372 LIFE Of COLUMBUS. 



anchored among a cluster of isles south of Cuba, call- 

 ed the Queen's Garden, May 30th, 1503. Here, a sud- 

 den tempest came on at midnight, with such violence 

 that, as Columbus himself writes, 'it seemed as if the 

 world would dissolve.' The seas ran mountain high ; and 

 the winds dashed the vessels against each other in such a 

 manner that, had darkness continued an hour longer, 

 they must all have inevitably gone to the bottom. As it 

 was, they were hardly able to continue the voyage east- 

 ward, their anchors being lost, the vessels ' bored as full 

 of holes as a honey-comb,' and the leaks gaining upon 

 them so that not only the pumps, but buckets and kettles, 

 were incessantly used in bailing. Finally, on the coast 

 of Jamaica, Columbus gave up the struggle ; he ordered 

 his crazy vessels to be run aground, within a bow-shot of 

 the shore, and fastened together, side by side. They 

 soon filled with water to the decks. Thatched cabins 

 were then erected at the prows and stems, for the accom- 

 modation of the crews, and the wreck was placed in the 

 best possible state for defence. 



In this location Columbus remained about a year, at 

 peace with the natives, but rebelled against and deserted 

 by a large part of his soldiers, as well as reduced to ex- 

 treme hazard of famine. He survived, however, with a 

 small company of his men ; and upon the 28th of June, 

 15(M, they had the inexpressible satisfaction of leaving 

 this memorable spot, in two vessels sent them by the gov- 

 ernor of San Domingo. They arrived in that colony on 

 the 13th of August ; and there, for once, the unfortunate 

 admiral, too humble and wretched to be any longer the 

 object of envy, was received with the honor due to his 

 distinguished character and services. He remained at 

 this place until the 12th of September, when he com- 

 menced his last voyage to Spain ; nor was it until nearly 

 two months' tempestuous and perilous navigation, during 

 which one of his two vessels was obliged to put back, 

 that the other, shattered and crazy, anchored at last 

 in the harbor of San Lucar. From this port, Colum- 

 bus had himself immediately conveyed, feeble and worn 

 out as he was, to Seville. Thenceforth, the rest which 

 he now sought fled from his pursuit. His family affairs 



