The town
of the sun was over there. Had we seen the sun's town? Was
it beside us in heaven, in "Europe"? The sun went down
under the mountains, and there he found a river and his
canoe. He rowed all night until he came to his town. Then
he ate cassava cakes and rested, while the green and gold
and red Lizard [These were "Lizard" folk. They had a
Lizard painted on a great post by the cacique's house.] went
ahead to say that he was coming. Then he rose, right out
of the great water, and there was day again! But we must
know about the sun's town; we, the gods!
Luis and I could have stayed long while and disentangled
this place and loved the doing it.
But it was to return to the Admiral and the waiting ships.
The three tobacco men would go with us to see wonders,
so we returned nine in number along the path. Before we
set out we saw that a storm threatened. All six Indians
were loth to depart until it was over, and the cacique would
have kept us. But Luis and I did not know how long the
bad weather might hold and we must get to the ships. It
was Jerez who told them boastfully that gods did not fear
storms,--specimen of that Spanish folly of ours that worked
harm and harm again!
We traveled until afternoon agreeably enough, then with
great swiftness the clouds climbed and thickened. Sun went
out, air grew dark.
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