steal
over the moon. As the eclipse went forward, their fears increased. At
last the mysterious darkness covered the face of the sky and of the
world, when they knew that they had a right to expect the glory of the
full moon.

There were then no bounds to their terror. They, seized on all
the provisions that they had, they rushed to the ships, they threw
themselves at the feet of Columbus and begged him to intercede with his
God, to withhold the calamity which he had threatened. Columbus would
not receive them; he shut himself up in his cabin and remained there
while the eclipse increased, hearing from within, as the narrator says,
the howls and prayers of the savages.

It was not until he knew the eclipse was about to diminish, that he
condescended to come forth, and told them that he had interceded with
God, who would pardon them if they would fulfil their promises. In token
of pardon, the darkness would be withdrawn from the moon.

The Indians saw the fulfilment of the promise, as they had seen the
fulfilment of the threat. The moon reappeared in its brilliancy. They
thanked the Admiral eagerly for his intercession, and repaired to their
homes. From this time forward, having proved that he knew on earth what
was passing in the heavens, they propitiated him with their gifts. The
supplies came in regularly, and from this time there was no longer any
want of provisions.

But no tales of eclipses would keep the Spaniards quiet. Another
conspiracy was formed, as the eight remaining months of exile passed by,
among the survivors. They meant to seize the remaining canoes, and
with them make their way to Hispaniola. But, at the very point of the
outbreak of the new mutiny, a sail was seen standing toward the harbor.

The Spaniards could see that the vessel was small. She kept the offing,
but sent a boat on shore. As the boat drew near, those who waited
so eagerly recognized Escobar, who had been condemned to death, in
Isabella, when Columbus was in administration, and was pardoned by his
successor Bobadilla. To see this man approaching for their relief was
not hopeful, though he were called a Christian, and was a countryman of
their own.

Escobar drew up to the ships, on which the Spaniards still lived, and
gave them a letter from Ovando, the new governor of Hispaniola, with
some bacon and a barrel of wine, which were sent as presents to the
Admiral. He told Columbus, in a private interview, that the governor had
se