them, intimating, as I conjecture, that he would explain
the festivity to them. Meanwhile, he gave his cavalry orders to surround
the building; he placed the infantry at certain commanding positions; and
told his men, that when, in talking with the caciques, he should place his
hand upon the badge of knighthood which hung upon his breast, they should
rush in and bind the caciques and Anacaona. It fell out as he had planned.
All these deluded Indian chiefs and their queen were secured. She alone
was led out of Ovando's quarters, which were then set fire to, and all the
chiefs burnt alive. Anacaona was afterwards hanged and the province was
desolated.

Humanity does not gain much, after all, by this man's not taking the title
of "Lordship" which he had a right to.

Finally, the governor collected the former followers of Roldan in Xaragua,
and formed a town of their settlement, which he named "the city of the
true peace" (La villa de la vera Paz), but which a modern chronicler well
says might more properly havc been named "Aceldama, the field of blood." I
observe that the arms assigned to this new settlement were a dove with the
olive-branch, a rainbow, and a cross.

FERDINAND'S LETTER TO COLUMBUS

But it is time to return to Columbus, who in the mean time was chafing at
the inactivity which had been forced upon him. His was a restless spirit,
perhaps too restless for an organizer, who ought to possess an
inexhaustible amount of patience, and to be able to wait as well as to
labour. He had formed a theory that some strait existed through which a
passage might be made from the neighbourhood of St. Domingo to those
regions in Asia from which the Portuguese were just beginning to reap a
large profit, and which must be very near that home of the gold which had
always occupied his thoughts. He pressed the Sovereigns to provide him
with ships for an expedition having for its special object the discovery
of this strait; and on the occurrence of some delay as to the equipment of
vessels for the purpose, he seems to have written to Ferdinand,
reproaching him with the treatment which he had received, and with the
want of confidence manifested towards him now. To this Ferdinand answered
in a letter which was certainly well calculated to soothe the Admiral's
indignation. It was to the following effect, "You ought to be convinced of
our displeasure at your captivity, for we lost not a moment in setting you
free. Your innocence