ring us now
toward shore, and Pedro never noticing this grow larger. He was looking
at the moon, he afterwards said with tears, and thinking of Christ born
in Bethlehem.

The shore came nearer and nearer. Sancho Ruiz slept. Pedro now heard a
sound that he knew well enough. Coming back to here and now, he looked
and saw breakers upon a long sand bar. The making tide was at half, and
that and the changed wind carried us toward the lines of foam. The boy
cried, "Steersman! Steersman!" Ruiz sat up, holding his head in his
hands. "Such a roaring in my ears!" But "Breakers! Breakers!" cried the
boy. "Take the helm!"

Ruiz sprang to it, but as he touched it the _Santa Maria_ grounded.
The shock woke most on board, the immediate outcry and running feet the
rest.

The harm was done, and no good now in recriminations! It was never, I
bear witness, habit of Christopherus Columbus.

The Santa Maria listed heavily, the sea pounding against her, driving
her more and more upon the sand. But order arrived with the Admiral. The
master grew his lieutenant, the mariners his obedient ones. Back he was
at thirty, with a shipwreck who had seen many and knew how to toil with
hands and with head. Moreover, the great genius of the man shone in
darkness. He could encourage; he could bring coolness.

We tried to warp her off, but it was not to be done. We cut away mast
to lighten her, but more and more she grew fast to the bank, the waves
striking all her side, pushing her over. Seams had opened, water was
coming in. The _Nina_ a mile away took our signal and came nearer, lay
to, and sent her boat.

The Santa Maria, it was seen, was dying. Nothing more was to be done.
Her mariners could only cling to her like bees to comb. We got the
two boats clear and there was the boat of the Nina. Missioned by the
Admiral, Juan Lepe got somehow into cabin, together with Sancho and Luis
Torres, and we collected maps and charts, log, journal, box with
royal letters and the small bags of gold, and the Admiral's personal
belongings, putting all into a great sack and caring for it, until upon
the _Nina_ we gave it into his hand. Above us rang the cry, "All off!"

From Christopherus Columbus to Pedro Acevedo all left the Santa Maria
and were received by the Nina. Crowded, crowded was the Nina! Down
voyaged the moon, up came with freshness the rose-chapleted dawn. A
wreck lay the Santa Maria, painted against the east, about her a low
thunder of breakers. Wh