There was no resort left for the Admiral except to reach Hispaniola with his crazy vessels, for it was impossible to go to Spain with them, but the elements seemed to be in a conspiracy to thwart his purpose. A fearful hurricane and thunder storm swept the ocean to its very depths and hurled the vessels about so violently that the crews lost all courage. Vainly Columbus sought to apply all those precautionary measures which experience had taught him. They did not listen to his commands and even if they had listened they were too terrified, confused, and exhausted to execute them. One of his vessels was lost as it approached the coast of the mainland and the others leaked so badly that the united exertions of all on board barely availed to keep them from sinking. In these desperate conditions Columbus steered for Cuba, hoping that he might be able to make the necessary repairs there. But this hope was denied him. A new and terrible storm drove him from the coast with irresistible fury out to sea and dashed the two vessels together so violently that all thought their last moment had come. But Providence preserved Columbus’ life. His virtue was yet to be tried by harder tests. The joints of his vessels withstood the strain and, in the meantime having reached the coast of Jamaica, he ran them ashore to prevent them from sinking. Then he rescued himself and his companions by stranding them. Repairing them was no longer to be thought of for they were utterly worthless. It was fortunate from the Admiral’s point of view that they were not destroyed, as he had two reasons for preferring that he and his companions should live upon the wrecks rather than ashore. In the first place they would be more secure from attack by the natives than on land, and in the second place he could prevent them from acts of hostility caused by the outrages of his own people. He propped up the stranded vessels as securely as he could, roofed over the decks, and forbade his men to go ashore.
The natives soon discovered the vessels and in pursuance of the orders of Columbus were greeted in a friendly manner. The result was that they also displayed a friendly spirit and brought a profusion of articles of food to exchange for the trifles which the Spaniards always carried. They willingly exchanged two geese for a bit of tinsel, a loaf of their bread for a glass bead, and for bells the most valuable things they had for barter. Columbus in the meantime counselled with his friends as to the best way of leaving the island. Only one course seemed feasible and that was to request the governor of Hispaniola to send a vessel to take them off. Then the question arose how to get in communication with him. They had not a single boat left and Hispaniola was thirty miles distant from Jamaica. At last a way was found. By his humane and friendly attitude toward the natives Columbus so ingratiated himself that they were willing to sell him one or more of their canoes. They were wretched affairs, hardly deserving the name of boat, for they were hollowed out of tree trunks and were shapeless, poorly made things which they could hardly row ashore. The least gust of wind would upset them and the smallest waves wash over them.
But notwithstanding the danger to life which seemed inevitable in undertaking a long sea journey in one of these wretched affairs, two daring men were found in Columbus’ crew willing to risk their lives in an effort to rescue the Admiral and his men. One was named Mendez, the other Fiesko; the one a Spaniard, the other a Genoese. Each had a canoe of his own, and was accompanied by six Spaniards and some natives who were to do the rowing. It was arranged that as soon as they were fortunate enough to reach Hispaniola, Fiesko should return and inform the Admiral, while Mendez should go to San Domingo and execute the duty assigned him by Columbus. The daring navigators sailed away accompanied by the blessings and good wishes of their companions left behind. After they had been rowing continuously for two days and nights, exposed to intolerable heat, they began to fear that they had lost their way and were going by Hispaniola out into the open ocean. Their distress was great for their stock of water was exhausted and they were suffering horribly from heat, thirst, and exhaustion. Some of the natives dropped dead at their oars and all the others dreaded a similar fate. The only restorative they had was sea-water held in the mouth to cool the tongue.
At last their dreadful condition was relieved by a ray of hope. It was night and, as the moon rose above the horizon, they observed at the place of its rising an elevation which they recognized as a cliff. This raised their hopes that they were near an island and encouraged them to attempt rowing to it with all their strength. When they reached it they found only a barren rock upon which apparently there was neither food nor drink. But they jumped out of the canoes and wandered despairingly about the rocky islet. In the clefts of the rocks they found an abundant store of rain-water which was as pure and clear as the water of a cistern. Unfortunately in their joy at finding this treasure they forgot the wise rule of moderation. They drank, and drank too much. Some of them paid the penalty with their lives, others with impaired health.
The most pressing necessity of our adventurers having been removed, a still more serious question presented itself. What was to be done next? Fortunately they found upon the shore of the island some fish washed up by the sea, and as these sufficed for their immediate wants, both the leaders decided to remain in the desolate place during the heat of the day and start away again toward evening in their search for land. As soon as evening came the unfortunates resumed their course, rowing all night by moonlight. At daybreak—to their unspeakable joy—they reached the west coast of Hispaniola.
