1492

by Mary Johnston

  CHAPTER XIV

  WE were a long, long way from Spain. A flight of birds went over us.They were flying too high for distinguishing, but we did not hold themto be sea birds. We sounded, but the lead touched no bottom. West andwest and west, pushed by that wind! Late September, and we had leftPalos the third of August.

  The wind shifted and became contrary. The sea that for so long had beenglassy smooth took on a roughness. A bird that was surely a forestbird beaten to us perched upon a stretched rope and uttered three quickcries. A boy climbed and softly took it from behind. It fluttered in theAdmiral's two hands. All came to look. Its plumage was blue, its breastreddish. We wondered, but before we could make it a cage, it stronglystrove and was gone. One flash and all the azure took it to itself.

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

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

  Another day and another and another. When half the ship was at the pointof mutiny signs reappeared and thickened. Birds flew over the ships;one perched beside the Admiral's banner and sang. More than that, awood dove came upon the deck and ate corn that was strewed for it."Colombo--Colombo!" quoth the Admiral. "I, too, am 'dove.'" And heopened a window and sent forth a "dove" to find if there were land!

  Almost the whole ship from Jason down took these two birds for portents.Fray Ignatio lifted hands. "The Blessed Francis who knew that birds havesouls to save hath sent them!" We passed the drifting branch of a tree.It had green leaves. The sea ran extremely blue and clear, and half theship thought they smelled frankincense, brought on the winds which nowwere changeable. At evening rose a great cry of "Land!" and indeed toone side the sinking sun seemed veritable cliffs with a single mountainpeak. The Admiral, who knew more of sea and air than any two men uponthose ships, cried "Cloud--cloud!" but for a time none believed him.There sprang great commotion, the _Pinta_ too signaling. Then before oureyes came a rift in the mountain and the cliffs slipped into the sea.

  But now all believed in land ahead. It was as though some one had withlaughter tossed them that assurance over the horizon straight before us.Every mariner now was emulous to be the lookout, every man kept eyeson the west. Now sprang clear and real to them the royal promise of tenthousand maravedies pension to him who first sighted Cipango, Cathay orIndia. The Admiral added a prize of a green velvet doublet.

  We had come nigh eight hundred leagues.

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

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

  "We are bearing toward Cipango," said the Admiral. "I look first forsmall outward islands, where perhaps the folk are uncouth and simple,and there is little gold."

  And again days passed. When many times upon the _Santa Maria_ and asoften on the _Pinta_ and the _Nina_ some one had cried "Land!" and theships been put in commotion and the land melted into air before oureyes, and another as plausible island or coast formed before us only tovanish, despair seized us again. Witchcraft and sorcery and monstrousignorance, and fooled to our deaths! "West--west--west!" till the westwas hated. The Pinzons thought we should change course. If there werelands we were leaving them in the north where hung the haze. But theMadman or the Black Magician, our Italian Admiral, would not hear goodadvice! It was Gutierrez's word, under his breath when the Admiral wasin earshot, and aloud when he was not. "Our Italian--our Italian! Whydid not Italy keep him? And Portugal neither would have him! Castile,the jade, takes him up!"

  Then after absence began again the signs. Flocks of birds went by us. Isaw him watching, and truly these flights did seem to come from south ofwest. On the seventh of October he altered course. We sailed southwest.This day there floated by a branch with purple berries, and we sawflying fish. Dolphins played about the ship. The very sea felt warm tothe hand, and yet was no oppression, but light and easily breathed air,fragrant and lifting the spirits.

  And now we saw floating something like a narrow board or a wide staff.The master ordered the boat lowered; we brought it in and it was givendripping into the Admiral's hand. "It is carved by man," he said."Look!" Truly it was so, rudely done with bone or flint, but carved byman with something meant for a picture of a beast and a tree.

  We sailed west by south this day and the next. No more man-wroughtdriftage came our way, but other signs multiplied. We saw many birds,the water was strangely warm and clear, when the wind blew toward us ithad a scent, a tone, that cried land breeze! Then came by a branch withyellow flowers, and upon one a butterfly. After this none doubted, notFernando nor any. "Gold flowers--gold flowers--gold, gold!"

  This night we lay by so that we should not slip past land in thedarkness. When day came there showed haze south and west. A gentle windsang in our rigging. On board the _Santa Maria_, the Pinta and theNina all watched for land. Excitement and restlessness took us all.The Admiral's eyes burned like deep gray seas. I could read in them theimages behind. _Prester John and the Release of the Sepulchre. The GrandKhan a tributary Prince. Argosies of gold, silk and spices, sailingsteady, sailing fast over a waterway unblocked by Mahound and hissoldans. All Europe burning bright, rising a rich Queen. Holy Churchwith_ _another cubit to her stature. Christopherus Columbus, theDiscoverer, the Enricher, the Deliverer! Queen Isabella, and on hercheeks a flush of gratitude; all the Spanish court bowing low. Allthe friends, the kindred, all so blessed! Sons, brothers; Genoa, andDomenico Colombo clad in velvet, dining with the Doge_.

