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Don Bartholomew then returned to Isabella where he found that about 300 men had died from disease, and that there was great dearth of provifions. He diftributed the fick men in his fortreffes and in the adjacent Indian villages, and afterwards set out on a journey to his new fort of St. Domingo, collecting tribute by the way. In all these rapid and energetic proceedings of the Adelantado, and ftill more from causes over which he had no control, the Spaniards muft have fuffered much, and doubtlefs thofe complaints on their part which were foon to break out very menacingly, were not unheard at the present time.

If the Spaniards, however, complained of the labours which Don Bartholomew impofed upon them, the Indians complained still more, and far more justly, of the tribute imposed upon them. Several of the minor chiefs, upon this occafion of collecting tribute, complained to the great Cacique Guarionex, and suggested a rising of the Indians. This Cacique feems to have been a peaceful, prudent man, and well aware of the power of the Spaniards. But he now confented to place himself at the head of an infurrection which, however, the Lieutenant Governor, foon made aware of, quelled at once by a battle in which he was victorious over Guarionex, taking him and other principal

perfons prisoners. The chief movers of the revolt were put to death; but Guarionex was delivered up to his people who flocked by thousands to his place of imprisonment, clamouring for his reftitution.

About this time meffengers came from Bohechio and Anacaona informing the Adelantado that the tribute of that country was ready for him, and he accordingly went to fetch it. During his abfence there, and under the less vigorous administration of Don Diego Columbus who had been left at the head of affairs at Isabella, those discontents amongst the Spaniards, which had no doubt been rife for a long time, broke out in a diftinct manner. I allude to the well-known infurrection of Roldan, whom the Admiral had left as Chief Justice in the island on his departure. The proceedings between the Chief Juftice and the Governor were to form an original to many fimilar ones to happen hereafter in many colonies even to our own times. It may be imagined that these Columbuses were a hard race to deal with; and any one obferving that the Admiral was very often engaged in disputes and almost always in the right, might conjecture that he was one of those persons who go through life, proving that everybody about them is wrong, and going a great way to make

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them fo. This would have been an easy mode of explaining many things, and therefore very welcome to a narrator; but I cannot say that it seems at all just towards Columbus to faddle upon him any fuch character. We are to confider the men and the circumstances he had to deal with. Here are men who have come out with very grand expectations, and who find themselves pinched with hunger, having dire ftorms to encounter, and vaft labours to undergo; who are contained in due bonds by no preffure of fociety; who are commanded by a foreigner, or by members of his family, whom they know to have many enemies at court; who think that Los Reyes themselves can scarcely reach them at this distance; and who imagine that they have worked themselves out of all law and order, and that they deserve an Alfatia. With such men (many of them, perhaps, not worthy of water) our Admiral and his brothers had to get ufeful work of all kinds done; and did contrive to get veffels navigated, forts built, and fome ideas of civilization maintained. But it was hard work at all times: and this Roldan did not furnish the least of the troubles which the Admiral and his brothers had to endure. Roldan, too, if we could hear him, would probably have something to say. He wish

ed, it appears, to get back again to Spain, as Father Buil and Margarite had done; and said that a certain caravel which the Governor Don Bartholomew Columbus had built, might be launched for that purpose. This is Ferdinand Columbus's account: and he says that the said caravel could not be launched for want of tackle. He alfo mentions that Roldan complained of the restless life the Adelantado led them, building forts and towns, and that there was no hope of the Admiral coming back to the colony with fupplies. Without going into these squabbles,—and indeed it is very difficult when a quarrel of this kind breaks out, taking it up at the point where it breaks out, to judge it upon that only, seeing the stream of ill-will may have run underground for a long time-fuffice it to say that Roldan and his men grow more and Roldan more infubordinate; are not at all quelled by the prefence of the Adelantado on his return from Xaragua; and finally quit Ifabella in a body. The Adelantado contrives to keep some men faithful' to him, promifing them, amongst other things,' two flaves each. Negotiations then take place between the Adelantado and Roldan, which we must leave for the present to enter upon the further dealing of Don Bartholomew with the Indians.

These poor islanders were now haraffed both

revolts.

Story of

Guarionex

and Maio

banex.

by the rebels and by the loyal Spaniards whom the Adelantado could not venture to curb much, for fear of their going over to the other party. The Indians were also tempted by Roldan to join him, he contending that tribute had been unjustly impofed upon them. From all these difficulties Guarionex makes his escape by flying to the territories of Maiobanex, the Cacique of a long-haired hardy race, who inhabited the hilly country towards Cabron. This flight of Guarionex was a very serious affair, as it threatened the extinction of tribute in that Cacique's territory, and Don Bartholomew accordingly pursued the fugitive Cacique. After fome skirmishes with the troops of Maiobanex in which, as ufual, the Spaniards are victorious, the Adelantado fends a messenger to Maiobanex telling him that the Spaniards do not seek war with him, but that he must give up the fugitive, otherwise his own territory will be deftroyed with fire and fword. Maiobanex replies, " that every one knows that Guarionex is a good cc man, endowed with all virtue," wherefore he judges him to be worthy of affistance and defence, but that they, the Spaniards, are violent and bad men, and that he will have no commerce nor friendship with them.

Upon receiving this anfwer, the Adelantado burns feveral villages and approaches nearer to the

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