Chapter XVIII
Conspiracy against Columbus at Jamaica—He Returns to Spain and Vainly Seeks Reinstatement—He Dies at Valladolid in 1506
Day after day the companions of Columbus watched the region whence Fiesko was to come with the news that Mendez had made a landing at Hispaniola, but they watched in vain. Fiesko did not appear. Thereupon they became desperate. They were sure both the adventurers had been lost and all hope of release from the island vanished. The air was filled with their complaints and these complaints at last changed to open revolt. They shrieked, cursed, and threatened the life of Columbus, and the dark hour seemed to have come when the great leader, who had overcome so many dangers, should fall a victim to their blind rage. Columbus was confined to his bed with a painful ailment, a large part of his crew were in a similar plight. Those who were on their feet had submitted themselves to the leadership of two brothers, named Porras. The oldest of these, an unfeeling wretch, approached the Admiral’s bed and savagely demanded to know why he did not go back to Spain. Columbus replied with his customary composure that he had no way of returning, much as he wished to do so; if any one of his men could show him the way to do it, he would gladly go. Gracious as his answer was, it made not the slightest impression upon the shameless Porras. He replied even more ferociously that it was no time for pretences. For his part he was going to sail. Thereupon he shouted to the assembled crowd: “Those who wish to follow me, step forward.” His words were the sign for a universal uprising on the vessel. Most of them at once declared that they were ready to follow him. The Admiral, suffering as he was with the torments of gout, sprang from his bed to calm the disturbance, but his attendants who were justly afraid he would be murdered, restrained him. The mutineers gave way and retired when his brother, Bartolomeo, rushed into their midst, pike in hand, to punish them for their treachery. The leaders of the revolt in the meantime seized ten small craft which the Admiral had secured from the natives and sprang into them. This caused the others who had taken no part in the uprising to waver in their loyalty and most of them got into the boats and asked to be taken with them. It was with the deepest concern that Columbus, his brother, Bartolomeo, and his son Ferdinand watched this distressing spectacle. The poor bedridden invalid saw himself deserted by almost all his crew. The few faithful attendants gathered around his bed and engaged in excited discussion, while he thanked them for their proof of loyalty and encouraged them to remain steadfast in their duties and to look for a speedy termination of their present wretched condition, assuring them that in the future their honesty and loyalty would be rewarded.
The unfeeling mutineers in the meantime rowed with exultant shouts to the eastern point of the island, thence passing over to Hispaniola. When they went ashore they plundered and outraged the natives and shamelessly advised them to hold the Admiral responsible, as he was the sole cause of their trouble. If they could get no indemnity from him, they had their permission to kill him. It was his intention to make them all suffer and if they were smart they would get ahead of him. This greatly embittered the Indians against their treacherous leaders. Next they forced a large number of Indians, whom they had made prisoners, to go on board and do the rowing.
They had hardly gone four miles after this when a furious wind arose and made the sea so rough that their small craft began to fill with water. In order to lighten them, the wretches determined to murder the Indians and throw them overboard. Some of them had already been killed when the others, growing desperate, flung themselves into the water and imploring mercy swam along near the canoes. But with unheard-of cruelty, whenever they became exhausted and to rest themselves would cling for a little while to the canoes, these European monsters would push them off and inhumanly leave them to die. No less than eighteen were thus sacrificed, and the same dreadful fate would have overtaken all of them had not the Spaniards doubted the possibility of reaching Jamaica without the help of the few remaining.
Columbus in the meantime bore his great trouble with his customary resolution and, sick as he was, looked after the other invalids with the tenderness of a father. Heaven blessed his generous solicitude and sympathy and in a short time the old man had the pleasure of seeing all of them restored to health. But now he had to contend with a new danger. The Indians, who had supplied him with provisions up to that time, began to fear that these voracious Europeans would stay there forever and consume everything they could produce. This fear and the outrages from which they had suffered at the hands of the mutineers prejudiced them against the whites, and the result was they stopped bringing supplies to the vessels. Columbus, however, found a way of surmounting this difficulty, for which he was indebted to his knowledge of astronomy. He foresaw that an eclipse of the moon was at hand and he made use of this knowledge to arouse anew the respect and hospitality of the natives. With the help of one of the natives of Hispaniola he summoned the headmen by the announcement that he had something of great importance to communicate to them. When they appeared, he told them through an Indian interpreter that he and his companions were people who knew the God that made the heavens and the earth. This God, who protected the good and punished the bad, would also punish them if they refused any longer to supply food. As a sign of the punishment hanging over them, the moon the next night would wear a red and wrathful face, showing them what trouble they would bring upon themselves if they longer refused to be hospitable to their guests. At first they laughed at the prophecy, but when the moon began to grow dark and the darkness increased, there was universal consternation among them. With shrieks and howls they implored the Admiral to pray to his God that He would not punish them, sacredly promising to supply him with everything necessary to life. Columbus agreed to do as they wished and shut himself up in his cabin for the moment, knowing that the darkness would soon disappear. Then he reappeared and adjured the natives not to be troubled. God, he said, saw with great pleasure that their sentiments had changed. He therefore would not punish them and, as a sign of His graciousness, the moon would lose its angry appearance and soon shine upon them with its friendly beams. When this prophecy had been fulfilled they praised the Christian God in their joyous surprise and generously provided the wonderful man, who had foretold all this, with everything he needed.