well as a ship's
carpenter, a caulker, a good gunner familiar with engineering (_que sabe
bien de ingenios_), a cooper, a physician, and a tailor, all being seamen
as well.[210-2]

_Thursday, 3rd of January_

The Admiral did not go to-day, because three of the Indians whom he had
brought from the islands, and who had staid behind, arrived, and said
that the others with their women would be there at sunrise.[211-1] The
sea also was rather rough, so that they could not land from the boat. He
determined to depart to-morrow, with the grace of God. The Admiral said
that if he had the caravel _Pinta_ with him he could make sure of
shipping a tun of gold, because he could then follow the coasts of these
islands, which he would not do alone, for fear some accident might impede
his return to Castile, and prevent him from reporting all he had
discovered to the Sovereigns. If it was certain that the caravel _Pinta_
would arrive safely in Spain with Martin Alonso Pinzon, he would not
hesitate to act as he desired; but as he had no certain tidings of him,
and as he might return and tell lies to the Sovereigns, that he might not
receive the punishment he deserved for having done so much harm in having
parted company without permission, and impeded the good service that
might have been done, the Admiral could only trust in our Lord that he
would grant favorable weather, and remedy all things.

_Friday, 4th of January_

At sunrise the Admiral weighed the anchor, with little wind, and turned
her head N.W. to get clear of the reef, by another channel wider than the
one by which he entered, which, with others, is very good for coming in
front of the Villa de la Navidad, in all which the least depth is from 3
to 9 fathoms. These two channels run N.W. and S.E., and the reefs are
long, extending from the Cabo Santo to the Cabo de Sierpe for more than
six leagues, and then a good three leagues out to sea. At a league
outside Cabo Santo there are not more than 8 fathoms of depth, and inside
that cape, on the east side, there are many sunken rocks, and channels to
enter between them. All this coast trends N.W. and S.E., and it is all
beach, with the land very level for about a quarter of a league inland.
After that distance there are very high mountains, and the whole is
peopled with a very good race, as they showed themselves to the
Christians. Thus the Admiral navigated to the east, shaping a course for
a very high mountain, which lo