen. 
 
 One after another of Castaneda's oppressed 
 slaves would now seek refuge in Liguria — and he 
 could not purchase the freedom of a second. Be- 
 sides, he had fanned the flame of Castaneda's 
 avarice. He must avoid him. And if he should, 
 nevertheless, follow him? Well, there would be 
 no room in this valley for two Jiacienderos. 
 Marchena would buy the whole valley, for the 
 government in Hispaniola sold land remarkably 
 cheap, and Castaneda had left him enough gold 
 dust for that. There in the peaceful valley he 
 would stay until Columbus returned to Hispaniola. 
 
164 
 
 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 Then the admiral should open the rich gold mines 
 for his and the king's benefit. The faithless gold- 
 diggers of Cibao and Isabella should not squander 
 the treasure. You ask why he did not tell his 
 secret to the admiral's brother, the governor, Diego 
 Colon. Oh, Marchena knew that he held the reins 
 of government with but a weak hand. 
 
XII. 
 
 Two weeks later, Marcliena prepared for tlie 
 long walk to Isabella. Henry should keep house 
 in his absence. Up to this time he had said 
 nothing to Castaneda of his plans. He merely 
 complained of the lack of farming utensils, and 
 that those which he had were fast becoming use- 
 less, and thought he should be obliged to go over 
 to Isabella and ask help from the governor. 
 
 Castaneda strengthened his neighbor eagerly 
 in this resolution. But the journey was put oif 
 from day to day. The first harvest of wheat was 
 at hand, and Marchena wished to take the first 
 harvest in Hispaniola, however scanty it might be, 
 to Isabella. 
 
 But it was to be otherwise. 
 
 The king's bailiff had housed his first wheat. 
 It was not threshed, for there were no flails in 
 Liguria, but the Indians had picked the precious 
 cereal, grain by grain, from the ear. Now three 
 
166 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 moderate-sized baskets stood ready for transpor- 
 tation to Isabella. 
 
 But meanwhile other men appeared to fetch the 
 harvest. Early in the morning of a fine day 
 there was a noise of horses' hoofs and the barking 
 of dogs in the savanna, and the blare of the war 
 trumpets penetrated even to Liguria. Marchena, 
 astonished, hastened out upon his veranda. What 
 guests were coming; with the sound of trum- 
 pets, and mounted on horseback? Had the ad- 
 miral returned? 
 
 The troop of riders came nearer. Now they 
 stopped before the vegetable garden, and in 
 amazement Marchena recognized the leader; it 
 was Margarite, the colonel. 
 
 The king's bailiff suspected nothing good, for 
 Margarite had never been cordially disposed to 
 him and had never forgotten his harmless remark 
 on the admiral's ship : Half in jest, half mockingly 
 he was in the habit of calling him "the little 
 mutineer." 
 
 " Good-day, my dear bailiff," said he, returning 
 Marchena's greeting. " We come in person to con- 
 vince ourselves of the condition of the king's 
 hacienda. We have received very few supplies. 
 Mere Indian potatoes and manioca roots, which 
 we must wash ourselves And we are hungry, 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 167 
 
 for even Isabella furnishes no more meat, although 
 it requires gold; we cannot eat snakes and liz- 
 ards, and the forest birds are not easily obtained; 
 therefore we thought of the Ligurian oxen, and 
 would now like to see whether they have become 
 fat; will you not take us to the corral, Marchena? " 
 
 The king's bailiff must obey the colonel. Of 
 what use would resistance have been? Margarite 
 had brought soldiers with him, and their looks 
 betokened plainly enough that they participated 
 in this requisition with delight, and did not think 
 of returning empty-handed. 
 
 Meanwhile Castaneda also had hurried up. 
 
 "Welcome, Margarite!" he cried, "you all 
 come as if bidden to the harvest feast in Liguria! " 
 
 " How so? " asked Margarite. 
 
 " Men, have you lost your eyes in Cibao? Look 
 yonder at that field along the edge of the forest. 
 It is stubble ; Marchena has harvested wheat." 
 
 Margarite smiled. "We have heard of that 
 also," he replied, " and will give the wheat trans- 
 port a safeguard. And if I am not mistaken, 
 there stands a little vintage also. We have casks 
 and kegs in abundance in Cibao; they are all 
 empty and can easily be filled." 
 
 "The wine is still sour, Margarite," replied 
 Marchena. 
 
168 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 The colonel did not honor him with the slight- 
 est response. He took Castaneda by the arm and 
 said to him: "Take us to the viceroy's herds. 
 What do you think? Sour wine is an aid to 
 digestion, and goes very well wdth a nice fat 
 roast, eh? " 
 
 Marchena remained behind . He was not needed. 
 Margarite had found a guide and such as he re- 
 quired. 
 
 Margarite purposely drew Castaneda away from 
 his followers. He wished to speak with him 
 alone, and what he had to say surprised Castaneda 
 extremely. 
 
 " We will drive off the cattle," said the colonel, 
 " for we wish to strengthen ourselves for the long 
 voyage." 
 
 "AVhat, you wish to return to Spain?" asked 
 Castaneda in astonishment. " Already? " 
 
 " If w^e can secure a ship, we will sail immedi- 
 ately. But we shall have to wait several, perhaps 
 two or three, weeks. The other brother of the 
 Ligurian, Bartholomew, has come from Spain, 
 and wishes to govern more strictly. There has 
 been trouble in Isabella, and Bartholomew is 
 founding a nev/ city — St. Domingo it is to be 
 called." 
 
 " One really is completely isolated here," said 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 169 
 
 Castaneda. "The most important events of the 
 colony are unknown to me." 
 
 " Shall you not come with us? " continued the 
 colonel. 
 
 '' So soon? " replied Castaneda. " I am afraid I 
 shall not yet be able to ! " 
 
 "Not yet!" cried Margarite, laughing. "Are 
 you not already the wealthiest of the settlers? " 
 
 " You jest, Margarite. 1 have heard that you 
 possess the most gold, and Roldan not much 
 less." 
 
 "Well, as you will!" replied Margarite. "I 
 have promised you that I will give you notice in 
 time before our departure. Perhaps you will 
 reconsider the matter. But you must join us in 
 two weeks at the latest." 
 
 " Thank you, Margarite," said Castaneda. " In- 
 deed, there seems to be nothing more to get here." 
 
 "Hm— and I had thought that you had dis- 
 covered new gold mines here ! " 
 
 " Merciful patience ! " cried Castaneda. " I have 
 not found a grain of gold in this Yega-real. I 
 have only sold one slave to Liguria. But I be- 
 lieve that the king's bailiff will hardly be able to 
 pay for a second." 
 
 Margarite gave his companion a side glance. 
 
 " That does not concern me, however," said he. 
 
170 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 " I have my sliare, and shall not remain here 
 longer." 
 
 They stood before the cattle enclosure, and sur- 
 veyed the three cows and the steer. 
 
 " Here is the nucleus of the future herds of His- 
 paniola," said Castaneda, mockingly. 
 
 " We will see to it that the liacienderd s trees 
 do not have root in the skies," replied Margarite, 
 and he commanded his soldiers to catch the 
 animals. 
 
 The soldiers returned to the house. They dis- 
 persed over the yard, and sought to discover 
 everything eatable. The ducks and the few hens 
 were caught and killed; the swine, now number- 
 ing twelve, were bound with cords ; several Indian 
 women, Ara among them, were ordered to carry 
 the wheat and all the potatoes on hand. 
 
 Then Margarite waved his hat, and the soldiers 
 started, carrying off with them the provisions, or 
 as Marchena, with bleeding heart termed them, 
 the spoils. Liguria only was plundered ; King's 
 Court they had left in peace, but there, indeed, 
 there was almost nothing to carry off. 
 
 Castaneda watched the depressed Marchena 
 with a sarcastic smile. 
 
 "Neighbor," said he, "the time has not yet 
 come here in Hispaniola for model farms. Each 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 171 
 
 year one would celebrate such harvest homes 
 here. You work for a rapacious people; you 
 should do something else. Go over to Spain and 
 complain to the king. But if you are listened to 
 there, you must not appear with a basket of wheat, 
 but with a sack of gold. Say, ' This I have collected 
 alone — I have found gold mines.' Then they will 
 honor you in Spain, and gii^e you a letter of pro- 
 tection for Hispaniola." 
 
 Marchena could think no more of his journey 
 to Isabella. Famine threatened the plundered 
 farm if the Tiaciendero did not exercise all his 
 powers. All hands must now work, new potato 
 fields must be laid out, and fresh flour was quickly 
 prepared from the manio'ca root. 
 
 Besides, Marchena and his overseer, Henry, now 
 hunted more frequently. They laid snares for 
 the birds and little animals of the forest to pro- 
 vide meat for their subsistence. It was an ardu- 
 ous hunt, the results always trifling, but it Avas 
 unwearied, for the laborers must have some meat, 
 and there was no other way of securing it. 
 
 Marchena was still busy with this work when 
 the news spread among the Indians that the 
 Spaniards in Cibao were preparing for departure. 
 Castaneda went there, and returned with the news 
 that Margarite intended going to Isabella, and 
 
172 
 
 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 from there sailing to Spain. " Father Boyle goes 
 with them," he remarked ; " he says these savages 
 will never be converted." 
 
 Marchena was not saddened by this news. He 
 hcTped that now his neighbor would depart also, 
 but he was disappointed. Castaneda made no 
 preparations for departure. He remained in 
 Vega-real. 
 
XIII. 
 
 It had not escaped Castaneda's notice that the 
 Carib Callinago cherished in his breast an un- 
 quenchable hatred for all in Liguria, but espe- 
 cially the overseer Henry, Ara's hapjjy husband. 
 He took an evil delight in this, and sought to feed 
 this hatred by intentional mocking speeches. 
 The arrows always hit the mark, and that afforded 
 Castaneda new pleasure. 
 
 He watched the doings at Liguria, as always, 
 with attentive eyes, and it occurred to his notice 
 that when the overseer Henry was in the forest 
 hunting, his Carib, Callinago, also disappeared. 
 He watched the savage more closely, without the 
 latter noticing this, and found that whenever Cal- 
 linago went into the forest, he carried with him a 
 little bag hidden under the cloth around his liijDs. 
 
 Castaneda was made very uneasy by this dis- 
 covery. What Avas concealed in that little bag? 
 why did the Carib hide it? Oh, Castaneda sus- 
 pected what it was. 
 
174 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 Had he not himself told the Carib that gold 
 would put him in possession of Ara? Had he 
 not spurred him on to hunt for gold, and with 
 this idea set him on the tracks of those Ligurian 
 fellows? Well, this bloodhound, with his savage 
 instincts, had found that for which Castaneda had 
 so long, so continuously, and yet so unavailingly 
 sought. 
 
 Without doubt, the overseer Henry did not 
 alone iiunt in the woods ; he also went to the mine 
 and collected the noble metal to carry to his mas- 
 ter. Callinago had certainly watched him from 
 some hiding-xjlace, and now followed his traces 
 to glean after him. The sly savage ! 
 
 Castaneda even intended calling him to account 
 once Avhen he returned from such an expedition, 
 thought of forcibly taking the little bag from him, 
 and compelling him to confess where he got the 
 gold, but he decided against this plan. 
 
 " No," said he, " this savage is obstinate. If he 
 does not choose to tell anything, he will not. He 
 would let himself be burned alive and not betray 
 a word — he is a Carib, not delicate like these 
 cowards here in Hispaniola. I must get the best 
 of him by trickery." 
 
 One moBuing Callinago stole away as usual with 
 the mysterious bag. Castaneda feigned not to 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 175 
 
 notice him, and went into the house. But in there 
 he^lDlaced himself at a crack in the wall, between 
 the logs, and watched the edge of the woods. 
 Soon he perceived the Carib, and saw him disap- 
 pear betAveen the trees. He fixed the spot firmly 
 in his memory and then went outside. 
 
 He w^histled for the dog. Bezerillo sprang up 
 on him; he stroked his head and said: "Hey, 
 Bezerillo, to-day you shall prove yourself; shall 
 show your skill, quietly, without barking; you 
 shall set out in pursuit, slowly, step by step." 
 He took a cord from his pocket' and fastened it to 
 the dog's collar. Then he j^laced a dagger in his 
 belt, and thus equipped seated himself upon the 
 veranda. • 
 
 His heart beat stormily. The important, long- 
 awaited, decisive hour approached. 
 
 On a sandy place before the house a stick had 
 been im]3lanted ; it formed an equivalent for a 
 sun-dial, and Marchena had arranged it for his 
 neighbor. Castaneda watched the shadows to 
 measure the fleeting moments. All sorts of 
 thoughts i)assed through his mind ; he saw before 
 him piles of gold, lumx)s of gold, shining at him 
 from crevices in the rocks. At length an hour 
 had elapsed. Castaneda rose, crossed the savanna, 
 leading the dog by the string, and entered the 
 woods. 
 
176 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 It was a glaringly hot day, and the tropical forest 
 offered no coolness and refreshment. A moist, 
 vaporous atmosphere like that of a greenhouse 
 prevailed here. It was no pleasure to walk 
 through these woods — it was rather a hard, ex- 
 haustive work — and the perspiration stood out 
 on Castaneda's forehead, and his shirt clung to 
 his body. 
 
 The dog had soon found the Carib's scent, and 
 Castaneda must now work his way through al- 
 most impenetrable undergrowth ; often he rather 
 crept than walked, the thorns tore the clothes 
 from his body ; his hands bled, for he had to hold 
 back the dog, who was constantly pulling him for- 
 w^d, and could not, as his predecessor, Callinago, 
 assuredly had done, avoid each thorny branch. 
 
 The trace led u^ the mountain, and there was 
 no end to the underbrush. From time to time 
 Castaneda was forced to rest, until at length he 
 drew a breath of relief ; he came to steep, rocky 
 ground which at least was not so thickly covered 
 with bushes, and from which one could have a 
 certain view of the country. Bezerillo snuffed at 
 the ground — he seemed not sure of the scent here, 
 but walked from one rock to another until at 
 length he paused before a large boAvlder higher 
 than a man. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 177 
 
 Castanecla watched the dog attentively; the 
 scent seemed to cease here; the dog snaffed about, 
 but always returned to the same spot, then he 
 wished to follow the old trail again. 
 
 " Hush, Bezerillo, down, charge! " he said to the 
 dog, and fastened him to a sapling. " We know 
 what that means. The Carib climbed upon the 
 rock. We must follow his exanii:)le ! " 
 
 He examined the rock closely. He at once 
 found tAvo projections upon which one could 
 easily set foot. After a brief attempt he suc- 
 ceeded in clim])ing upon it. 
 
 He now stood ux3on a little i3lateau, whose edge 
 was overgrown with thick bushes, behind which 
 the mountains ascended at some distance. He 
 was doubtless at the edge of a ravine. The 
 Spaniard stooped ; it occurred to him that he Avas 
 now exposed to the gaze of any curious observer. 
 
 Slowly he crept up to the bushes, bent apart 
 the twigs, and found his suspicion fully confirmed ; 
 he really stood at the edge of a ravine or of a 
 steep descent. 
 
 At his feet Avas stretched out a small valley; in 
 the background toward the black mountains, and 
 from their summit, came, like a waving silver rib- 
 bon, in a high Avaterfall, a mountain stream, only 
 to vanish beloAV into depths as yet invisible. 
 
178 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 Castaneda could now plainly hear tlie rush of the 
 water, which in the woods he had taken for the 
 rustle of the wind-swayed treetops. 
 
 Along the slopes of the valley here and there 
 stretched green meadows, lovely oases in the 
 dense forests. These were doubtless places where 
 formerly the natives' villages had stood and their 
 destroyed fields. But this valley must now be 
 deserted, for nowhere was there visible smoke, 
 nowhere a hut — solemn silence everywhere, only 
 from time to time interrupted by the harsh cry 
 of a bird of prey. 
 
 But even in this silence, this valley was a charm- 
 ing sight — these green woods rising like an amphi- 
 theatre, interspersed with fresh green meadows ; 
 beyond, the dark mass of the highest mountain 
 peak, wrapped in light mist ; in the midst, the sil- 
 very Avaterf all, and above, the laughing blue sky, 
 scarcely shaded by a single cloud. Even upon 
 Castaneda's rough nature this magically beauti- 
 ful scene was not without effect, and he stood 
 there astonished. 
 
 But almost immediately a jo^^ful thought 
 flashed to his mind. He remembered the evening 
 when Ojeda had examined the maj) by the light 
 of the fireflies, and had asked the meaning of the 
 little cross. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 179 
 
 Yes, that was really a beautiful valley wliich 
 lay before liim, and did lie not stand upon a 
 rock from which he could overlook it? Oh, he 
 had surely found that mysterious, secret spot 
 which Marchena wished to keei3 from his knowl- 
 edge. 
 
 The avaricions Spaniard surveyed the rocks be- 
 tween whicli the waterfall x^lunged. Sx)arks rose 
 before his eyes, as though the true gold shone 
 from the cracks and crevices of the gloomy stone. 
 He knelt down and with greedy eyes gazed at the 
 valley; his grasping nature revelled in the treas- 
 ures whicli his imagination conjured up in this 
 charming idyllic scene. 
 
 Gradually he bethought himself that he had a 
 different aim in this expedition. Doubtless the 
 Carib had been here also, but naturally, although 
 he had long known of this valley, he had told his 
 master nothing of it. Castaneda now inspected 
 sharply all the details of the scene; his eyes 
 rested long on each green meadow, followed the 
 lines of the ravine by the waterfall, but nowhere 
 could he discover those he sought. Neither the 
 Carib nor Henry were in sight. 
 
 So Castaneda descended from his high post to 
 his bloodhound. He got the dog uj:) on the rock 
 with difficulty, and soon after he was again on the 
 
180 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 scent. The way was very difficult; he must pass 
 steep precipices, yawning ravines at his left ; it was 
 a neck-breaking way ! Why had the Carib chosen 
 this particular way? Oh, Castaneda could under- 
 stand him, could gaze into the savage's mind. 
 Was it not in this moment filled with an ardent 
 thirst for gold, and did not Castaneda stake every- 
 thing u]3on satisfying this thirst, which was his 
 also? 
 
 He might have climbed for a quarter of an 
 hour, when the bushes grew thicker again. He 
 found himself again in the monotonous green wil- 
 derness, nothing but leaves, twigs, and a few 
 flowers everywhere the eye rested. There were 
 no paths here. The tall foliage x)lants, ferns, and 
 the thick bushes left no trace of a human foot- 
 step. As the waves of the sea close behind the 
 keel of a shij), did the evergreen plants close be- 
 hind the step of the wanderer. No one, even with 
 the sharpest eyes, could discover a trace, but the 
 dog, guided by his sense of smell, followed the 
 trail steadily, and grew more and more uneasy, 
 pulled stronger on the cord, and his master had 
 difficulty in quieting the animal, which occasion- 
 ally uttered low growds. 
 
 Bezerillo was now on a fresh scent. 
 
 Castaneda stood still and listened, with a beat- 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 181 
 
 ing heart. On the other side of the ravine a bird 
 again gave its' sharj) cry — caAv, caw, caw! — then 
 all was still. He let the cord loose and followed 
 his leader again. Scarcely had he proceeded a 
 few steps, however, when he stood still as if 
 rooted to the ground, and the dog also gave sev- 
 eral barks, but ceased at once ni^on the angry 
 kick which the Spaniard gave him. 
 
 The sound of a human voice came from the dis- 
 tance through the green wilderness— it was a 
 monotonous Indian song. The Carib did not sing 
 thus, Castaneda knew it; the inspector Henry 
 sang; he was nearby; the Carib had followed him. 
 
 Now it was dangerous to trust the dog farther 
 and blindly follow the scent. Castaneda feared 
 that the dog would bay again, or that he would 
 suddenly stand before the Carib or Henry. He 
 therefore drew his dagger from his sheath and 
 left the track. 
 
 Following the song, he slowly Avalked through 
 the forest, and made cuts in the tree-trunks with 
 his dagger, so that he might find his way back. 
 The song ceased. But Castaneda perceived that 
 the woods grew lighter, the tall trees ceased; he 
 now crept through low bushes and soon reached 
 the edge of a ravine. He came to a projecting 
 rock which was thickly overgrown. From below 
 
182 WITH COLUMBUS IN" AMEKICA. 
 
 came tlie rushing of the mountain stream, before 
 him at his feet was the broad valley ; but all this 
 did not attract his attention. Castaneda was de- 
 vouring the scene at his right. 
 
 Here the mountain range made a wide bend, 
 trended backw^ard, then forward again, ending in 
 a green meadow. This meadow, surrounded by 
 woods, lay directly opposite the projection upon 
 which Castaneda stood, separated from this only 
 by a ravine some thirty feet broad. 
 
 Castaneda stretched himself Hat ui3on the 
 ground, and crept like a snake to the edge of the 
 precijiice. Through a small hole in the thick 
 growth which wholly concealed him, he gazed over 
 at the ox)posite meadow. 
 
 There Inspector Henry was, indeed, engaged in 
 setting bird snares. He had already caught sev- 
 eral of the wild doves, for they lay piled up on 
 the ground under a tree. He strewed some wild 
 berries of which the birds were fond in the snares, 
 and went back to the edge of the forest. The 
 valley was exposed to the full glare of the noon- 
 day heat, and so the bird-catcher had become 
 weary, for he lay doAvn under a tree and soon fell 
 asleep. 
 
