mate was unhealthy and there was nothing to eat.
Margarite and Boyle had quitted Espanola for Spain; but ere his
departure the former, in his capacity as captain-general, had done much
to outrage and alienate the Indians. The strongest measures were
necessary to undo this mischief; and, backed by his brother Bartholomew,
a bold and skillful mariner, and a soldier of courage and resource, who
had been with Diaz in his voyage around the Cape of Good Hope, Columbus
proceeded to reduce the natives under Spanish sway.[10] Alonzo de Ojeda
succeeded, by a brilliant _coup de main_, in capturing the Cacique
Caonabo, and the rest submitted. Five ship-loads of Indians were sent
off to Seville (June 24, 1495) to be sold as slaves; and a tribute was
imposed upon their fellows, which must be looked upon as the origin of
that system of _repartimientos_ or _encomiendas_ which was afterward to
work such cruel mischief among the conquered. But the tide of court
favor seemed to have turned against Columbus. In October, 1495, Juan
Aguada arrived at Isabella, with an open commission from their Catholic
Majesties, to inquire into the circumstances of his rule; and much
interest and recrimination followed. Columbus found that there was no
time to be lost in returning home; he appointed his brother Bartholomew
"adelantado" of the island, and on March 10, 1496, he quitted Espanola
in the Nina. The vessel, after a protracted and perilous voyage, reached
Cadiz on June 11, 1496. The Admiral landed in great dejection, wearing
the costume of a Franciscan. Reassured, however, by the reception of his
sovereigns, he asked at once for eight ships more, two to be sent to the
colony with supplies and six to be put under his orders for new
discoveries. The request was not immediately granted, as the Spanish
exchequer was not then well supplied. But principally owing to the
interest of the Queen, an agreement was come to similar to that of 1492,
which was now confirmed. By this royal patent, moreover, a tract of land
in Espanola, of fifty leagues by twenty, was made over to him. He was
offered a dukedom or a marquisate at his pleasure; for three years he
was to receive an eighth of the gross and a tenth of the net profits on
each voyage, the right of creating a mayorazgo or perpetual entail of
titles and estates was granted him, and on June 24th his two sons were
received into Isabella's service as pages. Meanwhile, however, the
preparing of the fleet proceed