Followed a week of glassy smoothness.

Then suddenly, by chance, was discovered the plot of Bernal Diaz de Pisa--the first of many Spanish conspiracies.

It involved several hundred men and was no less a thing than the seizure in the dark night of the ships and the setting sail for Spain, there to wreck the fame of Christopherus Columbus and if possible obtain the sending out of some prince over him, who would beam kindly on all hidalgos and never put them to vulgar work.

A letter was found in Bernal Diaz's hand, and if therein any ill was left unsaid of the Admiral and Viceroy, I know not what it might be! The "Italian", the "Lowborn", the "madly arrogant and ambitious", the "cruel" and "violent", the "tyrant" acted.

Bernal Diaz was made and kept prisoner on Vicente Pinzon's ship.