LIFE OP COLUMBUS. 369 



natives in the interior, and this had now advanced so far 

 upon their part, early in March, 1795, that tljey were ac- 

 tually assembled in great force within two days' march of 

 Isabella, and were preparing for a general and overwhelm- 

 ing assault upon the settlement. Columbus, now recov- 

 ering from his sickness, determined to meet this move- 

 ment in its first stages, though the whole force of his col- 

 ony did not exceed two hundred infantry and twenty horse. 

 These, however, were disciplined soldiers, cased in steel, 

 covered with bucklers, and well armed with cross-bows, 

 swords, lances, and heavy arquebusses, which were in 

 those days used with rests, and sometimes mounted on 

 wheels. They had twenty blood-hounds trained, strong, 

 and terribly ferocious. Columbus began his march on 

 the 24th of the month, and in two or three days came 'in 

 sight of the enemy, collected in immense numbers at the 

 place where St Jago has since been built. He immedi- 

 ately adopted the plan of attacking them in various direc- 

 tions, with a great din of drums and trumpets, and a deadly 

 discharge of the infantry fire-arms from the covert of the 

 trees. A charge was then made by the horse, with lance 

 and sabre ; while the blood-hounds let loose upon the 

 naked savages, seized them by the throat, dragged them 

 to the earth, and despatched them with a terrific violence. 

 The Indians were panic-struck, and fled in all directions ; 

 nor was any resistance ever afterwards attempted by them, 

 though thousands wandered and perished, from month 

 to month, among the remote fastnesses and wilds of the 

 island. 



Meanwhile, intrigues, arising from jealousy and envy, 

 were going on against Columbus in the court of Spain, to 

 such an extent that the King and Queen thought proper 

 to send out an agent, named Aguado, for the express 

 purpose of ascertaining the truth or falsehood of the 

 charges made against the Admiral. This agent arrived 

 at Isabella in the fall of 1495 ; and Columbus, after en- 

 during some insolence from him with astonishing dignity 

 and calmness, resolved to return with him to Spain. 

 They sailed, accordingly, on the 10th of March, 1496, 

 and arrived at Cadiz on the llth of June. Columbus 

 was 'at this time so dejected, that he had suffered his 



VOL. i. NO. xv. 33* 



