buiit, aild it is twenty Leagues from Santo Domingo^ The 
Admiral fearing left any thing that might give them Un- 
eannefs ftiould come to the Ears of their Catholic Ma]e- 
fties, and at the fame time difcredit the Affairs of the 
Indies^ which had coft him fo many Fatigues, or give his 
Enemies occafion to revile him, tried to bring the Mu- 
tineers to an Accommodation ; uiing this Method : Moft 
of the Spaniards in the Idand were defirous to return into 
Spain y he therefore, on the 12th of September^ caufed 
Proclamation to be made, that he would give leave to 
all that were willing to depart, and provide for their Paf- 
fage and Proviffons : Which was very acceptable to them 
in general, becaufe of eight Ships that were in the Har- 
bour, five were almoft cleared, and two ready for the 
Adelantado to go and profeciite the Difcovery of the Coaft 
of Paria<, 
In the mean time, the Admiral being informed that 
Roldan was going to the Conception, about which fome of 
the Mutineers had Eftates, he gave notice of it to Mi- 
chael Ballefier the Governor of the Fort, that he might be 
upon his Guard, and endeavour to draw over Roldan, 
and tell him how much it troubled him that fuch a Man, 
whom he had left in fo confiderable a Poft, and on whom 
he depended fo much, fhould range about in that fcan- 
dalous Manner, to the Prejudice of the King’s Service ; 
however, for the Good-will he had always borne him, 
he would pardon him, if he fubmitted ; and if he re- 
quired any Security, he fhould have it. The Governor 
Ballefier went to the Fort of Bonao, where he found no 
body, but was informed that Roldan and the Chiefs were 
gone to the Houfe of Riquelmo, who was one of them. 
Before the Admiral went away to Spain, about March 
in the Year 1496, or foon after his Departure, foiqe 
Towns were charged inftead of their Tribute to till the 
Lands belonging to the Spanifio Colonies, as they had 
been wont to do for their Caziques ; and by this Method 
it was thought the Spaniards might be induced to fta^ the 
more willingly in the Indies, taking a Kindnefs to the 
Country, and the Merchants would come over from 
Spain, fo that the Royal Revenue would increafe without 
obliging their Majefties to be at fo great an Expence as 
they were at the Beginning, or elfe to quit the Enterprize, 
which the Admiral much dreaded, fo many being againft 
it. The Indians that did not comply in performing this 
Duty were punifhed, and thofe that fled were held as 
Slaves when taken. The other Improvement, in order 
to produce fome Profit, was that of the Brazil Wood, 
v/hich the Admiral faid was in the Province of Taquimo, 
on the Southern Coaft, near eighty Leagues from Santo 
Domingo to the Weftward. By thofe two Improvements, 
including four thoufand Slaves he reckoned upon, and 
four thoufand Quintals, or hundred Weight of Brazil 
Wood, he writ to their Majefties, that they would re- 
ceive forty Millions of Marvedies, which amounted to 
twenty thoufand Pound ; a large Sum, and much more 
confiderable in thofe Days, than at this time. 
Hereupon, foon after his Arrival at Santo Domingo, be- 
ing informed that a Cazique, who had been appointed for 
the Service of the Fort, leaving the fame, was fled to the 
Mountains, Soldiers were ordered thither, who took a 
good Number of People that were fent away in thofe 
laft Ships, the Admiral reckoning that their Catholic Ma- 
jefties Ihould make their Advantage of thofe Indians as 
the Kings of Portugal did of the Guinea Blacks. When 
Roldan, Gomez, and Adrian Moxica were come toge- 
ther, the Alcalde or Governor, Ballefier, went to difcourfe 
them-, and having told them all he had been diredled, of- 
fered them Pardon, and reprefented the Differvice they 
did the King by behaving after that manner. They foon 
fliewed they had quite different Defigns, uttering many 
haughty and difrefpeftful Words againft the Admira. 1 : 
And, among other things, faid. They came not to feek 
Peace, but War-, and that Roldan had the Admiral and 
all his Followers in his Power, either to fupport or de- 
ftroy them : That they fliould not talk of any Accom- 
modation till the Admiral had brought back the Num- 
ber of Indians which had been fent as Slaves, becaufe he 
had taken them into his Protedlion, and it was his Duty 
ro deliver them from the Oppreflion they were under : 
Befides, they wrote a Letter to the Admiral, laying ail 
the Blame of their Revolt on his Brother. The Govern- 
or, Ballefier, went to Santo Domingo with Roldan's An- 
fwer ; in which, amongft other things, he faid, that his 
Followers would treat with no Man but Carvajal-, and 
though the Admiral had juft Caufe to fufped that Perfoo 
on feveral Accounts, yet he thought it beft to make a Vir- 
tue of Neceffity, and to fend him with Ballefier to endea- , 
vour to reduce them to Reafon. He alfo wrote an aft 
feftionate Letter to Roldan, foothing him, and in a moft 
obliging manner inviting him to return to his Duty. 
