146 



COLUMBUS, CHRISTOPHER. 



sent to aid his brother. Before leaving Spain he 

 placed his nephews Diego and Fernando in the 

 (Queen's household as pages to Prince Juan. 



Columbus caused Bartholomew to take com- 

 mand of Isabella under the title of adelantado. 

 He had the greatest need of this timely help. 

 The armies that had been sent to explore and 

 amass treasure had settled down in the richest 

 of the Indian dominions, indulging every caprice 

 and excess, incurring the hostility of different 

 tribes, and being in constant quarrels. Don 

 Diego had in vain remonstrated in his gentle 

 fashion. Margarite had a powerful following, 

 among whom was Father Boil, who had incited 

 his adherents in Isabella. 



On the arrival of Bartholomew, Margarite and 

 Boil had taken possession of the ships, and, pay- 

 ing no regard to the protests of the authorities, 

 set sail for Spain. Ojeda, left in command of 

 the forces, had led them in an exterminating 

 warfare against Caonabo, the fiercest of the na- 

 tive chieftains. 



The first act of Columbus was to send an 

 armed body to the relief of the Spaniards who 

 were threatened in Fort Magdalen. He sent for 

 his old friend the cacique Ghiarionex, and ex- 

 plained to him that these acts were contrary to 

 his order. To bind him still further to the 

 interests of the colony, he prevailed upon him to 

 give his daughter in marriage to the Indian 

 interpreter, Diego Colon, who had been baptized 

 in Spain, and who remained true to Columbus 

 till his death. The admiral then recalled Ojeda, 

 and held consultation with him in regard to 

 some method of ending the war by getting pos- 

 session of the chieftain. Ojeda proposed a dar- 

 ing stratagem, which was successful, and in due 

 time Caonabo was brought a prisoner to Isabella, 

 where Columbus insisted upon kind treatment 

 for him. 



The old cry was going up for food, that 

 brought by Bartholomew Columbus having been 

 wasted in the wars, and no crops having been 

 planted or cared for during the absence of Chris- 

 topher. The half-famished colony was in dan- 

 ger of starvation, when 4 more ships arrived in 

 response to the letters that Columbus had sent 

 with the 12 vessels. The favorable reports of 

 the returned Spaniards, added to the statements 

 of Columbus, brought out renewed expressions 

 of pleasure and confidence on the part of the 

 sovereigns. A general letter in addition to those 

 sent to Columbus called upon all who should go 

 out on voyages of discovery to obey Columbus 

 as they would the sovereigns themselves, under 

 pain of high displeasure and a heavy fine for 

 each offense. 



But with these vessels also came rumors that 

 Margarite and Boil were diligently circulating 

 ev.il rumors against him, and that they found 

 ready credence with the powerful Fonseca, who 

 had "always evinced hatred for one whom he con- 

 sidered a foreign upstart. Columbus sent back 

 in the newly arrived ships his brother Don Di- 

 ego to attend a conference suggested by their 

 majesties, and 500 prisoners taken in the war, 

 to be sold as slaves. 



The capture of Caonabo caused only a cessa- 

 tion of hostilities, and in March, 1495, Columbus 

 was so far recovered as to be able to set out in 

 person with a little force. He expresses his hor- 



ror at the havoc wrought by white men in tho 

 beautiful valleys of Hispaniola. He was victo- 

 rious, and imposed upon each Indian above the 

 age of fourteen the penalty of paying, every three 

 months, half a calabash of gold or 25 pounds of 

 cotton. Each Indian, when he paid the tribute, 

 was to receive a copper medal which he could 

 wear about his neck ; for if found without it he 

 might be arrested and punished. To enforce 

 this requirement. Columbus put the fort in bet- 

 ter condition, and built several others. 



Meantime Margarite and Boil had gained the 

 ear of royalty, to which their standing in court 

 gave them easy access. They declared that Co- 

 lumbus deceived the sovereigns and the people 

 by extravagant descriptions of the lands he had 

 found. They said that Hispaniola was an ex- 

 pense instead of a profit ; that the oppressions 

 of Columbus and his brothers were causing hor- 

 rible suffering ; that sick men were compelled 

 to work far beyond their strength ; that food 

 was withheld on the slightest pretexts; that the 

 common people received cruel punishments ; and 

 that insults were heaped on the nobility. No 

 mention was made of mutinies or disobedience, 

 of licentiousness or idleness. The further ex- 

 plorations they represented as foolhardy, on 

 account of which, in all probability, Columbus 

 had even then lost his life, and left the colony 

 in confusion. While deferring more definite 

 measures, the sovereigns empowered Fonseca to 

 send out with the caravels already provisioned a 

 trusty person to distribute the food among the 

 colonists, under the charge of Columbus, or who- 

 ever was in authority. He was also to collect 

 information about the government of the island, 

 the conduct of officials, the complaints, and 

 the remedies. With this he was to return to 

 Spain, and in case of the admiral's return every- 

 thing was to be left subject to him. Ferdinand 

 and Isabella also made a proclamation giving 

 permission to any native-born subject to settle 

 on the island of Hispaniola, and to prosecute 

 private voyages of discovery and traffic in the 

 New World, on condition of sailing only from 

 Cadiz under inspection by Crown officials. All 

 who embarked at their own expense were to 

 have lands and provisions for one year, and a 

 right to retain such lands and all buildings put 

 up by them. Of all gold they might colleu-c 

 they could retain one third, giving the other 

 two to the Crown. Of all island produce sold 

 they were to pay one tenth to the Crown. Royal 

 officers were to be present at the purchases, and 

 the dues were to be paid to the King's receiver. 

 The Crown officers at Cadiz were to name two 

 persons in each ship sailing on private entei'- 

 prise, and one tenth of its tonnage was to be 

 given to the Crown free of charge. One tenth 

 of whatever such ships should procure in 

 the new countries was to be paid over to the 

 Crown. For every private vessel thus fitted 

 out, Columbus, in consideration of his privilege 

 of an eighth of tonnage, was to have the right 

 to freight one on his own account. Vincent 

 Pinzon had been the most earnest applicant for 

 this permission. 



Matters were in this position when the vessels 

 that had been taken out by Torres, containing the 

 letters of renewed confidence and greater honor 

 for Columbus, returned to Spain. They contained 