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

  The Admiral would speak to us. Now all loved him, with golden Indiarising to-morrow from the sea, with his wisdom proving itself! He hadthis eve a thrilling voice. God had been good to us; who could sayother? This very eve, at Palos, they thought of us. At Santa Maria dela Rabida, chanting vesper hymn, they prayed for us also. In Cordova theQueen prayed. In Rome, the Holy Father had us in mind. Would we lessenourselves, disappointing so many, and very God, grieving very Christ?"No! But out of this ship we shall step on this land to come, good men,true men, servants an
d sons of Christ in His kingdom. This night, inIndia before us, men sigh, 'We weary of our idols! Why tarrieth trueGod?' There the learned think, bending over their maps, 'Why doth notsome one put forth, bringing all the lands into one garland?' They lookto their east whence we come, and they may see in dream tonight thesethree ships!" His voice rang. "I tell you these Three Ships shall beknown forever! Your grandchildren's grandchildren shall say, 'The _SantaMaria_, the Pinta and the Nina--and one that was our ancestor sailed inthis one or in that one, to the glory and gain of the world, whereforewe still make festival of his birthday!'"

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

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

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

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

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

  The Admiral was walking the deck. He stopped beside Juan Lepe who leanedupon the rail and watched a strange, glistering sea. It was that shiningstuff we see at times at night in certain weather. But to-night LuisTorres, passing, had said, "Strewn ducats!"

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

  He drummed upon the rail. "Do not think I have not thought of that! Ilooked to meet first a ship or ships. But now I think that truly theremay be many outlying islands without ships. Or there may be a warbetween princes, and all ships drawn in a fleet to north or south.One beats one's brains--and time brings the solution, and we say, 'Howsimple!'"

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

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

  "Yes, we've done well!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  "I was thinking, watching the moon, how little I ever dreamed, being nosea-going man, of such a thing as this. Who knows his fate? A man's astrange matter!"

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

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

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

  "There will be great changes, doubtless. Our world is growing little.Everybody feels that we must push out! It isn't only Spain, but allkingdoms."

  Pedro Gutierrez joined us. "You are a learned man, Doctor! What like arethe women of Cipango?"

  The moon, past the full yet strong enough to silver this vast shield,rose higher. The sails of the _Pinta_ and the Nina were curves ofpearl, our sails above us pale mountains. The light dimmed our lanterns.Crowned woman at our prow would be bathed in it as she ran acrossOcean-Sea. It washed our decks, pricked out our moving men. They castshadows. The master had served out an extra draught of wine. It washardly needed. We were all lifted, with visions drumming in our heads.Fray Ignatio stood against the mast, and I knew that he felt a pulpitand was making his sermon. After a time, Diego de Arana and PedroGutierrez moving away, I was alone. Mind and heart tranquilized, andinto them stepped Isabel, and she and I, hand in hand, walked fields ofthe west.

  The moon shone. The Admiral's voice came from above us where he watchedfrom the castle. "Come up here, one or two of you!" Gutierrez wasnearest the ladder. He mounted and I after him, and we stood one oneither hand the Admiral. He pointed south of west. "A light!" His voicewas an ocean. "It is as it should be. I, Christopherus Columbus, havefirst seen the Shore of Asia!"

  We followed his extended hand. Clear under sail we saw it, dimmed bythe moon, but evident, a light as it were of a fire on a beach. Diegode Arana came up also and saw it. It was, we thought, more than a leagueaway, a light that must be on land and made by man. It dwindled, out itwent into night and there ran only plain silver. We waited while a manmight have swam from us to the _Pinta_, then forth it started again, redstar that was no star. Some one below us cried, "Ho, look!" The Admiralraised his voice, it rang over ship. "Aye! I saw it a time ago, haveseen it thrice! I, the Admiral, saw first." Men were crowding tothe side to look, then it went out as though a wave had crept up anddrenched it. We gazed and gazed, but it did not come again.

  It might have been not land, but a small boat afire. But that is notprobable, and we upon the _Santa Maria_ held that to see burning woodon shore, though naught showed of that shore itself, was truly first toview, first of all of us, that land we sought. He did not care for theten thousand maravedies, but he cared that it should be said that Godshowed it first to him.

  The wind pushed us on with the flat of a great hand. Midnight and aftermidnight. At the sight of that flame we should have fired our cannon,but for some reason this was not done. Now the silver silence beyond theship was torn across by the _Pinta's_ gun. She fired, then came nearus. "Land! Land!" Now we saw it under the moon, just lifting above thesea,--lonely, peaceful, dark.

  It was middle night. The Santa Maria, the Pinta and the Nina wentanother league, then took in sail and came to anchor.