But elsewhere now there were warm
winds, and now biting cold. And warm and cold, he could
not get the winds that should fill his sails. He begged for
ships--eight he named--that he might now find for the
sovereigns main Asia--not touch here and there upon Cuba
shore, but find the Deep All. But forever promised, he was
forever kept from the ships! True it was that the sovereigns
and the world beside were busy folk! There were
Royal Marriages and Naples to be reconquered for its king.
We heard of confirmations of all his dignities and his
tithes of wealth. He was offered to be made Marquess,
but that he would not have. "The Admiral" was better
title. But he sued for and obtained entail upon his sons
and their sons forever of his nobility and his great Estate
in the West. "Thus," he wrote, "have I made your fortunes,
sons and brothers! But truly not without you and
your love and strengthening could I have made aught! A
brother indeed for my left hand and my right hand, and to
beckon me on, two dear sons!"
CHAPTER XXXIV
TWO years! It was March, 1496, when he sailed in the
_Nina_. It was the summer of 1498 when Juan Lepe
was sent as physician with two ships put forth from
San Domingo by the Adelantado upon a rumor that the
Portuguese had trespassed, landing from a great carrack
upon Guadaloupe.
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