West again, west by south. He was straitly forbidden
to drop anchor in any water of Hispaniola. "For
why?" said they. "Because the very sight of his ships
will tear asunder again that which Don Nicholas de Ovando
is healing!"
The _Margarita_, that was next to the _Consolacion_ in greatness,
sailed so infirmly that mercy 'twas the seas were
smooth. It was true accident. She had been known at
Palos, Cadiz and San Lucar for good ship. But at Ercilla
where we must stop on the Sovereigns' business, a storm
had beaten her upon the shore where she got a great wound
in her side. That was staunched, but all her frame was
wrenched and she never did well thereafter. In mid-June
we came to an island of the Caribs which they called Mantineo.
Here we rested the better part of a week, keeping
good guard against the Caribs, then sailed, and now north
by west, along a vast curve, within a world of islands.
They are great, they are small, they are of the extremest
beauty! San Martin, Dominica, Guadaloupe, San Juan--
the Boriquen whence had come, long ago, that Catalina whom
Guacanagari aided--and untouched at, or under the horizon,
many another that the Admiral had named; _Santa Maria_ la
Antigua, Santa Cruz, Santa Ursula, Montserrat, Eleven
Thousand Virgins, Marigalante and all beside. What a
world! Plato his Atlantis.
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