As the people had been long at sea, to which they were unaccustomed, and were now fatigued with much labour, while they were confined to short allowance and disliked the country bread, they began to fall sick in great numbers, though the country itself is very healthy, and many of them died. They were much afflicted to find themselves reduced to such straits at a vast distance from their native country, without hope of relief, and disappointed in the prospect of acquiring that immense abundance of gold which had induced them to embark in the expedition. The admiral himself had endured much toil during the voyage, as he had to take charge of the whole fleet, and was still forced to undergo much fatigue on shore, in order to dispose all things in good order, that this important affair which had been confided to his management might succeed according to his wish. He was at length taken ill and confined to bed; yet he used every endeavour to advance the building of the town, and that no time might be spent in vain. On purpose to husband his provisons, he dispatched twelve of the ships back to Spain, keeping five of the largest, two of them ships and three caravels. About the same time he sent out Ojedo with fifteen men to explore the country, and in particular to search out Cipango, about which he was so much mistaken. Ojedo travelled eight or ten leagues through an uninhabited country, and having passed a mountain, came to a beautiful plain full of Indian towns, where he was well received. In five or six days he reached Cibao, which was only 15 or 20 leagues from Isabella; yet he could not travel any faster, having many rivers, brooks, and ravines, to pass by the way. The Indian guides who accompanied him, and the natives of the place, gathered gold in his presence; and he returned with a sufficient quantity to shew that it was to be had there in great abundance. This gave great satisfaction to the admiral and the rest of the colony; and he sent these samples, and what had been before given him by Guacanagari to their Catholic majesties, by Anthony de Torres, under whose command he sent home the twelve ships before mentioned. Thus ended the year 1493.

Soon after the departure of Torres for Spain, the admiral being recovered from his sickness, received information of a plot having been formed by some of the people who repented of having engaged in the expedition, and who had chosen Bernal de Pisa as their leader, with the intention of carrying off the remaining five ships, or some of them, in order to return into Spain. He immediately ordered Bernal de Pisa into custody; and, having made formal examinations of his mutinous conduct, sent him, and a copy of the proceedings, into Spain by one of the ships, that their majesties might direct him to be dealt with according to their pleasure. He caused some of the other chief conspirators to be punished at Isabella, though not with the severity their crime deserved, yet his enemies took occasion from thence to tax him with tyranny and oppression. About the same time, an information, drawn up in form against the admiral, was found concealed in the buoy of one of the ships, which he also transmitted to their majesties. This was the first mutinous attempt against the authority of the admiral in the West Indies, and became the foundation of all the opposition which was made against him and his successors in the exercise and enjoyments of their rights. Having quelled this mutiny, and restored the colony to order, he chose a party of his best men, with some labourers and proper tools, in order to visit the province of Cibao, and to dig for gold. He carried materials likewise along with him for the construction of a blockhouse, or fortalice, in case he found that precaution requisite. He accordingly set out on this expedition with colours flying, drums beating, trumpets sounding, and his troops in martial array, in which manner he marched through all the towns on his way, to impress the Indians with awe of his power, who were particularly astonished at the horses in his train.

He left the new town of Isabella on the 12th of March 1494, leaving his brother Don James Columbus to command in his absence; a gentleman of a peaceable disposition, and most orderly behaviour. After marching three leagues the first day, Columbus halted at the foot of a craggy pass in the mountains; and, as the Indian paths were exceedingly narrow, he sent on some pioneers under the direction of several gentlemen to level the road; from which circumstance this place acquired the name of El puerto de los Hidalgos, the port or pass of the gentlemen. Having reached the top of the mountain on Thursday, they beheld a great plain beyond of wonderful beauty, being eighty leagues long, and between twenty and thirty leagues wide. This appeared one of the finest plains in the world, so green and delightful that the Spaniards thought it a terrestrial paradise, on which account the admiral named it Vega Real, or the Royal Plain. Coming down from the mountain, they marched five leagues across this noble plain, passing through several towns, where they were kindly received. Coming to a considerable river, called Yaqui by the natives, the admiral gave it the name of Rio de los Cannas, or River of Canes, because of the great number of these that grew upon its banks, forgetting, or not being aware, that he had named the same river at its mouth, in his first voyage, Rio del Oro, or golden river, where it falls into the sea near Monte Christo. The Spanish party halted for the night on the banks of this river, much pleased with their days march. The Indians whom they had brought along with them from the country near Isabella, went freely into all the houses as they marched along, taking whatever they had a mind to, as if all property were common, and the owners shewed no displeasure at this freedom: These, in return, went to the quarters of the Christians, taking what they liked, believing that this had been equally the custom among the Spaniards. The admiral and the infantry of his party crossed the river next day, by means of rafts and canoes, and the cavalry crossed at a ford not far off. A league and half beyond the River of Canes, they came to another river which they called Rio del Oro, or Golden River, having found some grains of gold in its bed; but it is named Nicayagua by the natives. Into this river three brooks, or rivulets, discharge their waters; the first of which, named Buenicum by the Indians, the Spaniards called Rio Seco, or the Dry River; the second is called Coatenicu by the natives, and the third Cibu, all of which were extremely rich in the finest gold. Having passed this river, the admiral came to a town, whence most of the inhabitants fled at his approach; yet some remained, who placed a few canes across their doors, thinking themselves safe from intrusion by that simple artifice. Seeing their simplicity, the admiral gave orders that no disturbance or wrong should be done them, on which they took courage and came out. He continued his march to another river, which, from the delightful verdure of its banks, was called Rio Verde, or Green River; its bed being covered with round pebbles. On Saturday the 15th of March, the admiral marched through other towns, where the inhabitants thought it a sufficient protection to place a few slight canes across their doors. They next came to a pass in the mountains, on the opposite side of the Royal Plain, which was named Puerto de Cibao, because the province of Cibao began at the top of this path.

The party halted at the bottom of this pass, and the pioneers were sent on to clear the way: And as the people were not yet reconciled to the food used by the natives, some pack-horses were sent back under an escort to Isabella to bring provisions. Having gained the top of the pass, they again enjoyed a delightful prospect of the Royal Plain. From this place they entered the district or province of Cibao, which is a rugged uncouth country, full of high rocky mountains, whence it derives its name, Ciba, signifying a stone in the language of the natives. Cibao is everywhere intersected by rivers and brooks, all of which yield gold; but it has few trees, and little verdure, the land being very barren, unless in the bottoms near the rivers. It abounds however in tall spreading pines, which resemble the olive trees of Axarafe near Seville. This province is very healthy, having a temperate air, and excellent wholesome water. Small grains of gold were found in every brook, and sometimes large pieces are got, but not often. From every town the natives came out, offering provisions, and when they found the admiral was desirous of gold, they brought him such grains as they had gathered. He was now eighteen leagues from Isabella, and discovered several gold mines, besides one of copper, one of azure, and another of amber; these two last being only in small quantities. To protect his workmen at the mines, and to keep the province under subjection, the admiral made choice of a convenient situation for a redoubt or small fortress, on a hill which was almost encompassed by a river called Zanique. The ramparts of this fort were constructed of earth and timber, and these were defended by a trench at the gorge where not inclosed by the river. He named this Fort St Thomas, because of the incredulity of the Spaniards, who would not believe that the country produced gold till they saw and touched it. In digging the foundations of this fort, several nests of straw were found, in each of which three or four round stones were found, as large as oranges, instead of eggs.