had been delayed by trading with
the natives and by finding some gold. Pinzon tried to explain his sudden
disappearance by alleging that stress of weather had parted him from
his comrades, but his excuses were felt to be lame and improbable.
However it may have been with his excuses, there was no doubt as to the
lameness of his foremast; it had been too badly sprung to carry much
sail, so that the Pinta could not again run away from her consort.

[Sidenote: Terrible storm in mid-ocean, Feb., 1493.]

On this return voyage the Admiral, finding the trade winds dead against
him, took a northeasterly course until he had passed the thirty-seventh
parallel and then headed straight toward Spain. On the 12th of February
a storm was brewing, and during the next four days it raged with such
terrific violence that it is a wonder how those two frail caravels ever
came out of it. They were separated this time not to meet again upon the
sea. Expecting in all likelihood to be engulfed in the waves with his
tiny craft, Columbus sealed and directed to Ferdinand and Isabella two
brief reports of his discovery, written upon parchment. Each of these he
wrapped in a cloth and inclosed in the middle of a large cake of wax,
which was then securely shut up in a barrel. One of the barrels was
flung into the sea, the other remained standing on the little
quarter-deck to await the fate of the caravel. The anxiety was not
lessened by the sight of land on the 15th, for it was impossible to
approach it so as to go ashore, and there was much danger of being
dashed to pieces.

[Sidenote: Cold reception at the Azores.]

At length on the 18th, the storm having abated, the ship's boat went
ashore and found that it was the island of St. Mary, one of the Azores.
It is worthy of note that such skilful sailors as the Nina's captain,
Vicente Yanez Pinzon, and the pilot Ruiz were so confused in their
reckoning as to suppose themselves near the Madeiras, whereas Columbus
had correctly maintained that they were approaching the Azores,--a good
instance of his consummate judgment in nautical questions.[523] From the
Portuguese governor of the island this Spanish company met with a very
ungracious reception. A party of sailors whom Columbus sent ashore to a
small chapel of the Virgin, to give thanks for their deliverance from
shipwreck, were seized and held as prisoners for five days. It
afterwards appeared that this was done in pursuance of general
instruction