Bahama Saga

On Wednesday 10 October 1492 Columbus entered into his log:

…I reproached the crew for lack of spirit….for I had started out to find the Indies and would continue until I had accomplished that mission.

On the 10th of October tempers flared on the Santa Maria and there was a near mutiny. The explanation from the log was that the men were restless at having been out of sight of land for so long and they doubted there was enough food on board, even if rationed, for the journey back to Spain. This was certainly part of the problem but it is interesting to note that the trouble was mainly aboard the Santa Maria, the Pinzon brothers were able to keep their crews in the Niña and the Pinta under control and indeed it was the Pinzons who eventually quashed the insurrection on the flagship. Their intervention was just in time. The chronicler Peter Martyr, who later heard the story from Columbus himself in Europe, recalled:

His Spanish crew first began to grumble in low voices, then speaking insults to his face; finally [Columbus] thought he was going to be killed or thrown into the sea, they said they had been deceived …and they were heading for an abyss from which they would never return…blind with anger, they beseeched him to go no further but to go back…but, with gentle persuasion and big promises [Columbus] saw their anger giving way and he pointed out that the Sovereigns would punish them for treason if they tried to do something against him or did not obey him. …

Columbus had used his great eloquence to good effect once again. As part of the settlement Columbus promised to turn back if they did not make landfall within the next three days. Then they all pledged to sail those three days ‘with determination and in harmony,’ - but for not one hour more!  At Vespers Columbus invoked the Blessed Virgin to protect them and promised the seamen he would not abandon them to a cruel fate and, certain of the ultimate success of his mission, he reminded himself in his log: ‘I know we have passed the island the Portuguese call  – the seven cities. But I must not miss China where the roofs are made of gold…!’

The next day, providence sent a sign that land was near. Forty petrels flew by the vessels, a boy hit one with a stone, a branch with flowers was seen floating in the water, then they saw a stem of something looking like cane and a fragment of carved wood.  All talk of returning was forgotten.  Everybody now realised they were near the goal of their voyage.

In an unsteady hand Columbus entered into his log for Thursday 11 October 1492:

I now believe that the light I saw earlier was a sign from God …then, at two hours after midnight, the Pinta fired a cannon, my pre-arranged signal for the sighting of land…

Under the moonlight on the distant island the natives in their huts were enjoying their last sleep of innocence. Like the Spaniards, the Lucayans would wake up the next morning into a new world.