gods gold might
go home with gifts so beautiful that there was never anything seen like
them! Especially is there something that the gods call "bells" that ring
and sound in your hand when you dance! Gold--do you know where to find
it? Another thing! They desire to find a god who dropped out of the sky
a long time ago, and has now a people and a great, marvelous village.
Thinking he might be here, they have dived down to our land, for they
dive in the sky as we dive in water! The name of the god they hunt is
Grand Khan or Cublai Khan, and his village is Quinsai. Have you heard
of him? They are very anxious to find him. The chief god with white hair
and wonderful clothes--It is what they call clothes; under it they are
as you and me, only the color is different--the chief god will give many
bells to any folk who can show him the way to Quinsai. Gold and Quinsai
where lives the god Grand Khan.

As might have been expected, this brought tidings. "Cubanacan!
Cubanacan!" Whatever that might mean, they said it with assurance,
pointing inland. Diego Colon interrupted their further speech. "There
is a river. Go up it three days and come to great village. Cacique there
wearing clothes. All men there have gold!"

Pedro Gutierrez spoke. "They'll promise anything for a hawk bell!"

"What do they understand and what do they not understand? What do they
say and what do they not say?" That was Martin Pinzon. "Between them all
we are fooled!"

The Admiral, who was gazing inland after the dark pointing finger,
turned and spoke. "At the root of all things sit Patience and Make
Trial!

"Well, I know," answered Pinzon, "that if these ships be not careened
and mended we shall have trouble! Weather changes. There will be storm!"

He was right as to ships and weather, and the Admiral knew it and said
as much. I never saw him grudge recognition to Martin Pinzon. It has
been said that he did, but I never saw it.

That night, on board the _Santa Maria_ there was held a great council.
At last it was settled that we should rest here a week and overhaul the
ships, and that while that was doing, there should be sent two or three
with Indian guides to find, if might be, this river and this town. And
there were chosen, and given a week to go and come, Juan Lepe, Luis
Torres and a seaman Roderigo Jerez, with Diego Colon, the Fernandina
youth. Likewise there would go two Indians of this village, blithe
enough to show their country to the gods a