 Castaneda remained at his post of observation; 
 he also could now rest from his hard march, but 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 183 
 
 he would not slee^:); his gaze wandered from the 
 ravine to Henry, then the wild doves which came 
 to eat the berries chained his attention. The bird 
 catcher still slej^t. 
 
 Castaneda glanced again at the careless sleeper, 
 when he suddenly started in astonishment. 
 
 Did not a wild Indian face peep out of the thick 
 green hedge directly behind Henry? Yes, and 
 was not that face, with its greedy eyes, that of the 
 Carib Callinago? 
 
 Castaneda w^as not disappointed. But what did 
 the Carib want? Would he cool his revenge by 
 murdering the sleex)er? Oh, the malicious fellow! 
 
 Could not Castaneda now siiring up, and frighten 
 away the murderer by a cry? 
 
 Castaneda did not move. He watched the pro- 
 ceedings over in the meadow with the same in- 
 terest with which one witnesses tragedies upon 
 the stage. What was one Indian life more or less 
 to Castaneda? Let them murder each other. 
 That would be to his advantage. Then Callinago 
 would melt in his hand like wax, and draw out 
 his purse and give up his secret. Castaneda, in- 
 deed, believed that he had found the gold valley, 
 and certainly Callinago could siDare him much 
 unnecessary climbing. So he would leave mat- 
 ters to take their course over opposite. 
 
184 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 The Carib advanced ; he crept up to his sacrifice 
 lilve a wildcat. But he had no weax)ons in his 
 hand. Did he intend throttling the sleeper? 
 Castaneda's excitement rose to the utmost i)itch. 
 
 At length Callinago was close beside his victim. 
 He rose, remained in a kneeling posture, and 
 glared at the young Indian; meanwhile his left 
 hand fumbled in the cloth he wore about his bod}^ 
 and now the little bag came to view. Castaneda 
 could not understand the savage's actions. There 
 was surely gold in this bag; what did the Carib 
 want with that? 
 
 Carefully Callinago now opened the bag, and 
 his long fingers fumbled within. He held some- 
 thing between his finger-tips, but it must have 
 been but a small quantity, for Castaneda could 
 not see it. But Callinago closed the bag and 
 threw it in the ravine, but a few steps distant. 
 The little thing flew noiselessly through the air, 
 and Castaneda watched it, horror-struck. How 
 coidd this Carib let an object in which his master 
 had for so long been interested, and so intensely, 
 vanish into such a deep gulf! 
 
 But he must Avatcli the savage. He rose quick 
 as lightning to his feet, and now stood behind the 
 sleeper's head. A quick movement of the iq^per 
 body, then the Carib strewed somethino- which he 
 
THE CARIBBEAN S SECRET. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 185 
 
 held between his finger-tips under the nose and 
 upon the lips of the young Indian, and with two 
 quick but noiseless leaps disappeared in the 
 thicket. 
 
 Henry awoke at once; he rose and rubbed his 
 mouth and nose, he sneezed, coughed, expecto- 
 rated. All this seemed droll to Castaneda. Had 
 this Carib strewn snuff, pepper, or something 
 similar under the nose of his mortal enemy, for a 
 Ijractical joke? Oh, that Avas childish ! one need 
 not creep after his enemy so long for this. 
 
 But Henry seemed decidedly ill ; he wiped out 
 his mouth with grass, he groaned aloud; but then 
 he picked U13 his doves, threw them over his back, 
 and rushed away through the woods. 
 
 The little meadow was empty. Over among 
 the trees, a mocking-bird sang, and the crows 
 mocked him derisively Avith their harsh croaks. 
 Castaneda remained quietly at his post of obser- 
 vation, and thought of the pantomime of which 
 he had just been an invisible witness. He did 
 not w^ish to leave yet, so as to encounter the In- 
 dians on their way home. 
 
 The longer he thought over it, the clearer it be- 
 came to him that this could be no idle joke; it 
 must be a serious affair. Why did the Carib hurl 
 the bag away from him? There was surely no 
 
186 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 gold in it, and Castaneda began to suspect that 
 there had been x^oisoning here. 
 
 He now sat in the midst of the thicket, and 
 pondered the savage's devilish trick; he forgot 
 for a moment the gold mines, for the society of 
 the Carib who lived in his own house now seemed 
 terrible to him. 
 
 An hour might have elapsed while he sat there 
 meditating, when Castaneda was roused from his 
 revery by the feeling of hunger; he drew a piece 
 of manioca bread from his x>ocket and began to 
 eat it, but it did not taste good ; he thought of 
 poison, and involuntarily shook his black head. 
 Then he threw the piece of bread to the dog. 
 Bezerillo devoured it, and Castaneda smiled; 
 needless prudence was that, he thought, for the 
 dog is stupider than a man. 
 
 He rose and surveyed the valley. It seemed 
 quite different to him now — no longer so gay, so 
 idyllic, as an hour before; the sunlight still lay on 
 mountains and meadows, but it seemed faint, and 
 the landscape looked gloomy. Castaneda glanced 
 up at the sky, and at once found an explanation 
 for this appearance. A black cloud hung over 
 the mountain-top, and the sun was already par- 
 tially veiled ; a hurricane was ai3X)roaching. 
 
 Castaneda at once knew that he could not pos- 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 187 
 
 sibly reach his house before the storm burst. He 
 must let it first pass over, and he now sought 
 some shelter. Perhaps he could find a cave here. 
 
 He went to the edge of the ravine, but found 
 everywhere steep rocks; and as meanwhile the 
 wind had risen, he withdrew to the thickest part 
 of the forest, in which he felt more x>rotected. 
 
 He found here a small cavity in an enormous 
 tree-trunk, in which he crowded himself, while 
 Bezerillo crouched at his feet. The hurricane 
 burst upon them, the rain poured in torrents upon 
 the lofty leafy roof, and this sound partly drowned 
 the incessant roar of the thunder. Darkness 
 almost like that of a moonless night prevailed, 
 only lit up by the frequent flashes of lightning. 
 
 Castaneda stood there quietly; he was accus- 
 tomed to such storms, and knew that this one 
 would not last long, and in fact after an hour he 
 could leave his tree-trunk. But his x)osition was 
 unenviable; up to this time he had trusted the 
 dog, who had followed the fresh scent. But in 
 this fearful thunder-storm all scent was obliter- 
 ated, and the dog could not find it. 
 
 The Si)aniard could not lose his way totally : he 
 had been ascending continually ; now the direction 
 nuist lead down the mountain. After hours of 
 forcing his way through the forest, he at length 
 
188 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 reached tlie savanna, hungry and exhausted, but 
 he was far away from the point where he had 
 entered the forest, and not until late at night, 
 worn out, drenched, and shaking with cold, did 
 he reach King's Court. The first to meet him 
 was Callinago. Castaneda shuddered at sight of 
 the Carib. He tried to control himself, but the 
 shudder did not cease, his teeth chattered; he 
 knew very well what that meant — he had taken 
 cold in the damp forest, and j)erhaps a malignant 
 fever. 
 
 He sought his bed and wrapped himself up in 
 woollen coverlets. The Carib nursed him. But 
 in Casta neda's eyes the savage became the devil 
 himself, for the Sjjaniard was feverish, and re- 
 pulsed all drink, as in everything offered him he 
 suspected poison. At length he grew calmer and 
 fell into a deep sleep. 
 
 When he awoke, the sun was high in the heavens. 
 He felt weak, but nevertheless he arose, for he 
 had an iron constitution which could not be un- 
 dermined by one attack of fever. The events of 
 the past day seemed like a dream to him ; he could 
 scarcely comprehend them ; he even doubted the 
 reality of his recollections until the sight of the 
 Carib brought the whole back to his memory. 
 
 Silently he ate his breakfast, whistled to Bez- 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 189 
 
 erillo, and went to Lignria. He was consumed 
 Avith uneasiness, for he must learn how Henry 
 Avas — he must know whether he had witnessed a 
 joke or a devilish act. 
 
 Marchena was not to be found in his house ; the 
 two rooms Avere empty and not a soul AA^as in sight. 
 Usually Castaneda greeted such ox)portunities 
 most joyfully, and made use of them to rummage, 
 to knock on the planks of the house and see 
 Avhether secret compartments AA^ere to be found, 
 to examine the floors closely, and in suspicious 
 cases to raise one of the planks slightly. But 
 'to-day he could not stay in the house. He had 
 no thoughts for gold; this time his mind AA^as fully 
 occupied Avith — poison. 
 
 So he AAxnt to the Indian Adllage of Liguria, 
 Avhere Henry liA^ed. And rightly guessed, he 
 learned that Marchena aa as in Henry's hut. Cas- 
 taneda Avended his Av^ay thither. He found Mar- 
 chena busy in preiDaring cold compresses for the 
 young Indian. 
 
 So he was ill, this inspector Henry ; and he must 
 be A^ery seriously ill, for his AAife, Ara, AA^rung her 
 hands. Castaneda, as though astonished, asked 
 AAdiat had happened. 
 
 Marchena told him that immediately after the 
 storm the Indian had returned from the aa oods, 
 
190 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 in a pitiable condition, writhing with agony. He 
 had soon after lost consciousness, and now he 
 spoke rainblingly as though feverish, and yet he 
 was quite cold. "He has not been as lively as 
 usual for the last few days," said Marchena. " His 
 illness must have been coming on; then he was 
 exposed to the storm, and now it has seized him." 
 
 " Yes, the storm, this liurricane," said Castaneda. 
 " It surx)rised me too in the woods yesterday, and 
 in sx)ite of my iron nerves I returned home with 
 chattering teeth. I was feverish, then in a sweat, 
 and to-day feel as thougli I had been beaten." 
 
 He gazed closely at the sick man, who twitched 
 with pain and spoke incoherently. 
 
 " Where is he suffering, Marchena ? " he asked. 
 
 He shrugged his shoulders. " I do not under- 
 stand anything about such things," said he. "H 
 Dr. Chanca were but here! Ara declares that he 
 has tasted poisonous roots, and in fact his mouth 
 seems inflamed, but Henry knows the fruits and 
 roots of the forest better than all of us. He prob- 
 ably has the ]3estilential fever which prevails in 
 this country, and which has carried off so many 
 of us " 
 
 Castaneda did not contradict him, but he had 
 his own opinion. He went back to King's Court 
 and pondered. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IT^ AMEKICA. 191 
 
 " Tlie Indians of Hispaniola cannot understand 
 poisons," he tliouglit to himself. " That is a Carib 
 accomplishment. Inspector Henry will die, and 
 every one will believe it a natural illness. This 
 Callinago sets aside an enemy thus, and except 
 me no one has a susi^icion of his crime. What a 
 poison that must be! But let us wait and see 
 whether the patient Avill really die. Such a bit 
 of powder under the nose — it is almost incredible. 
 But even if it were true, do I need it now? I 
 have found the beautiful valley. Oh yes, it is 
 possible that there gold looks out of the lap of 
 Mother Earth, for the mountains are cleft; how 
 the water has rushed over those rocks for centu- 
 ries! I do not need it. And yet — if the gold 
 mines do lie there, if one can there find lumps of 
 solid gold, need two know it? Need the booty 
 be divided? We have been in Yega-real for tAvo 
 years ; has not this Maix'hena gone through every- 
 thing in this time? Of course, with the helj) of 
 this insi3ector, whose Avife he purchased so dearly. 
 Oh, no, such thoughts are not simply to be dis- 
 missed without further pondering. It is indeed 
 strange: this meeting! There in the ravine, near 
 the gold, lies — poison; lies in a leather bag; the 
 rain cannot so soon have washed it away. To be 
 sure, it must not stay there long, for many of these 
 
192 AVITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 rainstorms might tear apart the leather itself. 
 We have therefore no time to lose; we must have 
 both, for, if the poison really kills in this fashion, 
 it is without doubt a treasure." 
 
 The sound of trumpets roused Castaneda from 
 these thoughts. Who was coming? He hurried 
 out. They were Si^aniards. W^hat did they want? 
 Had not Margarite gone? Whom could Vega- 
 real have attracted? 
 
 It was Ojeda. He came on a strange errand. 
 He was sent not by Bartholomew Columbus, not 
 by Diego; the commander of Isabella sent him. 
 He took possession of Vega-real in the name of 
 the Si3aniards who rebelled against the Genoese 
 dominion, and at their head was the judge, Fran- 
 cisco Roldan. 
 
 Castaneda heard these tidings with joy, but 
 Marchena with a sad heart. There was a revolt ; the 
 Genoese were threatened with the force of arms. 
 Ojeda himself read the proclamation of revolt in 
 Vega-real, and took leave of his old acquaintances, 
 for he wished to sail for Si3ain at the first oppor- 
 tunity, to carry the complaints of the deceived 
 Castilian nobles to the king. 
 
 The mutinous troop had appeared like a black 
 cloud upon the sky of Vega-real; soon after to 
 disappear; but two of the rebels remained to settle 
 
WITJI COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 193 
 
 as new hacienderos. They were men of the worst 
 sort ; they had come from Spain on the last shij^s. 
 Cohimbus had Avished to send as many settlers 
 as possible to the New World, and had induced 
 the king to allow these criminals to go to His- 
 X)aniola as colonists. The new-comers were much 
 worse than Castaneda, and after a few days Mar- 
 chena gave up all hope that in a short time a 
 decent state of affairs would prevail in Yega-real. 
 The new farmers settled in two distant villages, 
 and thtA^e began to oppress the Indians like 
 satraps. Meanwhile a sad misfortune befell Mar- 
 chena: his faithful servant, Henry, died, after a 
 week's* illness. Now Marchena felt deserted and 
 homesick, and the latter feeling grew stronger 
 and stronger, for the livelier the condition of affairs 
 became in Yega-real, the more threatening did the 
 torniented Indians become. The new settlers de- 
 clared that Columbus, now on his third voyage, 
 must be somewhere to the south of Hispaniola, 
 and so the resolve gradually strengthened in 
 Marchena's mind to go to San Domingo, the new 
 city founded by Bartholomew Columbus, there to 
 await the admiral's arrival, and join the explorer 
 on his further journeys. 
 
 But much was to happen before he could really 
 carry out this resolve. 
 13 
 
XIV. 
 
 During this time Castaneda had been very 
 busy in the mountains. He had availed himself 
 of the time when Marchena'S attention was occu- 
 pied with Henry's illness and the recent events in 
 Isabella and San Domingo. 
 
 But the gold-seeker was not especially satisfied 
 with the result of his investigations. He always 
 returned with empty hands. ]N"owhere in the 
 valley had he found gold mines ; Marchena's secret 
 remained as impenetrable as ever. 
 
 Then he learned one day that Henry was dead. 
 
 This news had a great effect upon him; his 
 thoughts took another direction. "Why do I 
 search at this distance?" he asked himself. "Is 
 not ihe treasure near at hand? " 
 
 He watched the Carib. The cannibal no longer 
 went into the forest, he was calm, content, and 
 suffered no remorse. He had accomplished his 
 purpose by means of the poison in the bag. Cas- 
 taneda fought with himself for a time, but then 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 195 
 
 his evil spirit conquered. This evil spirit, which 
 showed him in dreams the lumj)s of gold, won the 
 victory over the remnant of his better principles, 
 and the next day, in company with several In- 
 dians, but without Callinago, he set out for the 
 woods. 
 
 The Carib barred his path. • 
 
 "Master, do not trust the peojile," said he. 
 "They are mutineers; I have listened to what 
 they said. They Avish to murder us both and flee 
 to the w^oods! '' 
 
 Castaneda stood still. He w^as imprudent in 
 such matters, and resolved to make an example. 
 He returned, and instituted one of those terrible 
 Spanish courts of inquiry. 
 
 The Carib was the accuser. He had overheard 
 the conversation of tw^o men, and these should be 
 13unished to frighten the others. Castaneda com- 
 manded that their hands be cut off. 
 
 The savage Carib seized the condemned and 
 executed this sentence: the other Indians stood 
 silently by, but from beneath the lashes of many 
 youths secretly shot vengeful glances. They led 
 away the unfortunates to save their lives if x^ossi- 
 ble. But the news of the Spaniard's barbarous 
 cruelty spread throughout Vega-real. The Indians 
 assembled in the villages and held secret meetings. 
 
196 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 This day Castaneda remained at home, but he 
 did not give up his plan. " This disturbance 
 among the savages comes as if arranged," tliought 
 he. " They wish to murder, to exterminate us 
 Christians. Pah! They will jjerhaps also make 
 use of poison. It is at least easy, under these 
 circumstances, to rest suspicion upon these red- 
 skins." 
 
 The next morning he impressed upon Callinago 
 that he was to keei) an eye u2:)on the mutinous 
 band, and left the farm. He carried a light 
 sack on his back ; within it were several tools — a 
 chisel, a hammer — and a fifty-foot rope. 
 
 Castaneda set out, accom^^anied by his dog alone, 
 toward the mysterious valley. After a three- 
 hours' walk, he stood on the meadow on which 
 about a week before he had seen that pantomime 
 tragedy enacted, and he looked down into the 
 ravine into which Callinago had thrown his purse. 
 
 The precipice descended here some forty feet 
 abruptly; then the rocks formed a ledge which 
 was perhaps a hundred feet square, and, farther 
 below, the sides again descended steeply to a 
 yawning dex)th at least two hundred feet below 
 where he stood. 
 
 On the smooth rocky ledge lay that which Cas- 
 taneda sought, the xDoison-filled bag. 
 
AYITII COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 197 
 
 It was impossible to reach tliis bag by climbing, 
 the rocks were everywhere so steep. Castaneda 
 had learned this days before, and for this reason 
 he had brought the rope. He laid down the sack 
 and his bag of food, got out the rope, fastened it 
 to a tree growing near the x^recipice, and with a 
 beating heart slid doAvn to the ledge. Soon he 
 felt lirm ground beneath his feet; he stood at his 
 goal, but a few steps away from the bag. But he 
 did not move ; he stood there as if petrified ; his 
 features betokened the utmost astonishment ; then 
 he sprang quickly over the purse, and picked up 
 a stone at the opposite edge of the preciiiice. A 
 yellow vein shone in this stone, and a wild cry of 
 joy issued from Castaneda's lij^s — he had found 
 the long-sought gold mines. 
 
 He pressed the stone, he kissed it, and hid it 
 in his breast-pocket; then he walked along the 
 edge of the rock and examined crevice after crev- 
 ice. He had not deceived himself; grains and 
 veins of gold sparkled at him, and he began to 
 r break off bits of the rock with feverish haste 
 until his fingers bled. 
 
 The pain forced him to desist. " Oh, what a 
 fool I am ! " said he. " I have a chisel and ham- 
 mer with me." 
 
 In an instant he swung himself up the rope, 
 
198 WITH COLUMBUS IN" AMERICA. 
 
 seizing his tools, and slid down to tlie ledge 
 again. 
 
 Ah, now the whole was easier; a heap of gold 
 nuggets lay before Castaneda, and he let them 
 slide through his wounded fingers. The perspira- 
 tion stood out in great drops on his brow. 
 "Enough for to-day," thought he; "but I must 
 bring down my bag of food." 
 
 He climbed up and down once "more ; he took 
 the Indian bread out of the bag, and Avhile he ate 
 it he gazed down upon the heap of gold and said, 
 " To-day I have honestly earned my lunch hour." 
 
 His eyes chanced to fall upon the forgotten bag 
 of poison. 
 
 " Poison and gold! " he murmured. " They are 
 finely suited— or do I need that now?" 
 
 He pondered this for a long time, then he con- 
 tinued his soliloquy: "Why should I leave this 
 unusual find lying here? Who knows when it 
 may come in handy? There might be others who 
 have found out this secret." 
 
 When he had finished his meal, he gathered the 
 gold into his bag, and picked up the bag of poi- 
 son. He opened it carefully and discovered a 
 white powder. He held his breath and fastened 
 the bag up again tightly. Then he laid it on top 
 of the gold in his sack, hung it around him, and 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEEICA. 199 
 
 climbed ui3 the rope. Bezerillo lay under a tree; 
 he had kept watch. Castaneda seated himself 
 beside him ; down on the ledge he had been ex- 
 posed to the burning' sun — he wished to rest in the 
 shade. " Only not sleep," thought he. But then 
 he added: "Bah! I have a guard; my Bezerillo 
 is with me; no Carib will sur]3rise me." 
 
 He did really fall asleep, but in a few minutes 
 he was awakened by the dog, who was tugging 
 at his coat- sleeve and gazing over the precij^ice, 
 with a growl. 
 
 "AVhat do you suspect, Bezerillo?" asked Cas- 
 taneda. 
 
 But the dog quieted himself when he saw his 
 master aAvake, and lay down at his feet. 
 
 " So, so, I must not slee^i," said Castaneda. 
 " You are right, old comrade. We will draw uj) 
 the line and carry the treasure home. It certainly 
 is a fairy-land, this Hispaniola, and Columbus a 
 great man! " 
 
 The evening of this same day the Carib Cal- 
 linago announced to his master that the white 
 man in Liguria Avas making ]oreparations for de- 
 parture; he was going to San Domingo, for the 
 admiral was exj^ected there. Castaneda sx)rang 
 up at this news. 
 
