Two officers of Columbus, Porras and his brother, led the sedition.  They told the rest of the crew that the Admiral’s hope of relief from Mendez was a mere delusion.  They said that he was an exile from Spain, and that he did not dare return to Hispaniola.  In such ways they sought to rouse his people against him and his brother.  As for Columbus, he was sick on board his vessel, while the two brothers Porras were working against him among his men.

On the second of January, 1504, Francesco de Porras broke into the cabin.  He complained bitterly that they were kept to die in that desolate place, and accused the Admiral as if it were his fault.  He told Columbus, that they had determined to go back to Spain; and then, lifting his voice, he shouted, “I am for Castile; who will follow me?” The mutinous crew instantly replied that they would do so.  Voices were heard which threatened Columbus’s life.

His brother, the Adelantado, persuaded Columbus to retire from the crowd and himself assumed the whole weight of the assault.  The loyal part of the crew, however, persuaded him to put down his weapon, and on the other hand, entreated Porras and his companions to depart.  It was clear enough that they had the power, and they tried to carry out their plans.

They embarked in ten canoes, and thus the Admiral was abandoned by forty-eight of his men.  They followed, to the eastward, the route which Mendez had taken.  In their lawless way they robbed the Indians of their provisions and of anything else that they needed.  As Mendez had done, they waited at the eastern extremity of Jamaica for calm weather.  They knew they could not manage the canoes, and they had several Indians to help them.

When the sea was smooth they started; but they had hardly gone four leagues from the land, when the waves began to rise under a contrary wind.  Immediately they turned for shore, the canoes were overfreighted, and as the sea rose, frequently shipped water.

The frightened Spaniards threw overboard everything they could spare, retaining their arms only, and a part of their provisions.  They even compelled the Indians to leap into the sea to lighten the boats, but, though they were skillful swimmers, they could not pretend to make land by swimming.  They kept to the canoes, therefore, and would occasionally seize them to recover breath.  The cruel Spaniards cut off their hands and stabbed them with their swords.  Thus eighteen of their Indian comrades died, and they had none left, but such as were of most help in managing the canoes.  Once on land, they doubted whether to make another effort or to return to Columbus.

Eventually they waited a month, for another opportunity to go to Hispaniola; but this failed as before, and losing all patience, they returned westward, to the commander whom they had insulted, living on the island “by fair means or foul,” according as they found the natives friendly or unfriendly.