7. The Alcalde, 'Ballefier, and Carvajal, • difcourfed 
the Rebels fo effeftually, that they inclined Roldan and 
the other Ringleaders to agree with the Admiral \ by 
which it was thought all would be adjufted ; but the 
meaner fort, being unwilling to quit that licentious Life 
they led, unanimoufly cried out. That it fhould not be 
fo, but that if any Accommodation was made, it fhould 
be in Public before them all, fince they were all con- 
cerned : And Carvajal and Roldan trying all ways to re- 
duce them to Reafon, and, not being able to prevail, Rol- 
dan demanding a fafe Conduct, and fignifying, that he 
was thoroughly convinced, that all his Men would for- 
fake him, except fuch as were Gentlemen, the Admi- 
ral was much concerned at this Advice, and foon found 
it was true ; for having made a Mufter, in order to 
march to Bonao, only feventy of thofe that were with 
him faid they would obey his Orders ; and he had no 
Confidence even in many of them. In this Diftrefs, he 
caufed Proclamation to be made, that as to all who would 
return to their Duty, no Notice fhould ever be taken of 
what was paft ; befides, that fuch as defired to return 
into Spain fhould have their Paffage gratis. At the fame 
time he fent a fafe Conduft to Francis Roldan for himfelf, 
and all thofe that Ihould come with him, to treat at Santo 
Domingo. 
Whilft this Treaty was in Agitation, the Ships having 
been detained eighteen Days beyond the Month agreed 
on when they were hired, and many of the Slaves aboard 
them dying, the Admiral was forced to difpatch them, 
and by them writ to their Majefties, acquainting them 
with the Rebellion of Roldan, and the Mifchiefs his Men 
did in the Hand. He alfo defired to have religious Mdn 
fent to inftruft the People, and an able Lawyer for the 
Execution of Juftice. He added, that though at firft 
the Men had fickened by the Change of Air and Water, 
they were all then healthy and inured to the Country, 
and did better with the Indian Bread than with that of 
Spanifio Corn ; and that there was an infinite Number of 
Swine and Poultry and other things, which had fo multi- 
plied, that they wanted nothing but Wine and Clothes : 
That it would be expedient as often as poflible to fend 
him fixty or feventy Men, and he would return as many 
of thefe troublefome Difturbers. Much more he wrote to 
their Majefties in Vindication of himfelf and his Brother, 
and fent them fome of the painted Cloths of the Coaft of 
Paria, one hundred and feventy Pearls, and fome Pieces 
of Gold, as alfo a Draught of his laft Difcovery, and a 
Relation of his Voyage. After feveral Meffages it was 
concluded, that the Mutineers fhould have two Ships with 
Provifions to carry them to Spain, and every one a Slave 
with him *, and to have Certificates of their good Beha- 
viour. The Admiral figned thofe Articles on his Part, 
as did Roldan for the Mutineers. However, all things 
came to nothing, the Rebels not daring to go into Spain 
for fear of being puniflied for their Crimes. 
But afterwards Captain Carvajal having acquainted the 
Admiral, that Roldan earneftly defired to fubmit himfelf, 
he went to Azua, to be nearer to the Rebels -, Roldan went 
thither to him^ where a new Contraft was concluded, 
by virtue whereof, his Followers were to be reftored to 
what they had enjoyed before their Revolt, and he to be 
Alcalde-Mayor, or Chief judge of the Hand. Roldan be- 
gan again to exercife that Office with the greateft Info- 
lence ; and all his Followers behaved themfelves in the 
fame manner. The Admiral difpatched two Ships 
for Spain and, purfuant to his Agreement, permit- 
ted the Mutineers to embark, allowing fome of them 
three Slaves, and others one. In Qdioher, 1499, Roldan 
delivered 
L 
