event worth recording, except that the caravel "Pinta," commanded Martin
Alonzo Pinzon, unshipped her rudder. This was supposed to be no accident,
but to have been contrived by the owners of the vessel, who did not like
the voyage. The admiral (from henceforth Columbus is called "the admiral")
was obliged to stay some time at the Canary Islands, to refit the
"Pinta," and to make some change in the cut of her sails. While this was
being done, news was brought that three Portuguese government vessels were
cruising in the offing with the intention of preventing the expedition.
However, on the 6th of September, Columbus set sail from Gomera, and
struck boldly out to sea, without meeting with any of his supposed
enemies.

RUMORS OF LAND SEEN.

In the abridgment of the diary, under the date of the 19th of August, the
admiral remarks that many Spaniards of these islands, "respectable men,"
swear that each year they see land; and he remembers how, in the year
1484, some one came from the island of Madeira to the King of Portugal to
beg a caravel in order to go and discover that land which he declared he
could see each year, and in the same manner. Had not the admiral been
conscious of the substantial originality of his proceedings, he would
hardly have been careful to collect these scattered notices which might
afterwards be used, as many like them were used, to depreciate that
originality. There is no further entry in the diary until the 6th of
September, when they set out from Gomera (one of the Canary Islands), on
their unknown way. For many days, what we have of the diary is little more
than a log-book, giving the rate of sailing, or rather two rates, one for
Columbus's own private heed, and the other for the sailors. On the 13th of
September it is noted that the needle declined in the evening to the
north-west, and on the ensuing morning, to the north-east, the first time
that such a variation had been observed, or, at least recorded by
Europeans. On the 14th, the sailors of the caravel "Nina" saw two tropical
birds, which they said were never wont to be seen at more than fifteen or
twenty leagues from shore. On the 15th they all saw a meteor fall from
heaven, which made them very sad.

PLAINS OF SEAWEED.

On the 16th, they first came upon those immense plains of seaweed (the
fucus natans), which constitute the Mar de Sargasso, and which occupy a
space in the Atlantic almost equal to seven times the extent of F