the vega applied for refuge, and he received a promise of protection.

Indignant at finding his former clemency of no avail, the Adelantado pursued Guarionex to the mountains, at the head of ninety men, a few cavalry, and a body of Indians. It was a rugged and difficult enterprise; the troops had to climb rocks, wade rivers, and make their way through tangled forests, almost impervious to men in armour, encumbered with targets, crossbows, and lances. They were continually exposed, also, to the ambushes of the Indians, who would rush forth with furious yells, discharge their weapons, and then take refuge again among rocks and thickets, where it was in vain to follow them. Don Bartholomew arrived, at length, in the neighbourhood of Cape Cabron, the residence of Mayonabex, and sent a messenger, demanding the surrender of Guarionex, promising friendship in case of compliance, but threatening to lay waste his territory with fire and sword, in case of refusal. "Tell the Spaniards," said the cacique, in reply, " that they are tyrants, usurpers, and shedders of innocent blood, and I desire not their friendship. Guarionex is a good man, and my friend. He has fled to me for refuge; I have promised him protection, and I will keep my word."

The cacique, in fact, adhered to his promise with admirable faith. His villages were burnt, his territories were ravaged, himself and his family driven to dens and caves of the mountains, and his subjects assailed him with clamours, urging him to give up the fugitive, who was bringing such ruin upon their tribe. It was all in vain. He was ready, he

declared, to abide all evils, rather than it should ever be said Mayonabex betrayed his guest.

For three months the Adelantado hunted these caciques among the mountains, during which time he and his soldiers were almost worn out with toil and hunger, and exposures of all kind. The retreat of Mayonabex was at length discovered. Twelve Spaniards, disguising themselves as Indians, and wrapping their swords in palm leaves, came upon him secretly, and surprised and captured him, with his wife and children, and a few attendants. The Adelantado returned, with his prisoners, to Fort Conception, where he afterwards released them all, excepting the cacique, whom he detained as a hostage for the submission of his tribe. The unfortunate Guarionex still lurked among the caverns of the mountains, but was driven, by hunger, to venture down occasionally into the plain, in quest of food, His haunts were discovered, he was waylaid and captured by a party of Spaniards, and brought in chains to Fort Conception. After his repeated insurrections, and the extraordinary zeal displayed in his pursuit, he anticipated death from the vengeance of the Adelantado. Don Bartholomew, however, though stern in his policy, was neither vindictive nor cruel; he contented himself with detaining him a prisoner, to insure the tranquillity of the vega; and then returned to San Domingo, where, shortly afterwards, he had the happiness of welcoming the arrival of his brother, the admiral, after a separation of nearly two years and a half.

CHAPTER XXXI.

Rebellion of Roldan.
[1498.]

ONE of the first measures of Columbus, on his arrival, was to issue a proclamation, approving of all that the Adelantado had done, and denouncing Roldan and his associates. That turbulent man had proceeded to Xaragua, where he had been kindly received by the natives. A circumstance occurred to add to his party and his resources. The three caravals detached by Columbus from the Canary Islands, and freighted with supplies, having been carried far west of their reckoning by the currents, arrived on the coast of Xaragua. The rebels were at first alarmed lest they should be vessels despatched in pursuit of them. Roldan, who was as sagacious as he was bold, soon divined the truth. Enjoining the utmost secrecy on his men, he went on board, and pretending to be in command at that end of the island, succeeded in procuring a supply of arms and military stores, and in making partisans among the crews, many of whom were criminals and vagabonds from Spanish prisons, shipped in compliance with the admiral's ill-judged proposition. It was not until the third day that Alonzo Sanchez de Carvajal, the most intelligent of the three captains,

discovered the real character of the guests he had entertained, but the mischief was then effected.

As the ships were detained by contrary winds, it was arranged among the captains that a large number of the people should be conducted by land to San Domingo by Juan Antonio Colombo, captain of one of the caravals, and a relation of the admiral. He accordingly landed with forty men, well armed, but was astonished to find himself suddenly deserted by all his party excepting eight. The deserters joined the rebels, who received them with shouts of exultation. Juan Antonio, grieved and disconcerted, returned on board with the few who remained faithful. Fearing further desertions, the ships immediately put to sea; but Carvajal, giving his vessel in charge to his officers, landed and remained with the rebels, fancying he had perceived signs of wavering in Roldan and some of his associates, and that, by earnest persuasion, he might induce them to return to their allegiance. The certainty that Columbus was actually on the way to the island, with additional forces, and augmented authority, had, in fact, operated strongly on their minds; but all attempts to produce immediate submission was in vain. Roldan promised that the moment he heard of the arrival of Columbus, he would repair to the neighbourhood of San Domingo, to be at hand to state his grievances, and to enter into a negotiation for the adjustment of all differences. He wrote a

letter to the same purport to be delivered to the admiral. With this Carvajal departed, and was escorted to within six leagues of San Domingo by six of the rebels. On reaching that place he found Columbus already arrived, and delivered to him the

letter of Roldan, expressing at the same time an opinion, that the insurgents might easily be brought to their allegiance by an assurance of amnesty. In fact, the rebels soon began to assemble at the village of Bonao, in a fine valley of the same name, about twenty leagues from San Domingo, and ten from Fort Conception. Here they made their headquarters at the house of Pedro Reguelme, one of the ringleaders.

Columbus immediately wrote to Miguel Ballester, the commander of Fort Conception, advising him to be on his guard. He empowered him to have an interview with Roldan, to offer him full pardon on condition of his immediate return to duty, and to invite him to repair to San Domingo to treat with the admiral, under a solemn, and, if required, a written assurance of personal safety. At the same time he issued a proclamation, offering free passage to all who wished to return to Spain, in five vessels about to put to sea, hoping, by this means, to relieve the colony from all the idle and disaffected.

Ballester was an old and venerable man, grayheaded, and of a soldier-like demeanour; he was loyal, frank, and virtuous, of a serious disposition, and great simplicity of heart. His appearance and character commanded the respect of the rebels; but they treated the proffered pardon with contempt; made many demands of an arrogant nature, and declared that, in all further negotiations, they would treat with no mediator but Carvajal, having had proofs of his fairness and impartiality in the course of their late communications with him at Xaragua. This insolent reply was totally different from