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Threatened upon every side and forsaken by all, Columbus stood amidst the tumult of his excited companions like a lone oak in the tempest and composedly faced the fury of the mutineers who desired his death, or, what was tenfold worse than death, the abandonment of his project. Once more he employed every resource to quiet them but it was useless. They cursed him and threatened death if he did not at once return to the fatherland. In these desperate circumstances he at last realized the necessity of compromising with them. Accordingly he promised that he would yield to their demands if they would obey his orders three days longer. Should he not discover land by that time he would take them back to Spain. Great as was their anger against their leader, they had to acknowledge the fairness of the proposition and the agreement was made.

In the meantime Columbus was certain that he could not lose, for the signs of land were so numerous he was confident he should reach it by the end of the stipulated time. For several days the plummet had shown decreasing depth and the kind of earth it brought up could only come from the near land. Whole flocks of birds, which were not capable of long flights, flew to the west. Floating branches covered with fresh red berries were observed, the air grew milder, and the wind, especially at night, was very changeable. So assured was the Admiral now of success that on the following evening he reminded the crew of their duty of gratitude to God for their protection on this dangerous voyage, and ordered that they should lay to, as he was anxious not to make a landing at night. He also reminded them of the Queen’s promise of a bounty of ten thousand maravedis to the one who first discovered land, and promised to add a like sum to it. The crew remained on deck all night watching with anxiously beating hearts for a sight of land.