Sunday, 6 January 1493 (Part 1)
This harbor is sheltered from all winds except those from the north and NW. These prevail very rarely in this country, and behind the small island refuge may be had even from these. The water is from 3 to 4 fathoms deep. After sunrise I made sail to go along the coast to the east, but it is necessary to watch out for many reefs and sandbars on this coast, although it is true that inside them there good harbors, as well as good approaches through their channels. After midday the wind blew strongly from the east, and I ordered a sailor to climb to the top of the mast to look out for shoals. He saw the Pinta approaching from the east,* and she came up to me. Because the water was so shallow, I was afraid to anchor, so I retraced my course 30 miles to Monte Cristi, and the Pinta went with me.
Martin Alonso Pinzon came aboard the Nina to apologize, saying that he had become separated against his will. He gave many reasons for his departure, but they are all false. Pinzon acted with greed and arrogance that night when he sailed off and left me, and I do not know why he has been so disloyal and untrustworthy toward me on this voyage. Even so, I am going to ignore these actions in order to prevent Satan from hindering this voyage, as he has done up until now.
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