Halting beside the red cloth he stooped and turned over
the trinkets. When he straightened himself he had in hand
a string of great beads, rose and blue and green. He fingered
these, seemed about to put the necklet on, then refrained
as too daring. Laying it gently back upon the scarlet he
next took up a hawk bell. These bells, as is known, ring
very clear and sweet. I was afterwards told that the Portuguese
had noted their welcome among the African people.
There was no nail's breadth of information that this man
Columbus could not use! He had used this, and in a list
for just possibly found savage Indians had put down, "good
number of hawk bells."
The red man painted black, took up the hawk bell. It
chimed as he moved it. He dropped it on the sand and gave
back a step, then picked it up and set it tinkling. His face,
the way in which he moved, said "Music from heaven!"
The Admiral motioned to Fray Ignatio to move toward
him. That good man went gently forward. The youth
gave back, but then braced himself, under the eyes of his
nation. He stood. The Franciscan put out a gowned arm
and a long, lean kindly hand. The youth, naked as the
bronze of a god, hesitated, raised his own arm, let it drop
upon the other's. Fray Ignatio, speaking mild words,
brought him across and to the Admiral. The latter, tallest
of us all and greatly framed, lofty of port, dressed with
magnificence, silver-haired, standing forth from his officers
and men, the banner over him, would be taken by any for
Great Captain, chief god of these gods, and certes, at the
first they thought that we were gods! The Indian put his
hands to his face, shrank like a girl and came slowly to his
knees and lower yet until his forehead rested upon the earth.
Pages:
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146