K 
Chap. III. 
Christopher Columbus. 
/ 
I^Tatives of Seville^ whofe Names were Porras, one of 
whom went over Captain of a Ship, and the other Pur- 
fer of the Fleet j thefe Men, having endeavoured to bring 
all the reft to their Defigii, thought it fufficient that 
they had gained forty of the moft mutinous, and refoived^ 
to declare their Intentions ; Accordingly, on the 2d of 
January y 1504, being all armed. Captain Francis dePorras 
went upon the Poop where the Admiral was, and, with- 
out any Refped, faid, PFe arc of Opinion that your Lord- 
jhip wtli not go into Spain, but intend to keep us here to 
perifh. The Admiral, hearing thefe infolent Words, and 
gueffing at the Meaning, very mildly anfwered, He 
could not but be fenfible how impradlicable it was for 
them to pafs over to Hifpaniola ; that it was well known, 
he had already, by the unanimous Advice of all, fent 
for Ships, and if they had any better Method to offer, 
they might propofe it. Francis de Porras replied, there 
was no need of much advifmg, that he might embark 
immediately, or flay behind; and, turning his Back, ad- 
ded, for I will go away into Spain, with all thofe that 
wiU follow me T Then the Confpirators cryed out. One 
and ally One and all, and, after having caufed much 
Confufion aboard the Ship, they feized ten of the Ca- 
noes the Admiral had bought, and, many of thofe who 
were fick joining them, went away to the Eaftern Point 
of Jamaicuy whence James Mendez and Bartholomew 
Fiefco had taken Boat to Hifpaniola. 
Being come to the Point of the Ifland, they attempted 
to pafs over it to HifpanioUy forcbg fome Natives, 
with them, to row : But the Sea growing rough, and 
wetting them, they thought At to lighten the Canoes, 
which were heavy loaded, throwing over-board all they 
had, except fome Provifions, Water, and their Arms ; 
and, at laft, the poor that rowed ; cutting their 
Hands if they offered to eafe themfelves by holding by 
the Sides of the Canoes when tired with Swimming. 
Returning afliore, fome were for paffing over tO Cuba, 
fome for returning and making their Peace with the 
Admiral, or taking all he had by Force from him; 
Others, for attempting, again, to pafs over into Hifpa- 
moky which laft prevailing ; they flayed fix Weeks in 
the Fidian Town, at the Point of Land, for calm Wea- 
ther, ruining the poor Natives, and then twice ventured 
out to Sea,"^but were forced back. Then quitting the 
Canoes, they went from Town to Town, fometimes 
bartering with the People for Provifions, and fometimes 
taking them by Force ; whilft they were thus ranging, 
the Admiral took particular Care of the Sick, to fecure 
them to him, and laboured to gain the Friendfhip of 
the Indians, to make fure of Provifions, and by Inch 
Methods, all that had been diftempered recovered ; how- 
ever, the Spaniards eating much more than the Natives, 
it was a difficult Matter to fupply them plentifully, and ' 
fo a great Part of his Men being revolted from the Ad- 
miral, thofe People began to make the lefs account of 
him, infomuch, that he was reduced to great Streights ; 
but it pleafed God to relieve him in that Diftrefs, after 
the following Manner : 
The A^dmiral knowing there would be an Eclipfe of 
the Moon within three Days, took therefore this Op- 
portunity to fend an Indian, that fpoke Spanifoy to call 
the Cazique and principal Men of thofe Parts to him. 
They being come a Day before the Eclipfe, he told 
them that the Spaniards were Chriftians, Servants of 
God, who dwells in Heaven, and is I.ord and Maker of 
ail things ; who rewards the Good, and puniffies the 
Wickect; and, being angry with thofe that had mutinied, 
wmukl not permit them to pafs over to Hifpanioky as 
the others, fent by him, had done; that he was alfo 
difpleafed witli them, becaufe they did not fupply his 
diftreffed Servants with Provifions, in exchange lor Com- 
modities, and therefore was refolved to chaftife them 
with Famine and other Calamities ; and, that they might 
be convinced of the Truth of what he faid, God was 
pleafed they ffiould fee a Token of his i\nger in the Sky : 
So that they might, that Night, obferve the Rifmg of 
the Moon, that flie would appear of a bloody Hue, to 
point out the Puniftiment God would inflidl upon them. 