 What? Marchena was going in search of the 
 
200 WITH COLUMBUS I^ AMERICA. 
 
 Genoese? Why? Surely only to disclose to him 
 the gold mines. Then Columbus' brothers would 
 come here with their retinue, and Castaneda men- 
 tally saw the third part of his gold wander to the 
 admiral's pockets. He set his teeth and stamped 
 his foot. 
 
 " No, dolly," cried he, " you dare not rob me of 
 the fruit of my two years of hard labor; you shall 
 not leave Yega-real alive. My plan had long been 
 made. This very day I will act." 
 
 He went to his room, took the bag of poison 
 from one of the locked chests, put it in his pocket 
 after wrapping it tightly in linen, and went to 
 Liguria. 
 
 The sun was near the horizon. Castaneda 
 looked out across the savanna, and saw Marchena 
 going toward the distant potato field. That was 
 a Avelcome sight to him ; he quickened his steps 
 and soon arrived at the house. 
 
 Ara stood before the door. 
 
 " Where is your master? " he asked. 
 
 " In the field," she replied. 
 
 ''Fetch him quickly," said Castaneda impera- 
 tively. " I must speak Avith him." 
 
 Ara hesitated. 
 
 "Did you hear?" said he. " Run qfuickly ; I 
 must speak with him at once." 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 201 
 
 Ara glanced questioningly at the Sx)aniard ; then 
 she Avalked slowly off and disappeared around 
 the house corner. 
 
 Scarcely had this happened when Castaneda 
 liurried into Marchena's bedroom, raised the 
 covers from the bed, and strewed the poison- 
 ous ]30wder carefully over the pillows; then he 
 wrapped the leather bag up again in the linen, 
 and hurried out on the veranda, while he closed 
 the doors again. 
 
 It was a long time before Marchena came. 
 
 '^ You are preparing to go to San Domingo, eh? " 
 Castaneda asked him. "Is the admiral already 
 on the island? I have heard it from Callinago." 
 
 " The admiral is expected," replied Marchena, 
 "and I do not want to miss him this time." 
 
 "And how did you learn this? " asked Castaneda. 
 
 "One of the new settlers brought a number of 
 Carib slaves here from Isabella to-day, and he told 
 me." 
 
 " Ah, they follow my example and bring Caribs 
 with them," cried Castaneda. " One must beware 
 of these tall fellows, for they are sly and evil 
 natured." 
 
 "Do you think so?" said Marchena. "I even 
 believe that my poor Henry fell a victim to the 
 malice of a Carib." 
 
202 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 "Olio!" cried Castaneda, pricking iij) liis ears 
 in surprise, " that is news to me. That is a com- 
 plaint against my Carib." 
 
 " Yes," replied Marchena calmly, " but you are 
 as innocent as I. That is but the conclusion of 
 the romance which was enacted between Liguria 
 and King's Court." 
 
 " I am really curious." 
 
 " I can tell you. You know that I am interested 
 in the Carib language." 
 
 "Oh, yes! It is a strange language, is it not? 
 The men have one, and the women another, for 
 themselves." 
 
 "You know it, too! The new farmer brought 
 several Carib Avomen with him, and I talked with 
 these. I do not know how it happened, but I 
 asked one of the women about the poisonous 
 X)lants of the forest, and described Henry's illness, 
 for it was not impossible that he had been poi- 
 soned; Ara at least declared so." 
 
 Marchena paused. 
 
 " Go on, go on, neighbor," cried Castaneda im- 
 patiently. 
 
 " The Carib woman confirmed Ara's suspicion, 
 and she described to me the poison which killed 
 Henry. It is made of the root of the poisonous 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 203 
 
 " You think that Henry ate it? " 
 
 Marchena shook his head. " No," said he. " I 
 learned from this Carib the horrible manner in 
 which Indians revenge themselves." 
 
 "You speak in riddles," cried Castaneda. 
 " What has revenge to do with this affair? It is a 
 case of accidental poisoning." 
 
 "Do not interrupt me," continued Marchena. 
 " In the end everything will be as clear to you as 
 to me. 
 
 " The Indian, so his wife told me, possesses a 
 boundless thirst for revenge which often drives 
 him almost to madness, and torments him as soon 
 as he feels his honor or his wife insulted ; a thirst 
 for revenge which is not quenched except by the 
 death of the insulter, or even by the extermina- 
 tion of his whole family. Eevenge among the In- 
 dians assumes the most terrible forms. Bat the 
 avenger, the ' canaima^ does not publicly proclaim 
 his rage, but falls upon his victim when he fancies 
 himself most secure, from the most secret hiding- 
 places. He prefers to make use of the numerous 
 poisons with which he is familiar, to accomplish 
 his gloomy aims. Among those poisons having 
 the most fearful effects is the 'maschi,' which is 
 made of the root of the poisonous arum. The 
 Indians cut the I'oot into thin strips, dry them 
 
204 WITH COLUMBUS IIST AMEKICA. 
 
 in the sun, and then, with the greatest precau- 
 tion, grind them to the finest i3owder. The root 
 is so poisonous that they are afraid to touch 
 it, as the mere touch causes intense burning 
 and intlammation of the skin. If a desire for 
 vengeance causes the Indian to become a ca- 
 naima., he pursues his victim like a serpent, 
 and never lets him out of his sight until he at 
 length succeeds in surprising him asleep. Then 
 he strews a small quantity of the poisonous pow- 
 der on his lips or under the nose, so that the 
 sleeper shall inhale it. An intense burning in the 
 intestines, terrible thirst impossible to quench, 
 delirium — these are the symptoms of this poi- 
 soning, which always ends in death." 
 
 Marchena x)aused again. 
 
 "And do you believe that?" asked Castaneda; 
 " and what does the new settler say to that? " 
 
 " I have not sjDoken with him about it ; but you 
 are leadi ug me away from my subject. Do you 
 know who the canaima is in this case? " 
 
 " No," replied Castaneda, in a hoarse voice. 
 
 "Oh, you must know it!" cried Marchena. 
 " Who crept like a serpent in the grass behind 
 my Henry? Whose path so often crossed ours? 
 Who swore vengeance upon Ara's husband? The 
 canaima is none other than your Callinago ! " 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 205 
 
 It had meantime grown dark, and Marchena 
 could not see liow ashy pale Castaneda's face had 
 become. 
 
 Bat at this moment his and his guest's atten- 
 tion was attracted to another subject. A loud 
 desi3airing whine came from the bedroom, and 
 through the open windoAv Bezerillo sprang out 
 upon the veranda ; he rolled, howling and whining, 
 ux)on the lloor, and rubbed his nose against the 
 wall. 
 
 Marchena stood there in amazement. But Cas- 
 taneda muttered a curse. In a moment all Avas 
 clear to him. In the twilight he had not noticed 
 the dog, and had shut him in ; the poor animal 
 had wished to sleep on Marchena's bed, and had 
 inhaled the i30wder. 
 
 But Castaneda collected himself. "The dog 
 has gone mad," he cried. " I mast kill him upon 
 the spot." He drew his dagger. 
 
 But Bezerillo, in an agony, sprang over the edge 
 of the veranda into the vegetable garden, and 
 Castaneda hurried after him Avith drawn dagger. 
 
 Bezerillo ran to King's Court, and Castaneda 
 followed him. Marchena stood silent. Bat Ara 
 came up to him and said: " He too is a canaima; 
 did I not tell you that he strewed poison under 
 your pillows? You did not believe me; now the 
 
206 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 dog has poisoned himself. Avoid him; he is a 
 friend of the Carib." 
 
 Marchena silently pressed the hand of the pre- 
 server of his life. 
 
 " Only a fev/ more days," he murmured, '' and 
 then Ave will have left Yega-real." 
 
 Meanwhile Castaneda hurried after the dog. 
 Only near King's Court did he overtake him. 
 
 "Stupid, betraying beast!" he screamed in 
 his rage, and stabbed the dog with his dagger. 
 "So!" he continued, standing beside the dead 
 animal, " now you have been mad. Who can say 
 that a canaima has poisoned you too? " 
 
 Then he gazed over toward Liguria, which 
 stood out upon the hill bathed in moonlight, 
 and plainly distinguishable above the savanna. 
 
 " No, I will not return there to-night. Let the 
 aifair take its course." 
 
 With bowed head and slow step he went to his 
 house. All was still there ; only the Carib sat be- 
 fore the door, awaiting his master. Castaneda did 
 not exchange a word with him, and went into his 
 bedroom, but no sleep came to him this night. 
 
XV. 
 
 " The dog is dead! " This went from montli to 
 mouth in King's Court, and the Indians' eyes 
 sparkled with delight. 
 
 ''The master killed him himself! He should 
 not have done it!" said a slender youth, and 
 winked knowingly to the others. "JS^ow our 
 tracks in the grass will vanish, and no one will 
 bark to betray our nearness. AVho will watch 
 while he sleeps or digs for gold? He is now but 
 half as strong as before, and a mere child in the 
 forest. The hour of vengeance is at hand." 
 
 So whispered the slender youth, and went to 
 work with the others to clear a bit of forest at 
 the edge of the savanna. 
 
 Castaneda was out-doors at the very dawm ; he 
 walked toward Liguria slowly, as though his 
 feet were weighted with lead. From time to 
 time he looked over at the house. All was quiet 
 there as yet; the window blinds were closed, al- 
 
208 WITH COLUMBUS IX Aa\LEEICA. 
 
 though Marchena was accustomed to leave his 
 bed before sunrise. 
 
 Castaiieda had not been able to sleep the past 
 night, for it seemed to him that a poisonous dust 
 rose from the pillows and suffocated him. Had 
 Marchena rested on his? 
 
 Rested ! Oh, his was a bed such as the Devil 
 might prepare for sinners! What a thought! 
 Castaneda now trembled. '' Who thinks of death 
 and hell in this bright sunlight? Think rather of 
 the gold mines, Castaneda," said he to himself. 
 •'Oh, they are rich; yoa will work them alone, 
 you alone will profit by them, and think of the 
 joys which await you in Castile! " 
 
 But he did not think of them ; he gazed again 
 at the house, which was now close before him. 
 
 Ara stood on the veranda. And Marchena — 
 could he be already dead? No, the poison did 
 not work so quickly. 
 
 A hundred more sIoav, slow steps, then Cas- 
 taneda stood at the foot of the veranda steps. He 
 had completely recovered his self-possession in 
 Ara's presence, and asked innocently: "Where 
 is your master, Ara? Is he still asleep? " 
 
 " Yes, he is asleep," replied the Indian softly. 
 "And I do not wish to wake him, for he has 
 passed a bad night; he complained of j)ain, but 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 2()9 
 
 now he has become quiet, quite quiet — come 
 again later! " 
 
 Castaneda lowered his eyes, and did not see 
 with what scorn, what contempt, the Indian re- 
 garded him. 
 
 " He has become quiet, he is dying ! " said a 
 gloomy voice in his heart, and he did not demand 
 admittance. 
 
 "Very well, Ara! I will call again later. I 
 wish him a si^eedy recovery," he replied, and 
 turned his back upon the house. 
 
 He is dying. The canaima jDoison works surely, 
 and in such a quantity it must hasten death. But 
 Castaneda had no desire to see him die. IS'ot for 
 any price ! What should he do to-day ? Remain 
 in his house? Marchena might send for him. 
 No, that must not be ! Let him die alone ! 
 
 So he would go aw^ay from King's Court, away 
 from human society — away into the woods — to 
 the beautiful valley, to the glittering gold ! 
 
 And with the same outfit as on the preceding 
 day, Castaneda disappeared into the thicket of the 
 tropical forest. The Indians, who were busy fell- 
 ing trees near by, greeted him, but he did not honor 
 them with r.n* answer. He merely looked around 
 mechanically as he entered the woods, he sought 
 
 his faithful companion Bezerillo— ah, he was dead ! 
 14 
 
210 wnii coFJi.Minis in amiouk^a. 
 
 He si,ii;li('(l mikI walked on. He was now per- 
 fectly I'ainiliai- with llic way; he niMMlcd no leader. 
 Yesterday (*allinai;() had warned liini of the In- 
 dians, but Ji(^ liad ali'eady ('lie(^ked the Jebc^lliou 
 in tlie veiy ^-erni, aiid Uk^ .savages liad I'oi* some 
 time stood in snitabki awe of him. 
 
 IIowsh)wly .(.astaneda walked (o-day! h'joni 
 linu^ lo lime he nnisl rons<' himsell" and (juicken 
 his i)ace. 
 
 At h'n.i;(ii lie stood at the edii^e of tin; ^^okl-coii- 
 cealini!; abyss. Mechanically he fastened thc^ rope 
 to Ihe ti'ee, hiini:,- the bread bai;- around him, and 
 slid down lo Hk^ led^c. IMechanically he seiz<'d 
 chisel and hammei'and went up lo the lock, l)nt 
 now he fell tluit he was weary, and so he sealed 
 himself lo rest. The sun (li<l not reach Hie ravines 
 nnlil aflei' noon, and so the si)ot was not unpleas- 
 antly waini now. 
 
 (laslaneda's lips w(M-e diy; he seized the walei* 
 llask which hung at his side, and took a drink. 
 Then he ate some manioca bread and tliought of 
 that evening when Marchena for the iirst time 
 offered him this bread upon a plate. 
 
 Again this Mai'dnnia. 1 lad his suffei'ings ended 
 now? l^robably, but there lay Hie gold for tln^ 
 sake of which (^astajieda had done all. To work! 
 he told himself. Work, work ! His father's words 
 
wrrn coi.nMnus in America. 211 
 
 rang in his o:irs: ''It is 1 lie gi'eiitest blessing for 
 mMiikiiid; \\')ik niul you w ill be happy." (■iista- 
 ninla seized his ehisel niid hniiimer :i!i(l went to 
 work. 'V\u' bits ol* rock Hew right and left. Here 
 iind there sj)ai*kled a bit of gold. Oh, this Avas 
 larger than those which lie had seen in Marchena\s 
 liiink, but to-day the sight did not electrify him. 
 On tlio contrary, lie held the hammer poised and 
 did not strike; he stood there like a statne and 
 pondei'ed. 
 
 His thonghts were far from all gold. "A human 
 life!'' an inner voice whis[)ei-ed ! A human lifel 
 Ah, that is something diiVei-ent ! He had indeed 
 ordercnl the Indians' hands cut oil', but they were 
 but savages who had wished to mui'diM' him. lUit 
 this genth^ good-nat ui'ed Marchena, this young- 
 man with the heait of gold, who even gave uj) 
 gold for Ara. so that the (^ai'ib should not torment 
 hei"- yes, this was a dillV^'eid man; lie was a 
 Christian, a Spaiiiai'd, his biother! 
 
 ''JSonsense, Castaneda ! " said another inner 
 voice. ''In Spain th(\v laughed at poor men. 
 Poor men are trampled under foot. l>ecome 
 wealthy, and the woild will bow before you." 
 
 lie hainmered at the rock again. And his 
 heart l)eat \iolently, his conscience ti'oubled him, 
 and he sighed. Ah, if it all were but over! 
 
212 AVITII COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 He hammered, but lie did not see the gold which 
 fell at his feet; he worked blindly on at the hard 
 stone. Before his eyes the rocks danced and 
 quivered, his head was confused and his heart 
 beat almost to bursting. 
 
 Minutes passed thus, and he did not hear the 
 thrush singing above him. 
 
 Hee, hee, hee ! What was that ? 
 
 Hee, hee, hee ! 
 
 Were not those yells above his head — a howl 
 from many throats, as though a troop of devils 
 Avere uniting in a song of triumph above him, as 
 though they had come to carry the murderer to hell. 
 
 Hee, hee, hee! 
 
 He let the hand with the hammer sink. He 
 scarcely dared raise his head to look at the devil- 
 ish spirits above. 
 
 And there were renewed yells above, and these 
 cries awoke him gradually from his heavy, heavy 
 dreams. That was the war-cry of the Indians. 
 
 He looked up. There on the edge of the abyss 
 danced a troojD of devils— Indians in w^ar-paint. 
 And what was that? What were they throwing 
 down at him? What was that w^hich fell heavily 
 at his feet? What Avas that so cold and heavy 
 which struck him in the face? He looked up and 
 shuddered. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IX AMERICA. 213 
 
 They were four red hands, hands which yester- 
 day he had ordered cut off. His face grew deathly 
 pale, all the blood in his body rushed to his heart, 
 which threatened to stop beating. One desj)air- 
 ing glance toward the spot where the tree sjiread 
 its branches over the precipice — the rope had van- 
 ished and an Indian swung it tantalizingly above 
 him. He gave a cry of despair, he raised his 
 hands. And look! The Indian threw him the 
 rope. It fell upon his outstretched arms, and from 
 above rang out wild, x^iercing, derisive laughter. 
 
 Castaneda broke down; he leaned against the 
 rocky wall and rested his head in his hands, with 
 which he covered his face. 
 
 " Prepare for death ! " cried an inner voice. 
 Then a stone flew down. They intended stoning 
 him to death. And again a stone rattled down, 
 and his foot twitched with pain. 
 
 "Lord, forgive my sins, I confess them, I re- 
 pent ! " cried Castaneda aloud, in his mortal 
 terror. 
 
 But loud exclamations of opposition were heard 
 above : the Indians were quarrelling among them- 
 selves; he only could understand the words: " Let 
 him starve, let him thirst ! " 
 
 Then the war-cry rang out again, and once more 
 there was a burst of scornful laughter — and now 
 
214 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 all was silent in the ravine once more. But Cas- 
 taneda did not venture to raise liis head. Mo- 
 ments, long moments, passed. Then the thrush 
 began to sing again, and, between the enchanting 
 notes of the wild dove, the harsh caw of a crow 
 could be heard. 
 
 At length Castaneda looked up. The Indians 
 had disappeared, but it had all been no mere 
 dream of his excited fancy; the terrible memen- 
 tos of his own ferocity, the blood-stained Indian 
 hands, lay on the rocky ledge ; the rope also lay at 
 his feet, one of which pained him. All was terri- 
 ble reality; the executioners had withdrawn; the 
 gold mine was the grave in which he was buried 
 alive. 
 
 Buried alive ! Castaneda's hair stood on end in 
 horror, but soon he rose and limped forward. 
 
 The sense of self -i^reservation had awakened in 
 him, and at this moment all other feelings were 
 stunned ; his whole thought and efforts were ex- 
 erted to save himself. 
 
 He went to the edge of the rocky ledge ; the 
 Indians had thrown him the rope ; perhaj^s it Avas 
 long enough, perhaiDS he could slide down it. 
 Perhaps the ravine was not so deep as it seemed 
 from above. If he could but slide down from ledge 
 to ledge, and then climb down to the bottom. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 215 
 
 Castaneda laid himself fiat down on the rock, 
 and crept to the very edge of the little plateau. 
 He looked over, but a single glance destroyed all 
 his hopes: the rox)e was fifty feet long, and the 
 precipice fell two hundred feet below him, smooth 
 and straight, down to the ravine in which the water 
 of the mountain brook rippled. 
 
 There was no possibility of escape in this direc- 
 tion. 
 
 He went back and examined his prison — a bit 
 of rock some hundred feet square, surrounded on 
 three sides by steep walls of rock. His glance fell 
 u]3on the four hands which lay near him. He 
 could not endure their presence ; he raised them 
 shuddering, and threw them into the ravine. 
 
 Now his grave was clean, he thought, and seated 
 himself. 
 
 He took courage and told himself that he had 
 never before lost his head in the worst predica- 
 ments. The rocks were not so very high. Forty 
 feet ! A man could surely work his way up these. 
 And had he not tools, a chisel and hammer? 
 Could he not hew steps in the rocks? 
 
 He sprang up. To work at once! He chose 
 for this purjiose a portion of the rock which 
 slanted slightly. It was broad at the bottom and 
 grew smaller toward the toj), but was firmly at- 
 
216 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 tached to the main rock. The slight slope which 
 it had was of immense advantage to Castaneda; 
 this slope made the hewing of the steps easier. 
 He set to work at once, but his foot, which had 
 been bruised by the stone, pained him so much 
 that he was forced to take off his boot. " If I had 
 but some w^ater! " he said. But the small quan- 
 tity which remained in the flask must be saved for 
 the future. He must work rapidly, for he must 
 finish his task before his hunger or thirst became 
 unbearable. 
 
 Castaneda began to hew the first step breast 
 high. The bits of stone flew around him ; and al- 
 though the sun shone down hotly, the first step 
 was finished in an hour. 
 
 He w^as forced to rest, but he looked at his work 
 with satisfaction; in twenty-four hours he hoped 
 to be up at the top, and he- could surely hold out 
 for twenty-four hours. With joy he now gazed 
 up at the sky, for just then the sun disappeared 
 behind a black cloud. The scorching rays of the 
 sun no longer disturbed him ; he could work on. 
 He swung himself upon the first step, seated him- 
 self wpon it and began to hew the second. 
 
 The task was more difficult on account of the 
 unfavorable position of his body. But Castaneda 
 continued bravely, until he was prevented by the 
 approaching hurricane. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 217 
 
 The wind whistled through the trees above him ; 
 fortunately the storm did not come from the ex- 
 posed side — the mountain protected him; in the 
 ravine it was comparatively calm. 
 
 He greeted the storm with joy, for it would 
 bring him water, and the prisoner now prepared 
 to hew a cistern in the rock at the edge of the 
 ledge. 
 
 During the rain, which lasted but half an hour, 
 Castaneda had collected about two cubic feet of 
 water in two holes, had drunk all he needed for 
 the night, and had also filled his flask with water. 
 
