twelve years of age, when he arrived at night at the hospitable
convent of Saint Mary of Rabida, which has been made celebrated by that
incident. It is about three miles south of what was then the seaport of
Palos, one of the active ports of commercial Spain. The convent stands
on level ground high above the sea; but a steep road runs down to the
shore of the ocean. Some of its windows and corridors look out upon
the ocean on the west and south, and the inmates still show the room in
which Columbus used to write, and the inkstand which served his purposes
while he lived there. It is maintained as a monument of history by the
Spanish government.

At the door of this convent he asked for bread and water for his boy.
The prior of the convent was named Juan Perez de Marchena. He was
attracted by the appearance of Columbus, still more by his conversation,
and invited him to remain as their guest.

When he learned that his new friend was about to offer to France the
advantages of a discovery so great as that proposed, he begged him to
make one effort more at home. He sent for some friends, Fernandos, a
physician at Palos, and for the brothers Pinzon, who now appear for the
first time in a story where their part is distinguished. Together they
all persuaded Columbus to send one messenger more to wait upon their
sovereigns. The man sent was Rodriguez, a pilot of Lepe, who found
access to the queen because Juan Perez, the prior, had formerly been her
confessor. She had confidence in him, as she had, indeed, in Columbus.
And in fourteen days the friendly pilot came back from Santa Fe with a
kind letter from the queen to her friend, bidding him return at once to
court. Perez de Marchena saddled his mule at once and before midnight
was on his way to see his royal mistress.