but was driven, by hunger, to venture down occasionally into the plain, in quest of food. His haunts were disco. vered, 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 XXIX.

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 dispatched 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 partizans 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 Colonbo, 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 arri val of Columbus, he would repair to the neighbourhood

of San Domingo, to be at hand to state his grievances, and to enter into a negociation 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 head quarters 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 soldierlike 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 negociations,

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 what the admiral had been taught to expect. He now ordered the men of San Domingo to appear under arms, that he might ascertain the force with which he could take the field in case of necessity. A report was immediately circulated, that they were to be led to Bonao, against the rebels; some of the inhabitants had relations, others friends, among the followers of Roldan; almost all were disaffected to the service; not above seventy men appeared under arms; one affected to be ill, another lame; there were not forty to be relied upon.

Columbus saw that a resort to arms would only serve to betray his own weakness, and the power of the rebels; it was necessary to temporize, therefore, however humiliating such conduct might be deemed. His first care, was to dispatch the five ships which he had detained in port, until he should receive the reply of Roldan. He was anxious that as many as possible of the discontented colonists should sail for Spain, before any commotion should take place. He wrote to the sovereigns an account of his late voyage, giving an enthusiastic description of the newly discovered continent, accompanied by a chart of the coast, and specimens of the pearls which he had procured from the natives.

He informed the sovereigns, also, of the rebellion of Roldan; and as the latter pretended it was only a quarrel between him and the adelantado, he begged the matter might be investigated by their majesties, or by persons friendly to both parties. Among other judicious requests, be entreated that a man learned and experienced in the

law, might be sent out to officiate as judge over the island.

By this opportunity Roldan and his friends likewise sent letters to Spain, endeavouring to justify their rebellion, by charging Columbus and his brothers with oppression and injustice, and painting their whole conduct in the blackest colours. It would naturally be supposed, that the representations of such men would have little weight in the balance against the tried merits and exalted services of Columbus; but they had numerous friends and relations in Spain, to back them; Columbus was a foreigner, without influence in the court, and with active enemies near the sovereigns, ever ready to place his conduct in an unfavourable light.

The ships being dispatched, the admiral resumed his negociation with the rebels. As the burden of their complaint was the strict rule of his brother, who was accused of dealing out justice with a rigorous hand, he resolved to try the alternative of extreme lenity, and wrote a letter to Roldan, calling to mind past kindnesses, and entreating him, for the sake of his own reputation, which stood well with the sovereigns, not to persist in his present insubordination. He again repeated his assurance, that he and his companions might come to treat with him at San Domingo, under the faith of his word, for the inviolability of their persons.

There was a difficulty as to who should be the bearer of this letter. The rebels had declared that they would receive no mediator, but Alonzo Sanchez de Carvajal. Strong suspicions existed in the minds of many as to the integrity of that officer, from his transactions with the rebels at Xaragua, and his standing so high in their favour. Columbus, however, discarded all those suspi