The next day he left these hospitable people, raising anchor in the morning, and with a light land wind continued towards the west.  At eleven in the evening Columbus retired to rest.  While he slept, on Christmas Day, there occurred an accident which changed all plans for the expedition so far as any had been formed, and from which there followed the establishment of the ill-fated first colony.  The evening was calm when Columbus himself retired to sleep, and the master of the vessel followed his example, entrusting the helm to one of the boys.  Every person on the ship, excepting this boy, was asleep, and he seems to have been awake to little purpose.

The young steersman let the ship drift upon a ridge of rock, although, as Columbus says, indignantly, there were breakers abundant to show the danger.  So soon as she struck, the boy cried out, and Columbus was the first to wake.  He says, by way of apology for himself, that for thirty-six hours he had not slept until now.  The master of the ship followed him.  But it was too late.  The tide, such as there was, was ebbing, and the Santa Maria was hopelessly aground.  Columbus ordered the masts cut away, but this did not relieve her.

He sent out his boat with directions to carry aft an anchor and cable, but its crew escaped to the Nina with their tale of disaster.  The Nina’s people would not receive them, reproached them as traitors, and in their own vessel came to the scene of danger.  Columbus was obliged to transfer to her the crew of the Santa Maria.

So soon as it was day, their friendly ally, Guacanagari, came on board.  With tears in his eyes, he made the kindest and most judicious offers of assistance.  He saw Columbus’s dejection, and tried to relieve him by expressions of his sympathy.  He set aside on shore two large houses to receive the stores that were on the Santa Maria, and appointed as many large canoes as could be used to remove these stores to the land.  He assured Columbus that not a bit of the cargo or stores should be lost, and this loyal promise was fulfilled to the letter.

The weather continued favorable.  The sea was so light that everything on board the Santa Maria was removed safely.  Then it was that Columbus, tempted by the beauty of the place, by the friendship of the natives, and by the evident wishes of his men, determined to leave a colony, which should be supported by the stores of the Santa Maria, until the rest of the party could go back to Spain and bring or send reinforcements.  The king was well pleased with this suggestion, and promised all assistance for the plan.  A vault was dug and built, in which the stores could be placed, and on this a house was built for the home of the colonists, so far as they cared to live within doors.

The chief sent a canoe in search of Martin Pinzon and the Pinta, to tell them of the disaster.  But the messengers returned without finding them.  At the camp, which was to be a city, all was industriously pressed, with the assistance of the friendly natives.  Columbus, having no vessel but the little Nina left, determined to return to Europe with the news of his discovery, and to leave nearly forty men ashore.