ing together, nearly knocked each other to pieces.
With the greatest difficulty they were separated, and the Admiral's ship
anchored with his sole remaining cable, which in the morning was found
nearly worn asunder.  At the end of six days, the weather moderating, he
sailed eastwards for Hispaniola.

Contrary winds, however, compelled him at length to stand across for
Jamaica, where, on the 23rd of June, the caravels put into Puerto Bueno,
now called Dry Harbour.  No natives being found, the following day they
sailed eastward, and entered another harbour, called Porta Santa Gloria.
Here, at length, Columbus was compelled to give up his arduous struggle
against the elements; his ships, reduced to mere wrecks, could no longer
be kept afloat, and he ordered them to be run aground within bowshot of
the shore, and fastened side by side.  Here they soon filled with water
to the deck.  Cabins were therefore erected at the bow and stern, for
the accommodation of the crews, and the vessels were placed in the best
possible state of defence against any sudden attack of the natives.

To prevent his men roving about the neighbourhood, he ordered that no
one should go on shore without a special licence, and every other
possible precaution was taken to prevent giving offence to the Indians.
Scarcely had these arrangements been made, than the natives appeared in
vast numbers, bringing provisions to barter.  That no disputes might
arise, two persons were appointed to superintend all such trading
transactions.  It was feared, however, that the food thus furnished
would soon fall short, in which case the Spaniards would be reduced to
famine.  In this emergency, Diego Mendez, with his accustomed zeal,
offered to set off with three men on a foraging expedition.  He was
everywhere treated with the utmost kindness by the natives, who supplied
him and his companions with meat and drink; and he made arrangements
with the cacique of a numerous tribe that his subjects should hunt and
fish, and bring cassava bread every day to the harbour. 