iastic, fluent, affectionate, inventive. And so,
whereas Columbus had always treated the natives with consideration and
humanity, Ovando soon began to rule them with a rod of iron. We must not
linger too long over his administration of what we may call Columbus's
kingdom, but there is one sad episode which it is worth while to recount,
if only to make the policy of Columbus stand out in brighter relief.

AN INDIAN RECEPTION.

When Anacaona, the Queen of Xaragua, had received the admiral's brother,
Don Bartolome, on a former occasion, the Spaniards affirmed her to be a
wise woman, of good manners, and pleasant address; and she is said to have
earnestly entreated her brother to take warning by the fate of her
husband, Caonabo, and to love and obey the Christians. As she was now to
play the hostess again, this time to Ovando, we may refer to the account
of her former reception of a Spanish governor, the Adelantado, of which
there are some details furnished by Peter Martyr.

After mentioning that the queen and her brother received the lieutenant
with all courtesy and honour, he says: "They brought our men to their
common hall, into which they come together as often as they make any
notable games or triumphs, as we have said before. Here, after many
dancings, singings, maskings, runnings, wrestlings, and other trying of
masteries, suddenly there appeared in a large plain near unto the hall,
two great armies of men of war, which the king for his pastime had caused
to be prepared, as the Spaniards use the play with reeds, which they call
Juga de Canias. As the armies drew near together, they assailed the one
the other as fiercely as if mortal enemies with their banners spread
should fight for their goods, their lands, their lives, their liberty,
their country, their wives and their children, so that within the moment
of an hour, four men were slain, and many wounded. The battle also would
have continued longer, if the king had not, at the request of our men,
caused them to cease."

OVANDO VISITS XARAGUA.

At this time, in the year 1503, some of Roldan's former partizans were
settled in the province of Xaragua, and were a great trouble to the
colony. Herrera says, in a quiet sarcastic way, "they lived in the
discipline they had learnt from Roldan;" and the governing powers of
Xaragua found them "intolerable." He also adds that Anacaona's people were
in policy, in language, and in other things superior to all the oth