The admiral, however, will not beat about for land, as he concludes that
the land which these various natural phenomena give token of, can only be
islands, as indeed it proved to be. He will see them on his return; but
now he must press on to the Indies. This determination shows his strength
of mind, and indicates the almost scientific basis on which his great
resolve reposed.


CONSPIRACY AMONG THE MEN.

Accordingly, he was not to be diverted from the main design by any partial
success, though by this time he knew well the fears of his men, some of
whom had already come to the conclusion, "that it would be their best plan
to throw him quietly into the sea, and say he unfortunately fell in, while
he stood absorbed in looking at the stars." Indeed, three days after he
had resolved to pass on to the Indies, we find him saying, for Las Casas
gives his words, "Very needful for me was this contrary wind, for the
people were very much tormented with the idea that there were no winds on
these seas that could take them back to Spain."


HIS DETERMINATION TO PROCEED.

On they go, having signs occasionally in the presence of birds and grass
and fish that land must be near; but land does not come. Once, too, they
are all convinced that they see land: they sing the "Gloria in excelsis;"
and even the admiral goes out of his course towards this land, which
turns out to be no land. They are like men listening to a dreadful
discourse or oration, that seems to have many endings which end not: so
that the hearer listens at last in grim despair, thinking that all things