"I dare say Columbus must be in a hurry right now." Facing the Christmas sun outside the window, Ferdinand said to Isabella mysteriously.

……

The sun has just risen in Barcelona, and the Caribbean is still celebrating Christmas Eve.

Perhaps God and Our Lady really quarreled, and this Christmas Eve, Columbus and the sailors of the expedition were not at all at peace.

When Columbus wore a majestic gold mask and imagined that he would return with boxes of gold in glory, the sailors cried out in horror that the largest of the Clark galleons, the Santa Maria, had run aground due to the negligence of Columbus and the sailors.

Speaking of this stranding, it is really quite unlucky. In the early hours of December 25, the men on board the Santa Maria were sleeping soundly, and the sentries on duty were napping - a routine that never got tired of watching. Then the boat slipped onto the sandbar and ran aground.

Coral reefs are a very precious biological resource. In the past, for the sake of economic interests, some people in Qiongzhou wantonly destroyed coral reefs, burned lime, and turned the resources of the motherland's great rivers and mountains into banknotes and put them into private pockets......

Columbus didn't destroy the reef, but the reef still came to him for trouble, so the ship broke a few big holes, and then it went into the water, and then, and then, there was no more......

The Santa Maria was the largest ship, loaded with the most supplies, and was very important for keeping the expedition alive and running, but now it was clearly hopeless, and it was bad luck to be blown onto the sandbar on Christmas Eve, and it was also badly mended by the coral reef.

"It seems to be God's will......

Columbus had no choice but to organize the sailors to do their best to dismantle the supplies and equipment on the big ship, but the sailors were alone.

"Don't worry, my dear friend, our whole clan will try to help you out of this difficult situation."

At this time, Chief Guacanagarics, who had a sincere friendship with Columbus, appeared in time for Columbus to help him when he needed help the most, and led all his people to help the Castilian expedition transport and store the undamaged supplies. The Indians were sympathetic to the terrible losses suffered by the Europeans, and the chieftain offered to give them two large houses to live in if they had nowhere else to go. The Indians kept coming, bringing with them gold, sweet potatoes, lobsters, and bread made from tapioca flour. On Christmas night, Columbus and the sailors were treated to a feast by the chiefs.

Despite the temporary settling, Columbus faced a serious problem - the "Ninia" was the smallest of the three ships, and it could not hold so many people, that is, some people had to be left behind.

……

"If one or two of the three ships are out of order, and he wants to return quickly, he will definitely only be able to leave some of them, which is dangerous, but if I had to find a way, I would have to do it."

Hmm, isn't that right?! When Columbus returned, didn't he bring some Indians with him as proof that he had indeed discovered India? If you don't bring those Indians, you won't have to destroy the relationship with the indigenous people, and you won't have to leave any crew members alive...... Is this the kind of man who does not destroy heaven and earth for his own sake?

Thinking of this, he completely let go of his doubts, Columbus has shown with practical actions that the pursuit of profit maximization is the truth, so one day, the same action will also make Columbus feel great suffering.

Ferdinand tasted the ham meat from the land where the Moors once lived, "There is no better way to commemorate the first anniversary of our reconquest of Granada......"

……

On January 2, 1493, the anniversary of the surrender of the city of Granada, a farewell feast was held on the island of Hispaniola for the departing and remaining explorers.

Thirty-nine men were left behind by Columbus, finely tuned in personnel: a carpenter, a man with medical skills, a gunner-engineer, a tailor, and 35 sailors. It's almost a miniature society.

Compared to Robinson, there are too many people.

Columbus certainly wasn't going to just leave them here. Using planks and timber removed from the Santa Maria, they built a small fortress that was relatively strong, and they had enough bread, biscuits, wine, and ammunition to last a year until Columbus returned.

Compared to Robinson, there are many abundant resources.

The island is rich in food and gold, and the chiefs and natives are very friendly to them.

Compared to Robinson, it is much more environmentally friendly.

Robinson's prototype in reality also persisted on a desert island for four years.

And none of these people waited until Columbus returned.

Moreover, in the next six months or so, the actions of these people will seriously deteriorate the originally friendly relations between the Europeans and the Indians of the island.

……

"Don't be under any illusions, Isabella, sooner or later we will clash with the natives...... In the south of the New World, we may also intermarry with them, merge with each other's bloodlines, and try to restore tolerance after a violent conflict (Ferdinand deliberately ignored the spread of the disease), while in the north...... The cold, vast and somewhat harsh environment always shaped fierce warriors, Vikings, Danes, Swedes, Poles, Mongols, Huns...... Once we develop inland, we will definitely not die......"

……

"In the dense jungle there are many poisons, mosquitoes, and diseases...... In particular, it is very likely that some kind of venereal disease is present among the primitive indigenous people...... People who live inappropriately and cannot keep chastity and restrain their desires...... For example, I used to be a victim. When Columbus's fleet returned, there must have been a terrible plague spreading, something that could not be stopped, and which would happen sooner or later...... He who cleans himself will not be contaminated......"

———— Dividing Line————

The people who remained on the island were noble, commoners, wanted to stay and find gold, were fascinated by the passionate and unrestrained Indian beauties, some had a sense of mission to spread the Gospel of God, and some were full of grievances and complaints about being abandoned by their companions.

Anyway, now they're saying goodbye to their buddies.

Columbus believed that he had made a sensible, correct, far-sighted decision, and he had completely convinced the chiefs of the indigenous people. According to Columbus's own account, the chief showed him "deep affection" (sic).

The farewell banquet was over, and even those who were disgruntled left behind did not expect that once it was gone, it would be the day when life and death would be parted, and there would be no bones to return to their hometown.

"Ninia" set sail and cleaved the waves. Behind him, the newly discovered land disappears into the distance of the skyline.