THE
C O M P A N I O N S OF C O L U M B U S .
subsided, having merely been swollen by the rains.
103
Before he
had time to extricate himself, the caravel grounded, and at length fell over on one side.
The current rushing like a torrent
strained the feeble bark to such a degree, that her seams yawned and she appeared ready to go to pieces.
In this moment of peril
a hardy seaman threw himself into the water to carry the end of a rope on shore as a means of saving the crew.
He was
swept away by the furious current and perished in the sight of his companions.
Undismayed by his fate, another brave seaman
plunged into the waves and succeeded in reaching the shore. He then fastened one end of a rope firmly to a tree, and the other being secured on board of the caravel, Nieuesa and his crew passed one by one along it, and reached the shore in safety. Scarcely had they landed when the caravel went to pieces, and with it perished their provisions, clothing, and all other ne cessaries.
Nothing remained to them but the boat of the caravel,
which was accidentally cast on shore.
Here then they were, in
helpless plight, on a remote and savage coast, without food, with out arms, and almost naked.
What had become of the rest of
the squadron they knew not.
Some feared that the brigantines
had been wrecked ; others called to mind that Lope de Olano had been one of the loose lawless men confederated with Fran cisco Roldan in his rebellion against Columbus, and, judging him from the school in which he had served, hinted their apprehen sions that he had deserted with the brigantines.
Nieuesa partook
of their suspicions, and was anxious and sad at heart.
He con
cealed his uneasiness, however, and endeavored to cheer up his companions, proposing that they should proceed westward on foot in search of Veragua, the seat of his intended government ; observing that, if the ships had survived the tempest, they would