The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus, vol 2 | Page 9

the cannon, and the sight of the smoke,
Anacaona, overcome with dismay, fell into the arms of the Adelantado,
and her attendants would have leaped overboard, but the laughter and
the cheerful words of Don Bartholomew speedily reassured them. As
they drew nearer to the vessel, several instruments of martial music
struck up, with which they were greatly delighted. Their admiration
increased on entering on board. Accustomed only to their simple and
slight canoes, every thing here appeared wonderfully vast and
complicated. But when the anchor was weighed, the sails were spread,
and, aided by a gentle breeze, they beheld this vast mass, moving
apparently by its own volition, veering from side to side, and playing
like a huge monster in the deep, the brother and sister remained gazing
at each other in mute astonishment. [16] Nothing seems to have filled
the mind of the most stoical savage with more wonder than that
sublime and beautiful triumph of genius, a ship under sail.
Having freighted and dispatched the caravel, the Adelantado made
many presents to Behechio, his sister, and their attendants, and took
leave of them, to return by land with his troops to Isabella. Anacaona
showed great affliction at their parting, entreating him to remain some

time longer with them, and appearing fearful that they had failed in
their humble attempt to please him. She even offered to follow him to
the settlement, nor would she be consoled until he had promised to
return again to Xaragua. [17]
We cannot but remark the ability shown by the Adelantado in the
course of his transient government of the island. Wonderfully alert and
active, he made repeated marches of great extent, from one remote
province to another, and was always at the post of danger at the critical
moment. By skillful management, with a handful of men, he defeated a
formidable insurrection without any effusion of blood. He conciliated
the most inveterate enemies among the natives by great moderation,
while he deterred all wanton hostilities by the infliction of signal
punishments. He had made firm friends of the most important
chieftains, brought their dominions under cheerful tribute, opened new
sources of supplies for the colony, and procured relief from its
immediate wants. Had his judicious measures been seconded by those
under his command, the whole country would have been a scene of
tranquil prosperity, and would have produced great revenues to the
crown, without cruelty to the natives; but, like his brother the admiral,
his good intentions and judicious arrangements were constantly
thwarted by the vile passions and perverse conduct of others. While he
was absent from Isabella, new mischiefs had been fomented there,
which were soon to throw the whole island into confusion.
Chapter IV.
Conspiracy of Roldan.
[1497.]

The prime mover of the present mischief was one Francisco Roldan, a
man under the deepest obligations to the admiral. Raised by him from
poverty and obscurity, he had been employed at first in menial
capacities; but, showing strong natural talents, and great assiduity, he
had been made ordinary alcalde, equivalent to justice of the peace. The

able manner in which he acquitted himself in this situation, and the
persuasion of his great fidelity and gratitude, induced Columbus, on
departing for Spain, to appoint him alcalde mayor, or chief judge of the
island. It is true he was an uneducated man, but, as there were as yet no
intricacies of law in the colony, the office required little else than
shrewd good sense and upright principles for its discharge. [18]
Roldan was one of those base spirits which grow venomous in the
sunshine of prosperity. His benefactor had returned to Spain apparently
under a cloud of disgrace; a long interval had elapsed without tidings
from him; he considered him a fallen man, and began to devise how he
might profit by his downfall. He was intrusted with an office inferior
only to that of the Adelantado; the brothers of Columbus were highly
unpopular; he imagined it possible to ruin them, both with the colonists
and with the government at home, and by dextrous cunning and
bustling activity to work his way into the command of the colony. The
vigorous and somewhat austere character of the Adelantado for some
time kept him in awe; but when he was absent from the settlement,
Roldan was able to carry on his machinations with confidence. Don
Diego, who then commanded at Isabella, was an upright and worthy
man, but deficient in energy. Roldan felt himself his superior in talent
and spirit, and his self-conceit was wounded at being inferior to him in
authority. He soon made a party among the daring and dissolute of the
community, and secretly loosened the ties of order and good
government, by listening to and encouraging the discontents of the
common