ships, which
sailed in the early part of October, 1499.

Five ship-loads of Indians had been deported to Spain some little time
before. On arrival of these living cargoes at Seville, the Queen, the
stanch and steady friend of Columbus, was moved with compassion and
indignation. No one, she declared, had authorized him to dispose of her
vassals in any such manner; and proclamations at Seville, Granada, and
other chief places ordered (June 20, 1499) the instant liberation and
return of all the last gang of Indians. In addition to this, the
ex-colonists had become incensed against Columbus and his brothers. They
were wont to parade their grievances in the very court-yards of the
Alhambra; to surround the King, when he came forth, with complaints and
reclamations; to insult the discoverer's young sons with shouts and
jeers. There was no doubt that the colony itself, whatever the cause,
had not prospered so well as might have been desired. Historians do not
hesitate to aver that Columbus' over-colored and unreliable statements
as to the amount of gold to be found there were the chief causes of
discontent.

And, on the whole, it is not surprising that Ferdinand, whose support to
Columbus had never been very hearty, should about this time have
determined to suspend him. Accordingly, on March 21, 1499, Francisco de
Bobadilla was ordered to "ascertain what persons had raised themselves
against justice in the Island of Espanola, and to proceed against them
according to law." On May 21st the government of the island was
conferred on him, and he was accredited with an order that all arms and
fortresses should be handed over to him; and on May 26th he received a
letter, for delivery to Columbus, stating that the bearer would "speak
certain things to him" on the part of their Highnesses, and praying him
to "give faith and credence, and to act accordingly." Bobadilla left
Spain in July, 1500, and landed in Espanola in October.

Columbus, meanwhile, had restored such tranquillity as was possible in
his government. With Roldan's help he had beaten off an attempt on the
island by the adventurer Ojeda, his old lieutenant; the Indians were
being collected into villages and christianized. Gold mining was
actively and profitably pursued; in three years, he calculated, the
royal revenues might be raised to an average of 60,000,000 reals. The
arrival of Bobadilla, however, on August 23, 1500, speedily changed this
state of affairs into a g