There was not very much said now about religious conversion, but only about exchanging the natives for cattle.

The fine point of Christopher's philosophy on this subject had been rubbed off; he had taken the first step a year ago on the beach at Guanahani, and after that the road opened out broad before him.

Slaves for cattle, and cattle for the islands; and wealth from cattle and islands for Spain, and payment from Spain for Columbus, and money from Columbus for the redemption of the Holy Sepulchre--these were the links in the chain of hope that bound him to his pious idea.

He had seen the same thing done by the Portuguese on the Guinea coast, and it never occurred to him that there was anything the matter with it.

On the contrary, at this time his idea was only to take slaves from among the Caribs and man-eating islanders as a punishment for their misdeeds; but this, like his other fine ideas, soon had to give way before the tide of greed and conquest.
The Admiral was now anxious to get back to La Navidad, and discover the condition of the colony which he had left behind him there.