Fourth Diary Entry

It wasn't until my third voyage that I actually reached the mainland exploring the Orinoco River in present-day Venezuela. Unfortunately, conditions at the Hispaniola settlement had deteriorated to the point of near-mutiny with settlers claiming they had been misled by my claims of riches and complaining about the poor management of my brothers. The Spanish Crown sent a royal official who arrested me and stripped me of my authority. I returned to Spain in chains to face the royal court. The charges were later dropped but I lost my titles as governor of the Indies and for a time, much of the riches made during my voyages. Convincing King Ferdinand that one more voyage would bring the abundant riches promised, I went on what would be my last voyage in 1502, traveling along the eastern coast of Central America in an unsuccessful search for a route to the Indian Ocean. A storm wrecked one of my ships stranding the captain and my sailors on the island of Cuba. During this time, local islanders, tired of the Spaniards poor treatment and obsession with gold, refused to give them food. In a spark of inspiration, I consulted an almanac and devised a plan "punish" the islanders by taking away the moon. On February 29, 1504, a lunar eclipse alarmed the natives enough to re-established trade with the Spaniards. A rescue party finally arrived, sent by the royal governor of Hispaniola in July and my men and I were taken back to Spain in November of 1504.