late pope of all this part of the world and all its
inhabitants, to the Catholic sovereigns of Castile; and the
ready obedience which had already been paid by many of its
lands and islands and people to the agents and representatives
of those sovereigns. It called upon those savages present,
therefore, to do the same, to acknowledge the truth of the
Christian doctrines, the supremacy of the pope, and the
sovereignty of the Catholic King, but, in case of refusal, it
denounced upon them all the horrors of war, the desolation of
their dwelling, the seizure of their property, and the slavery
of their wives and children. Such was the extraordinary
document, which, from this time forward, was read by the
Spanish discoverers to the wondering savages of any newly-found
country, as a prelude to sanctify the violence about to be
inflicted on them."

The pious manifesto was uttered in vain to the warlike savages: they
brandished their weapons, and Ojeda, after a short prayer to the Virgin,
had to discard the parchment, brace up his armour, and charge the foe at
the head of his followers. He was not long in defeating his naked
enemies, who fled into the forests. Juan de la Cosa again tried his
influence with his commander, and urged him to desist from pursuit. It
was in vain. Ojeda, with Juan faithfully at his side, rushed madly on
through the mazes of unknown woods. The Indians rallied and waylaid the
imprudent Spaniards. It was in vain that Ojeda inspired them with fresh
courage by the example of his undaunted prowess. Numbers prevailed; the
weapons of the savages were steeped in a deadly poison; and one after
one the invaders were left dead. Among those who fell was the brave Juan
de la Cosa; and a Spaniard, who was near him when he died, was the only
surviver of seventy that had followed Ojeda in his rash and headlong
inroad.

For days those who remained at the ships waited the arrival of their
companions. They searched the woods and shouted along the shore, but
they could hear no signal from them. What was their surprise one day, at
catching in a thicket of mangrove trees, a glimpse of a man in Spanish
attire. They entered, and found the unfortunate Ojeda; he lay on the
matted roots of the trees; he was speechless, wan, and wasted; but his
hand still grasped his sword. They restored him with wine and a warm
fire; he recounted the story of his rash expedit