 He then went to work again ; and before dark- 
 ness had fully set in, the third step was finished; 
 only six or seven more steps and he was saved. 
 
 He lay down to sleey), and this time his ex- 
 hausted frame demanded its riglits; the moon, 
 however, which rose shortly before dawn, saw 
 him again at work; but he now made but slow 
 progress; the chisel was bent, and Castaneda's 
 strength diminished, for he Avas terribly hungry. 
 
 In spite of all these difficulties, the fourth step 
 was finished. But then the unwearied worker 
 was forced to descend to rest, to eat and drink. 
 The last bit of bread lay in his bag, and he had 
 so much stone to hew before he reached the top. 
 
 He inspected his supply of water ; it had sadly 
 
218 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEIIICA. 
 
 diminished through evaporation, and Castaneda 
 was filled with fresh anxiety. 
 
 His wounded foot had swollen and i)ained him 
 more than yesterday. By this he was hindered 
 in his work : and only slowly, very slowly, was the 
 fifth step finished. The chisel was of no more 
 use, it was so bent and blunted. He tried to 
 straighten it, and it broke. The wooden handle 
 of the hammer, too, had become loose. 
 
 It was already noon when he began the sixth 
 step, but the blows against the rock became 
 Aveaker and weaker ; such exertions even Casta- 
 neda' s iron constitution could not endure. He 
 grew dizzy. 
 
 Slowly he slid down the rock and fell down 
 upon the splintered fragments of stone on the 
 ledge. His tongue clove to his gums, his temples 
 throbbed, and sparks danced before his eyes. 
 
 Wearily he dragged himself to the water holes; 
 the suj)ply had dwindled to the tiniest quantity, 
 and with trembling hands he scooj^ed out the 
 slime, but the small quantity did not quench his 
 burning thirst— he was forced to take from his 
 supply in the flask; and he ate the last bit of 
 bread. 
 
 Then lie looked up at the steps. A gigantic 
 labor was yet to be performed, and his strength 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 219 
 
 was gone, his foot swelled more and more. Cas- 
 taneda now gave nj) all hoi^e. 
 
 Meanwhile tlie fiery ball of the sun slowly as- 
 cended over the mountain. Its rays already 
 touched the edge of the ledge ux)on which Cas- 
 taneda sat a prisoner. Smaller and smaller grew 
 the strip of shade which the rocks threw. 
 
 One hour more and all would be flooded with 
 sunlight, this narrow cell changed to a fiery oven. 
 
 Castaneda, tormented by the fear of death, tried 
 to rouse himself to further effort; in vain, he was 
 too exhausted ; he sank back with a groan. 
 
 The sun now touched his feet ; he laid himself 
 close along the wall ; for a brief time he would 
 have shade. 
 
 His thoughts now flew back to his house. Xow 
 he had probably been missed. The settlers would 
 come and ask for him. They would perhaps seek 
 him in the woods; but Bezerillo, Avho could have 
 found his traces, was dead. 
 
 They would perhaps ox)en his chest and find the 
 gold; but did they know where the mines were? 
 
 Ah, one person knew very well. One person, at 
 sight of the gold, could immediately guess where 
 Castaneda was ; but the only one who could have 
 saved him he had poisoned with his own hands. 
 Marchena, like him, lay on his death-bed if the 
 
220 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 merciful God had not before this freed him from 
 his sufferings. The merciful God! Castaneda's 
 thoughts took another direction — he meditated 
 upon his past, his life full of sin aiid wrong-doing ; 
 remorse, fear of death and the judgment day came 
 upon him, and in his helpless situation his mind 
 sought consolation in the religion which in life he 
 had neglected. 
 
 He prayed, he repented of his sins, he prayed 
 to the Virgin, and began to make a vow. 
 
 If he were saved, saved by a miracle, he would 
 give up his sinful life, he would do penance in the 
 cloister Kabida, and devote the rest of his life to 
 good works. He would then return to Hispaniola 
 and here preach the Word of God, and convert the 
 Indians, his fellow-men; would then show kind- 
 ness to those whom he had formerly oppressed; 
 would love those who were his enemies. 
 
 But his thoughts became confused, for the sun 
 rose higher and higher in the heavens, and its 
 scorching rays fell upon Castaneda's head. A 
 fearful thirst tormented him, and he drank the 
 last clroi> of water. It was but a drop, which 
 scarcely for one moment counteracted the effect of 
 the heat. 
 
 Castaneda recited Vi inciter noster aloud ; his voice 
 was hoarse, the sound died on his lips, everything 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IT^T AMERICA. 
 
 221 
 
 grew dark before his eyes, liis mind was wrapped 
 in darkness ; he still heard the thrush singing over 
 head, the bird sang as sweetly as the nightingale 
 in the rose thickets of Spain. 
 
 Then all consciousness left the sun's victim. 
 
xyi. 
 
 Soon after Castaneda had left Liguria, Marchena 
 came out of his house. He was fresh and lively, 
 for he had not touched the x^oisoned bed. 
 
 "He was here and asked after your health," 
 said Ara. 
 
 Marchena's face wore a j)ained expression. 
 
 " Come, Ara," he replied, " we will prepare for 
 departure." 
 
 The day passed with these preparations. Mar- 
 chena wished to start for San Domingo early the 
 next morning. In the afternoon he fetched the 
 gold nuggets from the hollow trunk in the woods 
 and took leave of the many spots with which he 
 had once connected such rosy hopes. Vega-real! 
 How beautiful this country was, and how greatly 
 the Spaniards' avarice had injured it ! 
 
 The most faithful of his servants, who wished to 
 remain with him, he resolved to take with him to 
 found with them, near San Domingo, under the 
 admiral's protection, a new settlement. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 223 
 
 The last night in Liguria was spent quietly, and 
 before dawn Marchena was astir. 
 
 He arranged the luggage, divided it among his 
 people, and this occux^ied the lirst hours after sun- 
 rise. Marchena looked over toward King's Court 
 from time to time. 
 
 Had Casteneda not seen these preparations for 
 departure? Had he not learned of it through his 
 spies? Would he not, impelled by curiosity, come 
 over to learn what was going on? 
 
 Or did he believe himself discovered and was he 
 ashamed? Yes, perhaps he did not dare look the 
 man in the face whom he had wished to poison in 
 the manner of the savage cannibal Caribs. 
 
 But Marchena would not leave Yega-real with- 
 out taking leave of him. He donned his broad- 
 brimmed straw^ hat, took his stick, and went to 
 pay a farewell call upon his neighbor. 
 
 He was surprised that all was so quiet in King's 
 Court. No columns of smoke rose against the blue 
 sky ; not a soul was to be seen in the fields. All 
 was quiet in the savanna, only the crickets chirped 
 in the tall grass, and the croak of the frogs was 
 heard in the swam^^s. 
 
 He is busy clearing the woods, thought Mar- 
 chena, as a reason for this strange silence, and 
 walked on. 
 
224 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 Close to the house he found Bezerillo's carcass, 
 surrounded by swarms of flies and gnats. " You 
 did not deserve that! " said he, gazing at the x^oor 
 animal. " You deserved a better fate, for you were 
 faithful to your master, poor Bezerillo." 
 
 He walked on. The yard was i^erfectly quiet, 
 the house door stood wide open. Marchena went 
 up the steps. He looked in the open door, but he 
 started back in horror. 
 
 Close behind the door, which had been burst in, 
 lay the Carib Callinago, with gaping wounds in 
 his breast and head. 
 
 So it was the stillness of death which prevailed 
 here. The Indians had avenged themselves for 
 the opx^ressions Avhich had daily befallen them. 
 Oh, yes ! Marchena at once knew that vengeance 
 had been exercised here, for both of the Carib's 
 hands had been cut off. That was the answer to 
 the terrible execution. 
 
 But where was the Spaniard? where was Cas- 
 taneda? 
 
 AVith beating heart Marchena stepped over the 
 Carib's corpse and entered the room. No one was 
 there. He entered the second room ; this also was 
 empty, but confusion reigned here. 
 
 The coverlets were gone, the j)illows were de- 
 stroyed, and all the furniture the pillagers had 
 
THE INDIAN S REVENGE. 
 
AVITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 225 
 
 taken away with them, even the iron of the locks 
 and the nails; one thing alone had they left — the 
 gold, it lay scattered on the ground. Marchena 
 surveyed this treasure of Castaneda's scornfully. 
 He was about to leave the room Avhen he trod on 
 a stone which crumbled under his feet ; he glanced 
 down involuntarily, and stood still in astonish- 
 ment. He raised the bit of rock ; it was gold ore, 
 the same that he had found and had wished to 
 show to the admiral. 
 
 Marchena inspected more closely the gold scat- 
 tered on the floor. Yes, so it was; there were 
 more similar i^ieces there. 
 
 This glittering metal now threw a ray of light 
 upon the dark events of the last days. 
 
 Doubtless Castaneda had found the gold mines, 
 and secretly worked them ; doubtless also he sus- 
 pected that Marchena knew of the mines. Now 
 he had learned that Marchena wished to go to 
 meet the admiral in San Domingo ; he had feared 
 that the former would communicate his discovery 
 to Columbus, the rightful lord of all gold mines 
 on Hispaniola ; and to prevent this, Castaneda in 
 his greed had availed himself of the Carib's malice, 
 of iDoison. And had not Ara watched the gold- 
 seeker's actions in Marchena's room, through a 
 crack in the log walls— had she not warned her 
 15 
 
226 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 master, lie would surely now be lying upon the 
 poisoned bed, dying a death of agony like poor 
 Henry. 
 
 But where was the poisoner? 
 
 Marchena went to the Indian huts ; the corpses 
 of the other Caribs grinned at him in a ghastly 
 manner. They had been overpowered in their 
 sleep, and they also had been mutilated as a sign 
 of revenge — their hands had also been cut off. 
 The tormentors were dead. 
 
 But where was the master of King's Court? 
 
 Marchena went from hut to hut, and searched 
 the whole place. Nowhere was there a trace of 
 the Spaniard, of his countryman ! 
 
 He stood there utterly overwhelmed. A sad fore- 
 boding tortured him. The Indians had taken 
 Castaneda jDrisoner and had dragged him into the 
 woods, there to leave him to a more lingering 
 death. Perhaps lie was still alive ! He must be 
 saved, at any j)rice. Marchena at this moment 
 had forgotten all Castaneda's faults— had forgotten 
 that he had attempted his, Marchena's, life— he 
 saw in him only his neighbor, his brother, a Chris- 
 tian and a Spaniard, who had a claim upon his help. 
 
 But how could he undertake the pursuit of the 
 escaped robbers and rebels? Whither had they 
 betaken themselves? 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 227 
 
 Marcliena had no bloodhound who could find 
 the scent; but, hold, the Spaniards in the neigh- 
 borhood had bloodhounds. Marchena did not 
 hesitate for an instant, but turned in that direc- 
 tion. 
 
 After a quarter of an hour's walk, he stood on 
 a hill from which he could overlook the new set- 
 tlements. He started back in dismay, for here also 
 he saw no sign of life, no cloud of smoke near 
 the huts, not a person visible in the fields. The 
 savanna lay there as quiet as the grave ; above it 
 the sun poured down its burning hot rays. 
 
 Marchena hastened his steps; he must see Avhat 
 had hai)pened, and he was prepared for the worst. 
 
 His suspicions had not deceived him : here also 
 Death had reaped his harvest. The dogs were 
 dead, the Caribs lay there dead, with their skulls 
 broken, and both the Spaniards were dead, with 
 their hands cut off. 
 
 And once more Marchena walked through scenes 
 of horror from hut to hut ; again he sought Cas- 
 taneda's corpse, but did not find it. 
 
 On the steps of the veranda of one of the new 
 farm-houses, near the corpse of a Christian, he 
 seated himself to collect his confused, dismayed 
 thoughts. 
 
 This night the Indians, then, had risen in Vega- 
 
228 WITE COLUMBUS IN AMEBIC A. 
 
 real. It had been a planned affair — death to all 
 Christians. All ? Was he not himself a Christian ? 
 was he not a pale-face like the others? Why did 
 perfect peace now reign in Liguria? 
 
 His people had certainly known of the plot, 
 but no one had touched a hair of his head. The 
 feeling of gratitude was not then unknown to sav- 
 age hearts — he was not their terrible oppressor. 
 
 He had neither arms nor bloodhounds ; he had 
 brought with him no Caribs for his protection ; he 
 relied solely upon the j^rotection of the Most 
 High, and he had used only justice and human- 
 ity as protecting weapons. And so he was the 
 only Spaniard left alive in Vega-real: he fell on 
 his knees and thanked God with a fall heart. 
 
 The only one! was Castaneda, then, really dead? 
 
 They had surely fallen upon and murdered him 
 in the woods. There could be no doubt of this, 
 for if he were alive he would long since have come 
 to Liguria. And what could he have been doing 
 in the forest? A sudden idea flashed to Mar- 
 chena's mind. Yes, yes, it was sure ! Castaneda 
 had gone to the mine. And if the Indians sur- 
 prised him there in a ravine, he was hopelessly 
 lost. Marchena fancied that he knew in what 
 ravine Castaneda sought for gold. He knew 
 where poor Henry set his nets, and where Callinago 
 
WITH COLTTMBTTS m AMERICA. 229 
 
 had poisoned him. "And if I find nothing but his 
 corj^se," thought Marchena, " I have at least done 
 my duty." 
 
 Meanwhile the noon hour was long since past, 
 and Marchena sought in the deserted house for a 
 piece of bread, went to the spring and quenched 
 his thirst. Then he started for Liguria. The 
 people who were to go with him waited for him 
 before his house door, the others were not to be 
 seen: from the expressions of the Indians Mar- 
 chena saw that they knew all, and that he had no 
 news to tell them. 
 
 " We are ready, master," said Ara. 
 
 Marchena shook his head. 
 
 "Not yet, Ara! " said he. 
 
 "Why?" asked she, in astonishment. "Yega- 
 real is deserted. We are still here to accompany 
 you to Cibao ; then we also shall return to the 
 woods. You have nothing more to seek here, 
 Marchena ! " 
 
 Marchena looked at her calmly ; wild defiance 
 sparkled in her eyes. " You have nothing more 
 to seek here," she had said. So then they hated 
 him also because he was a Spaniard — so intensely 
 that they did not wish to see him in their midst, 
 and would only give him an escort to the border 
 of Vega-real. 
 
230 WITH COLUMBUS IIST AMERICA. 
 
 " No, Ara," he replied calmly, "I am not going 
 yet, and I must stay here until I have found him 
 whom I miss ! " 
 
 " Whom do you, then, seek? " 
 
 "Castaneda!" 
 
 " The canaima! " cried the Indian, in surj^rise. 
 
 " Yes, he is a Spaniard and I cannot leave him." 
 
 " The canaima I "' repeated Ara. Then her eyes 
 sparkled and she cried: "I know— you wish to 
 revenge yourself upon him ! " 
 
 Marchena shook his head and looked at her re- 
 provingly. 
 
 " Have you forgotten, Ara, what I told you of 
 our God? He commanded us to forgive those 
 who injure us. ' Love your enemies,' he com- 
 manded." 
 
 " And what will you do when you lind him? " 
 
 " I will save him, Ara." 
 
 ''Oh, never! " cried Ara, while her eyes flashed 
 wild hatred. 
 
 "Never?" 
 
 Then Marchena went closer to her and said: 
 *' Do you remember the hour, Ara, when you knelt 
 before me with Henry in the moonlight? Who 
 freed you then from the hands of the terrible 
 Carib? Our God commanded me to protect you, 
 and he commands me to save Castaneda." 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 231 
 
 "Do not sxDeak so loud," replied Ara, more 
 gently, '' or else you are a dead man. The Indians 
 hate the Spaniards ! " 
 
 " Ara, he is alive ; you know where he is," whis- 
 pered Marchena. 
 
 She lowered her lashes and struggled with her- 
 self. 
 
 "Ara," he continued in a whisper, " be merciful 
 as I was merciful to you. Your revenge is com- 
 plete. Callinago is dead. I will save my canaima. 
 Tell me where he is." 
 
 " I cannot refuse your request," replied she. 
 " But let the peoi)le go on to Cibao, or else we are 
 lost if they learn what we wish to do." 
 
 Marchena gave the necessary commands. Ara 
 spoke softly to her fellow-countrymen ; then the 
 little train set out. 
 
 "Ara, what did you tell them?" asked Mar- 
 chena, as the Indians went away. 
 
 " They will set down your luggage on the hill 
 near Cibao, and then take refuge in the woods, 
 where we have found a new home, far from the 
 Spaniards." 
 
 The Indians disapj^eared in the distance. 
 
 "Ara," continued Marchena, "tell me — where 
 is Castaneda? Is he really alive? " 
 
 " He must still be alive! " replied the Indian. 
 
232 
 
 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 " You torture me! " cried Marchena. " Tell me 
 the whole truth, Ara." 
 
 '' Oh, he must feel happy: he has his chisel and 
 hammer, and can collect gold, bright gold, for 
 which he seeks so greedily. But he has no bread, 
 and gold does not satisfy one's hunger, and no 
 water springs from the rocks, and he has no wings 
 with which to fly up and away. He has the rope 
 lying at his feet, but his hands are too short to 
 fasten it up above, and it is too short to reach to 
 the bottom of the ravine where the water rushes. 
 And the sun burns, Marchena. Burns fearfully! 
 It kills men. And he is not alone: four hands 
 keep him company— four bloody hands which he 
 has cut off from our i3eople! " 
 
 " He is in the ravine! " cried Marchena, spring- 
 ing up, " and you have cut the rope? " 
 
 " Yes, under the meadow where his friend the 
 canaima Callinago surprised my Henry like a 
 serpent. There he lies, and suffers torture with- 
 out end. He is buried alive. Perhaps he is 
 already dead, for the sun shines down with 
 scorching heat to-day." 
 
 "Ara! and we delay?" cried Marchena. "Come, 
 we must hurry as on the wings of the wind! " 
 
 "So you wish to go there, Marchena?" asked 
 Ara mockingly. "What are you thinking of? 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IK AMERICA. 233 
 
 It is a long distance, and we must take bread with 
 us; and then, have you wings with which to fly 
 down to him? We must have a roi^e. Your 
 roj^es are x)acked ; we must look for a rope in the 
 Indian village. Do you see to the bread, I will 
 attend to the rope." 
 
 It was already late in the afternoon, and Mar- 
 chena, after bread and a rope were procured, urged 
 her to set out, but Ara opposed him. 
 
 '' Impossible ! " said she. " You must wait until 
 twilight. If any of our people were to see you 
 on your way to the forest, he would guess your 
 purpose and be ahead of you. Besides, you must 
 take your weapon — your sword — with you, for 
 there is war in King's Court between us and the 
 whites, and you might meet Indians Avho did not 
 know you." 
 
 Marchena silently took his sword and hung it 
 over his arm in Arabian style. 
 
 " Ara," he cried, " I shall not sneak away un- 
 der the shades of night. Follow me or I go alone ! " 
 
 He grasped the rope which she held in her 
 hand. 
 
 "You will!" said she in surprise. "You are 
 not afraid? Good, I have warned you. Go! go 
 alone. I will not expose myself to the rage of my 
 people for the sake of a canaima! " 
 
234 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 He really started; lie walked away rapidly, 
 without glancing back at her. Then Ara sprang 
 up. " I must protect him if he meets our people," 
 said she, and hurried after him. 
 
 Soon after they disappeared into the forest. 
 
 The yard of Liguria was empty ; birds twittered 
 in the trees, mice ventured out of the storehouse. 
 The smoke of the house tire rose for the last time 
 from this spot. 
 
 It was already twilight when Marchena crossed 
 the little meadow above the abyss, and cried at 
 the top of his voice, '* Castaneda ! Castaneda ! " 
 
 He listened as he x)ushed on, but there was no 
 answer. With a beating heart he went to the 
 edge of the precipice, and, once more calling, 
 " Castaneda ! " he looked down into the depths. 
 All was silence, but in the half-light he i3er- 
 ceived a human form lying outstretched upon 
 the ledge. 
 
 " Castaneda ! " he cried. " You are alive, are 
 you not. Oh, pray, answer me; it is I, Marchena. 
 I am come to rescue you." 
 
 He listened, but there was no answering call 
 from below. 
 
 Then Ara rushed out of the woods and hurried 
 up to him. 
 
 " Silence! " cried she; " do not betray yourself. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. ^35 
 
 They may be near! Quickly to work; see if lie is 
 still alive." 
 
 Soon tlie rope was fastened to the tree, and 
 Marchena slid down, while Ara kept watch above. 
 
 Marchena stood before Castaneda, bent over 
 him, shook him, but he did not stir. By the last 
 ray of light he gazed into the face of the uncon- 
 scious man. Foam was on his lii)s, his eyes were 
 closed, but he still groaned. 
 
 Marchena did not hesitate. He seized his flask 
 and poured the invigorating fluid between the 
 dying man's lips ; then he wet his chest and face, 
 and called to Ara to lower him the second flask. 
 
 The moon now rose above the mountain, and 
 Marchena could see the unconscious Castaneda 
 more plainly. He bathed his face, x)oured water 
 between his lips once more, and he perceived that 
 this had its effect— the breath came more easily. 
 But in sjjite of all his shaking, his calls, he could 
 not rouse him from his stupor. 
 
