It was a great shadowy church and I found it full. Jaurez
piloted me to where just under pulpit were ranged my fellow
mariners, a hundred plain sailormen, no great number with
which to widen the world! A score or so of better station
were grouped at the head of these, and in front of all stood
Christopherus Columbus. I saw again Martin Alonso Pinzon
who had entered the Prior's room at La Rabida, and
with him his two brothers Francisco and Vicente. Martin
Pinzon would be captain of the _Pinta_ and Vicente of the
Nina. And there were Roderigo Sanchez of Segovia,
Inspector-General of Armament, and Diego de Arana, chief
alguazil of the expedition, and Roderigo de Escobedo, royal
notary, and with these three or four young men of birth,
adventuring for India now that the war with the Moor was
done. And there were two physicians, Garcia Fernandez
and Berardino Nunez. And there was the Franciscan, Fray
Ignatio, who would convert the heathen and preach before
the Great Khan.
The Admiral of Ocean-Sea stood a taller man than any
there, tall, muscular, a great figure. He was richly dressed,
for as soon as he could he dressed richly. A shaft of light
struck his brow and made his hair all glowing silver. His
face was lifted. The air about him to my eyes swam and
quivered and was faintly colored.
Fray Juan Perez preached the sermon and he used great
earnestness and now and again his voice broke.
Pages:
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89