Thursday, 10 January 1493
I departed the place where I was anchored and at sunset reached a river that I named Rio de Gracia,* 9 miles to the SE. I found a good anchorage at its mouth, on the eastern side. The entrance is very narrow, and I discovered a bank where the water is only 2 fathoms deep. Within there is a good sheltered harbor, but there are a great many shipworms. The Pinta had remained here 16 days trading for gold, since that is what Martin Alonso desired, and had suffered severely from the worms. It was here that Martin Alonso learned from the Indians that I was on the coast of the Isla Espanola and that he could not avoid me, so he came to me. He wanted all the people on his ship to swear that he had only been there six days, but his wickedness is so well known that he cannot hide what happened. Martin Alonso had made a rule that he was to get half the gold that was traded for or obtained. And when he had to leave this river, he took four Indian men and two young girls by force. I ordered them clothed and returned to land so that they might go to their own houses. This is for the service of Your Highnesses because all the men and women on this island belong to you, as do those on the other islands. But here, where Your Highnesses already have a settlement, honor and favor must be shown to the people, since there is so much gold on this island and such good lands and so much spice.
*River of Grace (or Attractiveness); now known as Puerto Blanco
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