ues, or one hundred twenty-nine
more than was reckoned by the pilot. The other two ships differed much in
their computation from each other and from the admiral's pilot. The pilot
of the Nina, in the afternoon of the Wednesday following, said they
had only sailed five hundred forty leagues, and the pilot of the Pinta
reckoned six hundred thirty-four. Thus they were all much short of the
truth; but the admiral winked at the gross mistake, that the men, not
thinking themselves so far from home, might be the less dejected.

The next day, being Tuesday, October 2d, they saw abundance of fish,
caught one small tunny, and saw a white bird with many other small birds,
and the weeds appeared much withered and almost fallen to powder. Next
day, seeing no birds, they suspected that they had passed between some
islands on both hands, and had slipped through without seeing them, as
they guessed that the many birds which they had seen might have been
passing from one island to another. On this account they were very
earnest to have the course altered one way or the other, in quest of
these imaginary lands. But the admiral, unwilling to lose the advantage
of the fair wind which carried him due west, which he accounted his
surest course, and afraid to lessen his reputation by deviating from
course to course in search of land, which he always affirmed that he well
knew where to find, refused his consent to any change. On this the people
were again ready to mutiny, and resumed their murmurs and cabals against
him. But it pleased God to aid his authority by fresh indications of
land.

On Thursday, October 4th, in the afternoon, above forty sparrows together
and two alcatrases flew so near the ship that a seaman killed one of
them with a stone. Several other birds were seen at this time, and many
flying-fish fell into the ships. Next day there came a rabo-de-junco and
an alcatras from the westward, and many sparrows were seen. About sunrise
on Sunday, October 7th, some signs of land appeared to the westward, but
being imperfect no person would mention the circumstance. This was owing
to fear of losing the reward of thirty crowns yearly for life which
had been promised by their Catholic majesties to whoever should first
discover land; and to prevent them from calling out "Land, land!" at
every turn without just cause, it was made a condition that whoever said
he saw land should lose the reward if it were not made out in three days,
even i