The admiral, bent on discovery, and especially on finding the terra firma, which adjoined “his” India, did not stay long anywhere.  Proceeding southwards from San Salvador, he discovered an island, or rather a group of islands, to which he gave the name of Santa Maria de la Concepcion; he then discovered Cuba, and coasted along the northeastern part of that island; and afterwards, in due course, came to Hispaniola, called by the natives Hayti, in which island he landed upon the territory of King Guacanagari where he was received most cordially.

Various conjectures have been made as to the different results which would have followed, both for the New and for the Old World, if Columbus had steered a little to the northward, or the southward, of the course which he actually took.  One thing, however, is obvious, that in arriving at Hispaniola he came to a central point, not only of the West Indies, but of the whole of the New World, and a point, therefore, most felicitously situated for the spreading of future discovery and conquest.

  Insubordination of mariners.

It may be mentioned here, that Martin Alonzo Pinzon had wilfully parted company from the admiral while on the coast of Cuba:  covetousness being probably the cause of this most undutiful proceeding.  But, indeed, there is another instance of the insubordination of the mariners, which makes the wonder only still greater how Columbus could have brought them across the Atlantic at all.

  Wreck of admiral’s vessel.

One evening the admiral, after paying a visit to Guacanagari, seeing the sea quite calm, betook himself to rest.  As he had not slept for two days and a night, it is probable his slumber was deep.  Meanwhile, the steersman, contrary to the distinct orders of the admiral, gave the helm to a common sailor, a youth.  All the sailors went to sleep.  The sea was as calm “as water in a dish.”  Little by little the ship drifted on to a shoal.  Directly they touch, the sailor-boy at the helm starts from his dream, and gives the alarm.  The admiral jumps up first (for the responsibility of command seldom goes quite to sleep); then the officer whose watch it ought to have been hurries up, and the admiral orders him to lower the boat which they carried on the poop, and to throw out all anchor astern.  Instead of obeying the admiral, this cowardly villain, with others like him, sprang into the boat and made off for the other vessel, which was about half a league off.  The other vessel would not receive them, and they rowed back again.  But it was too late.  The admiral did what he could in the emergency:  he cut down the mast, lightened the vessel as best he might, took out his people and went with them to the other caravel, sending his boat to Guacanagari to inform him of the misfortune.

  Kindness of Indian chief.