The Admiral ordered the ships to cast anchor, and the boats were manned and armed.  He himself in a rich uniform of scarlet held the royal banner of Castile, while the brothers Pinzon, commanders of the Pinta and the Nina, in their boats, had each a banner emblazoned with a green cross and the crowned initials of the sovereigns, Fernando and Ysabel.  The air was clear and soft, the sea was almost transparent, and strange and beautiful fruits could be seen among the rich foliage of the trees along the shore.  The Admiral landed, knelt and kissed the earth, offering thanks to God, with tears in his eyes; and the other captains followed his example.  Then rising, he drew his sword, and calling upon all who gathered around him to witness his action, took possession of the newly-discovered island in the name of his sovereigns, and gave it the name of San Salvador (Holy Savior).

The wild people, terrified at the sight of men coming toward them from these great white-winged birds, as they took the ships to be, ran away to the woods, but they presently returned, drawn by irresistible curiosity.  They had no weapons of iron, and one of them innocently took hold of a sword by the edge.  They were delighted with the colored caps, glass beads, hawk-bells and other trifles which were given to them, and brought the strangers great balls of spun cotton, cakes of cassava bread, fruits, and tame parrots.  Pedro went everywhere, and saw everything, as only a boy could.  Later, when the flagship was cruising among the islands, and the Admiral, worn out by long anxiety, lay asleep in his cabin, the helmsman, smothering a mighty yawn, called Pedro to him.

“See here, young chap,” he said, “we are running along the shore of this island and there is no difficulty—­take my place will you, while I get a nap?”

The boy hesitated.  He would have asked his master, but his master was asleep, and must not be awakened.  This helmsman, moreover, was one of the men who had been kind to him, ready to answer his questions regarding navigation, and loyal to the Admiral.  Moreover it was not quite the first time that Pedro had been allowed to take this responsibility.  He accepted it now.  The man staggered away and lost himself in heavy sleep almost before he lay down.

It was one of the still, breathless nights of the tropic seas.  Pedro’s small strong hands had not grasped the helm for a half-hour before the wind freshened, and then a tremendous gust swept down upon the flagship hurling her right upon the unknown shore.  Pedro strove desperately with the fearful odds, but before the half-awakened sailors heard his call the Santa Maria was past repair.  No lives were lost, but the Admiral decided that it would be necessary to leave a part of the men on shore as the beginning of a settlement.  He would not have chosen to do this but for the disaster, for the men who made up these crews were not promising material for a colony in a wild land.  But he had no choice in the matter.  The two smaller ships would not hold them all.  Pedro, shaken with sobs, cast himself at the feet of his master and begged forgiveness.