ations in the
Government of the Island. As he had been appointed for a definite term
of four years, and as that term was scarcely half expired, no successor
had yet been chosen for him. In this emergency the Supreme Court of
Hispaniola appointed a temporary governor to discharge the functions of
the office until the Crown should make a permanent appointment. The
choice of the court fell upon a lawyer, Gaspar de Torres. Even he was
not appointed until several months after the death of Carreno, and in
fact not until after the King had selected a permanent Governor to
succeed Carreno. However, as the permanent Governor would not take
office until the expiration of the term for which Carreno had been
appointed it was necessary for the temporary Governor to fill the
vacancy. Torres was appointed in October, 1579, but did not actually
assume office until the first of January, 1580. Little is known of his
antecedents, but he appears to have been an unworthy member of the legal
profession. He was possessed of an itching palm. As a result his brief
administration was filled with scandals and with controversies and
conflicts, practically all arising from his pecuniary greed and from the
unscrupulous means which he employed for satisfying it.

He came into conflict with the powerful and numerous Rojas family, and
particularly with the most conspicuous member, Juan Bautista Rojas, the
Royal Treasurer. This latter official declared that Torres was the worst
Governor Cuba had ever had, and that he misappropriated more funds than
all his predecessors put together. Apparently as Torres had been
appointed merely to fill out Carreno's unexpired term, he determined to
make hay while the sun shone. He took office in January, 1580. Eight
months later a judicial investigation into his administration was
ordered, as a result of which he was very quickly convicted of
misappropriation of funds and was ordered to refund several thousand
ducats which had been improperly collected and retained by him. Instead
of refunding, however, he absconded, leaving his bondsman to make good
his liabilities.

CHAPTER XX

The regularly appointed successor of Governor Carreno was another
soldier, to wit, Captain Gabriel de Luzan. He was an army veteran who
had performed distinguished service in the Netherlands and elsewhere and
was personally known to and greatly favored by the King. He was selected
for the governorship and was informed of the appoint