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approval passed among them as his deep, quiet voice carried to the fartherest part of the ship.
The utter silence that falls among anxious listeners prevailed again on board the vessel. But, now, from ahead to the right, came the soft, distant murmur of the swell where it breached on some unknown, uncharted shore. The Admiral listened intently; and still listening, turned his face to leftward. There, also, though the sound was nearly inaudible his experienced ear detected the soft rumble of faraway surf.
While they waited thus, and listened, dawn came into the eastern sky. The first breeze of morning stole upon them, from southwards, and filled the great, limp sails. The rigging moaned under its pressure and the low tinkle of rippling water arose as the little waves caused by the ship?s motion passed alongside and turned into eddies, astern. The mist lifted slightly, and for an instant, far ahead, the two boats that had been sent out more than an hour ago to sound the waters in advance of the vessel?s progress, could be seen. But the breeze failed, and the morning mist that hung low over the waters closed round them again.
The great man moved closer to his helmsman and spoke with him quiedy. ?There is a point yonder, in the mists, Carlos. And there on the left, is another?perhaps, by the sound of it, an island. You will
The Admiral de Pineda entered Mobile Bay in 1519
steer straight ahead. The wind will come again, and this time it will hold. ... It is a pity we could not have come in by day, but it was necessary we should approach at the bottom of the tide so that the flood of it might take us off, later, if we should ground.?
?With due respect, Sir, you are right,? the man said in answer.
Even as he spoke, the breeze came steady and strong. The mist writhed and lifted, closed in again, lifted again,?and was gone. There came to their ears the sudden screams of seabirds, swirling upwards, in alarm. The broad gleam of sunrise shot across the sky, and a shaft from the rising sun burned through the thin mist like the beam of a searchlight,
revealing once more the boats ahead, with their lighted	torches	showing
in the white light of day only as useless smudges of	black	smoke.	The
breeze held, and the ship swayed nobly forward.
Of a sudden the voice of the lookout rings loud and clear as a bugle from the masthead.
"ha Tierra! Land! Land ho!?
?Land, land!? The cry, taken up by a multitude of voices, rings out all along the decks. Men are cheering loudly and throwing their caps into the air.
?Land!?
Friends?