visions, in hopes of starving Columbus and his people, or of driving them from the island.

The horrors of famine began to threaten the terrified crew, when a fortunate idea presented itself to Columbus. From his knowledge of astronomy, he ascertained that within three days there would be a total eclipse of the moon, in the early part of the night. He summoned, therefore, the principal caciques to a grand conference, appointing for it the day of the eclipse. When all were assembled, he told them by his interpreter, that he and his followers were worshippers of a Deity who lived in the skies, and held them under his protection; that this great Deity was incensed against the Indians, who had refused or neglected to furnish his faithful worshippers with provisions, and intended to chastise them with famine and pestilence. Lest they should disbelieve this warning, a signal would be given that very night in the heavens. They would behold the moon change its colour, and gradually lose its light; a token of the fearful punishment which awaited them.

Many of the Indians were alarmed at the solemnity of this prediction, others treated it with derision; all, however, awaited with solicitude the coming of the night. When they beheld a black shadow stealing over the moon, and a mysterious gloom gradually covering the whole face of nature, they were seized with the utmost consternation. Hurrying with provisions to the ships, and throwing themselves at the feet of Columbus, they implored him to intercede with his God to withhold the threatened calamities, assuring him that thenceforth they would bring him whatever he required. Co

lumbus retired to his cabin, under pretence of communing with the Deity, the forests and shores all the while resounding with the howlings of the savages. He returned shortly, and informed the natives that the Deity had deigned to pardon them, on condition of their fulfilling their promises, in sign of which he would withdraw the darkness from the moon. When the Indians saw that planet restored presently to its brightness, and rolling in all its beauty through the firmament, they overwhelmed the admiral with thanks for his intercession. They now regarded him with awe and reverence, as one enjoying the peculiar favour and confidence of the Deity, since he knew upon earth what was passing in the heavens. They hastened to propitiate him with gifts; supplies again arrived daily at the harbour, and from that time forward there was no want of provisions.

CHAPTER XLII.

Arrival of Diego de Escobar at the Harbour-Battle

with the Rebels.
[1504.]

EIGHT months had now elapsed since the departure of Mendez and Fiesco, yet no tidings had been received of their fate. The hopes of the most sanguine were nearly extinct, and many, considering themselves abandoned and forgotten by the world, grew wild and desperate in their plans. Another conspiracy, similar to that of Porras, was on the point of breaking out, when one evening, towards dusk, a sail was seen standing towards the harbour. It was a small caraval, which kept out at sea, and sent its boat on shore. In this came Diego de Escobar, one of the late confederates of Roldan, who had been condemned to death under the administration of Columbus, and pardoned by his successor, Bobadilla. There was bad omen in such a messenger.

Escobar was the bearer of a mere letter of compliment and condolence from Ovando, accompanied by a barrel of wine and a side of bacon. The governor expressed great concern at his misfortunes, and regret at not having in port a vessel of sufficient size to bring off himself and people, but promised to send one as soon as possible. Escobar drew off with

the boat, and kept at a distance from the wreck, awaiting any letters the admiral might have to send in reply, and holding no conversation with any of the Spaniards. Columbus hastened to write to Ovando, depicting the horrors of his situation, and urging the promised relief. As soon as Escobar received this letter, he returned on board of his caraval, which made all sail, and disappeared in the gathering gloom of the night.

The mysterious conduct of Escobar caused great wonder and consternation among the people. Columbus sought to dispel their uneasiness, assuring them that vessels would soon arrive to take them away. In confidence of this, he said, he had declined to depart with Escobar, because his vessel was too small to take the whole, and had despatched him in such haste, that no time might be lost in sending the requisite ships. These assurances, and the certainty that their situation was known in San Domingo, cheered the hearts of the people, and put an end to the conspiracy.

Columbus, however, was secretly indignant at the conduct of Ovando, believing that he had purposely delayed sending relief, in the hopes that he would perish on the island, being apprehensive that, should he return in safety, he would be reinstated in the government of Hispaniola. He considered Escobar merely as a spy, sent by the governor to ascertain whether he and his crew were yet in existence. Still he endeavoured to turn the event to some advantage with the rebels. He sent two of his people to inform them of the promise of Ovando to send ships for his relief, and he offered them a free pardon,

and a passage to Hispaniola, on condition of their immediate return to obedience.

On the approach of the ambassadors, Porras came forth to meet them, accompanied solely by a few of the ringleaders of his party, and prevented their holding any communication with the mass of his people. In reply to the generous offer of the admiral, they refused to return to the wreck, but agreed to conduct themselves peaceably and amicably, on receiving a solemn promise that, should two vessels arrive, they should have one to depart in; should but one arrive, the half of it should be granted to them; and that, in the mean time, the admiral should share with them the sea stores and articles of Indian traffic which remained in his possession. When it was observed that these demands were extravagant and inadmissible, they replied, that if they were not peaceably conceded, they would take them by force; and with this menace they dismissed the ambassadors.

The conference was not conducted so privately but that the rest of the rebels learned the whole purport of the mission. Porras seeing them moved by the offer of pardon and deliverance, resorted to the most desperate falsehoods to delude them. He told them that these offers of the admiral were all deceitful, and that he only sought to get them into his power, that he might wreak on them his vengeance. As to the pretended caraval which had visited the harbour, he assured them that it was a mere phantasm, conjured up by the admiral, who was deeply versed in magic. In proof of this, he adverted to its arriving in the dusk of the evening,