Of the better sort who accompanied this second expedition there were a
few, but only a few, solid, reliable individuals whose society must have
been a comfort to the Admiral; among them, the faithful Juan de la Cosa,
the Palos pilot; James Columbus, or as the Spaniards called him, Diego
Colon, faithful to his celebrated brother, but unfortunately somewhat
stupid; Antonio de las Casas, father of the young priest who later
became the champion of the Indians and who wrote Columbus's biography;
Juan Ponce de Leon, an intrepid aristocrat who was destined to discover
Florida; and Doctor Chanca, a physician and botanist who was to write an
account of the vegetables and fruits of the western lands. These
vegetables included the "good tasting roots either boiled or baked"
which we know as potatoes. Most daring of all the company was a young
nobleman named Alonzo de Ojeda. Alonzo was a real adventurer, willing to
face any danger or hazard.

Columbus, on leaving Spain, again headed for the Canaries, this time for
the purpose of taking on sheep, goats, swine, and other domestic animals
to stock the new lands; then off again for the real business of crossing
the Atlantic. Gold being the thought uppermost in every mind--even in
the mind of the Admiral--the rudders were set southwest for the
Caribbean Islands.

These, the natives of Haiti had told him, were full of gold; at least,
that is how Columbus interpreted the signs the Haitians made when he
asked for gold; and so, instead of hurrying to cheer up those forty men
he left at La Navidad, he steered to a point considerably south of Haiti
and reached the Caribbeans precisely; which, it will be seen, was a far
greater test of nautical skill than merely to sail anywhere into the
west, as he had done on the first voyage.