“Four months. The purpose of Juan Díaz de Solís’s expedition was to find a passageway through the continent to the ocean on the other side, which fell in line with our plans perfectly. We didn’t want to explore the coastlines, where ships came and went daily. We wanted to go further inland where we believed troves of riches were to be found, so once we reached the first port and restocked the ship, we paid de Solis a bag of gold so we could continue our journey with him on his smallest boat. They built it to navigate those shallower waters, the tributaries leading deeper into the continent, and while our accommodations were worse, it didn’t matter. We were going to be rich. That’s actually when we met Simeon, Aldrich, and Diego, along with a young man named Kerwin Somerset. They’d been on the other boats, and like us, they were out for an adventure. And, yes, I know you don’t recognize at least one of those names.”

“You’re right, but please go on.”

Max took a deep breath. “Eventually, after following the coast for some time, we sailed into the estuary they now call the Río de la Plata. It was there where de Solis took a few men and went ashore for a brief excursion. Upon hearing that, Simeon suggested we join them. We’d been on the water for months, and the riches we sought weren’t going to be found in the sea, so filling our sacks with our belongings, some rations, and a few small lanterns, we waited for the ship to anchor.

“Now, Etienne was, by far, the smartest of all of us, and he had what we lacked, foresight not undermined by gold and jewels. Throughout our trip, as we were self-absorbed in our discomfort, he kept a meticulous journal, jotting down notes about everything you can imagine. At first, it was more observations of the crew and the sea and the weather, but ultimately, he concentrated on only one thing—our survival. We were about as prepared to traipse through a forest as we were to board a sailing ship, and recognizing this was the first of many times, Etienne saved our lives.

“He befriended some deckhands and offered to teach them his language and answer whatever questions they might have, and in turn, they would do the same. Now, most of these sailors were more boys than men. Strapping lads, in bare feet, they’d run here and there to fasten sails or scamper up the masts to ready the ship for whatever was to come, but there were two that caught Etienne’s attention.