CHARACTER OF COLUMBUS. 



meanwhile, having been at the unnecessary trouble of 

 applying ladders to the walls of the building in all direc- 

 tions, as if scaling a fortress. The prisoners were seized 

 upon, and transferred to a prison of his own choice. He 

 then insolently took up his residence in the house of Co- 

 lumbus; possessed himself of his arms, gold plate jewels, 

 horses, books, letters, and other papers public and pri- 

 vate, even of the most sacred nature ; liquidated the de- 

 mands of all who claimed any debt due from Columbus; 

 and appropriated the residue, without the least ceremony, 

 to his own benefit. He supported himself with the popu- 

 lace, meanwhile, first, by vilifying the admiral, and 

 secondly, by proclaiming a general license for the term 

 of twenty years, to seek for gold. He soon after sum- 

 moned Columbus, who was in the country, to appear be- 

 fore him immediately. 



The latter had heard of his measures, and he well 

 knew the character of the man. He could scarcely yet 

 believe, indeed, that such a character, if any, should be 

 appointed to such an authority over himself, after all the 

 sorrows and services which had worn him down nearly 

 to the grave a sufficient provocation alone, indepen- 

 dently of the outrageous insults we have mentioned. 

 The conduct of the admiral at this juncture is a true 

 test of his character. Instantly on receiving the sum- 

 mons in the name of his sovereign, he started off unat- 

 tended for San Domingo, while Bobadilla, in the mean- 

 time, was arming the city troops in the apprehension 

 that Columbus was mustering an army among the In- 

 dians to resist him. He had just before this seized upon 

 Don Diego, thrown him in irons, and confined him on 

 board a caravel, without authority and without reason. 



Columbus, purposely with no guards or retinue, now 

 entered the city, amid the hostile preparation, bustle and 

 bravado of Bobadilla. The latter, thus baulked in his 

 military ambition, avenged his own disappointment by 

 giving instant orders for putting the admiral in irons and 

 confining him in prison, a measure which shocked even 

 the enemies of the latter. No person could be induced 

 to put the irons upon his person, in fact, until one of his 

 own domestics, * a graceless and shameless cook,' says 



