He had promised them power; they went home poorer than when they came away.

So they were "mad" at Columbus--just as boys and girls are sometimes "mad" at one another; and they told the worst stories they could think of about him, and called him all sorts of hard names, and said the king and queen of Spain ought to look out for "their great Admiral," or he would get the best of them and keep for himself the most of whatever he could find in the new lands.
At last Columbus began to grow better.

And when he knew what his enemies had done he was very much troubled for fear they should get the king and queen to refuse him any further aid.

So, just as soon as he was able, on the tenth of March, 1496, he sailed home to Spain.
How different was this from his splendid setting out from Cadiz two years before.

Then everything looked bright and promising; now everything seemed dark and disappointing.