 " Marchena," whispered Ara from above, '' we 
 cannot stay here forever. Come, draw him up. 
 Marchena, do you hear? They may come, and 
 then you will both die — you and he." 
 
 Marchena now gave up all efforts to rouse him, 
 fastened the rope around him, and Ara drew her 
 mortal enemy ui3 from the horrible abyss. 
 
236 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 Once more the rope slid down, then Marchena 
 also stood above beside Ara, who gazed down at 
 the unconscious Castaneda in perplexity. " We 
 must carry him away," said she; "but where?" 
 
 " I knoAv a safe hiding-place," replied Marchena. 
 " A cave near the w^aterfall. Thick bushes con- 
 ceal the entrance. No one will find us there. It 
 is not far aw^ay. Help me carry him, Ara." 
 
 It was not far, but with this heavy weight, in 
 the darkness but faintly illuminated by the moon- 
 light, through tangled underbrush, by steep preci- 
 pices, the march was not easy and took a long 
 time. 
 
 At length they stood before a thicket. 
 
 " We are at the place," said Marchena. " Be- 
 hind that thicket is the cave." 
 
 He w^ent ahead and showed Ara the w^ay. They 
 then returned, and soon after vanished behind 
 the bushes with their load. 
 
 The morning star shone in the sky, the outlines 
 of the trees became more distinct in the approach- 
 ing dawn. From its lofty eyrie the eagle, tile 
 king of the air, arose. Its loud, piercing cry 
 announced the sunrise, and soon after the sky 
 became crimson, and a golden ray of light fell 
 upon the high mountain-toj)s. 
 
 The birds twittered in the forest, but suddenly 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 237 
 
 a piercing howl of rage rang out in the distance. 
 It came from the gold mine by the ravine, and 
 was repeated many times. It made the hearts 
 of those hidden in the cave tremble, for they knew 
 what this howl of rage meant. The Indians had 
 discovered that the victim of their revenge had 
 escaped them. 
 
 No ray of sunlight penetrated to the gloomy 
 cave Avhich lay behind the thicket, but in sjDite of 
 this the air within was not close, for it found 
 constant circulation through nicks and crevices 
 which led outward through the rock. From one 
 side a small spring issued, which, soon after leav- 
 ing the cave, lost itself in the thick undergrowth 
 and tall foliage plants of the forest. 
 
 This lack of sunshine, this cool, slowly circu- 
 lating air, this murmuring, cold spring, were for 
 the time of true benefit to the sick Castaneda. 
 
 Yes, he was ill. The sun, the pitiless glowing 
 sun, had made him ill. Exposed to its scorching 
 rays he had been sunstruck, and, although Mar- 
 chena's coming had saved him from death for the 
 moment, he was not yet out of danger. He lived, 
 but he suffered with an inflammation of the brain, 
 from which he could but slowly recover. He was 
 unconscious ; he lay there, now^ sunk in a stupefied 
 slumber, now murmuring confused words. He 
 
238 WITH COLUMBUS 11^ AMERICA. 
 
 was feverish, and the cool air was good for his 
 condition, and the cold spring was his medicine, 
 while near him sat a pitying sister, and cooled his 
 head with cold compresses, and from time to time 
 wet his lips with the cooling fluid. This pitying 
 sister was Ara. She nursed the canaima. She 
 was suri3rised at herself for doing this, for 
 yesterday she had hated this man with all her 
 heart. Her heart had rejoiced that he had fallen 
 a victim to this revenge. And to-day she nursed 
 him! Marchena had set her the example of how 
 one should love one's enemies, should do good to 
 them ; and the savage Ara felt that such an act 
 elevated a human being, made him happy — felt 
 it without being clear about it, without being able 
 to exj)lain it in words. 
 
 Her eyes did not sparkle as savagely as before, 
 her defiance was broken. In this moment Ara's 
 features wore a nobler expression; she was a 
 woman, mild and good as women should be. 
 
 Strange power of Christianity, which ennobles 
 humanity, which replaces hatred and conflict with 
 love and forgiveness, a desire for the gratification 
 of passion with renunciation. This power acted 
 upon the savage, and lifted her up to a higher 
 existence. 
 
 But where was he who had ennobled Ara by 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 239 
 
 his example? Where was the bold, brave, and yet 
 so mild Marchena? 
 
 He was now far from the cave ; Ara alone nursed 
 the canaima^ Ara alone guarded him ; and Mar- 
 chena could rest assured that, as long as Ara 
 lived, not a hair of the head of the poor, mortally 
 ill man would be harmed. 
 
XVII. 
 
 Marchena arrived in Cibao, weary and ex- 
 hausted, on the evening of the same day. Among 
 the adherents of the mutinous Judge Koldan an 
 indescribable excitement prevailed. The admiral 
 had arrived in San Domingo. 
 
 The hour of retribution had surely arrived for 
 the rebels. Oh, no! Christopher Columbus was 
 no knight of the conquest, no conqueror such as 
 the New World learned to know later. In his 
 veins flowed no such blood as that of a Cortez or 
 Pizarro ; he did not draw his sword to chastise the 
 rebels. The admiral temporized. 
 
 That did not soften the rebels. On the con- 
 trary, they became more and more audacious. 
 Trusting to the Genoese's brilliant descriptions, 
 they had come to this island ; now Columbus and 
 his brother looked upon the mines as a family 
 monoj)oly, and yet the soldiers did not even re- 
 ceive their pay. Many of the soldiers had indeed 
 put aside gold from the mines, but others had 
 
AVITII COLUMBUS IN AMEIIICA. 241 
 
 not been so foj'tunate and had actually remained 
 poor. Many of them were exhausted by illness, 
 and had not received pay for more than a year. 
 In Spain it was not thought necessary to send 
 money to the discovered King Solomon's Ox:)hir. 
 They were weary of life on Hispaniola, and a 
 strange oath x^assed from mouth to mouth, " As 
 truly as God brings me again to Castile." 
 
 Columbus Avished to be rid of this dissatisfied 
 element, and, in a friendly letter addressed to 
 Roldan, he offered them ships to transport them 
 to Spain. 
 
 They were now discussing in Cibao the answer 
 which they should give the admiral. Some of 
 Roldan's adherents demanded two ships Avitli 
 provisions for the voyage, a x)romise in writing 
 from the admiral that the pay due them should 
 be i^aid when they arrived in Spain, and a certifi- 
 cate that they had well earned this in the New 
 World, in the service of the king of Castile. 
 
 But others thought that those who wished to 
 remain should receive free land and passjDorts, 
 and demanded that Roldan should be restored to 
 the i)osition of judge. 
 
 "Do not fear him," cried the bolder ones; "he 
 has already become tamer in speech ; he will con- 
 sent to everything; and if it comes to the worst, 
 i6 
 
242 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 we have made an alliance witli tlie Indians of 
 Cibao, and can conquer San Domingo." 
 
 In tlie midst of this confusion Marchena ap- 
 peared in Cibao. He was known as a faithful ad- 
 herent of the Genoese, and they eyed him askance. 
 
 He began to tell of the Indian revolt, he begged 
 for hell) to rescue a mortally ill Spaniard, for 
 j)eople who could bring Castaneda to Cibao under 
 a safe escort. 
 
 The Spaniards would not listen to him. "Let 
 us lirst arrange the matter of our pay," they re- 
 l)lied. "Why did you separate yourself from 
 the others, and go into the wilderness alone?" 
 
 In vain did Marchena appeal to all feelings of 
 humanity, of the duty to assist a Christian in his 
 need. 
 
 "Later; not to-day," was the only answer he 
 received. 
 
 " Or are you willing to pay us the money due 
 us?" said another, scornfully. 
 
 " In truth, yes ! " cried Marchena. " I will lead 
 you to gold mines which will far suri)ass all your 
 exx^ectations." 
 
 "Listen, he has found gold mines! " came from 
 the group of bystanders, and a number of soldiers 
 crowded around Marchena. 
 
 " Show the specimens of gold ! " 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 243 
 
 " Do not believe his mere word ! " 
 
 " He is a friend of tlie Genoese! " 
 
 '' Let liim show the gold! " 
 
 These exclamations came from all sides, and 
 the circle of curious listeners became larger. 
 
 Even Koldan, the judge of the colony and leader 
 of the rebels, appeared. They made way for him 
 and he stood before Marchena. 
 
 "What do you want Avitli us?" he asked him 
 savagely. 
 
 "Helx) for an unfortunate Spaniard," replied 
 Marchena. 
 
 " For one of tlie admiral's faithful friends? " re- 
 plied Roldan. " AVhy do you not apply to Isa- 
 bella or San Domingo? Shall we be good enough 
 to save your comrade, so that you may then as- 
 sist the Genoese in oppressing us? As truly as 
 God brings me back again to Castile, I will not 
 doit!" 
 
 " Eoldan," replied Marchena calndy, " the un- 
 fortunate man is a friend of yours. Castaneda 
 lies helpless in the mountains." 
 
 " Castaneda ! " cried Roldan. " Oh, then it is 
 quite different. But tell me, has Castaneda really 
 discovered gold mines? " 
 
 Marchena made no reply, but drew a purse 
 from his pocket. It was the same which Casta- 
 
244 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 iieda had once found in his trunk. He silently 
 handed it to Roldan. 
 
 He opened it. His eyes rested ux)on the gold 
 for a long time, then he raised one of the nuggets 
 in his hand and cried: "Castilians, we have our 
 back i)ay! Castaneda and Marchena pay us! 
 Forward, let us follow the brave fellow! " 
 
 The gold nugget went from hand to hand. The 
 enthusiasm grew, the admiral's letter was for- 
 gotten, and all pressed forward i)reparations for 
 departure. In a few hours the colonists were 
 ready for marching, and but a few remained in 
 Cibao. Marchena was the honored man — he must 
 ride beside Roldan, who now inquired symi)atheti- 
 cally as to the fate of the brave Castaneda. 
 
 The valley which had been the scene of so 
 many exciting scenes was from this time called 
 the Gold Valley, and Roldan and his band set- 
 tled in it. 
 
 The gold mines were rich ; besides the one opened 
 by Castaneda, others were found, and now the 
 men won the pay due them. The ship Avliich the 
 admiral had x)laced at their disposal remained un- 
 used. No one now thought of returning home. 
 
 But the discoverers of the mines did not work 
 in them. 
 
 They dwelt in a simple, hastily erected hut on 
 
WITH COLTTMBUS IN AMERICA. 245 
 
 one of the green slopes of the valley. Here Mar- 
 chena, assisted by Ara, nursed the unfortunate 
 canaima, who had not yet fully recovered con- 
 sciousness. 
 
 Ara remained with Marchena; she now feared 
 to return to her people, for they knew that she 
 had participated in Castaneda's rescue, and this 
 treachery would never be forgiven her. So she 
 remained under the protection of her new friend 
 the Christian. 
 
 She was dejected, and once when Marchena 
 wished to console her she replied gloomily : " My 
 hours are numbered; There is no more happiness 
 on earth for me. Revenge never sleeps. The 
 poisoned spear of the avenger will ^^ierce me." 
 
 Marchena calmed her, but he himself shared 
 her fears. He made her promise that she would 
 never leave the Spaniard's bedside, and promised 
 her, as soon as Castaneda's condition improved, to 
 remove with her to San Domingo, where she would 
 be safe from the plots of the avengers. She was 
 silent to this. Her gayety was gone forever. 
 
 Beside the sick-bed she listened to accounts of 
 the God of the Christians; she listened to the 
 mild commands of their religion, but she did not 
 understand one thing. '' Why do not the other 
 white men do the good that they are commanded?* 
 
246 WITH COLUMBUS IN" AMERICA. 
 
 Your God is not tlieir God ! " she frequently re- 
 plied to Marcliena. 
 
 Two weeks had passed since the unfortunate 
 day in the ravine. Marcliena sat beside the sick- 
 bed. He thought of the admiral ; he could now 
 bring him no joyful news. The gold had fallen 
 into the hands of his enemies. But Marcliena 
 felt that he could not have acted otherwise. None 
 of the rebels would have gone into the mountains 
 in these excited times, merely to protect Casta- 
 neda. For the sake of the gold every one would 
 stake his life, and so in this case the gold had 
 done good. Castaneda was saved, and now Mar- 
 cliena would TDerhaps succeed in bringing him 
 from the x>aths of crime to those of virtue. 
 
 He looked down at the pale invalid. He lay 
 therewith wide-opened eyes ; the staring look had 
 left them. Castaneda had recovered consciousness. 
 
 Marchena bent over him with satisfaction, and 
 asked. " How are you feeling, Castaneda? " 
 
 " I am weak," murmured the sick man. " Where 
 am I? This is not my house." 
 
 "You are with friends, Castaneda," replied 
 Marchena. " Will you have something to eat or 
 drink?" 
 
 The invalid nodded. 
 
 " Give me something to drink," said he. 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEP^ICA. 247 
 
 Marchena brought a cup and Castaneda drank. 
 Then his head fell back among the pillows and he 
 said softly : '' Yesterday the nightingale sang as 
 sweetly as in the rose thickets of Spain. The 
 song still rings in my ears. But, Marchena, I 
 wish to go to the cloister; tell me, is it far to 
 Rabida?" 
 
 Then Marchena seized Castaneda's hand, and 
 while he pressed it gently, he said, " We are in 
 Hisx)aniola, friend! " 
 
 Now Marchena felt how the sick man started. 
 His eyes were fixed upon Marchena, and his face 
 expressed terror and anxiety, and with the great- 
 est excitement the words came from his lips: 
 " Who are you? Is not Marchena dead? " 
 
 " I am Marchena— your friend," said he gently. 
 
 " You are really alive — you did not slee^i in the 
 bed yesterday? " 
 
 "Do not excite yourself, Castaneda. Every- 
 thing is well." 
 
 The i^atient's strength was exhausted, his eyes 
 closed again, and he merely breathed the words, 
 "He lives." 
 
 Then he again fell into a deep sleep. 
 
 From day to day Castaneda's condition im- 
 jiroved; gradually he recalled the events in the 
 ravine, but the stronger he became the less he 
 
248 WITH COLUMBUS INT AMERICA. 
 
 spoke of them; lie was Avholly silent as to his 
 crime, the gold mines and the savage Indians. 
 
 " When I am well," he frequently said, " I must 
 leave Hispaniola and go to Rabida ; Father Juan 
 will receive me; I have made a vow, and the Holy 
 Virgin saved me." 
 
 Marchena did not contradict him, and he also 
 awaited with impatience the day when Castaneda 
 could be carried in a litter to Cibao, and then to 
 San Domingo. 
 
 And this day had arrived. Six Indians were 
 taken as bearers, and the feeble Castaneda, sick 
 and miserable, was carried out of the Gold Valley 
 which had once been the object of all his wishes. 
 He had not a grain of gold with him, and did not 
 long for any. Marchena and Ara accompanied 
 him. " You need no escort." said Roldan as 
 they parted. " We have made i^eace with the 
 Indians." 
 
 The way led down the mountain, and was now 
 easier. The gold-diggers had made a path through 
 the woods, but the little caravan advanced but 
 slowly, for the Indians were forced to carry the 
 litter carefully so as to spare the convalescent. 
 
 " We have time enough! " said Marchena. 
 
 But Ara shook her head and said : " No, Ave 
 must hurry, as long as Ave are in the Avoods. These 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA, 249 
 
 paths are not safe, and in the ravines lurk am- 
 buscades." 
 
 Marchena smiled. 
 
 '' The Indians are at peace with us," he repeated. 
 
 Ara was silent and walked on beside Marchena. 
 The little procession now descended a slope. Mar- 
 chena watched Ara, who scanned the thicket at 
 either side of the path with the eyes of a falcon. 
 " She fears the presence of her people," he thought 
 to himself. " To be sure, although peace has been 
 made, revenge never sleeps." But the forest 
 would soon cease now, and in the savanna they 
 need fear no ambush. 
 
 At this moment Ara cried out and sprang into 
 the thicket on the right. But behind her flew a 
 spear and remained sticking in a tree. Only in 
 one spot the twigs of the bushes quivered. The 
 spear had evidently been thrown at Ara. 
 
 Marchena hurried to Castaneda's litter to i)ro- 
 tecthim if needful; he called to Ara to return; 
 and when she emerged from the thicket the little 
 train set out again. The Indians looked scorn- 
 fully at the trembling woman. Did the bearers 
 know of the plot? 
 
 Marchena hurried them forward, and he also 
 drew a breath of relief when they entered the 
 savanna. Ara's fate now occupied his thoughts. 
 
250 \yiTH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 She was lost among the Indians, and among the 
 Spaniards no happy lot awaited her. He was 
 trying to decide whether to return to Sj)ain with 
 Castaneda or to remain in Hispaniola. His de- 
 cision depended upon what he should learn in- 
 San Domingo, but he susj)ected that matters there 
 would not be to his taste. 
 
 He therefore joined Ara and began to tell her 
 of his home. The Indian listened to him, Avith 
 lowered gaze; then she glanced up at him, and 
 said in a trembling voice, " You wish to return 
 to the home of the white men? " 
 
 " Perhaps, Ara ! " 
 
 " And you will leave me here? " 
 
 " That is for you to decide," he replied slowly. 
 " Remember that this island is your home. There 
 across the sea all will be new to you." 
 
 She did not answer, but her eyes filled with 
 tears. 
 
 Marchena's little band now marched along the 
 coast toward the new settlement, the first in the 
 New World which deserved the name of city — 
 toward San Domingo. 
 
 " It lies behind that hill ; from the summit you 
 can see it," he had been told, and he walked 
 quickly on ahead of Castaneda's litter, and soon 
 stood upon the crest of the hill. Yes, there at his 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IT^ AMERICA. 251 
 
 feet lay the city with a church and several stone 
 houses ; there was the harbor in which six i)roud 
 ships rode at anchor. x\round the city were 
 cleared fiekls. Marchena's eyes could distinguish 
 luxuriant sugar-cane. Oh, how the governor 
 Bartholomew had been slandered! This settle- 
 ment was a gigantic work, this settlement with 
 the unfavorable, uneasy elements only a man Avith 
 iron energy could have founded. And did not 
 this Genoese work for Sj)ain's aggrandizement? 
 Did not the lion of Castile float above the fort? 
 Oh, the ungrateful men! 
 
 Once in sight of this flourishing settlement, Mar- 
 chena wavered in his former resolve. He had 
 maintained the post at which the admiral had 
 stationed him, in the interior of the land, to the 
 best of his ability; was it not his duty to place 
 himself at the governor s disposal once more, 
 instead of returning to Spain in a cowardly fash- 
 ion like the others? 
 
 Meanwhile, the litter with Casta neda had been 
 carried forward. Even the former gold-seeker 
 uttered an exclamation of joy, but it was not 
 the sight of the city and flelds which delighted 
 him. He folded his hands and cried : " Thank 
 God, there are ships yonder; I can return to 
 Spain." 
 
252 WITH COLUMBUS IX AMERICA. 
 
 Ara, on the contrary, stood there as if petrified. 
 She liad never before seen such a city ; and when 
 Marcliena told her of the cities of Spain, she 
 sought to picture a scene of very large Indian 
 huts. And such gigantic boats, such monsters, as 
 she saw lying at anchor in the huge, mirror-like 
 sea of the harbor! These were incomprehensible 
 wonders for the child of the wilderness. 
 
 They went farther along the beach, they ap- 
 proached the harbor, and must cross a projecting 
 tongue of land. Marcliena's eyes were fixed upon 
 the city; he counted the houses, and cried: "Cas- 
 taneda, they deceived us in the mountains. The 
 city is large — Roldan cannot possibly defy it; the 
 admiral's following is enormous, and the number of 
 rebels grows less and less." 
 
 " Do not deceive yourself, Marcheiia," replied 
 the invalid quietly. " The i3lace of execution is 
 not lacking in this new city even, and I believe 
 the viceroy rules his subjects through fear and 
 terror. However x)eaceful it may look from a dis- 
 tance, the city is not so in reality. Look at this 
 tongue of land; here are the tokens — seven gal- 
 lows!" 
 
 Marcliena followed Castaneda's gaze, and his face 
 grew deathly pale. Yes, there, surrounded by 
 ravens, stood seven gallows, and upon them hung 
 
WITir COLUMBUS IN AMEKI(^\. 2^3 
 
 the corpses oi* seven Spiiiiiiircls! He bowed liis 
 head and walked on in silence. 
 
 "So it has come to this!" he thought to him- 
 self. "The admiral has ordered executions." 
 Marchena was a Spaniard himself; he knew the 
 hot blood of his country-people. That must enrage 
 them. The admiral was inlaying into Roldan's 
 hands. 
 
 Then Ara came up to him and asked him: 
 "What is the meaning of these Spanish corj^ses^ 
 Is this the way the Christians buiy their dead? " 
 
 The words cut him to the heart ; he walked on 
 in silence. 
 
 They had reached the city, but whither should 
 they turn? Marchena asked at the first door, 
 Avhere he could hnd shelter for himself and the 
 sick man in his care. 
 
 " Go to the inn near the harbor," was the an- 
 swer. " You come from the new mines — you will 
 be warmly received — there is much to be had there : 
 Spanish meat, Sj^anish bread, and Sj^anish Avine. 
 You can live splendidly. Gold can be of no value 
 to you now." 
 
