Administration building is considerably this
side of La Rabida. The captain slipped the dollar into his pocket and
passed on to the next. The woman said:

"Did he keep the whole of it?"

"Keep it? I should think he did. You don't get much back on these side
experiences. I ought to have asked him how much it costs to go all the
way."

But the man made no reply. He was meditating. He evidently had not read
the morning papers. They gave all the prices--admissions and extra
convenience.

It was with feelings of considerable curiosity, mingled with awe, that
they approached La Rabida.

Before them was the strange old building which they knew was the convent
where Columbus had received such rest, comfort and inspiration in his
great enterprise that opened the door to modern civilization.

A number of tents were on the south of the house, and soldiers were to
be seen standing about, with their heavy muskets, which mean nothing but
that their lives are pledged to protect this collection, belonging to
the Vatican and the descendants of Columbus. All the royal letters
patent from the sovereigns of Spain to Columbus and many letters written
by Columbus himself, are in the cases. His will is also there. The
signature of Columbus is written in this way:

_S._
_S. A. S._
_X. N. Y._
_Xpo Ferens._

At one end of this room is the collection of pictures loaned from the
Vatican by Pope Leo. No one is allowed to go up the steps. One of the
Columbian guards standing there said, in answer to one of Uncle's
questions:

"This is the altar. It is sacred and no one is allowed up there, because
these pictures are very valuable and very small."

The mention of the size in that connection meant that they could be
carried off easily. But nothing could be carried off easily with those
watchful "regulars" about. A contract was made by Spain with the United
States before the collection left there that it should be guarded by a
detachment of United States soldiers. That contract is fulfilled to the
letter. No one is allowed even to touch the glasses of the case.

There are some wonderful pictures on the wall of Musaico Filato, which
belong to Pope Leo. They are wonderfully beautiful as pictures, without
thought of the thousands of tiny mosaics used in making the pictures,
and that each one was placed in by hand. Some of the other pictures are
wonderful, too--wonderful in their hideousness. No two artists seem to
have the same id