Toward evening, the sky grew dim, and dark clouds swept in from the horizon. On the sea dozens of miles to the northwest, blue-white Heavenly Fire fell—or seemed like a tree of flame rising from the surface. That Heavenly Fire was so brilliant that even from so far away, even at dusk, it still dazzled the eye, like thunder in a storm!
Yet it had no sound of thunder. It only flashed in silence, harsh and piercing. That eerie sight made one unable to help thinking of some mysterious sea monster in the deep, silently watching the bold ships that had trespassed into its territory...
"Lord above! We must leave, leave these dangerous waters!... We must turn back, or we'll die in Heavenly Fire!..."
"Diamine! Cazzo! This isn't Heavenly Fire, and it isn't some sea beast!... This is... this is..."
Hearing the Sailors' terrified cries, Columbus's eyes widened, and he at once snapped out of the shock of the Heavenly Fire. He clenched his teeth hard, his donkey-like face full of donkey-like stubbornness, and shouted fiercely.
"This is the Lord's protection! It is the Lord's holy lamp! It is guiding us, telling us to keep going west!..."
"Uh?... This is the Lord's holy lamp?..."
Hearing Columbus's words, the Sailors kneeling on the deck in prayer looked at one another, their faces all somewhat half-believing, half-doubting. This was the first time everyone had gone to sea with Columbus. At this moment, this so-called admiral from a city-state and of common birth still did not possess the kind of prestige that could make the Sailors believe him! And the ones who truly could convince them were...
After thinking for a while, Boatswain Bartolome looked to the Santa Maria's former captain, now second captain, Juan de la Cosa, and asked nervously.
"Boss! Is