Cuba and Paria curving south and north and between them where they shall come closest surely a strait into the sea of Rich India!" He drew Cuba and Paria approaching each the other until there was space between like the space from the horn of Spain to the horn of Africa.

"Rich India--now, now, now--gold on the wharves, canoes of pearls, not cotton and cassava, is what we want in Spain! So the King says, 'Very good, you shall have the ships,' and the Queen, 'Christ have you in his keeping, Master Christopherus!' So we go.

All his future hangs, he knows, on finding Rich India." "How soon do we go ?" "As soon as he can get the ships and the men and the supplies.

He wants only three or four and not great ones.

Great ships for warships and storeships, but little ships for discovery!" "Aye, I hear him!" said Fray Juan Perez.