The seamen now began to murmur at the continuance of the tempestuous weather, declaring that the looked-for straits would never be found. Columbus might have begun to suspect the same, and, to the great joy of his men, he expressed his intention of relinquishing his search for the present. Sailing on the 5th of December from the Cabinet, he steered in search of the gold-mines of Veragua. CHAPTER EIGHT. LAST VOYAGE OF COLUMBUS, CONCLUDED--A.D. 1503-6. The squadron encounters fearful storms--Returns to Veragua--The Adelantado visits the cacique Quibian--Vessels nearly lost by a bore in the river--The Adelantado sets off for the gold-mines--During a second excursion collects much gold--Columbus resolves to form a colony--The vessels prevented from crossing the bar--Eighty men engaged in building a fort--Diego Mendez goes on a scouting expedition, and discovers the treacherous designs of Quibian--Visits the village of the cacique--The Adelantado undertakes to capture Quibian--He succeeds--The cacique escapes on his way down the river--Is supposed to be lost--Columbus prepares to sail--Indians attack the settlement--Driven off--Tristan goes up the river for water--He and his party destroyed by the Indians-- Settlement again attacked--The Spaniards entrench themselves--No communication possible with the ships--Fearful tragedy on board--Gallant conduct of Ledesma--The settlement abandoned--The ships, pierced by the teredo, unseaworthy--One abandoned at Puerto Bello--Stands across to Cuba--A tempest--Narrow escape--In vain endeavouring to get westward, steers for Jamaica--The caravels run on shore and prepared for defence-- Diego Mendez obtains provisions--Crosses in a canoe to Hispaniola-- Mutiny of Porras and others--They put to sea in canoes--Driven back by a storm--Misconduct on shore--Instigate the Indians to withhold provisions--Columbus predicts an eclipse of the moon--A second mutiny-- Arrival of Escobar--Refuses to take Columbus away--Adventures of Mendez--Porras persists in his rebellion--Porras captured by the Adelantado--Vessels arrive--Columbus reaches San Domingo--Reaction in his favour--Returns with his brother to Spain--His last illness and death.