The natives threw darts from a distance and then, gradually drawing nearer, they used their wooden swords and machanes, in a furious assault.  So greatly enraged were they that, astonishing as it may seem, they were not frightened either by bows, arquebuses, or the noise of the cannon fired from the ships.  Once they drew off, but soon returned to the charge in greater numbers and more furiously than before.  They preferred to die rather than see their land occupied by the Spaniards whom they were perfectly willing to receive as guests, but whom they rejected as inhabitants.  The more the Spaniards defended themselves, the more did the multitude of their assailants increase, directing their attack sometimes on the front, sometimes on the flank, without cessation both day and night.  Fortunately the fleet at anchorage assured the Spaniards a secure retreat and, deciding to abandon the attempt to colonise there, they returned on board.

Their return to Jamaica, which is the island lying south and near to Cuba and Hispaniola was accomplished with great difficulty, for their ships had been so eaten by bromas,—­to use a Spanish word—­that they were like sieves and almost went to pieces during the voyage.  The men saved themselves by working incessantly, bailing out the water that rushed in through great fissures in the ship’s side and finally, exhausted by fatigue, they succeeded in reaching Jamaica.  Their ships sank; and leaving them there stranded, they passed six months in the power of the barbarians, a more wretched existence than that of Alcimenides as described by Virgil.  They were forced to live on what the earth produced or what it pleased the natives to give them.  The mortal enmities existing amongst the savage caciques were of some service to the Spaniards; for to secure their alliance the caciques distributed bread to the starving whenever they were about to undertake a campaign.  O how sad and wretched it is, Most Holy Father, to eat the bread of charity!  Your Holiness may well understand, especially when man is deprived of wine, meat, different kinds of cheeses, and of everything to which from their infancy the stomachs of Europeans are accustomed.

Under the stress of necessity the Admiral resolved to tempt fortune.  Desiring to know what destiny God reserved for him, he took counsel with his intendant, Diego Mendez,[11] and two islanders of Jamaica who were familiar with those waters.  Mendez started in a canoe, although the sea was already ruffled.  From reef to reef and from rock to rock, his narrow skiff tossed by the waves, Diego nevertheless succeeded in reaching the extreme point of Hispaniola which is some forty leagues distant from Jamaica.  The two natives returned joyously, anticipating the reward promised them by Columbus.  Mendez made his way on foot to Santo Domingo, the capital of the island, where he rented two boats and set out to rejoin his commander.  All the Spaniards returned together to Hispaniola, but in a state of extreme weakness and exhaustion from their privations.  I do not know what has since happened to them.[12] Let us now resume our narrative.