e river unperceived,
and made his way down to the settlement with the tidings of the death of
his captain and comrades.

The Spaniards were dismayed. They were few in number in the midst of
exasperated savages. The Admiral, ignorant of their misfortunes, they
said, would sail away, and leave them to perish. In vain the Adelantado
remonstrated. They insisted on embarking in the caravel and following
Columbus. The water, however, had fallen, and she could not be got over
the bar. They attempted to put off in the boat, but a heavy surf
rolling on the shore made this impossible.

In the meantime the Indians, instigated by Quibian, who had escaped,
again attacked the Spaniards, rushing out from their coverts in the
woods, and hurling their javelins and darts. As the huts were so near
the woods that they might at any moment be surprised, a spot was chosen
on the shore, where a breastwork was thrown up formed of the boats,
casks, and cases, in the embrasures of which were placed two small
pieces of artillery. Here, when the Indians came on, they were received
with so warm a fire from the arquebuses and guns that they quickly took
to flight. The little garrison knew, however, that before long their
ammunition would fail and their provisions be exhausted, and that they
could anticipate nothing but destruction in the end.

Columbus all this time was not aware what was taking place on shore. He
became anxious, however, at the non-appearance of Diego Tristan and his
party, but as there was one boat only remaining, he was afraid of
sending her off lest she should be overwhelmed by the surf breaking on
the beach.

A fearful circumstance now occurred. The prisoners were confined at
night in the forecastle of the caravel, the hatchway of which was
generally secured by a strong chain and padlock. Several of the crew
slept on this hatchway, and as it was so high as to be considered out of
the reach of those beneath, they neglected to fasten the chain.

The Indians, discovering their negligence, made a heap of stones from
the ballast directly under the hatchway. Several of their most powerful
warriors then mounting on the top, and bending their backs, by a sudden
effort forced up the hatch. In an instant the greater part of the
Indians sprang forth, some plunging into the sea and swimming for the
shore. Several were seized and forced back into the forecastle, when
the hatchway was chained down and a guard was set for t