ch would move them to help the orphans. To remedy this, and that their
Highnesses might know how our Lord had granted a victory in all that
could be desired respecting the Indies,[241-2] and that they might
understand that there were no storms in those parts, which may be known
by the herbs and trees which grow even within the sea;[241-3] also that
the Sovereigns might still have information, even if he perished in the
storm, he took a parchment and wrote on it as good an account as he could
of all he had discovered, entreating any one who might pick it up to
deliver it to the Sovereigns. He rolled this parchment up in waxed cloth,
fastened it very securely, ordered a large wooden barrel to be brought,
and put it inside, so that no one else knew what it was. They thought
that it was some act of devotion, and so he ordered the barrel to be
thrown into the sea. Afterwards, in the showers and squalls, the wind
veered to the west, and they went before it, only with the foresail, in a
very confused sea, for five hours. They made 2-1/2 leagues N.E. They had
taken in the reefed mainsail, for fear some wave of the sea should carry
all away.[241-4]

_Friday, 15th of February_

Last night, after sunset, the sky began to clear toward the west, showing
that the wind was inclined to come from that quarter. The admiral added
the bonnet[243-1] to the mainsail. The sea was still very high, although
it had gone down slightly. They steered E.N.E., and went four miles an
hour, which made 13 leagues during the eleven hours of the night. After
sunrise they sighted land. It appeared from the bows to bear E.N.E. Some
said it was the island of Madeira, others that it was the rock of Cintra,
in Portugal, near Lisbon. Presently the wind headed to E.N.E., and a
heavy sea came from the west, the caravel being 5 leagues from the land.
The Admiral found by his reckoning that he was close to the Azores, and
believed that this was one of them. The pilots and sailors thought it was
the land of Castile.[243-2]

_Saturday, 16th of February_

All that night the Admiral was standing off and on to keep clear of the
land, which they now knew to be an island, sometimes standing N.E., at
others N.N.E., until sunrise, when they tacked to the south to reach the
island, which was now concealed by a great mist. Another island was in
sight from the poop, at a distance of eight leagues. Afterwards, from
sunrise until dark, they were tacking to reach the land