cruit his health, while he should send his brother, the Adelantado, to complete this important dis covery. On the 14th of August, therefore, he left the gulf, by a narrow strait between the promontory of Paria and the island of Trinidad. This strait is beset with small islands, and the current which sets through the gulf is so compressed between them as to cause a turbulent sea, with great foaming and roaring, as if rushing over rocks and shoals. The admiral conceived himself in imminent danger of shipwreck, when passing through this strait, and gave it the name of La Boca del Drago, or the Mouth of the Dragon. After reconnoitring the coast to the westward, as far as the islands of Cubaga and Margarita, and convincing himself of its being a continent, he bore away for Hispaniola, for the river Ozema, where he expected to find a new settlement, which he had instructed his brother to form in the neighbourhood of the mines. He was borne far to the westward by the currents, but at length reached his desired haven, where he arrived, haggard, emaciated, and almost blind, and was received with open arms by the Adelantado. The brothers were strongly attached to each other: Don Bartholomew had a great deference for the brilliant genius, the enlarged mind, and the commanding reputation of his brother; while the latter placed great reliance, in times of difficulty, on the worldly knowledge, the indefatigable activity, and the lion-hearted courage of the Adelantado. They had both, during their long separation, experienced the need of each other's sympathy and support. CHAPTER XXX. Administration of the Adelantado. COLUMBUS had anticipated a temporary repose from his toils on arriving at Hispaniola; but a new scene of trouble and anxiety opened upon him, which was destined to affect all his future fortunes. To explain this, it is necessary to state the occurrences of the island during his long detention in Spain. When he sailed for Europe in March, 1496, his brother, Don Bartholomew, immediately proceeded to execute his instructions with respect to the gold mines of Hayna. He built a fortress in the neighbourhood, which he named St. Christoval, and another fortress not far off, on the eastern bank of the Ozema, in the vicinity of the village inhabited by the female cacique who had first given intelligence of the mines to Miguel Diaz. This fortress was called San Domingo, and was the origin of the city which still bears that name. Having garrisoned these fortresses and made arrangements for working the mines, the indefatigable Adelantado set out to visit the dominions of Behechio, which had not as yet been reduced to obedience. This cacique, as has been mentioned, reigned over Xaragua, a province comprising almost the whole of the west end of the island, including Cape Tiburon. It was one of the most populous and fertile districts. The inhabitants were finely formed, had a noble air, a more agreeable elocution, and more soft and graceful manners, than the natives of the other part of the island. The Indians of Hayti generally placed their elysium, or paradise of happy spirits, in the delightful valleys that bordered the great lake of Xaragua. With Behechio resided his sister Anacaona, wife of the late formidable Caonabo, one of the most beautiful females in the island, of great natural grace and dignity, and superior intelligence; her name in the Indian language signified Golden Flower. She had taken refuge with her brother, after the capture and ruin of her husband, but appears never to have entertained any vindictive feelings against the Spaniards, whom she regarded with great admiration as almost superhuman beings. On the contrary, she counselled her brother, over whom she had great influence, to take warning by the fate of her husband, and to conciliate their friendship. Don Bartholomew entered the province of Xaragua at the head of an armed band, putting his cavalry in the advance, and marching with banners displayed, and the sound of drum and trumpet. Behechio met him with a numerous force, but being assured that he came merely on a friendly visit, he dismissed his army, and conducted the Adelantado to his residence in a large town, near the deep bay called at present the Bight of Leagon. As they approached, thirty young females, of the cacique's household, beautifully formed, came forth to meet them, waving palm branches, and dancing and singing their areytos or traditionary ballads. When they came before Don Bartholomew, they knelt and laid their palm branches at his feet. After these came the beautiful Anacaona, reclining on a litter, borne by six Indians. She was lightly clad in a robe of various coloured cotton, with a fragrant garland of red and white flowers round her head, and wreaths of the same round her neck and arms. She received the Adelantado with that natural grace and courtesy for which she was celebrated. For several days Don Bartholomew remained in Xaragua, entertained by the cacique and his sister with banquets, national games and dances, and other festivities; then having arranged for a periodical tribute to be paid in cotton, hemp, and cassava bread, the productions of the surrounding country, he took a friendly leave of his hospitable entertainers, and set out with his little army for Isabella. He found the settlement in a sickly state, and suffering from a scarcity of provisions; he distributed, therefore, all that were too feeble to labour or bear arms into the interior, where they might have better air and more abundant food; and at the same time he established a chain of fortresses between Isabella and San Domingo. Insurrections broke out among the natives of the vega, caused by their impatience of tribute, by the outrages of some of the Spaniards, and by a severe punishment inflicted on certain Indians for the alleged violation of a chapel. Guarionex, a man naturally moderate and pacific, was persuaded by his brother caciques to take up arms, and a combination was formed among them to rise suddenly upon the Spaniards, massacre them, and destroy Fort Conception, which was situated in the vega. By some means the garrison received intimation of the conspiracy. They immediately wrote a An letter to the Adelantado imploring prompt assistance. How to convey the letter in safety was an anxious question, for the natives had discovered that these letters had a wonderful power of communicating intelligence, and fancied that they could talk. Indian undertook to be the bearer of it. closed it in a staff, and set out on his journey. Being intercepted, he pretended to be dumb and lame, leaning on his staff for support. He was suffered to depart, and limped forward until out of sight, when he resumed his speed, and bore the letter safely and expeditiously to San Domingo. He en The Adelantado, with his accustomed promptness, set out with a body of troops for the fortress. By a rapid and well concerted stratagem he surprised the leaders in the night, in a village in which they were sleeping, and carried them all off captive, seizing upon Guarionex with his own hand. He completed his enterprise with spirit, sagacity, and moderation. Informing himself of the particulars of the conspiracy, he punished two caciques, the principal movers of it, with death, and pardoned all the rest. Finding, moreover, that Guarionex had been chiefly incited to hostility by an outrage committed by a Spaniard on his favourite wife, he inflicted punishment on the offender. The heart of Guarionex was subdued by the unexpected clemency of the Adelantado, and he made a speech to his subjects in praise of the Spaniards. They listened to him with attention, and when he had concluded, bore him off on their shoulders with songs and shouts of joy, and for some time the tranquillity of the vega was restored. About this time, receiving information from Be |
