y had done was not sufficient but that he must renew
his labors to gain new credit. And because war had then broken out with
France,[319-2] he had news of a French fleet which was waiting for the
Admiral beyond the Cape of St. Vincent, to capture him. On this account
he decided to steal away as they say and make a detour, directing his
course straight to the island of Madeira.

He arrived at the island of Puerto Sancto, Thursday, June 7, where he
stopped to take wood, water and supplies and to hear mass, and he found
all the island disturbed and all the farms, goods and flocks guarded,
fearing that the new-comers might be French; and then that night he left
for the island of Madeira and arrived there the following Sunday, June
10. He was very well received in the town[320-1] and with much rejoicing,
because he was well known there, having been a citizen thereof during
some time.[320-2] He remained there six days, providing himself fully
with water and wood and the other necessities for his journey.

Saturday, June 16, he left the island of Madeira with his six ships and
arrived at the island of Gomera[320-3] the following Tuesday. At this
island he found a French corsair with a French vessel and two large ships
which the corsair had taken from the Castilians, and when the Frenchman
saw the six vessels of the Admiral he left his anchors and one vessel and
fled with the other vessel. The Admiral sent a ship after him and when
the six Spaniards who were being carried away on the captured ship saw
this ship coming to their aid, they attacked six Frenchmen who were
guarding them and by force they placed them below decks and thus brought
them back.

Here in the island of Gomera the Admiral determined to send three ships
directly to the island of Espanola, so that, if he should be detained
here, they might give news of him and cheer and console the Christians
with the supplies: and principally that they might give joy to his
brothers, the Adelantado[321-1] and Don Diego, who were very desirous of
hearing from him. He named Pedro de Arana, a native of Cordova, as
captain of one ship,--a very honorable and prudent man, whom I knew very
well, brother of the mother of Don Ferdinand Columbus,[321-2] the second
son of the Admiral, and cousin of that Arana who remained in the fortress
with the 38 men whom the Admiral on his return found dead. The other
captain of the second ship was called Alonso Sanchez de Carvajal,
governor of th