When he had made his Speech, fome ol them went a'vvay 
in a Fngjht, and others fcoffed at his Predi< 5 lionr But, the 
Eclipfe beginning as foon as the Moon W'as up^ and en~ 
crealing the higher llie rofe, it put them into fuch a 
Confternation, that they haftened to the Ships, loaded 
with Provifions, entreating the Admiral that he would 
pray to God that he wouid not be longer angry with 
tliem ; and they would, for the future; bring him 
all the Provifions he ffiould have Occafion for. 
The Admiral aniwered, he v/ould offer up his Pray- 
ers to God ; and then lliutting himfelf up till the Eclipfe 
was at the Height, and ready to decreafe, he came out 
again, telling them he had prayed for them, promifing 
they would be good, and hipply the Chriftians, where- 
upon God had forgiven them; and they would fee the 
Moon, by degrees, turn to her ufual Complexion. The 
Indians, perceiving the Eclipfe to go off entirely, re- 
turned the Admiral many Thanks, admiring the God 
of the Chriftians ; went away very well pleafed, religi- 
oully remembring to be grateful for the Benefit they 
thought they had received of the Admiral ; for they 
fupplied him plentifully with Provifions, always bleffiiig 
God, believing he would punifh them for their Sins ; and 
that the Eclipfes they had formerly feen, had been Tokens 
of his Anger. 
There were eight Months paffed fince the Departure 
of their Agents without any Advice of their Arrival, or 
what had befallen them ; which made thofe that were with 
the Admiral defpair, fuppofing thofe Meffengers had 
been caft away in their Paffage, or murdered by the In- 
dians. On this, one Barnard of Valencia, and the reft 
that had remained fick, confpired together to do as the 
Porras'^ had done before : But God prevented this Mif- 
chief by the Arrival of a fmall Caravel fent by the Go- 
vernor of Hifpaniola, under the Command of James de 
Efcobar, one of thofe that had been in the Rebellion with 
Roldan. He had Orders not to go aboard the Ships, or 
afhore, or permit any to talk with thofe that were with 
the Admiral ; or to receive, or deliver, any Letter ; be- 
ing only fent to fee the Condition the Admiral and his 
Men were in. The Governor had pitched upon Efcobar 
to execute this Commiffion, becaufe he knew he had 
been in Rebellion, and therefore would not fide with 
thofe in Diftrefs. Efcobar, leaving his Caravel at fome 
Diftance, went in his Boat to deliver a Letter from the 
Governor ; and then ftanding off, made an empty Com- 
pliment from him; after which he prefented the Admiral 
with a Cafic of Wine and two Flitches of Bacon. The 
Admiral anfwered the Governor' s Letter, giving him 
an Account of what he had difeovered, and what had 
happened fince, and praying him to fend fpeedy Relieft 
AVhereupon Efcobar failed away, which made the Men 
fufpedl that the Governor Obando defigned to let them 
all perifli in that Bland. 
However, this difippointed the fecond Confpiracy, 
and the Admiral told them, that Efcobar went away lb 
fuddenly that they might be the fooner relieved, for he 
was refolved not to go away without them, and that little 
Caravel would not carry them all. Thefe Words, and 
the Sight of the little Caravel/ with the Advice that 
Meitdez and Fiefco were fafely arrived m Hifpaniola, fome- 
v/hat comforted the Men, and gave them Hopes of get- 
ting off in time. The Admiral, rather defirous to re- 
duce the Mutineers by fair Means than by Force, that- 
they might do no Mifchief in the Bland, fent two of 
their beft Friends to acquaint them with the Advice he 
had received, defiring them to return, and no Notice 
fhould be taken of v-/hat had happened. Francis de 
Porras met thofe Meffengers at a Diftance, for fear they 
fhould perfuade any of his Men to fubmit themfelves^, 
and anfwered, that they would not truft the Admiral; 
but would behave themfelves peaceably in the Ifland, if 
he would promife to find a Ship to carry them off, and 
fliare half of what he had with them, fince they had loft 
all their own Effedls. 
The Meffengers refufed to make any fuch Propofai to 
the Admiral, and Porras replied that if he would nor 
do it by fair Means, he ffiould be compelled to it by 
Force. When the Meffengers were gone, he railed at? 
Columbus, charging him with Cruelty ; alledging, he 
would not perform what he promifed if he had them once 
in las Power ; ridiculouily accufing him of being 
Sorcerer § 
