They coasted along this island for several days, to the place where the Admiral had left his settlement.  While passing the region of Xamana, they set ashore one of the Indians whom they had carried off on the first voyage.  They “gave him some little things which the Admiral had commanded him to give away.”  Another account adds that of the ten Indian men who had been carried off on the first voyage, seven had already died on account of the change of air and food.  Two of the three whom the Admiral was bringing back, swam ashore at night.  “The Admiral cared for this but little, thinking that he should have enough interpreters among those whom he had left in the island, and whom he hoped to find there again.”  It seems certain that one Indian remained faithful to the Spaniards; he was named Diego Colon, after the Admiral’s brother.

On the day that the captive Indian was set ashore, a Biscayan sailor died, who had been wounded by the Caribs in the fight between the boat’s crew and the canoe.  A boat’s crew was sent ashore to bury him, and as they came to land there came out “many Indians, of whom some wore gold at the neck and at the ears.  They sought to come with the christians to the ships, and they did not like to bring them, because they had not had permission from the Admiral.”  The Indians then sent two of their number in a little canoe to one of the caravels, where they were received kindly, and sent to speak with the Admiral.

“They said, through an interpreter, that a certain king sent them to know what people we were, and to ask that we might be kind enough to land, as they had much gold and would give it to him, and of what they had to eat.  The Admiral commanded silken shirts and caps and other little things to be given them, and told them that as he was going where Guacanagari was, he could not stop, that another time he would be able to see him.  And with that, they (the Indians) went away.”

They stopped two days at a harbor which they called Monte Christi, to see if it were a suitable place for a town, for the Admiral did not feel altogether satisfied with the place where the settlement of La Navidad had been made on the first voyage.  This Monte Christi was near “a great river of very good water” (the Santiago).  But it is all an inundated region, and very unfit to live in.

“As they were going along, viewing the river and land, some of our men found, in a place close by the river, two dead men, one with:  a cord (lazo) around his neck, and the other with one around his foot.  This was the first day.  On the next day following, they found two other dead men farther on than these others.  One of these was in such a position that it could be known that he had a plentiful beard.  Some of our men suspected more ill than good, and with reason, as the Indians are all beardless, as I have said.”

This port was not far from the port where the Spanish settlement had been made on the first voyage, so that there was great reason for these anxieties.  They set sail once more for the settlement, and arrived opposite the harbor of La Navidad on the twenty-seventh of November.  As they were approaching the harbor, a canoe came towards them, with five or six Indians on board, but, as the Admiral kept on his course without waiting for them, they went back.