25 July, 1492

A huge piece of cloth was torn from the mainsail of
the Santa Maria, a vessel scheduled to leave in one week
for a voyage to Japan.  Sailmakers are frantically trying
to fix the sail so Christopher Columbus can
leave while the winds still blow from the East. The
Palos port authorities have no idea why anyone
would steal a piece of the sail. They also cannot fathom
how the thief got past the Spanish Royal Navy, which has been
guarding the ships while the provisions are being loaded.

NOTES FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CREW:
*	The piece that was cut was exactly one yard square.
*	There was no trace of anyone climbing on board.
*	The first mate noticed the smell of "rotten eggs" near the sail.

THOUGHTS:
*	This awful, sulfuric smell again!
*	Why would someone risk being captured in a high-security area
 	just for a piece of a sail?

