But
they would not see in Spain, or not many would see, that
the whole span must be taken. But I was not one to
chide him, seeing that I, too, saw afar, and they would not
see with me either in Spain.
CHAPTER XX
WE sailed for two days east by south. But the
weather that had been perfection for long and
long again from Palos, now was changed. Dead
winds delayed us, the sea ridged, clouds blotted out the
blue. We held on. There was a great cape which we called
Cape Cuba. Off this a storm met us. We lived it out and
made into one of those bottle harbors of which, first and
last, we were to find God knows how many in Cuba!
The Admiral named it Puerto del Principe, and we raised
on shore here a very great cross. We had done this on
every considerable island since San Salvador and now twice
on this coast. There were behind us seven or eight crosses.
The banner planted was the sign of the Sovereignty of Spain,
the cross the sign of Holy Church, Sovereign over sovereigns,
who gave these lands to Spain, as she gave Africa
and the islands to Portugal. We came to a great number
of islets, rivers of clear blue sea between. The ships lay
to and we took boat and went among these. The King's
Gardens, the Admiral called them, and the calm sea between
them and mainland the Sea of Our Lady. They were
thickly wooded, and we thought we found cinnamon, aloes
and mastic.
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