e of them except this aloe, of which I
ordered a quantity to be brought on board to bring to your Highnesses. I
have not made sail for Cuba because there is no wind, but a dead calm
with much rain. It rained a great deal yesterday without causing any
cold. On the contrary, the days are hot and the nights cool, like May in
Andalusia."

_Wednesday, 24th of October_

"At midnight I weighed the anchors and left the anchorage at Cabo del
Isleo, in the island of Isabella.[128-1] From the northern side, where I
was, I intended to go to the island of Cuba, where I heard of the people
who were very great, and had gold, spices, merchandise, and large ships.
They showed me that the course thither would be W.S.W., and so I hold.
For I believe that it is so, as all the Indians of these islands, as well
as those I brought with me in the ships, told me by signs. I cannot
understand their language, but I believe that it is of the island of
Cipango that they recount these wonders.[128-2] On the spheres I saw, and
on the delineations of the map of the world,[128-3] Cipango is in this
region. So I shaped a course W.S.W. until daylight, but at dawn it fell
calm and began to rain, and went on nearly all night. I remained thus,
with little wind, until the afternoon, when it began to blow fresh. I
set all the sails in the ship, the mainsail with two bonnets, the
foresail, spritsail, mizzen, main topsail, and the boat's sail on the
poop. So I proceeded until nightfall, when the Cabo Verde of the island
of Fernandina, which is at the S.W. end, bore N.W. distant 7 leagues. As
it was now blowing hard, and I did not know how far it was to this island
of Cuba, I resolved not to go in search of it during the night; all these
islands being very steep-to, with no bottom round them for a distance of
two shots of a lombard. The bottom is all in patches, one bit of sand and
another of rock, and for this reason it is not safe to anchor without
inspection with the eye. So I determined to take in all the sails except
the foresail, and to go on under that reduced canvas. Soon the wind
increased, while the route was doubtful, and there was very thick
weather, with rain. I ordered the foresail to be furled, and we did not
make two leagues during that night."

_Thursday, 25th of October_

"I steered W.S.W. from after sunset until 9 o'clock, making 5 leagues.
Afterwards I altered course to west, and went 8 miles an hour until one
in the afternoon; and fr