He said that now this great God was angry with the Indians, because they refused to furnish food to his faithful worshippers; that he proposed to chastise them with famine and pestilence.
He said that, lest they should disbelieve the warning which he gave, a sign would be given, in the heavens that night, of the anger of the great God.

They would see that the moon would change its color and would lose its light.

They might take this as a token of the punishment which awaited them.
The Indians had not that confidence in Columbus which they once had.
Some derided what he said, some were alarmed, all waited with anxiety and curiosity.

When the night came they saw a dark shadow begin to steal over the moon.

As the eclipse went forward, their fears increased.