The History of Puerto Rico | Page 9

the
arrival in la Española of Diego, the son of Christopher Columbus, with
his family and a new group of followers, as Viceroy and Admiral. The
Admiral, aware of the part which Ponce had taken in the insurrection of
Roldán against his father's authority, bore him no good-will,
notwithstanding the king's favorable disposition toward the captain, as
manifested in the instructions which he received from Ferdinand before
his departure from Spain (May 13, 1509), in which his Highness
referred to Juan Ponce de Leon as being by his special grace and
good-will authorized to settle the island of San Juan Bautista,
requesting the Admiral to make no innovations in the arrangement, and
charging him to assist and favor the captain in his undertaking.
After Don Diego's arrival in la Española he received a letter from the
king, dated September 15, 1509, saying, "Ovando wrote that Juan
Ponce had not gone to settle the island of San Juan for want of stores;
now that they have been provided in abundance, let it be done."
But the Admiral purposely ignored these instructions. He deposed

Ponce and appointed Juan Ceron as governor in his place, with a certain
Miguel Diaz as High Constable, and Diego Morales for the office next
in importance. His reason for thus proceeding in open defiance of the
king's orders, independent of his resentment against Ponce, was the
maintenance of the prerogatives of his rank as conceded to his father, of
which the appointment of governors and mayors over any or all the
islands discovered by him was one.
Ceron and his two companions, with more than two hundred Spaniards,
sailed for San Juan in 1509, and were well received by Guaybána and
his Indians, among whom they took up their residence and at once
commenced the search for gold. In the meantime Ponce, in his capacity
as governor ad interim, continued his correspondence with the king,
who, March 2, 1510, signed his appointment as permanent governor.[9]
This conferred upon him the power to sentence in civil and criminal
affairs, to appoint and remove alcaldes, constables, etc., subject to
appeal to the government of la Española. Armed with his new authority,
and feeling himself strong in the protection of his king, Ponce now
proceeded to arrest Ceron and his two fellow officials, and sent them to
Spain in a vessel that happened to call at the island, confiscating all
their property.
Diego Columbus, on hearing of Ponce's highhanded proceedings,
retaliated by the confiscation of all the captain's property in la
Española.
These events did not reach the king's ears till September, 1510. He
comprehended at once that his protégé had acted precipitately, and gave
orders that the three prisoners should be set at liberty immediately after
their arrival in Spain and proceed to the Court to appear before the
Council of Indies. He next ordered Ponce (November 26, 1510) to
place the confiscated properties and Indians of Ceron and his
companions at the disposal of the persons they should designate for that
purpose. Finally, after due investigation and recognition of the violence
of Ponce's proceedings, the king wrote to him June 6, 1511: "Because it
has been resolved in the Council of Indies that the government of this
and the other islands discovered by his father belongs to the Admiral

and his successors, it is necessary to return to Ceron, Diaz, and Morales
their staffs of office. You will come to where I am, leaving your
property in good security, and We will see wherein we can employ you
in recompense of your good services."
Ceron and his companions received instructions not to molest Ponce
nor any of his officers, nor demand an account of their acts, and they
were recommended to endeavor to gain their good-will and assistance.
The reinstated officers returned to San Juan in the latter part of 1511.
Ponce, in obedience to the king's commands, quietly delivered the staff
of office to Ceron, and withdrew to his residence in Capárra. He had
already collected considerable wealth, which was soon to serve him in
other adventurous enterprises.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 8: The slaughter of rebellious Indians was called
"pacification" by the Spaniards.]
[Footnote 9: The document is signed by Ferdinand and his daughter,
Doña Juana, as heir to her mother, for the part corresponding to each in
the sovereignty over the island San Juan Bautista.]
CHAPTER IV
FIRST DISTRIBUTION OF INDIANS. "REPARTIMIENTOS"
1510
Soon after Ponce's return from la Española Guaybána sickened and
died. Up to this time the harmony established by the prudent cacique
between his tribesmen and the Spaniards on their first arrival had
apparently not been disturbed. There is no record of any dissension
between them during Ponce's absence.
The cacique was succeeded by his brother, who according to custom
assumed the name of the deceased