in Italy. He and
his family moved into that upper story of La Fuerza which Carreno had
insisted upon building, regarding it as the most desirable place of
residence in Havana. The unhappy garrison in the lower part of the
building was subject to the dampness which there prevailed, to the great
detriment of health. Indeed conditions were so bad that their weapons
became almost ruined with rust and it was almost impossible to keep
gunpowder in condition for use. The Governor appears to have envied
Captain Arana his quarters in the Fort, but he was not able to displace
him, and so he turned his own attention to completing the Custom House
for his own use. Governor Torres had stopped all work upon this latter
building because of some uncertainty concerning the site, and had
appropriated to his own use some of the funds which had been provided
for completing it. But Luzan secured the necessary funds, hurried the
work of construction and soon moved in to the fine new quarters which
that building provided.

This gave great umbrage to the royal accountant of the Island, one Pedro
de Arana, who does not appear to have been related, unless very
remotely, to the Commander of the Fort. He declared that the Governor
had no right to live in the Custom House, that the King's money had not
been appropriated for any such purpose. It was true, he admitted, that a
part of the Custom House building had been designed for an official
residence. But it was not for the Governor, but for one of the royal
officials. Now as Rojas, the Royal Treasurer, had a fine house of his
own, the meaning of this suggestion was obvious. The royal accountant
wanted the place for himself. He indeed went so far as to order the
Governor, in the King's name, to vacate the building. But he did not
venture to move in and take possession himself, and so the Governor
presently returned and remained. In retaliation Luzan personally charged
Pedro de Arana with various illegal acts, particularly in violating the
law which forbade royal officials to encourage any trade. He declared
that Arana was the owner, or half owner, of a vessel trading between
Cuba and Yucatan, a vessel which was built to be chiefly used for
smuggling. He also said that Arana was organizing an expedition to seek
and raise sunken treasure ships along the coast and was planning to
establish cattle ranches in Bermuda. On the strength of these charges,
which were probably true, he began a searching inve