e for the island, which he
reached just in time to save the miserable remnant from dying of
starvation.

As soon as he could command himself, Nicuesa, whose easy temper and
generous disposition had left him under the hardships and misfortunes
he had sustained, sentenced Olano to death. By the pleas of his
comrades, the sentence was mitigated, and the wretched man was bound in
chains and forced to grind corn for the rest of the party--when there
was any to grind.

To follow Nicuesa's career further would be simply to chronicle the
story of increasing disaster. He lost {23} ship after ship and man
after man. Finally reduced in number to one hundred men, one of the
sailors, which had been with Columbus remembered the location of Porto
Rico as being a haven where they might establish themselves in a
fertile and beautiful country, well-watered and healthy. Columbus had
left an anchor under the tree to mark the place, and when they reached
it they found that the anchor had remained undisturbed all the years.
They were attacked by the Indians there, and after losing twenty
killed, were forced to put to sea in two small brigantines and a
caravel, which they had made from the wrecks of their ships. Coasting
along the shore, they came at last to an open roadstead where they
could debark.

"In the name of God," said the disheartened Nicuesa, "let us stop here."

There they landed, called the place after their leader's exclamation,
Nombre de Dios. The caravel, with a crew of the strongest, was
despatched for succour, and was never heard of again.

One day, the colonists of Antigua were surprised by the sound of a
cannon shot. They fired their own weapons in reply, and soon two ships
carrying reenforcements for Nicuesa under Rodrigo de Colmenares,
dropped anchor in front of the town.

By this time the colonists had divided into factions, some favoring the
existing regime, others inclining toward the still busy Encisco, others
desirous of putting themselves under the command of Nicuesa, whose
generosity and sunny disposition were still affectionately remembered.
The arrival of Colmenares and his party, gave the Nicuesa faction a
decided preponderance; and, taking things in their own hands, they
determined to despatch one of the ships, with two {24} representatives
of the colony, up the coast in search of the governor. This expedition
found Nicuesa without much difficulty. Again the rescuing ship arrived
just in time.