 Gold! gold! Yes, in the first city of the New 
 World the same state existed on a small scale as 
 in the old cities of Europe. Those were welcomed 
 who came with full purses. But the wanderers 
 
256 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 but the half in which we are now forms the point 
 of the pear. This aj)ex lies south of the Gulf of 
 Paria, and from thence come enormous masses of 
 water in gigantic rivers, so that in the entire bay 
 the water has a sweet taste. Without doubt the 
 greatest river of the world is also there to be 
 found, and it comes from that jpear-shaped apex, 
 and upon it lies Paradise." 
 
 Marchena listened to these tales, but he was now 
 very little inclined to enthusiasm ; and the host, 
 too, laughed coarsely, and said: "Before the gates 
 of Paradise the angel with the Haming sword 
 probably still stands. It is all the same whether 
 we live in S2)ain or Hispaniola: we must torment 
 ourselves and slave everywhere. It is the same 
 everywhere." 
 
 It was a long time before the admiral returned 
 from his journey, and the governor also remained 
 absent. Marchena's money meanwliile dwindled 
 rajjidly, and he was worried as to what he should 
 do. He would soon be forced to borrow from the 
 landlord, for here in the city the hospitality com- 
 mon in Yega-real was unknown. 
 
 The host did not look x^leased when this x^ropo- 
 sition was made him. " Hm ! said he, '' I thought 
 you had been more industrious in the mines. 
 But wait. I can get you helx). I kiiow a Spaniard 
 
wrni COLUMBUS in America. 257 
 
 who will buy the slave, Am. 1 will bring him 
 here to-morrow." 
 
 Marchena refused this offer in horror. He told 
 the host of Ara's fidelity, of the assistance she had 
 rendered in rescuing Castaneda; but all this did 
 not touch the hard-hearted man. 
 
 '' To-morrow your week is up," said he. " If you 
 can no longer j)ay, you must leave my house. My 
 inn is no hospital." 
 
 With a heavy heart Marchena was forced to tell 
 the sick man the whole truth. Castaneda received 
 the news calmly. 
 
 '' Outside of the city," said he, " stand empty In- 
 dian huts in which dwell the beggars of San 
 Domingo. I will go there and wait until a ship 
 sails for Spain. I am in the king's service, and 
 they must give me free transportation. But you 
 remain here with the rest of your money." 
 
 '' No," replied Marchena. " I Avill not leave you, 
 and will go outside the city gates with you. The 
 admiral must surely return soon." 
 
 The next day, the 23d of August, had arrived, 
 and, leaning upon Marchena, Castaneda left the 
 inn. Ara followed them. 
 
 They found shelter in a frail hut. A couple of 
 
 impoverished Spaniards and a number of Indians 
 
 were their neighbors. 
 17 
 
256 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 but the half in which we are now forms the point 
 of tlie pear. Tliis ax)ex lies south of the Gulf of 
 Paria, and from thence come enormous masses of 
 water in gigantic rivers, so that in the entire bay 
 the water has a sweet taste. Without doubt the 
 greatest river of the world is also there to be 
 found, and it comes from that pear-shaped aj^ex, 
 and upon it lies Paradise." 
 
 Marchena listened to these tales, but he was now 
 very little inclined to enthusiasm ; and the host, 
 too, laughed coarsely, and said : " Before the gates 
 of Paradise the angel with the liaming sword 
 probably still stands. It is all the same whether 
 we live in Spain or Hispaniola: we must torment 
 ourselves and slave everywhere. It is the same 
 everywhere." 
 
 It was a long time before the admiral returned 
 from his journey, and the governor also remained 
 absent. Marchena's money meanwhile dwindled 
 rapidly, and he was worried as to what he should 
 do. He would soon be forced to borrow from the 
 landlord, for here in the city the hospitality com- 
 mon in Vega-real was unknown. 
 
 The host did not look pleased when this jn'opo- 
 sition was made him. '' Hm ! said he, '' I thought 
 you had been more industrious in the mines. 
 But wait. I can get you helj). I know a S]3aniard 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 257 
 
 wlio will buy the slave, Am. I will bring him 
 here to-morrow." 
 
 Marchena refused this oiler in horror. He told 
 the host of Ara's fidelity, of the assistance she had 
 rendered in rescuing Castaneda; but all tliis did 
 not touch the hard-hearted man. 
 
 " To-morrow your week is up,'' said he. " If you 
 can no longer pay, you must leave my house. My 
 inn is no hospital." 
 
 AVith a heavy heart Marchena was forced to tell 
 the sick man the whole truth. Castaneda received 
 the news calmly. 
 
 '' Outside of the city," said he, " stand empty In- 
 dian huts in Avhicli dwell the beggars of San 
 Domingo. I will go there and wait until a ship 
 sails for Spain. I am in the king's service, and 
 they must give me free transx)ortation. But you 
 remain here with the rest of your money." 
 
 " No," replied Marchena. " I will not leave you, 
 and will go outside the city gates with you. The 
 admiral must surely return soon." 
 
 The next day, the 23d of August, had arrived, 
 and, leaning upon Marchena, Castaneda left the 
 inn. Ara followed them. 
 
 They found shelter in a frail hut. A couple of 
 
 impoverished Spaniards and a number of Indians 
 
 were their neighbors. 
 17 
 
258 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEEICA. 
 
 " I fancied this would be the end of our Indian 
 voyage!" said Castaneda. "Would that we had 
 remained in Spain! But listen, Marchena; this 
 must go on no longer. I anl a burden upon you. 
 You must do for me no longer. Go back to the 
 Gold Valley with Ara. There you will be cor- 
 dially received! " 
 
 " Never ! " replied Marchena. " I hate this life 
 in Hispaniola, and I too long for home. But one 
 thing troubles me — Ara's fate. What will become 
 of her if we leave her here alone ? And if we take 
 her with us she will i^ine in Spain like a strange 
 plant." 
 
 " She has really sacrificed herself for me," said 
 Castaneda. "It is therefore my duty to care for 
 her." 
 
 Marchena made no answer, for out in the harbor 
 a cannon w^as discharged. A strange excitement 
 filled the miserable huts. "A fleet from Spain ! " 
 passed from mouth to mouth. 
 
 In fact two ships lay at anchor, but none of the 
 passengers made any attempt to land, for it Avas 
 already late in the evening. Some of the men 
 from the neighboring huts went to the city, and 
 late in the night brought back news that an officer 
 of the king, a judge, had arrived. 
 
 " Oh, the Crown has listened to our complaints," 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 259 
 
 ci'iecl the dissatistied and sorely tried men. '' We 
 shall be protected from the avarice of the Genoese." 
 
 Early in the morning of the next day, Marcliena 
 went to the beach, npon which a crowd of curions 
 people had assembled. 
 
 The king's jndge, Francisco de Bobadilla, landed ; 
 he and his armed troop went lirst to the church 
 to hear mass. The inhabitants of the city were 
 full of excitement, for there was something un- 
 usual in Bobadilla's manner. What orders did he 
 bring with him ? Did he confirm the government 
 of the Genoese, or was the king inclined to f uliil 
 the wishes and petitions of the opx)osite party? 
 
 The mass was at an end, and the Sx)aniards stood 
 before the church. Bobadilla came out of the 
 building; his soldiers surrounded him in a semi- 
 circle; a notary came forward, unrolled a parch- 
 ment, and read the king's mandate. 
 
 Columbus had no more power on the island. 
 The king comiinanded that Columbus should sur- 
 render the highest military jiower to Bobadilla, 
 and that Bobadilla from that time should exer- 
 cise civil authority on the island. Bobadilla had 
 the right to banish any one, without exception, 
 forcibly from the island, should he prove danger- 
 ous to the welfare of the colony. 
 
 The Sj)aiiiards and the enemies of the Genoese 
 
260 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 heard it with astonishment, and niurmnred approv- 
 ingly, while their friends stood by in alarm. 
 
 Bnt now other mandates of the king were read 
 aloud. 
 
 All who were in the king's service were to re- 
 ceive the back pay due them at once. 
 
 " Long live the king ! " ran from mouth to mouth. 
 The soldiers and officers from this morfient were 
 on Bobadilla's side. But the plain citizens, the 
 Spanish j^eo^^le of Hispaniola, did not yet know 
 what to say to this change of rule. 
 
 Then yet another mandate was read to them. 
 From this day the gold mines were no longer to be 
 a family monopoly of the viceroy ; every one could 
 work for himself, and a single tax was imposed — 
 the eleventh part of the winnings was to be sur- 
 rendered to the Crown. 
 
 The joy of the populace now knew no end. 
 
 Bobadilla advanced upon the fortress. The 
 commander surrendered without the slightest re- 
 sistance ; then Bobadilla went to Columbus' house, 
 of which he took possession, and whose papers he 
 sealed. It was seen that he had come to oppose 
 the viceroy. But if here and there sympathy 
 Avas felt for Columbus, it was suppressed, and all 
 hearts went out to the new governor when he 
 gave orders that the corpses of the seven Spaniards 
 
WITH COLT MBUR IN AMEKIOA. 2G1 
 
 were to be taken down I'roni the gallows and 
 buried with Christian honors, as the dead were 
 Spaniards. 
 
 Marchena did not share in the universal satis- 
 faction; he remained faithful to Columbus, for he 
 knew that the colonists were themselves respon- 
 sible for the greater part of the unfortunate con- 
 dition of affairs in the colony. Bobadilla's whole 
 procedure seemed to him an act of the roughest 
 force, and in his eyes the Crown of Castile Avas 
 guilty of the blackest ingratitude. 
 
 He returned to the miserable huts, and told 
 Castaneda of these important, unheard-of events. 
 Castaneda was not troubled by them. 
 
 " Well," said he, " I will get my pay to-morrow, 
 and will no longer be a burden upon you. It was 
 bound to come. The Crown has at length per- 
 ceived how matters are." 
 
 But Marchena thought differently. This time 
 he was carried away by his passion. He buckled 
 on his sword and went out. Castaneda shook his 
 head. " Surely in his zeal for Columbus he \vill 
 not go too far and rebel against the king," he 
 thought. 
 
 Marchena really thought of this. He was firmly 
 convinced that Columbus would not submit calmly 
 to such disgraceful treatment, and that he would 
 
262 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 defend, sword in hand, his rights in the lands dis- 
 covered by him, and bestowed uj^on him by Spain. 
 
 He therefore went to meet him, to join his band, 
 to fight for him, to die for him. 
 
 A long, long march w^as before him. He had 
 walked for honrs in the savanna, when he heard 
 in the distance the sound of horses' hoofs. Rol- 
 dan rode with his followers to San Domingo; 
 mounted messengers had brought him news of 
 Bobadilla's arrival, and of ilie victory of the 
 anti-Columbus party. The trooji of riders Avere 
 happy and of good courage, and Marchena avoided 
 them. 
 
 He walked on through the savanna, and quick- 
 ened his j)ace. Perhaps a trap Avould be set for 
 the admiral to get him into Bobadilla's power by 
 trickery, but he should be warned. 
 
 After an hour he again heard hoof -beats behind 
 him. Was any one following him? Had his ab- 
 sence been observed in San Domingo, and his 
 intentions guessed? He left the path and tried to 
 conceal himself in the tall grass. 
 
 But he had been seen, and soon after a rider 
 paused in front of him. Marchena looked up. 
 It was none other than Alonso Ojeda. 
 
 Ojeda also recognized his old friend. "Hey, 
 Marchena ! " he cried ; " is it really you, and are 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEPwICA. 263 
 
 you trying to hide from us in the grass like a 
 hare ? Oh, you are weary, my Mend, " he added 
 smilingly. "Well, your efforts were in vain. 
 We will reach Columbus before you. Do not look 
 so unhappy. I will not carry him away from his 
 faithful peox)le, as I once did Caonabo. I will 
 merely invite him to appear in San Domingo, and 
 justify himself concerning the cruelties j^ractised 
 upon Spaniards. Do you know that Queen Isa- 
 bella does not wish this crazy government to con- 
 tinue here? While I was at court in Sevilla a 
 fleet arrived from the New AVorld. Every one was 
 anxious to see what treasures of gold and spices 
 would be exhibited, but what had Columbus sent? 
 A number of slaves for the Andalusian markets. 
 You should have seen the flush of anger which 
 colored our gracious queen's face. There are no 
 more slave markets in Spain. The Moorish do- 
 minion is at an end. And a new era is to dawn 
 here. But we have no time now ; we will see each 
 other in San Domingo." 
 
 The riders trotted off, and Marchena stood still 
 overwhelmed with dismay. A summons! But 
 was not Columbus viceroy? Was he, the dis- 
 coverer of the New World, a common criminal, 
 that he was treated thus? Ah, he was but a 
 Genoese among Spaniards; that was his greatest 
 
2CA WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 crime ; and therefore lie was condemned before he 
 was lieard. 
 
 But what was that? Behmd the hill near by, 
 upon the summit of which the riders just then 
 ax^peared, Avas heard the fanfare of trumpets. 
 Columbus Avas api3roaching with his troops. Mar- 
 chena rushed in this direction, for the decisive 
 hour was at hand, and he wished to witness the 
 meeting. 
 
 Ojeda stood on the crest of the hill and Avaited 
 until the admiral's band, returning unsusi^iciously 
 to San Domingo, approached him. Then he un- 
 folded a small standard and his companions blew 
 the usual signal. 
 
 One of Columbus' men rode forward in aston- 
 ishment and asked the riders who they Avere. 
 
 " We bring a message from the king. Tell the 
 admiral that I aa^sIi to speak to him." 
 
 A few minutes after, Ojeda stood beside the . 
 admiral and gave him a summons from Bobadilla 
 and a copy of the king's mandate and letter of 
 authority. 
 
 Silence prevailed Avhile the admiral read the 
 paper. Yes, he Avas but the admiral of the ocean 
 which he had crossed ; in no portion of the letter 
 AA^as he referred to as viceroy. Marchena\s eyes 
 Avere fixed upon the great man's face. His fea- 
 
WITH ("OLU.MBITS IN AMEKICA. 205 
 
 tnres betokened deep, deej) pain, but then he con- 
 trolled himself and said calmly, ." I submit to the 
 will of my monarch, and follow you, Ojeda." 
 Then he turned to his followers, and while he 
 handed the paper to one of his officers he said: 
 " Read that— it is not meant for me alone. The 
 whole world must learn how Christox)her Colum- 
 bus is treated in Hisi^aniola. Read it, and give 
 the papers to my brother, the governor." Then 
 he turned again to Ojeda and said, " I am read}^," 
 and rode in the direction of San Domingo. 
 
 The admiral's soldiers stood there as if struck 
 by lightning. What did these papers contain? 
 The officers read them, the soldiers learned the 
 contents in fragments, until at length they assem- 
 bled and the letters were read aloud to them. 
 
 " To San Domingo ! '' cried one. 
 
 " The gold mines are free! " 
 
 "Let us get our pay before the money boxes 
 are empty ! " 
 
 " Long live the king of Castile and Leon ! " 
 thundered through the savanna. 
 
 Marchena scarcely believed his ears and eyes. 
 Were these Columbus' faithful followers? 
 
 The troop set in motion again. 
 
 "Halt!" cried one of the officers. "Who will 
 carry these papers to the governor? " 
 
266 WITH COLUMBUS IK AMERICA. 
 
 " He is no longer the governor! " answered one 
 of the soldiers. 
 
 '' I must go to San Domingo! " another excused 
 himself. 
 
 No one volunteered for this errand, and Mar- 
 chena cried angrily: "Give the letters here! I 
 will take them to the governor." 
 
 " Oh — he has come with the king's messengers, 
 give him the letters," cried several voices, and the 
 officer hastened to place the documents in Mar- 
 chena's hand. 
 
 The governor did not submit as readily as his 
 brother to the king's commands. He did not find 
 the pax^ers in order; there w^as no expressed de- 
 grading of Columbus from the dignity of viceroy ; 
 and if Columbus was viceroy, he was the highest 
 official on the island, and higher in authority than 
 Bobadilla. 
 
 " Had I but been with him ! " cried the governor, 
 setting his teeth; and* in a fiery address to his 
 soldiers he strengthened their fidelity to him and 
 his brother by calling their attention to the per- 
 secution and neglect which tbey could expect 
 from the new rule, as they had remained faithful 
 to the old, regular one. He resolved to march to 
 Isabella and overpower the old settlement. 
 
 Meanwhile Bobadilla's adherents in San Do- 
 
WITH OOLTJMBirs IN AMERICA. 267 
 
 mingo liad also sent their messages, not to the gov- 
 ernor, but to his soldiers. They came as if on 
 their own account to their friends and comrades, 
 and told them of the x^romising new order of 
 tilings, of the freedom of the mines ; they rattled 
 the money in their pockets, and loudly praised 
 the king of Castile who had paid them the back 
 pay due them, through the noble Francisco de 
 Eobadilla. The tempters were quite fortunate in 
 their efforts. The band of faithful adherents to 
 the brave governor grew less and less; the rest of 
 the soldiers were discouraged, so that Bartholo- 
 mew could no longer think of carrying out his 
 plan against Isabella. 
 
 The remnant of opposition to the new governor 
 was at length vanquished by a letter from Colum- 
 bus. In this he summoned his brother to submit 
 to the king's command and come to San Domingo. 
 " AVhat is Columbus doing now? " one of the sol- 
 diers asked the messenger. 
 
 " Oh, he is in safe keeping," was the answer. 
 
 " What! Has he been imprisoned? " 
 
 " Yes, and put in chains." 
 
 A murmur of astonishment passed through the 
 crowd. 
 
 Then the governor gave orders to march, and 
 gloomily they proceeded to San Domingo. 
 
268 
 
 WITH COLUMBUS IN A.MERICA. 
 
 Marcliena was most deeply affected of all. He 
 remembered the hour when he saw Columbus for 
 the first time, when the bells were ringing in Palos 
 for his reception, and a procession Avent out to 
 meet him. He thought of how the admiral, ad- 
 mired by all, went to the court at Barcelona; and 
 now — oh, what irony of fate! what human ingrati- 
 tude ! he who had given a New World to Castile 
 and Leon Avas imprisoned and in chains. 
 
LET S?A1N SEE THE IG.N'OMY THAT IS PLACED UPON ME. 
 
XVIII. 
 
 It had happened — the governor, too, had been 
 taken x)risoner; the other brother, Diego, had met 
 with the same fate before this. 
 
 Great rejoicing reigned among the x)opulace in 
 San Domingo. Prisoners had been sent from 
 Spain, and Bobadilla admonished the people that 
 they shonld engage in useful occuiDations. But 
 his admonitions were unheeded. What was more 
 useful than digging gold in the mines, wdien, in- 
 stead of the third, they need surrender but the 
 eleventh part? A stream of peoi:)le set out for the 
 mining districts ; even the farmers of the neigh- 
 borhood left their settlements to wander to the 
 gold mines. They offered their houses and fields 
 upon the streets at absurdly low prices, if only 
 they could find purchasers. 
 
 The door of the prison closed behind the gov- 
 ernor, and Marchena left the city to seek the 
 huts outside. He found there Ara and Castaneda. 
 The latter was no longer as sad as formerly. 
 
270 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEllICA. 
 
 " Marcliena, you look x)ale and exhausted," said 
 lie. " You liave been with the governor. Come, 
 strengthen yourself ; I have received my i3ay, and 
 can entertain you with Spanish wine and Spanish 
 bread!" 
 
 He led him to the miserable hut where these 
 treasures lay spread out upon the ground. 
 
 "Do not torment yourself!" Castaneda con- 
 soled the x)reserver of his life. " No harm will be 
 done Columbus here. He will be sent back to 
 Spain, and the king will judge him more mildly. 
 You can accompany him," he added after a while. 
 "You can accompany him ; no one will prevent, 
 you. I have spoken to Ojeda. I have taken one 
 load off your mind. You see, Ara is the preserver 
 of my life. I owe her great thanks, and therefore 
 I bought for an absurd price a farm near San 
 Domingo — only a quarter of an hour's walk from 
 here; I will remain here as a settler, and Ara can 
 remain with me. I have told her that you will 
 come back again later, and she is willing to stay 
 with me until then." 
 
 Marcliena drew a breath of relief and pressed 
 Castaneda's hand. 
 
 On the same day the three removed to the sim- 
 ple house, Avliose owner had already gone to the 
 mines. 
 
WITH COLUMJJUS IN AMERICA. 271 
 
 The Indian laborers surveyed tlieir new master 
 questioningly. 
 
 " Oh, I understand those looks," said Castaneda 
 to Marchena ; " but they need not fear nie ; the old 
 Castaneda died in the wild, rocky ravine of the 
 Gold Valley, and as long as I remain in Hispaniola 
 I shall have but one ideal to which I shall aspire. 
 You are this ideal, Marchena; I hope that, with 
 God's help, the new Castaneda Avill succeed in 
 winning the love of the savages." 
 
 These words expressed a deep earnestness and a 
 hrm, manly resolve ; and greatly moved, Marchena 
 fell ux)on the neck of the former canaima^ and 
 tears checked the words A\'hich he had on his lii)s. 
 
 Castaneda was right; no further harm was done 
 Columbus in San Domingo. He had been i^ut 
 in chains, and robbed of all his estates, even of 
 his papers. They ke^^t him prisoner, and — well, 
 they dealt graciously with him, for they S2)ared 
 his and his brother's lives. 
 
 The day of departure had come. 
 
