of Uraba, now called
the Gulf of Darien, was to be the dividing line between the two
allotments of territory. Ojeda was to have that portion extending from
the Gulf to the Cape de la Vela, which is just west of the Gulf of
Venezuela. This territory was named new Andalusia. Nicuesa was to
take that between the Gulf and the Cape Gracias a Dios off {8}
Honduras. This section was denominated Golden Castile. Each governor
was to fit out his expedition at his own charges. Jamaica was given to
both in common as a point of departure and a base of supplies.

The resources of Ojeda were small, but when he arrived at Santo Domingo
with what he had been able to secure in the way of ships and men, he
succeeded in inducing a lawyer named Encisco, commonly called the
Bachelor[2] Encisco, to embark his fortune of several thousand gold
castellanos, which he had gained in successful pleadings in the court
in the litigious West Indies, in the enterprise. In it he was given a
high position, something like that of District Judge.

With this reenforcement, Ojeda and La Cosa equipped two small ships and
two brigantines containing three hundred men and twelve horses.[3]

They were greatly chagrined when the imposing armada of Nicuesa,
comprising four ships of different sizes, but much larger than any of
Ojeda's, and two brigantines carrying seven hundred and fifty men,
sailed into the harbor of Santo Domingo.

The two governors immediately began to quarrel. Ojeda finally
challenged Nicuesa to a duel which should determine the whole affair.
Nicuesa, who had everything to lose and nothing to gain by fighting,
but who could not well decline the challenge, said that he was willing
to fight him if Ojeda would put up what would popularly be known to-day
in the pugilistic {9} circles as "a side bet" of five thousand
castellanos to make the fight worth while.[4]

Poor Ojeda could not raise another maravedi, and as nobody would stake
him, the duel was off. Diego Columbus, governor of Hispaniola, also
interfered in the game to a certain extent by declaring that the Island
of Jamaica was his, and that he would not allow anybody to make use of
it. He sent there one Juan de Esquivel, with a party of men to take
possession of it. Whereupon Ojeda stoutly declared that when he had
time he would stop at that island and if Esquivel were there, he would
cut off his head.

Finally on the 10th of November, 1509, Ojeda set sail, leaving Encisco
to