Sailing along to the westwards on the coast of Paria, the admiral fell gradually off from it towards the N.W. being so drifted by the current owing to the calmness of the weather, so that on Wednesday the 15th of August, he left the Cabo de las Conchas, or Cape of Shells to the south, and the island of Margarita to the west, which name, signifying the isle of Pearls, he gave to it as by divine inspiration, as close to it is the isle of Cabagua where an infinite quantity of pearls have since been found; and he afterwards named some mountains in Hispaniola and Jamaica the Gold Mountains, where the greatest quantity and largest pieces of that metal that were ever carried into Spain were afterwards found.  But to return to his voyage, he held on his way by six islands which he called de las Guardas, or the Guards, and three others more to the north called los Testigos, or the Witnesses.  Though they still discovered much land in Paria to the westwards, yet the admiral says in his journal that he could not from this time give such an account of it as he wished, because through much watching his eyes were inflamed, and he was therefore forced to take most of his observations from the sailors and pilots.  This same night, the sixteenth of August, the compasses, which hitherto had not varied, did now at least a point and a half, and some of them two points, and in this there could be no mistake, as several persons had attentively observed the circumstance.  The admiral admired much at this, and was much grieved that he had not an opportunity of following the coast of the continent any farther; he therefore held on his course to the N.W. till on Monday the twentieth of August, he came to an anchor between Isla Beata or the Blessed Island and Hispaniola, whence he sent a letter overland to his brother the Adelantado, acquainting him with his safe arrival and his success in having discovered the continent.  The admiral was much surprised at finding himself so far to the westwards, for although he was aware of the power of the currents, he did not expect they would have produced so great an effect.  Therefore, that his provisions might not fail, he stood to the eastwards for San Domingo, into which harbour he sailed on the thirtieth of August.  Here the lieutenant his brother had appointed to build a city, on the east side of the river where it now stands, and which, in memory of his father, named Domingo or Dominick, is now named Santo Domingo.

SECTION X.

An account of the Rebellion in Hispaniola, previous to the arrival of the Admiral.