 The hidalgo Alonso de Yillejo appeared before 
 the admiral, with his guard. Columbus had been 
 so broken down by the disgrace heaped upon him 
 that he even trembled for his life. At this mo- 
 ment he believed that his last hour had come. 
 
272 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 " Villejo, where are you taking me ? " lie asked 
 with a trembling voice. 
 
 " On board shi^), to set sail ! " replied the Jiidalgo. 
 
 The admiral gazed incredulously at the guard. 
 
 "To set sail?" he asked again. "Villejo, are 
 you speaking the truth? " 
 
 So, loaded with chains, he walked through the 
 streets of San Domingo, anxious for his life. The 
 people who had assembled to watch the depar- 
 ture of the prisoner stood there silently. Even 
 Columbus' most bitter enemies could not express 
 aloud their disgraceful joy at this moment. The 
 great discoverer's misery was so great that even 
 those who hated him were touched at the sight. 
 
 So the great admiral of the ocean once more 
 stood upon the deck of a Spanish ship, but not 'as 
 commander, as was by rights his 2:)osition, but as 
 a state prisoner, with chains on his hands and 
 feet. 
 
 The sailors who had grown gray in service were 
 shocked at this sight; their hearts w^ere not so 
 hard as those of the officials on land. 
 
 The captain of the ship, Andreas Martin, ap- 
 proached the prisoner with respect, when they 
 had weighed anchor, and wished to remove Co- 
 lumbus' chains, and Marchena's heart beat happily 
 as he stood near by. But Columbus refused this 
 
WriJI COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 273 
 
 favor. " Si)aniards shall see the disgrace which 
 is my reward for my services," said he, bitterly. 
 
 Marchena turned away, his eyes filled with 
 tears. Once he had admired the discoverer as a 
 hero ; now he aiix)e^ii'ed to him higher and better 
 than a martyr. 
 
 The nearer they came to Spain, the more the 
 hostility which the Spaniards felt toward the 
 Genoese dwindled, and the captain, Andreas 
 Martin, iDermitted Columbus, Avhile on board, to 
 send a letter to the i^rince's nurse, who was very 
 influential at court; thus it happened that the 
 king and queen learned the state of affairs from 
 Columbus' pen before Bobadilla's hostile letter 
 arrived. Columbus in chains! Such treatment 
 seemed unworthy of the Crown. At the king's 
 command, Columbus was immediately released 
 from his chains, and trealed Avith the honor 
 due him. The king also sent him two thou- 
 sand ducats, so that he might appear at court 
 in a manner befitting his rank. When, on the 
 17tli of December, he knelt before their Majesties, 
 he could not speak for emotion. He was over- 
 whelmed with distinctions, but his star had set, 
 never to rise again. He still bore the title of 
 viceroy, but he did not govern his land. The 
 kins: himself was convinced that the great dis- 
 
274 
 
 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 coverer had no talent for ruling, and in order to 
 secure a better future for his colonies he a^^pointed 
 Spanish governors from that time. 
 
 The Ligurian never governed in Hispaniola 
 again. 
 
XIX. 
 
 Upon tlie veranda of a house near Palos sat a 
 black-liaired man, and gazed out uj^on the broad 
 sea. The owner of this estate Avas Jacob de Mar- 
 ch ena, the model landed proprietor of the neigh- 
 borhood, and since two years the happy husband 
 of Mercedes Hernandez. His Indian experiences 
 were of no value to h im on his estate, but he often 
 thought of his former experiences, and even to- 
 day, Avhen the year 1504 was drawing to a close, 
 his thoughts wandered to the savannas and moun- 
 tains of Hispaniola. 
 
 What were his old acquaintances, Ara and Cas- 
 taneda, doing now? He had never heard from 
 them; Castaneda was no letter- writer. Marche- 
 na's thoughts were also occupied with another 
 man. Columbus had gone on his fourth voyage 
 three years before. 
 
 There had been great events in these years. 
 The Portuguese had reached the true India in the 
 year 1499, and the glory of Columbus' discoveries 
 
276 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 began to wane. Gold came in but small quanti- 
 ties from the colonies, the spices which they 
 sought were not to be found, while the ships of 
 the Portuguese returned with large and valuable 
 cargoes. Columbus was now on the way to reach 
 the Portuguese India by a narrow channel which 
 in his opinion lay between Cuba and Paria. Had 
 he succeeded? In Spain, doubts were expressed 
 as to the further results of the bold discoverer. 
 
 While "^larchena meditated upon the events of 
 the last year, the watch-dog began to bark, and 
 the master perceived a man in sailor costume at 
 the garden gate. The stranger greeted him, and 
 stretched out his arms to Marchena. The latter 
 sprang uj), hurried to the gate, and clasped the 
 man in his arms. " Castaneda, is it really you? " 
 he cried. 
 
 Yes, it was Castaneda, weather-beaten and aged; 
 a gray beard framed his face, and gray hair hung 
 over his temples. Dee]3 wrinkles were furrowed 
 in his face and his brow. How blooming in com- 
 parison to his guest did. the happy Marchena 
 look! 
 
 But Castaneda did not come bowed down with 
 care; his eyes sparkled calmly and happily, and his 
 lips smiled. This man had avou peace, and he 
 was surely satisfied with the result of his life all 
 
WITH COLUMBr?^ IX AMERICA. '277 
 
 these years, nltliougli there Avas no gold in his 
 pockets. AVitli what joy this traveller was led 
 into the beautiful house! How hosjDitably he was 
 received, and how he Avas overAvhelmed Avith 
 q iiestions ! He must have had a hundred tongues 
 to have answered them all. 
 
 " Wait, Avait,'' he said to his friend; " I Avill tell 
 you all in order, for I know Avliat you ai'e anxious 
 to learn, and you can listen to my accounts quietly, 
 for I have only good neAvs for you. You Avill not 
 be saddened. But AA^here shtill I begin?" 
 
 " Is Ara still alive? " asked Marchena. 
 
 "Oh, she is alive and happy! Yes, Ave Avill be- 
 gin Avith her, the preserver of my life. 
 
 " When you left us, many hoped that a iieAv era 
 had dawned for Hispaniola under Francisco de 
 Bobadilla ; indeed, it Avas a neAv era. The confu- 
 sion grcAv greater and greater. The Indians Avere 
 more and more oppressed, murders and fights Avere 
 frequent in the gold mines, and Bobadilla could 
 scarcely keep the hostile parties in check in the 
 city. During all this time I lived calmly in my 
 Jiacienda,, and devoted myself to the education 
 of my great colored children. Ara Avas of as much 
 help to me as though she had been a Spaniard. 
 
 " Then the neAv governor, Don Niedas de Ovanda, 
 arrived. The oppressed ones fared better under 
 
278 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 him. The Indians were at least granted their 
 rights as men, and the Franciscans went to work 
 energetically to convert the savages. Near San 
 Domingo the hrst Christian Indian village w^as 
 built. There our colored brethren lived calmly, 
 unmolested by the Spaniards. This village was 
 of great assistance to me. My peoj^le married 
 among and associated with the Christians, and one 
 day Ara knelt before me with a young Indian, 
 just as once she had knelt Avitli Henry before you 
 in the moonlight, and I must give them my bless- 
 ing. Father Hernandez married the couple; they 
 went to live among the Christians, and my house 
 was empty. What more had I to do? the object 
 of my stay was accomplished. I had seen the 
 preserver of my life i^rovided for. 
 
 " Then a longing for my old home came over me, 
 and I often went to the harbor to inquire when a 
 vessel was to depart for Si:>ain. The excellent op- 
 portunity i)resented itself: an entire tieet — more, 
 than twent}^ ships — Avas to sail back to Spain; I 
 need wait but a week. 
 
 ''Then another fleet arrived in the port, four 
 not especially stately vessels — and to wdiom did 
 they belong? Columbus. The news that the vice- 
 king had returned spread like magic through the 
 city. Coltimbus ]3repared to land, but Ovanda 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 279 
 
 was anxious for the peace of the colony, and for- 
 bade him to approach. Columbus must therefore 
 prepare to sail on. 
 
 " You know that formerly I was an enemy of 
 the Ligurian, but now this inhospitable recep- 
 tion made me furious. Oh yes, one's judgment 
 changes with time, and I do not know how it 
 happened, but when I heard that Columbus was 
 looking for several more sailors, I presented 
 myself. I was the only one from the whole 
 colony. 
 
 "Well, I had made no poor choice; on the 
 king's fleet there had been no such select society. 
 Ovanda sent back to Sjiain by it Messrs. Roldan 
 and Bobadilla. 
 
 '' The admiral was commanded to leave the har- 
 bor as soon as possible. He obeyed — he had to 
 obey, but see how noble he was ! Columbus un- 
 derstands astronomy. He found that Jupiter and 
 the moon were in opposition, and the sun and 
 Mercury in conjunction. From this he prophe- 
 sied a storm, and he sent warning to Ovanda to 
 delay the sailing of the fleet upon which his ene- 
 mies Roldan and Bobadilla were. Ovanda j^aid 
 no attention to the warning. He let the fleet sail, 
 and, lo and behold! at the same time a fearful hur- 
 ricane arose, the twenty ships were wrecked, and 
 
280 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 Roldan and Bobadilla never were seen again. 
 That Avas a judgment of God, Marcliena. 
 
 " But we were under tlie XDrotection of the Al- 
 mighty. The admiral kept near the coast with 
 his ships, and, although the storm raged fearfully, 
 we did not lose a vessel, and not a single man. 
 But our feelings were very painful. Imagine 
 Columbus, forced to leave the safe harbor, and 
 exi3ose his shij)s to the wild storms of the ocean — 
 he, Columbus, who had given this island, this 
 harbor, this New World, to Spain. 
 
 " This New World, I said, and I do not exag- 
 gerate. Oh, what boundless tracts of land have 
 we visited on this voyage, this fourth voyage of 
 Columbus ! 
 
 " We sailed ever toward the west, to find the 
 strait, and finally we came to a large, new 
 island, Guanaja. A magnificent pine forest 
 shaded it, so that we named it Isla de Pinos. 
 Here we met traders who had come from the 
 north. But these were no savages like the Caribs 
 or the Indians of Hisx3aniola. They had shields 
 of brass, finely fashioned knives of bright, opaque 
 stone, beautifully carved, wooden and marble 
 tools, and vari-colored cotton coverlets. We 
 asked where they came from, and to this day I 
 regret that the admiral was unwilling topsail there, 
 
AVITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 281 
 
 for in the land of tlie Maya'^^" we would surely 
 have found a great kingdom. But the admiral 
 wished to reach the gulf of Bengal, and so we 
 steered toNvard the south to seek the strait. 
 
 - Such storms as burst upon us there, none of us 
 had ever experienced before. We were ill, weary, 
 and oppressed; the admiral, too, lay ill in a cabin, 
 and from there directed the course of the vessel. ^ 
 '^ But once did I heau him complain. ' For years,' 
 he cried, ' have I served Spain, and yip to this 
 time I have won nothing. I have not even a roof 
 to shelter my head in Castile, but must live in 
 taverns, without knowing how I shall pay my 
 bills! ' Yes, yes, the admiral has been ill repaid 
 for the hardships which he has endured. He who 
 has taken part in these voyages of discovery can 
 alone appreciate him justly ! " 
 
 He was silent awhile, then he continued: 
 '' We found lands rich in gold, far richer than 
 Hispaniola. Richest of all is Yeragua, a land 
 which must lie upon a peninsula, for we learned 
 that a few days' journey inland brings one to 
 another coast, to another sea. It must be a penin- 
 sula such as Spain or Italy, and what can it be 
 but the golden Chersones? " 
 
 Thus Castaneda gave Columbus' opinion of the 
 * The present Yucatan. 
 
282 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 form of Central America, which in this voyage he 
 had discovered ; then he continued his account : 
 
 "We also heard of a mighty people who wear 
 armor like ours, and possess great ships. We 
 wished to found a settlement in Veragua, but the 
 Indians were too hostile. Many of our men had 
 fallen in conflict wdtli them, and even the ad- 
 miral's brother had been in great danger of his 
 life. He had intrenched himself upon the shore, 
 and as there was a furious storm raging we could 
 send him no assistance from the ship. The ad- 
 miral w^as ill, himself; he was suffering with fever, 
 and wrung his hands in desperation. Then as he 
 broke down helplessly ui^on his bed, a mild voice 
 said to him consolingly: 'Why do you waver in 
 your belief in God? What more did he for Moses 
 or for his servants of old than he has done for 
 you? Since your birth he has taken the greatest 
 care of you. W^hen you became of the age fixed 
 by him, he let your name echo all over the Avorld. 
 He gave you India, the richest quarter of the 
 globe; you divided' it as you wished. You re- 
 ceived from him the keys of the ocean, which 
 formerly had been bound with thick chains. 
 Your authority w^as obeyed in unbounded coun- 
 tries, and you have Avon immortal fame among the 
 Christians. What more did he for the people of 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEP.ICA. 283 
 
 Israel wlien lie led them out of Egyi^t, and for 
 David, Avlioiu he raised from the estate of a shep- 
 herd to the throne of Judea? Return to your 
 God, acknowledge at last your error; his compas- 
 sion is unbounded. Your age will not prevent 
 you from accomx)lishing great deeds. He holds 
 in his hand the most splendid inheritances. 
 Speak; who has humbled you so often and so 
 deeply— God or the world? God always keeps 
 his promises. Fear nothing. Take courage.' 
 
 " He told us this, and we took courage. We at 
 last succeeded in rescuing Sehor Bartholomew. 
 But how our ships had been damaged by the 
 storm! how worm-eaten, leaky, and rotten they 
 were! We could not think of sailing farther 
 toward the new sea. We must return and strive 
 to reach the Antilles. 
 
 " And now hear of Columbus' last return voy- 
 age, the most desperate of all sea voyages. Two 
 ships we were forced to abandon, so greatly were 
 they injured, and so with the two others we set 
 sail for the island of Jamaica. But the wind 
 drove us too far to the Avest, and so we came 
 among that group of islands which on his first 
 voyage, Columbus had called the Islands of the 
 Queen, as they presented such a beautiful ap- 
 pearance under the l^lue sky. But this time no 
 
284 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 favorable star shone above iis ; the heavens were 
 gloomy and covered with clouds ; for six days the 
 wind howled and the sea w^as rough ; then a storm 
 burst loose as though the end of the world had 
 come. The anclior chains broke, and we finally 
 had upon the admiral's ship but a single anchor, 
 next to God our sole safeguard. At length the 
 sea grew calmer. We could unfurl our sails, and 
 steered toward Hispaniola. In our present con- 
 dition they would surely receive us, for Ave were 
 as good as shipwrecked. Our shi]3s were like 
 honeycomb— everywhere w^ater i^enetrated. The 
 men w^ere desperate, lio]3eless ; we daily and hourly 
 faced death. Of what avail were all our elforts? 
 AVith the weather-beaten ships we could not fight 
 the sea, so must let ourselves drift, and Avind and 
 currents drifted us to Jamaica. 
 
 " The water grew deeper and deej)er in the hold, 
 the pumps Avere Avorked incessantly, but the 
 Avater ascended. Then all used pots and kettles 
 to bail out the w^ater, but the ships sank deeper 
 and deeper. Ah, how happy Ave Avere Avhen we at 
 last espied a harbor; Ave called it Santa Gloria, and 
 the admiral ordered the tAvo ships ashore here at 
 a favorable place. 
 
 " So there we Avere fast aground ; only the bow 
 reached out of water ; here we established ourselves 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 285 
 
 comfortably^ built huts, and thus liad two water 
 fortresses in which we could defy hostile In- 
 dians. 
 
 '' Do you remember with what joy we bought 
 the Indian potatoes in Isabella? Here also, on 
 the shore of Jamaica, we were dependent upon 
 the Indians, for our supplies were lost— lay in salt 
 water. So we were forced to seek out the savages 
 and beg food of them. I went on shore with a 
 party. I walked from village to village. I formed 
 alliances with the red chiefs; for trifles and orna- 
 ments I purchased a boat, and brought manioca 
 bread and hsh to the bay of Santa Gloria. 
 
 " Here we were to remain like prisoners for an 
 entire year. From whence could we hope for 
 rescue? Scarcely from the governor Ovando alone, 
 from our hostile colony of San Domingo. 
 
 " There were some courageous men who wished 
 to row there in the frail barks of the savages. 
 They did so! In mere nutshells they crossed the 
 ocean. For five days and five nights they rowed 
 continually. They were no common sailors; they 
 were heroes, led by the brave Mendez. 
 
 "They met Ovando in the region of Jaragua. 
 They begged, they implored. In vain! The gov- 
 ernor would bring no help. Oh, he was cautious; 
 he feared that Columbus had planned some 
 
286 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 strategy, so as to be allowed to set foot on the soil 
 of Hispaniola, and stir up revolt in the colony. 
 
 " At length he relented, and sent a ship to Ja- 
 maica to investigate our situation. Oh, he had 
 chosen an excellent investigator. He was that 
 Escobar whom you know, Roldan's bosom friend. 
 He saAv our condition. But he remained scarcely 
 a day, and sailed away after promising to send ii 
 larger ship, as he could not take all the ship- 
 wrecked people with him on his small one. 
 
 " We should all have starved had not the ad- 
 miral's wisdom saved us. The Indians grumbled: 
 why should they feed strangers? They simply 
 refused to supply us Avith any more provisions. 
 But Columbus knew that on the 29th of February, 
 1504, an eclipse of the moon Avould occur. Like 
 a priest of old, he went among the Indians and 
 threatened them with the anger of the God of the 
 heavens, who would turn his radiant face away 
 from them if they did not give to the white chil- 
 dren of the sun the tribute due them. And the 
 prophecy was fuliilled: the face of the moon was 
 darkened, and the Indians came and implored the 
 mighty magician for pardon. 
 
 " But worse than the Indians were the Sx)an- 
 iards themselves. Common need should draw 
 men together, should strengthen them in unity, 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 287 
 
 but there are scoundrels who, even in need, follow 
 their avaricious aims. Sacli scoundrels were the 
 brothers Francisco and Diego Porras. They in- 
 duced forty-eight men to leave the ships with 
 them, and began to oppress the Indians. In vain 
 were they warned that in peaceful intercourse with 
 the savages lay our only safety. They settled 
 upon the coast, doubtless with the intention of 
 overx)owering the rescuing ship when it should 
 arrive. 
 
 " There was nothing left for us but to subdue 
 the mutineers, and so we advanced against them 
 under the lead of the brave adelantado Bartholo- 
 mew Columbus. You are surprised, Marchena? 
 Yes, I was in the foremost rank, I the former 
 enemy of the Ligurian ; I would have shed my 
 blood for him. With Christopher Columbus I 
 had sailed, and ' For Christopher Columbus ! ' was 
 now my motto. It was on the 19th of May, 1504, 
 that Spaniards, fighting against Spaniards, shed 
 Spanish blood in the New World. We came off 
 victorious, and took Francisco Porras captive ; the 
 rest surrendered their arms and vowed fidelity 
 afresh. 
 
 " At length, at length, on the 28th of June we 
 discovered a white sail on the horizon. A ship 
 approached. Ovando had at length taken pity 
 
288 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 upon the shipwrecked men, we thought. But 
 no ! The colony which Christopher Columbus had 
 founded, the city which his brother Bartholomew 
 had built, did not send us help. It was a ship 
 which the faithful Diego Mendez, after long 
 months, had at length been able to j)urchase in 
 the colony, with the last money of the admiral. 
 
 " We now sailed to San Domingo, but we were 
 made to feel that our admiral had no authority 
 here. The governor Ovando ordered the chains 
 removed from the mutinous Porras, whom we 
 wished to bring chained before the bar of Spanish 
 justice. 
 
 "We remained in San Domingo for a month. 
 I looked up Ara; she lives contentedly in her vil- 
 lage, although the Christianity of these people has 
 become very Indian. They live unenlightened, 
 for better laborers have been found for the oceanic 
 India— negro slaves are now brought across the 
 sea. 
 
 " We left the New World which had showed 
 itself so ungrateful to us. Yesterday we arrived 
 in Cadiz. We bring news of vast tracts of land, 
 of rivers and mountains rich in gold; vague 
 accounts of mighty peoples, avIio vie with us in 
 culture. But how the times have changed ! Ships 
 come and go across the ocean uoav ; in twelve years 
 
^VTTir coLrMBus i:n" America. 289 
 
 the great novelty has become old. No one asks 
 for us ; we are coolly received, for we brought no 
 gold with us; our treasures rest at the bottom of 
 the sea, in the bay of Santa Gloria. And Colum- 
 bus landed, sick and miserable. No honors were 
 heaped upon him; he went out of the gates of the 
 city almost unknown, the j^oor shipwrecked man! 
 He intends to beg the king for the fulfilment of 
 his rights; for part of the gold belongs to him, in 
 accordance with the king's own letters; but he 
 goes there without much hope of success, for his 
 noble friend Queen Isabella lies very ill— her life 
 is feared for." 
 
