Bythistimewatchmen,whohadbeensettheretosearchtheseaortheboatofQuilla,hadnotedourapproach。Theyshoutedandpointedtomewhosatintheprowcladinmyarmouruponwhichthesunglittered,thenbegantoruntoandfroasthoughinfearorexcitement,sothaterewereachedtheshoreagreatcrowdhadgathered。Meanwhile,Quillahadputonhersilver—broideredmantleandherhead—dressoffeathers,crownedwiththecrescentofthemoon。Aswetouchedthebeachshecameforward,andforthefirsttimeduringthatnightspoketomesaying:
\"Remainhereinthe/balsa/,Lord,whileItalkwiththesepeople,andwhenIsummonyoubepleasedtocome。Fearnot——nonewillharmyou。\"
Thenshesprangfromtheprowofthe/balsa/totheshore,followedbyhertwomaidens,whodraggeditfurtherupthebeach,andwentforwardtotalkwithcertainwhite—robedmeninthecrowd。Foralongwhileshetalked,turningnowandagaintopointatme。Atlengththesemen,accompaniedbyanumberofothers,ranforward。AtfirstIthoughttheymeantmischiefandgraspedmysword—hilt,then,rememberingwhatQuillahadsaid,remainedseatedandsilent。
Indeed,therewasnocauseforfear,forwhenthewhite—robedchiefsorpriestsandtheirfollowingwereclosetome,suddenlytheyprostratedthemselvesandbeattheirheadsuponthesand,fromwhichI
learnedthatthey,too,believedmetobeagod。ThereonIbowedtothemand,drawingmysword——atthesightofwhichIsawthemstareandshiver,fortothesepeoplesteelwasunknown——helditstraightupinfrontofmeinmyrighthand,theshieldwiththecognizanceofthethreearrowsbeingonmyleftarm。