Earth
around was trodden hard, but the green woods pressed close.
Here and there showed garden patches with plants whose
names and uses we knew not. Now we came upon women
and children. Like the men the women were naked. Well-
shaped and comely, with long, black, braided hair, they
seemed to us gentle, pleasing and fearless. The children
were a crew that any might love.
Time lacks to say all that we did and heard and guessed
this day upon this island! It was first love after long weeks
at sea, and our cramped ships and all our great uncertainty!
If it was not what we had expected, still here it was, tangible
land that never had been known, wonderful to us, giving
us already rich narrative for Palos and Huelva and Fishertown, for Cordova and the Queen and King. We
were sure
now that other land was to be met, so soon as we sailed a
reasonable distance to meet it. Under the horizon would
be land surely, and surely of an import that this small island
lacked, like Paradise though it seemed to us this day! Any
who looked at the Admiral saw that he would make no long
tarrying here. He named this island San Salvador, but we
would not wait in San Salvador.
This day in shifts, all our men were brought ashore, each
division having three hours of blessed land. So good was
earth under foot, so good were trees, so delectable the fruit,
so lovely to move and run and watch every moving, running,
walking thing! And these good, red-brown folk, naked it
was true, but mannerly after their own fashion, who thought
every seaman a god, and the ship boys sons of gods! And
we also were good and mannerly, the _Santa Maria_, the
Pinta and the Nina.
Pages:
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150