Argosy, Vol. 120, No. 1 — page 122: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

112 When he passed the former site of La Navidad, he attempted to see Guacanagari, but in vain. ~ The king now avoided his former friend. For five months the voyage of discovery continued along the coasts of Jamaica and Cuba; then the ships returned to Isabella in late September. The admiral was so ill that he had to be carried, unconscious, from the caravel. Not, however, before he had made his crew of eighty men swear before a notary that it was possible to go from Cuba to Spain by land! The penalty for any one who afterward told the truth, would be a fine of ten thousand maravedis if he were an officer, and if he were a sailor he would receive one hundred lashes and have ~ his tongue pulled out! | As soon as the admiral was well enough to be consulted about the affairs of the colony, he heard sad tales. Every one was discontented, the fort at the mines had been abandoned, and Isabella was divided into various mutinous factions. The only bright spot in all this miserable gloom was the sight of his brother, Bartholomew, who had been sent out from Spain in command of a supply fleet. Bartholomew brought good news to the admiral of his little children, and assurances of the continued high favor with which the sovereigns regarded him. The first time that the admiral was able to go beyond the town, he walked alone on the seashore. It was here that a powerful, almost naked man came upon him. This man was sunburned to a dark-brown color. His head was tied in a brown rag of native weave, of almost the color of his skin. But the bright eyes that shone out joyfully upon the admiral were of an intense biue! “Tt is I, Arthur Lake,” the savage-look- ing. creature cried. Columbus was too amazed to speak. Finally he gasped: “ But we thought you were dead.”’ “J have been, almost, more times than one,” the young sailor cried. “ But first, _ before everything, tell me, how is she?” “ Dona Judith Merton?” the admiral in- quired. “Of course; who else could I mean?” ‘* She is very well, and sent you a letter. THE ARGOSY. She had wanted to come to you, but her duties at court would not permit.’ “Hes duties?” Arthur cried in surprise. “Her father has died,” Columbus an- nounced. “She is always near the queen now—but all this, her letter to you will explain. But you—where have you been? What has happened? Why have you not come near me before?”’ . “T have tried,” Arthur began, “but I was far away. when you landed, and it was some while before I heard that you had re- turned. When I finally reached Isabelle it was to learn that you had gone away on a voyage of discovery; then, you were ill and—”’ : Columbus interrupted: you not report yourself at Isabella? I had given up all hope that any of those of La Navidad were alive.” — “Tam the only one,” Arthur said sadly. *“ Even Noanita is dead—”’ “ Dead?” Columbus echoed with wistful- ness. “ Killed,” Arthur announced, “ but all of that I will relate to you property, later. The reason I did not report at Isabella is that I could-discover not one person who had been with you on your first voyage— not one person whom I knew! Ne one there “But why did ~ ever suspected that I was other than a. native, for I never spoke, and I have ac- quired the habit of keeping niy lids lowered so that the casual observer never sees my telltale eyes. My hair, as you see, I keep discreetly covered. Its brightness would betray me | “Yes, yes,” the admiral cried impa- tiently, “but none of this explains why you did not report yourself to those in charge.” _ “Why should I?” Arthur cried. “ You were not there. Why should I willingly sar- render myself to a life of drudgery and hardship—almost of slavery? Pardon me, Don Cristobal, but your under-men suffer cruelly in Isabella. You should look into it. 9 “* And what have you been doing?” “ Awaiting your return,” Arthur smiled, ~ “and wandering in the forests, mingling, when I could, with the natives. Often they do not trust me, but they fear me. They CO 1NOO @ S C@