An excerpt from Columbus, by Björn Landström, 1966

On April 6, when all the boats but one were up in the river, a powerful wind blew up suddenly and they could no longer get through the breakers. The Admiral was afraid that the cables might give and the ships be driven ashore, and then he suddenly heard shots and cries and realized that the Indians had begun an attack. He heard sounds of fighting for three hours, and then dead silence. That evening, he saw bodies floating down the river, with carrion crows cawing round them. Most of his men were ashore. The breakers were too fierce for anyone to get in or out.

“I was outside and all alone on this very dangerous coast, with a high fever and greatly exhausted. There was no hope of rescue. In this state, I climbed in pain to the highest point of the ship and called, in tears and trembling, to Your Highnesses' mighty men of war, in all the four corners of the earth, for succour, but none of them answered me. At length, groaning with exhaustion, I fell asleep, and I heard a most merciful voice saying:

‘O fool, so slow to believe and to serve thy God, the God of all! What more did He do for Moses or for His servant David? He has had thee in His care from thy mother's womb. When He saw thee a grown man, He caused thy name to resound most greatly over the earth. He gave thee the Indies, which are so rich a part of the world, and thou hast divided them according to thy desire. He gave thee the keys to the gates of the Ocean, which were held with such great chains. Thou wast obeyed in many lands, and thou hast won a mighty name among Christians. What more did He do for the people of Israel when He led them out of Egypt, or for David, that shepherd boy whom He made a king in Jewry. Turn thyself to Him, and acknowledge thy sins. His mercy is infinite. Thine old age shall not prevent thee from achieving great things, for many and vast are His domains. Abraham was more than a hundred years old when he begat Isaac; and Sarah, was she a girl? Thou criest for help, with doubt in thy heart. Ask thyself who has afflicted thee so grievously and so often: God or the world? The privileges and covenants which God giveth are not taken back by Him. Nor does He say to them that have served Him that He meant it otherwise, or that it should be taken in another sense; nor does He inflict torments to show His power. Whatever He promises He fulfils with increase; for such are His ways. Thus have I told thee what thy Creator has done for thee, and for all men. He has now revealed to me some of those rewards which await thee for the many toils and dangers which thou hast endured in the service of others.'

“I heard all this as if in a trance, but I could find no reply to give to so sure a message, and all I could do was to weep over my transgressions. Whoever it was that had spoken, ended by saying: 'Fear not, but have faith. All these tribulations are written upon tablets of marble, and there is reason for them.' "

– Landström, Björn. Columbus. New York, The Macmillan Co., 1966