for Verrazzano knew that pearl fisheries and spices were far more likely to be found in southern than in northern waters.  No harbor appeared.  The daring navigator knew that if he went too far south he ran some risk of encountering a Spanish fleet, and that after his getting two of the most valuable cargoes ever sent over seas, they would be patroling all the tropical waters in the hope of catching him.  He turned north again.

On the shore from time to time little groups of savages appeared moving about great bonfires, and watching the ship.  They wore hardly any clothing except the skin of some small animal like a marten, attached to a belt of woven grass; their skins were russet-brown and their thick straight black hair was tied in a knot rather like a tail.

“One thing is certain,” said young Francois Parmentier cheerfully, “these folk have never seen Spaniards—­or Portuguese.  Even on the Labrador the people ran from us, after Cortereale went slave-stealing there.”

Verrazzano smiled.  Young Parmentier was always full of hope and faith.  A little later the youth volunteered to be one of a boat’s crew sent ashore for water, and provided himself with a bagful of the usual trinkets for gifts.  The surf ran so high that the boat could not land, and Francois leaped overboard and swam ashore.  Here he scattered his wares among the watching Indians, and then, leaping into the waves again, struck out for the boat.  But the surf dashed him back upon the sand into the very midst of the natives, who seized him by the arms and legs and carried him toward the fire, while he yelled with astonishment and terror.

Verrazzano was if anything more horrified than Francois himself; this was the son of his oldest friend.  The Indians were removing his clothing as if they were about to roast him alive.  But it appeared presently that they only wished to dry his clothes and comfort him, for they soon allowed him to return to the boat, seeing this was his earnest desire, and watched him with the greatest friendliness as he swam back.

No strait appeared, but at one point Verrazzano, landing and marching into the interior with an exploring party, found a vast expanse of water on the other side of what seemed a neck of land between the two seas, about six miles in width.  If this were the South Sea, the same which Balboa had seen from the Isthmus of Darien, so narrow a strip of land was at least as good or better than anything possessed by Spain.  Verrazzano continued northward, and found a coast rich in grapes, the vines often covering large trees around which the natives kept the ground clear of shrubs that might interfere with this natural vineyard.  Wild roses, violets, lilies, iris and many other plants and flowers, some quite unknown to Europe, greeted the admiring gaze of the commander.  His quick mind pictured a royal garden adorned with these foreign shrubs and herbs, the wainscoting and furniture to be made by French and Italian joiners from these endless leagues of timber, the stately churches and castles which might be built by skilful masons from the abundant stone along these shores.  Here was a province which, if it had not gold, had the material for many luxuries which must otherwise be bought with gold, and his clear Italian brain perceived that ingots of gold and silver are not the only treasure of kings.