 Castaneda was silent and looked at Marchena, 
 who sat there absorbed in thought, and wiped 
 tears from his eyes. He smiled sadly and added: 
 " You were an enthusiastic admirer of his, Mar- 
 chena, but you did not know him. You saw him 
 at the summit of his fortune, and in the time 
 when the halo of a martyr surrounded his head, 
 but you did not learn to know him in the hour of 
 danger. Between Columbus and the other great 
 men and navigators of our time, there is a great 
 difference. Yasco da Gama, who reached India 
 by circumnavigating Africa, is a true admiral and 
 commander; Ojeda, a brave stormer and inciter 
 to action ; Ovando a calm, wise statesman ; they 
 19 
 
290 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 all cleave to the earth, and reckon from day to 
 day. Columbus is not of this kind.' He gazes 
 into the future like a prophet; he comes upon 
 mighty rivers and thinks of Paradise, and remodels 
 the shape of the earth ; he finds rich lands, but 
 he does not tarry in them ; he would like to secure 
 them for himself, so that he may leave an inheri- 
 tance for his children, but the profits of these ter- 
 ritories acquired cannot occupy him entirely ; his 
 mind carries him away ; he has explored the ocean 
 and that does not satisfy him — he wishes to cir- 
 cumnavigate the globe ! AVhat no one else has ac- 
 complished before him he has accomplished; but he 
 wishes to surpass himself, and achieve yet greater 
 results. That is his misfortune; for the world, 
 bent only on profit, does not understand him. 
 
 " They say he is grasping, but he is at war with 
 himself. He wishes to be rich, to possess gold, 
 for this is the means for further exploring; but 
 although he has discovered gold mines he does 
 not stoop to them. He goes, he sails farther, to 
 explore the earth. And I believe he will not long 
 rest; he will again cross the ocean, until he has 
 sailed from east to west around the world. That 
 is, if he is fortunate at court," Castaneda added 
 slowly, " for he has returned poor— as poor as I 
 am!" 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 291 
 
 The two old comrades liad mucli to say to each 
 other of other old friends and of their experiences, 
 and time passed rajiidly. But when evening ap- 
 proached, Castaneda rose and said : 
 
 " I must go, Marchena— God brought me safely 
 to Spain, and I must fulfil the vow which I made 
 in the terrible Gold Valley. I must go up to the 
 cloister and ask Father Juan if he can receive 
 me." 
 
 " You, Castaneda ! You really wish to renounce 
 the world?" asked Marchena, in surprise. 
 
 '" What do you say?" replied Castaneda, smil- 
 ingly. " Renounce the world? No; renounce only 
 the joys and vain pleasures of this world, and 
 instead take uj) the burden of duty Avhicli brings 
 us true happiness. Marchena, I tell you the 
 New World, which Columbus discovered, conceals 
 more gold than Ave all think, and streams of blood 
 will flow for this gold. Knights and adventurers 
 will go there to fight for it, but we must seek to 
 alle\^iate this distress, while Ave j)lant the cross, 
 and give protection to all those who seek it under 
 the shade of the cross. Not a grain of glittering 
 gold have T brought Avith me from the Ncav World, 
 but Avith God's help I will carry back to the New 
 World the true gold, the Word of the Gospel. 
 Father Juan AAdll surely instruct me in the Avorks 
 
292 WITH COLUMBUS 11^ AMERICA. 
 
 of God. And when tlie time is up, when I receive 
 consecration, then I shall say farewell to my 
 SjDanish home — farewell forever — and will end 
 my days among the savages." 
 
 A few minutes after, the bearded sailor de- 
 scended the hill upon the summit of which stood 
 the cloister. His features expressed devout seri- 
 ousness as he rang the bell at the gate and an- 
 nounced himself to the prior. 
 
 Mght had long since descended, but the 
 stranger did not leave the cloister again. A lamp 
 still burned in the prior's room. He had had a long, 
 long talk with his guest, had tried with all the 
 arts of persuasion to dissuade him from his pur- 
 pose, but Castaneda remained true to his resolve; 
 and so Father Juan rose and clasped the future 
 brother in his arms and begged God's blessing 
 for him and his difficult work. 
 
XX. 
 
 A YEAR had passed. In the cloister garden of 
 Palos, the prior walked up and doAvn with the 
 novice Antonio, in the shade of the chestnut- trees. 
 The prior had been to court, and had much to tell 
 the former Indian traveller. 
 
 "It is indeed strange, Antonio," said he. "At 
 first we believed that Columbus had been before 
 the Portuguese, but that is certainly not the case. 
 The Spanish ships which sail to our Indies bring 
 back neither nutmegs nor cinnamon, and indeed 
 these spices do not seem to grow at all on the 
 islands and mainland of Columbus. But the 
 Portuguese ships bring a quantity of wares which 
 from of old we have ]Drocured from the Orient, 
 and thither flock all the merchants of the world. 
 Portugal cannot supply ships enough. Italians, 
 even Germans from the far north, come to Lisbon to 
 sail for India under the Portuguese flag. This 
 greatly disturbs the Court. We have a vice- 
 kingdom of India, but it is scarcely the true India 
 
294 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 wliicli the Moors visit. There are men at court 
 who secretly give expression to these doubts. But 
 they are not x)ublicly discussed, so that the value 
 of the new possessions may not decrease in the 
 eyes of the world." 
 
 ^'And what says Columbus to this?" asked 
 Brother Antonio. 
 
 "Columbus!" replied the prior. "There is no 
 longer anything said of him. They are greatly 
 occupied with another navigator, also of Italian 
 origin, the Florentine Americus Yespucius. He 
 has gone farther south than any one before him, 
 and he has discovered limitless lands. He pub- 
 licly declares that he has found a new, a fourth 
 portion of the globe. He calls it the New \Vorld, 
 for there are uj^on it as numerous people and as 
 rich an animal world as in the Old World, even 
 if the animals and men differ greatly from these." 
 
 "That probably disturbs Columbus greatly?" 
 asked Antonio Castaneda. 
 
 "Not at all," replied the prior. "Americus 
 Vespucius has had sad experiences with the Por- 
 tuguese, in whose service he was, and so he met 
 Columbus as a companion in misery. Yes, he 
 even negotiated for Columbus at court." 
 
 "Does then the admiral wish to undertake a 
 new voyage? " 
 
AVITII COLUiALBUS IN AMERICA. 295 
 
 •• Oh, he can no longer think of snch a thing. 
 The man is ill, broken; he now seeks merely to 
 defend his rights before the Crown. He desires 
 that he and his sons be reinstated in the dignity 
 of viceroy, and that the income dne him from 
 India be paid him. He has very great claims 
 ni:)on the Crown, and that is his misfortune. At 
 the time of his arrest by Bobadilla alone, sixty 
 thousand gold pesos were stolen from him. But 
 now he is i^oor, and, as he says in his letter, lives 
 on credit." 
 
 " And the Crown permits that? " cried Antonio, 
 horrified. " Oh, if Queen Isabella still lived, Co- 
 lumbus need not Avant. But what he has said is 
 true. He has not even a roof to shelter his head 
 in Castile, and does not know how he shall pay 
 his bills!" 
 
 " Well, that is partly his own fault," said the 
 prior. " He is obstinate, and persists in his vice- 
 royalty. He was offered a handsome j)roperty in 
 Castile for his claims, but he refused it. You can 
 imagine that now the king's councillors are very 
 slow with his affairs. It would have probably 
 been wiser for him to consent to the offer. He 
 could have ended his days in peace." 
 
 " I can understand him," said Antonio. " He 
 wishes his rights, and does not wish to injure his 
 
296 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMEKICA. 
 
 fame. He believes in the future of India, and 
 wishes to save liis dignities for his children. But 
 tell me, Father Juan, what news is there of His- 
 paniola?" he continued. 
 
 " One hears good and bad news from there, " 
 replied the prior. "Ovando sends good reports : 
 the colony is growing stronger, and will gradually 
 become self-supj^orting ; but terrible news also 
 comes. A young priest — Las Casas is his name — 
 comx^lains of the Spaniard's ferocity. It has been 
 forbidden to sell the Indians as slaves, and they 
 are to be forced to work in the service of the 
 Crown alone, but the persecutions of the poor 
 creatures do not cease. Only a short time ago, 
 Ovando had eighty- four of them burned to death." 
 
 " And how about the negroes ; are they no longer 
 taken to Hispaniola? They could better do the 
 work on the ijlantations." 
 
 " Oh, yes ; it has been estimated that they need 
 for the colonies some four thousand negro slaves. 
 Until now the Genoese have engaged in this hu- 
 man trade along the west coast of Africa; but they 
 cannot suppl}^ so many, and so they have sold to 
 the Flemish the sole right for eight years to the 
 slave trade, for twenty-seven thousand ducats! " 
 
 " Four thousand negro slaves ! " said Antonio 
 sadly. "Four thousand human beings forcibly 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 297 
 
 carried away from their homes! A new misery 
 will ensne^ thereby ! The Christians engage in this 
 human bartering ! O God, in what times we live ! " 
 " Yes," replied the prior, " the Avorld is rough 
 and hard. Evil never ceases ; but shall we there- 
 fore despair? It is your duty, Antonio, to strive 
 with all your might to convert men to good. In 
 the New World also will you find a rich field for 
 your activity." 
 
 It was in the autumn of 1506. A Franciscan 
 monk, in the brown robe of his order, stood at the 
 garden gate of Marcjhena's home. It was our 
 old friend Castaneda, now Brother Antonio. He 
 came to take leave of Marchena — leave forever — 
 for he was going to the Ncav World, there to end 
 his life in pious works. 
 
 The hours of the last sad farewell passed slowly 
 away. At last the monk could be detained no 
 longer. "I must go to Seville," he said; "there 
 in the vicinity, Columbus lives — in Yalladolid, I 
 believe. I must see him before I leave Spain; I 
 must receive from him a blessing upon my work! " 
 
 " Assure him of my sincere regard," said Mar- 
 chena. " His suit against the court is iiroceeding 
 more favorably, I believe; that will make him 
 happy in his old days ! " 
 
298 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 The monk went. A long, long jonrney stood 
 before him ere he would reach Valladolid. At 
 last he presented himself in the cloister there, 
 w^hich also belonged to the Franciscans. They 
 received the brother hosi)itably, as was the custom, 
 and the j)rior there rejoiced when he heard that 
 Antonio wished to embark in San Lucas de Bar- 
 rameda, to preach the gospel in the New World. 
 
 " But I have an important errand in the city 
 here," said Brother Antonio; " can j^on not tell 
 me where the admiral of the ocean, and viceroy of 
 India — where Christopher Columbus — lives?" 
 
 Then the prior folded his hands and said: "Let 
 us pray for him, Antonio! He lives wdiere we all 
 w ill one day live. His mortal frame rests in our 
 vault, and his soul has entered into the Paradise 
 of the Lord ; for in our arms he breathed aw^ay his 
 life, and ' Lord, into thy hands I commend my 
 spirit ' were his last words." 
 
 At this Castaneda broke down, and covered his 
 face. "Columbus dead!" he cried, filled with 
 grief, " and no one in the world speaks of it; even 
 in Palos, Avhere once he w^as received Avith the 
 ringing of bells, not even a mass is said for his 
 soul. He must have died very recently? " 
 
 The prior shook his head. " No," he replied, 
 "months have passed since he died. It w^as on 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 299 
 
 the 20tli of May, on Ascension Bay, of the year 
 1506, in a small honse in the city, that he closed 
 his eyes for rest everlasting. He has won much 
 honor, but suffered still more misery. The world 
 always turns its back upon the setting star — that 
 is its way ; then comes posterity and x^ronounces 
 just judgment." 
 
 For a long time Castaneda could not control 
 himself. He went into the cloister Avhere among 
 the dead brethren the great admiral rested, and 
 prayed beside his coffin. Xo marble tablet with 
 golden letters marked the spot where the great 
 discoverer of the New World rested. Then Cas- 
 taneda walked through the streets of the city, and 
 remained for some time in the low room of the 
 little house in which Christopher Columbus had 
 passed his last hours. 
 
 What a tragic destiny was that which unrolled 
 itself before the eyes of the now so serious Brother 
 Antonio ! The Franciscans of Rabida had received 
 the hungry man. They had been the means of his 
 crossing the unfathomable ocean in his bold voy- 
 age, of his triumphal procession through Spain, 
 and then the same honored hero returned in 
 chains to the unthankful land, and died almost 
 forgotten by the world. 
 
 Brother Antonio left Yalladolid and went to 
 
300 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 the harbor of Seville, to San Lucas de Barrameda. 
 He went, not bowed down, but strengthened, for 
 he told himself : " One must renounce the vani- 
 ties of this world, and woi'k not for the sake of 
 earthly reward. If one does good for good's sake, 
 one need fear no disappointments." 
 
 The Avorld had forgotten Columbus! When 
 two years later Jobst Ruchhammer finished his 
 work, "UnknoAvn Lands," he knew nothing of 
 the death of Columbus, and wrote that he was still 
 living in honor at the Spanish court " at the present 
 day." 
 
 Not until later in history was Columbus' great- 
 ness recognized. His son found favor at court, 
 and was acknowledged viceroy of India; and aj 
 Columbus had expressed a wish to be buried in 
 San Domingo, on Hispaniola or Hayti, his body 
 was taken to Seville. His coffin was then deco- 
 rated with the motto which was later added to the 
 family coat of arms : 
 
 " A Castilla y a Leon 
 Nuevo mundo dio Colon." 
 
 (To Castile and Leon Columbus gave a New 
 World.) 
 
 But only after centuries were the remains of 
 the admiral brought to Hayti, and placed in the 
 
 I 
 
WITH COLUMBUS IIS" AMERICA. 301 
 
 catliedral at San Domingo. But tliey were not 
 to rest even here. 
 
 In the year 1795, when the Spaniards surren- 
 dered San Domingo to the French, and the Si3anish 
 admiral, Don Gabriel d'Artizabel, wished at least 
 not to surrender to them the ashes of the man 
 who had done so much for Spain, he had the 
 vault opened, and the ship San Lorenzo brought 
 Columbus' remains to Havana, where they were 
 laid to rest in the cathedral there with all due 
 ceremony, on the 19tli of January, 1796. 
 
 Much later the city of his birth, Genoa, built a 
 monument to the great discoverer. The fame of 
 Columbus' only became general when, through the 
 further exploring expeditions of Balboa, Cortez, 
 Pizarro, and Magellan, the greatness of his discov- 
 eries was recognized; after the European emi- 
 grants to the New World had founded a state 
 which in its enormous development seemed much 
 more wonderful than the kingdoms of China and 
 Japan, which Marco Polo described so glowingly 
 and which Columbus had wished to reach. 
 
 Those who went with Columbus acquired little 
 honor, and for the most part died poor. Alonso 
 de Ojeda undertook exj)editions to the north coast 
 of South America, discovered Venezuela, but could 
 not maintain his position there. 
 
302 WITH COLUMBUS IN AMERICA. 
 
 1 
 
 But a curse seemed to rest upon Hayti. It was 
 always the scene of bloody conflicts — this land in 
 which the Spaniards founded their first settle- 
 ment, and to which the first black slaves were 
 brought from Africa. A curse rested upon the 
 land from which Columbus was taken away in 
 chains. 
 
 ^f^ 
 
Worthington*s International Library. 
 
 A SERIES of contemporaneous works 
 France, Germany and Great Britain, 
 beautiful paper, and bound in either cloth 
 at 75 cents each. 
 
 1. GERTRUDE'S MARRIAGE. By | 
 
 W. Heimbukg. 
 
 3. TWO DAUGHTERS OF ONE 
 
 RACE. By W. Heimbukg. 
 
 4. liORA, the Major's Daughter. By 
 
 W. Heimburg. 
 
 5. WIVES OF MEN OF GENIUS. 
 
 By Alhhonse Dauuet. 
 
 6. HENRIETTE; or, A Corsican 
 
 Mother. By Francois Coppee. 
 
 7. MAGDALEN'S FORTUNES. By 
 
 W. Heimburg. 
 
 8. THE PASTOR'S DAUGHTER. By 
 
 W. Heimburg. 
 
 9. THE FEET OF LOVE. By Anne 
 
 Reeve Aldrich. 
 
 10. BELLA'S BLUE BOOK.— The Story 
 
 of an Ugly Woman. By Marie Calm. 
 
 11. LUCIE'S MISTAKE. By W. Heimburg. 
 
 12. FLIRT. A Novel by Paul Hervieu. 
 
 Illustrated with photogravures by Made- 
 leine Lemaire. 
 
 13. CHILDREN OF THE WORLD. 
 
 Bv Paul Hevse. 
 
 14. A SISTER'S LOVE. By W. Heimburg. 
 
 15. SHORT STORIES. By W. Heimburg. 
 
 of fiction by great writers of America, 
 
 , with exquisite photogravures, printed on 
 
 at $1.25, or in illuminated paper covers 
 
 16. ADVENTURES ON THE MOS- 
 
 QUITO SHORE. By E. G. Squier. 
 
 17. A BRAVE WOMAN. By E. Marlitt. 
 
 18. THE RECTOR OF ST. LUKE'S. 
 
 By Marie Bernhard. 
 
 20. MISJUDGED. By W. Heimburg. 
 
 21. A MAIDEN'S CHOICE. By W. 
 
 Heimburg. 
 
 22. LIGHT O' LOVE. By Clara Dar- 
 
 gan Maclean. 
 
 23. THE WILD ROSE OF GROSS- 
 
 STAUFFEN. By Nataly von Esch- 
 
 STRUTH. 
 
 24. CONSCIENCE. By Hector Malot. 
 
 25. THE HOUSEHOLD IDOL. By 
 
 Marie Bernhard. 
 
 26. A POOR GIRL. By W. Heimburg. 
 
 27. THE ERL aUEEN. By Nataly von 
 
 Esc H ST RUTH. 
 
 28. THE HEIRESS. By Henri GRfiviLLE. 
 
 29. FOUR DESTINIES. By Theophile 
 
 GaUI lER. 
 
 30. WITH COLUMBUS IN AMER- 
 
 ICA. By Elise L. Lathrop. 
 
 31. BEYOND ATONEMENT. By Marie 
 
 VON Ebner-Eschenbach. 
 
 The Rose Library, 
 
 Illustrated with Photogravures. i2mo, cloth, extra, $1.00, or in illuminated paper 
 
 cover, 50 cents each. 
 
 1. CATHERINE'S COQUETRIES. By 
 
 Camille Debans. Translated by Leon 
 Mead. 
 
 2. ASBEIN. From the Life of a Vir- 
 
 tuoso. By OssiP ScHUBiN. 
 
 3. A RUSSIAN COUNTRY HOUSE, 
 
 By Carl Detlef. 
 
 4. ONE OF CLEOPATRA'S NIGHTS, 
 
 and other Fantastic Romances. 
 
 5. WAS IT LOVE. By Paul Bourget. 
 
 6. BORIS LENSKY. By Ossip Schubin. 
 
 7. HER PLAYTHINGS, MEN. By 
 
 Mabel Esmonde Cahill. 
 
 8. JENNY'S ORDEAL. By Leon de 
 
 Tinseau. 
 
 or, The Devil 
 
 Bv Le Sage, 
 
 on 
 
 9. ASMODEUS ; 
 
 Two Sticks. 
 
 10. THE BACHELOR OF SALA- 
 
 MANCA. By Le Sage. 
 
 11. THE MERRY BACHELOR. By 
 
 Le Sage. 
 
 12. SOME CHILDREN OF ADAM. 
 
 By R. M. Manlky. 
 
 13. FELIX LANZBERG'S EXPIA- 
 
 TION. By Ossip Schubin, 
 
 14-16. GIL BLAS 
 
 By Le Sage. 
 
 17. ENTHRALLED AND 
 
 LEASED. By E. Werner. 
 
 18. MONEY. By E. Zola. 
 
 BE. 
 
 The Fair Library. 
 
 A collection of modern works of fiction that will amuse, instruct and refresh the 
 mind. i2mo volumes, paper, with cut edges, each 25 cents. 
 
 1. LOVE KNOWS NO LAW. By Leon 
 
 OE I'iNSEAU. 
 
 2. THE HAND OF DESTINY. By Ossi 
 
 Schubin. 
 
 3. ONE YEAR ; A Tale of Wedlock. 
 
 4. THE SCARLET LETTER. By N. 
 
 Hawthornk. 
 
 Worthington Co., 747 Broadway, New York, 
 
m^^^Sm^ 
 
 HBHH^BBHi 
 
 ■li^VHH^ 
 
 M^a 
 
 ] 
 
 "'fl^SS^^^Kfl 
 
 
 ii 
 
 
 /^^l^ 
 
 ^B^^^lT^ ''' 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ • ^- -^ 
 
 /igSKji.T > J? 
 
 ^t 
 
 
 
 ►^J? 
 
 # 
 
 \» / ^. 
 
 ^y 
 
 ■lHH^^^r.Avi^h^ 
 
 
 ■§■■■1^^^^ .^^^■^■■H 
 
 ■■■■■■■p .^^Bi^v 
 
 1^^^^^ ^^^^■^.'i 
 
 
 ■^■Uhp IHBPMMN 
 
 
 i 
 
 sf?^ 
 
 
 
 ».giii»i 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 1 
 
 i^^^Bi^jl 
 
 ij^MSBb^*'iv. ' jp 
 
 s 1 ^^ 
 
 fi,s? 
 
 is^^^4p 
 
 '^^^^^■■fc • 
 
 P * 
 
 T^^^^agh^ > 
 
 ^i ^\ 
 
 b ■"•■ 
 
 S^^j^ 
 
 ^^^^^^v/i* li 
 
 ■If 
 
 b 
 
 c^^^aii^ t 
 
 
 1. ) # j 
 
 
 4 
 
 J" rsa