Friar Juan went
among the population exhorting them to have faith in Columbus as
_he_ had faith in him; he explained to them all that he understood
of geography, and how, according to his understanding, the Italian was
sure to succeed. As we know, a priest was often the only educated man in
an entire community, and was looked up to accordingly; and so Friar Juan
was able to persuade several respectable men to enter Columbus's
service. As for Pinzon, both his moral and his practical support were so
great that it is doubtful whether the expedition could have been
arranged without him. Long before, at the Rabida conference, he had
offered to go as captain; now he induced his two brothers to sign also.
Palos, seeing three members of its most important family ready to go,
took heart. Pinzon next helped to find the three vessels needed, and put
them in order. One of these ships belonged to Juan de la Cosa, a well-
known pilot, and Juan himself was prevailed upon to sail with it. (Later
this Juan became a great explorer and made the first map of the New
World.) Another and less fortunate purchase was of a vessel whose owners
regretted the sale the moment they had parted with her; so down they
went to where the calkers and painters were making her seaworthy for the
voyage, and tried to persuade them to do everything just as badly as it
could be done.
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