The Distress Signal

Quicksilver

To be a European Christian (the rest of the world might be forgiven for thinking) was to build ships and sail them to any and all coasts not already a-bristle with cannons, make landfall at river’s mouth, kiss the dirt, plant a cross for a flag, scare the hell out of any indigenes with a musketry demo’, and - having come so far, and suffered and risked so much - unpack a shallow basin and scoop up some muck from the river-bottom.

Yeah. Pretty much my most favorite book. Ever.