s
I did, inventing a feigned tale of my parentage, and of the reasons
that led me to tempt the seas. For the rest, now as ever I kept my own
counsel, and notwithstanding my reserve, for I would not mingle in their
orgies, I soon became well liked by my comrades, chiefly because of my
skill in ministering to their sicknesses.

Of our voyage there is little to tell except of its sad end. At the
Canary Isles we stayed a month, and then sailed away for Hispaniola,
meeting with fine weather but light winds. When, as our captain
reckoned, we were within a week's sail of the port of San Domingo for
which we were bound, the weather changed, and presently gathered to a
furious tempest from the north that grew more terrible every hour. For
three days and nights our cumbrous vessel groaned and laboured beneath
the stress of the gale, that drove us on rapidly we knew not whither,
till at length it became clear that, unless the weather moderated,
we must founder. Our ship leaked at every seam, one of our masts was
carried away, and another broken in two, at a height of twenty feet from
the deck. But all these misfortunes were small compared to what was to
come, for on the fourth morning a great wave swept off our rudder, and
we drifted helpless before the waves. An hour later a green sea came
aboard of us, washing away the captain, so that we filled and settled
down to founder.

Then began a most horrid scene. For several days both the crew and
passengers had been drinking heavily to allay their terror, and now that
they saw their end at hand, they rushed to and fro screaming, praying,
and blaspheming. Such of them as remained sober began to get out the two
boats, into which I and another man, a worthy priest, strove to place
the women and children, of whom we had several on board. But this was no
easy task, for the drunken sailors pushed them aside and tried to spring
into the boats, the first of which overturned, so that all were lost.
Just then the carak gave a lurch before she sank, and, seeing that
everything was over, I called to the priest to follow me, and springing
into the sea I swam for the second boat, which, laden with some
shrieking women, had drifted loose in the confusion. As it chanced I
reached it safely, being a strong swimmer, and was able to rescue the
priest before he sank. Then the vessel reared herself up on her stern
and floated thus for a minute or more, which gave us time to get out the
oars and row some