us divided, and no supplies coming from Spain, the
lieutenant and his brother were unable to keep the people in quiet who
still remained with them; for most of them were mean persons, and desirous
of leading that life of ease and licentiousness which Roldan offered for
their acceptance, by which they became so insolent that it was impossible
to keep them in order, or to punish the guilty lest they might be utterly
forsaken; neither dared they in these circumstances to attempt reducing
the rebels to order, and were necessitated, to bear patiently with their
audacious contempt of government. But it being the will of God to afford
them some comfort, it pleased him to order that the two ships should
arrive which had been dispatched about a year after the departure of the
admiral from the Indies. He, considering the nature of the country and the
dispositions of the people whom he had left in the colony, and the great
danger which might arise from his long absence, had pressed for and
obtained, not without great solicitation and difficulty that two of the
ships, out of the eight[16] which he had been ordered to fit out, might be
sent on before with supplies. The arrival of these, the supplies which
they brought of men and provisions, and the assurance that the admiral had
safely arrived in Spain, encouraged those who were with the lieutenant to
serve him more faithfully and made those who adhered to Roldan
apprehensive of being punished.

The rebels being desirous to hear news from home, and to furnish
themselves with many things of which they were in want, resolved to repair
to the harbour of St Domingo where the ships had put in, not without hopes
of being able to draw over some of the men to their party. But as the
lieutenant received notice of their design and was nearer that harbour, he
moved thither with all the force he could muster to hinder their design,
and leaving guards in the passes, he went to the port to visit the ships
and to regulate the affairs of that place. And being anxious that the
admiral might find the island in a peaceable condition and all troubles at
an end upon his return, he again made new overtures to Roldan, who was
then six leagues off with his men. For this purpose he sent Peter
Fernandez Coronel, the commander of the two newly arrived ships, whom he
chose for this employment because he was a man of worth and in authority,
and because he could certify to Roldan and the mutineers of the arival of