e gold country
of Central Hispaniola; and on the 24th of April 1494, having nominated a
council of regency under his brother Diego, and appointed Pedro Margarit
his captain-general, he again put to sea. After following the southern
shore of Cuba for some days, he steered southwards, and discovered (May
14th) the island of Jamaica, which he named Santiago. He then resumed
his exploration of the Cuban coast, threaded his way through a labyrinth
of islets which he named the Garden of the Queen (Jardin de la Reyna),
and, after coasting westwards for many days, became convinced that he
had discovered continental land. He therefore caused Perez de Luna, the
notary, to draw up a document to this effect (12th of June 1494), which
was afterwards taken round and signed (the admiral's steward witnessing)
by the officers, men and boys of his three caravels, the "Nina," the
"Cordera," and the "San Juan." He then stood to the south-east, and
sighted the island of Evangelista (now Isla de los Pinos), revisited
Jamaica, coasted the south of Hispaniola, and on the 24th of September
touched at and named the island of La Mona, in the channel between
Hispaniola and Porto Rico. Thence he had intended to sail eastwards and
complete the survey of the Caribbean Archipelago; but he was exhausted
by the terrible tear and wear of mind and body he had undergone (he says
himself that on this expedition he was three-and-thirty days almost
without sleep), and on the day following his departure from La Mona he
fell into a lethargy, that deprived him of sense and memory, and had
well-nigh proved fatal to life. At last, on the 29th of September, the
little fleet dropped anchor off Isabella, and in his new city the
admiral lay sick for five months.

The colony was in a sad plight. Every one was discontented, and many
were sick, for the climate was unhealthy and there was nothing to eat.
Margarit and Boil had deserted the settlement and fled to Spain, but ere
his departure the former, in his capacity of captain-general, had done
much to outrage and alienate the Indians. The strongest measures were
necessary to undo this mischief, and, backed by his brother Bartholomew,
Columbus proceeded to reduce the natives under Spanish sway. Alonso de
Ojeda succeeded by a brilliant _coup de main_ in capturing the cacique
Caonabo, and the rest submitted. Five ship-loads of Indians were sent
off to Seville (24th June 1495) to be sold as slaves; and a tribute was
imposed