Part 13 (1/2)
All arrangeal provision of cassava bread, and each his calabash of water The Spaniards, beside their bread, had a supply of the flesh of utias, and each his sword and target In this way they launched forth upon their long and perilous voyage, followed by the prayers of their countrymen
The Adelantado, with his ar the coast
There was no attempt of the natives to molest them, and they arrived in safety at the end of the island Here they remained three days before the sea was sufficiently calm for theth, the weather being quite serene, they bade farewell to their comrades, and committed the the hid them from his view The next day he set out on his return to the harbor, stopping at various villages on the way, and endeavoring to confirood-will of the natives [182]
Chapter II
Mutiny of Porras
[1503]
It ht that the adverse fortune which had so long persecuted Columbus was now exhausted The envy which had once sickened at his glory and prosperity could scarcely have devised for hie in the world he had discovered The tenant of a wreck on a savage coast, in an untraversed ocean, at the mercy of barbarous hordes, who, in a ht be transfor maladies which confined him to his bed, and by the pains and infirmities which hardshi+p and anxiety had heaped upon his advancing age But he had not yet exhausted his cup of bitterness He had yet to experience an evil worse than storuish, or the violence of savage hordes,--the perfidy of those in who departed when the Spaniards in the wreck began to grow sickly, partly froe, partly fro crowded in narrow quarters in a moist and sultry climate, and partly from want of their accustoetable diet of the Indians Their , by that suspense which frets the spirit, and that hope deferred which corrodes the heart
Accusto to do but loiter about the dreary hulk, look out upon the sea, watch for the canoe of Fiesco, wonder at its protracted absence, and doubt its return A long tie, but nothing was seen or heard of the canoe Fears were entertained that theirwere they to re for relief which was never to arrive? Some sank into deep despondency, others became peevish and impatient Murmurs broke forth, and, as usual with men in distress,with their aged and infirm commander, as involved in the sa transcended them all, and yet as incessantly studious of their welfare, they began to rail against him as the cause of all theirof an unreasonable multitude would be of little iht end in idle claenerally directs it to an object, andthe officers of Coluo de Porras They were related to the royal treasurer Morales, who had married their sister, and had ive theratify the treasurer, he had appointed Francisco de Porras captain of one of the caravels, and had obtained for his brother Diego the situation of notary and accountant-general of the squadron He had treated theh both proved incompetent to their situations They were vain and insolent men, and, like many others whoratitude [184]
These hly iht upon the theency of Mendez was idle; it being a mere delusion of the admiral to keep them quiet, and render them subservient to his purposes He had no desire nor intention to return to Spain; and in fact was banished thence Hispaniola was equally closed to him, as had been proved by the exclusion of his shi+ps from its harbor in a time of peril To him, at present, all places were alike, and he was content to remain in Jamaica until his friends could make interest at court, and procure his recall from banishment As to Mendez and Fiesco, they had been sent to Spain by Columbus on his own private affairs, not to procure a shi+p for the relief of his followers If this were not the case, why did not the shi+ps arrive, or why did not Fiesco return, as had been promised? Or if the canoes had really been sent for succor, the long tiave reason to believe they had perished by the way In such case, their only alternative would be, to take the canoes of the Indians and endeavor to reach Hispaniola There was no hope, however, of persuading the ad; he was too old, and too helpless froout, to expose hie What then? were they to be sacrificed to his interests or his infirer and perish with hi Hispaniola, they would be the better received for having left the ad that he would regain the government of the island; on their arrival in Spain, the bishop Fonseca, from his enmity to Columbus, would be sure to take their part; the brothers Porras had powerful friends and relatives at court, to counteract any representations that ht be made by the admiral; and they cited the case of Roldan's rebellion, to show that the prejudices of the public, and of ainst hins, who, on that occasion, had deprived hies, would rejoice at a pretext for stripping him of the remainder [185]
Coluainst him He had repeatedly been treated with insolent i the cause of their disasters Accustomed, however, to the unreasonableness of men in adversity, and exercised, by many trials, in the mastery of his passions, he bore with their petulance, soothed their irritation, and endeavored to cheer their spirits by the hopes of speedy succor A little while longer, and he trusted that Fiesco would arrive with good tidings, when the certainty of relief would put an end to all these clamors The mischief, however, was deeper than he apprehended: a coanized
