t he did not think that the natives of the islands were
sufficiently under the power of the new colony to be left in safety.

First of all he sent back four caravels, which had recently arrived
from Europe, with five hundred Indians whom he had taken as slaves. He
consigned them to Juan de Fonseca's care. He was eager himself to say
that he sent them out that they might be converted, to Christianity,
and that they might learn the Spanish language and be of use as
interpreters. But, at the same time, he pointed out how easy it would
be to make a source of revenue to the Crown from such involuntary
emigration. To Isabella's credit it is to be said, that she protested
against the whole thing immediately; and so far as appears, no further
shipments were made in exactly the same way. But these poor wretches
were not sent back to the islands, as she perhaps thought they were.
Fonseca did not hesitate to sell them, or apprentice them, to use our
modern phrase, and it is said by Bernaldez that they all died. His
bitter phrase is that Fonseca took no more care of them than if they had
been wild animals.

Columbus did not recover his health, so as to take a very active part
in affairs for five months after his arrival at San Domingo. He was well
aware that the Indians were vigorously organized, with the intention of
driving his people from the island, or treating the colony as they had
treated the colony of Navidad. He called the chief of the Cipangi, named
Guarionexius, for consultation. The interpreter Didacus, who had served
them so faithfully, married the king's sister, and it was hoped that
this would be a bond of amity between the two nations.

Columbus sent Ojeda into the gold mountains with fifty armed men to make
an alliance with Canabao. Canabao met this party with a good deal of
perplexity. He undoubtedly knew that he had given the Spaniards good
reason for doubting him. It is said that he had put to death twenty
Spaniards by treasonable means, but it is to be remembered that this is
the statement of his enemies. He, however, came to Columbus with a large
body of his people, all armed. When he was asked why he brought so
large a force with him, he said that so great a king as he, could not go
anywhere without a fitting military escort. But Ojeda did not hesitate
to take him prisoner and carry him into Isabella, bound. As has been
said, he was eventually sent to Spain, but he died on the passage.

Columbus made anoth