of Veragua than they, who were simple volunteers, and only sought to rejoin their leader.  They laid their course towards Veragua, and at a distance of sixteen miles found a river, discovered by Columbus and called by him Los Lagartos, because a number of these animals, called in Spanish lagartos, in Latin lacertos[1] were found there.  These creatures are as dangerous to men and to other animals as are the crocodiles of the Nile.  At that place they met their companions who had anchored their large vessels after receiving the leader’s orders to proceed.  Much disturbed by the possible consequences of Nicuesa’s blunder, the ships’ captains consulted together and decided to adopt the opinion of the captains of the brigantines which had coasted along very near to the shores of Veragua; they therefore sailed for that port.  Veragua is a local name given to a river which has rich gold deposits; and from the river, the name extends to the entire region.  The large vessels anchored at the mouth of the river and landed all the provisions by means of the ships’ boats.  Lopez de Olano was chosen governor in place of Nicuesa who was thought to be lost.

[Note 1:  Lizards, by which are doubtless meant alligators.]

Acting upon the advice of Lopez and other officers, the ships rendered useless by age were abandoned to be destroyed by the waves; this decision was likewise adopted to encourage serious projects of colonisation by cutting off all hope of escape.  With the more solid timbers and with beams cut from the trees, which in that neighbourhood sometimes attain an extraordinary height and size, the Spaniards built a new caravel to provide for unforeseen wants.

When the captain of one of the brigantines, Pedro de Umbria, reached Veragua, a catastrophe befell.  Being a man of irritable disposition, he resolved to separate from his companions and seek a region where he might establish himself independently.  He selected twelve sailors and departed in the largest ship’s boat belonging to one of the greater vessels.  The tide rolls in on that coast with as dreadful roarings as those which are described as prevailing at Scylla in Sicily, dashing themselves against the rocks projecting into the sea, from which they are thrown back with great violence, causing an agitation which the Spaniards call resacca.[2] Umbria’s boat was caught in a whirlpool like a mountain torrent which, despite his efforts, dashed him into the sea and sunk his barque before the eyes of his companions.  Only one Spaniard, who was a skilful swimmer, succeeded in saving himself by clutching a rock which rose slightly above the waters, and there held out against the raging tempest.  The next day when the sea had abated and the tide had left the reef dry, he rejoined his companions, and the eleven others perished.  The other Spaniards did not venture to take to their barques but landed direct from the brigantines.

[Note 2:  Meaning the undertow of surf.]