On the 2d of January, 1504, he was in his s confined to his bed by the gout, which had now rendered hi on his disastrous situation, Francisco de Porras suddenly entered His abrupt and agitated manner betrayed the evil nature of his visit He had the flurried i forth into bitter co kept, week after week, and month after month, to perish piece no intention to return to Spain Coluance; hehimself in his bed, endeavored to reason with Porras He pointed out the ione to Hispaniola should send theent must be his desire to depart, since he had not merely his own safety to provide for, but was accountable to God and his sovereigns for the welfare of all who had been coe He reminded Porras that he had always consulted with them all, as to the measures to be taken for the coeneral approbation; still, if any other measure appeared advisable, he recoether, and consult upon it, and adopt whatever course appeared most judicious
The measures of Porras and his comrades, however, were already concerted, and when men are determined on mutiny, they are deaf to reason He bluntly replied, that there was no time for further consultations ”Embark immediately or remain in God's name, were the only alternatives” ”Forhis back upon the ad his voice so that it resounded all over the vessel, ”I am for Castile! those who choose may follow me!” shouts arose immediately from all sides, ”I will follow you! and I! and I!” Nu upon theweapons, and uttering led threats and cries of rebellion Some called upon Porras for orders what to do; others shouted ”To Castile! to Castile!” while, aeneral uproar, the voices of so the life of the ad the tumult, leaped from his bed, ill and infir and falling in the exertion, hoping by his presence to pacify the mutineers Three or four of his faithful adherents, however, fearing soht be offered hi him in their arms, compelled him to return to his cabin
The Adelantado likewise sallied forth, but in a different mood He planted himself, with lance in hand, in a situation to take the whole brunt of the assault It ith the greatest difficulty that several of the loyal part of the crew could appease his fury, and prevail upon him to relinquish his weapon, and retire to the cabin of his brother They now entreated Porras and his coht to oppose theained by violence; but should they cause the death of the admiral, they would draw upon thens [186]
These representations moderated the turbulence of the mutineers, and they now proceeded to carry their plans into execution Taking ten canoes which the admiral had purchased of the Indians, they embarked in the on the shores of Spain Others, who had not been concerned in theto remain behind, when so reduced in number, hastily collected their effects, and entered likewise into the canoes It this way forty-eight abandoned the admiral Many of those who remained were only detained by sickness, for, had they been well, most of them would have accompanied the deserters [187] The feho remained faithful to the admiral, and the sick, who crawled forth from their cabins, saw the departure of thethe histhose ere loyal, and visiting those ere ill, endeavoring in every way to cheer and comfort them He entreated them to put their trust in God, ould yet relieve them; and he promised, on his return to Spain, to throw himself at the feet of the queen, represent their loyalty and constancy, and obtain for thes [188]
In the meantime, Francisco de Porras and his followers, in their squadron of canoes, coasted the island to the eastward, following the route taken by Mendez and Fiesco Wherever they landed, they co them of their provisions, and of whatever they coveted of their effects They endeavored to make their own cri to act under his authority, and affir they took If he refused, they told the natives to kill him They represented him as an implacable foe to the Indians; as one who had tyrannized over other islands, causing the ain a sway here for the purpose of inflicting like cala reached the eastern extremity of the island, they waited until the weather should be perfectly cal unskilled in the ement of canoes, they procured several Indians to accoth quite se Scarcely had they proceeded four leagues froan to swell They turned iht structure, and being nearly round and without keels, were easily overturned, and required to be carefully balanced They were now deeply freighted by men unaccustomed to them, and as the sea rose, they frequently let in the water The Spaniards were alar overboard every thing that could be spared; retaining only their armented with the wind They now co such as were absolutely necessary to navigate the canoes If they hesitated, they drove thee of the sword The Indians were skillful swith They kept about the canoes, therefore, taking hold of them occasionally to rest theht disturbed the balance of the canoes, and endangered their overturning, the Spaniards cut off their hands, and stabbed them with their swords Some died by the weapons of these cruel men, others were exhausted and sank beneath the waves; thus eighteen perished miserably, and none survived but such as had been retained to ot back to land, different opinions arose as to what course they should next pursue So to Cuba, for which island the as favorable It was thought they ht easily cross thence to the end of Hispaniola Others advised that they should return and make their peace with the admiral, or take fro thrown aler Others counseled another attempt to cross over to Hispaniola, as soon as the sea should become tranquil