ould not have been ready to die of despair at finding himself as I
then was, in anxious fear for my own safety, and that of my son, my
brother[390-3] and my friends, and yet refused permission either to land
or to put into harbor on the shores which by God's mercy I had gained for
Spain sweating blood?

But to return to the ships: although the tempest had so completely
separated them from me as to leave me single, yet the Lord restored them
to me in His own good time. The ship which we had the greatest fear for,
had put out to sea to escape [being blown] toward the island. The
_Gallega_[390-4] lost her boat and a great part of her provisions, which
latter loss indeed all the ships suffered. The vessel in which I was,
though dreadfully buffeted, was saved by our Lord's mercy from any injury
whatever; my brother went in the ship that was unsound, and he under God
was the cause of its being saved. With this tempest I struggled on till
I reached Jamaica, and there the sea became calm, but there was a strong
current which carried me as far as the Queen's Garden[391-1] without
seeing land. Hence as opportunity afforded I pushed on for the mainland,
in spite of the wind and a fearful contrary current, against which I
contended for sixty days, and after all only made seventy leagues. All
this time I was unable to get into harbor, nor was there any cessation of
the tempest, which was one continuation of rain, thunder and lightning;
indeed it seemed as if it were the end of the world. I at length reached
the Cape of Gracias a Dios, and after that the Lord granted me fair wind
and tide; this was on the twelfth of September.[391-2] Eighty-eight days
did this fearful tempest continue, during which I was at sea, and saw
neither sun nor stars; my ships lay exposed, with sails torn, and
anchors, rigging, cables, boats and a great quantity of provisions lost;
my people were very weak and humbled in spirit, many of them promising to
lead a religious life, and all making vows and promising to perform
pilgrimages, while some of them would frequently go to their messmates to
make confession.[392-1] Other tempests have been experienced, but never
of so long a duration or so fearful as this: many whom we looked upon as
brave men, on several occasions showed considerable trepidation; but the
distress of my son who was with me grieved me to the soul, and the more
when I considered his tender age, for he was but thirteen years old, and
he endurin