without relief of any kind having been sent out, as four vessels which
had sailed in January had been lost. By this squadron he wrote to his
brother, the Adelantado, urging him to bring the island into a peaceful
and productive state, and to send to Spain all Indians who should injure
any of the colonists.

Columbus was honourably treated by the sovereigns, although the mind of
Ferdinand was evidently poisoned by the representations of his enemies.
Notwithstanding the cruel opposition of his foes, the great navigator,
refusing to take the repose his health so much required, bent on
prosecuting his discoveries, employed all his energies to obtain
forthwith the command of another expedition.

CHAPTER SIX.

THIRD VOYAGE OF COLUMBUS--A.D. 1498.

Columbus, after many delays, fits out another squadron, and sails on his
third voyage, 30th May, 1498--Touches at Gomara--Retakes a prize to a
French privateer--Off the Cape de Verdes--Sends three of his ships to
Hispaniola, and steers south-west with the remainder--Long becalmed--
Steers west and sights Trinidad--Sees mainland of South America--Natives
come off--Alarmed by music--A bore threatens to destroy the ships--
Enters the Serpent's Mouth--Sails up the Gulf of Paria--Mistakes the
promontory for an island--Anchors at the mouth of the river--Natives
come off--Pearls seen among them--Large quantities procured--Passes
through the Dragon's Mouth--Natives seen fishing for pearls--Three
pounds weight obtained--His eyesight failing, steers for Hispaniola--
Makes the land fifty leagues more to the west than he had expected--
Reaches Isabella--Disastrous state of the settlement--Bobadilla sent out
to supersede Columbus--Summoned to Isabella--Columbus and his brothers
sent in chains to Spain--Arrival--Reaction in his favour--Honourably
received at Court--Ovando sent out to supersede Bobadilla--The belief of
Columbus that a passage into the Indian Ocean was to be found--Obtains
authority to fit out another fleet.

It was not without numerous wearying delays that Columbus at length
succeeded in getting another squadron fitted out to prosecute his
discoveries. He at length obtained six vessels, with which he set sail
on the 30th of May, 1498. Having heard that a French squadron was
cruising off Cape Saint Vincent, he first stood to the south-west,
touching at the islands of Porto Santo and Madeira, and then continued
his course to the Canary Islands. As he approached Gomara