COLUMBUS
146
COLUMBUS
miral arrived from Spain he found the Spanish settlers
on Haiti divided into two camps, the stronger of
which, headed by Roldan, was hostile to his authority.
That Roldan was an utterly unprincipled man, but
energetic and above all, shrewd and artful, appears
from the following incident. Soon after the arrival of
Columbus the three caravels he had sent from Gomera
with stores and ammimition struck the Haitian coast
where Roldan had established himself. The latter
represented to the commanders of the vessels that he
was there by Columbus's authority and easily obtained
from them military stores as well as reinforcements in
men. On their arrival shortly afterwards at Santo
Domingo the caravels were sent back to Spain by Col-
umbus. Alarmed at the condition of affairs and his
own impotence, he mformed the monarchs of his criti-
cal situation and asked for immediate help. Then he
entered into negotiations with Roldan. The latter
not only held full control in the settlement which he
commanded, but had the sympathy of most of the mili-
tary garrisons that Columbus and his brothers relied
upon as well as of the majority of the colonists. How
Columbus and his brother could have made them-
selves so impopular is explained in various ways.
There was certainly much unjustifiable ill will against
them, but there was also legitimate cause for discon-
tent, which was adroitly exploited by Roldan and his
followers.
Seeing himself almost powerless against his oppo- nents on the island, the admiral stooped to a compro- mise. Roldan finally imposed his own conditions. He was reinstated in his office and all offenders were pardoned; and a number of them retiu-ned to Santo Domingo. Cohunbus also freed many of the Indian tribes from tribute, but in order still further to ap- pease the former mutineers, he instituted the system of reparlimienios, by which not only grants of land were made to the whites, but the Indians holding these lands or living on them were made perpetual serfs to the new owners, and full jurisdiction over life and prop- erty of these Indians became vested in the white set- tlers. This measure had the most disastrous effect on the aborigines, and Columbus has been severely blamed for it, but he was then in such straits that he had to go to anyextreme to pacify his opponents until assistance could reach him from Spain. By the middle of the year 1500 peace apparently reigned again in the col- ony, though largely at the expense of the prestige and authority of Columbus.
Meanwhile reports and accusations had reached the court of Spain from both parties in Haiti. It became constantly more evident that Cokmibus was no longer master of the situation in the Indies, and that some ste[is were nec(^ssary to save the situation. It might be said that the Vmwi had merely to support Colum- bus whether right or wrong. But the West Indian colony had grown, and its settlers had their connex- ions and sui)portcrs in Spain, who claimed some atten- tion and prudent considerat ion. The clergy who were
familiar with the circumstances through personal ex-
perience for the most part disapproved of the manage-
ment of affairs by Columbus and his brothers. Queen
Isabella's irritation at the sending of Indian captives
for sale as slaves had by this time been allayed by a
reminder of the custom then in vogue of enslaving cap-
tive rebels or prisoners of war addicted to specially in-
human customs, as was the case with the Caribs.
Anxious to be just, the monarchs decided upon send-
ing to Haiti an officer to investigate and to punish all
offenders. This visitador was invested with full pow-
ers, and was to have the same authority as the monarchs
themselves for the time being, superseding Columbus
himself, though the latter was Viceroy of the Indies.
The ii'sito was a mode of procedure employed by the
Spanish monarchs for the adjustment of critical ma1>
ters, chiefly in the colonies. The visitador was selected
irrespective of rank or office, solely from the standpoint
of fitness, and not infrequently his mission was kept
secret from the viceroy or other high official whose con-
duct he was sent to investigate ; there are indications
that sometimes he had summary power over life and
death. A visita was a much dreaded measure, and for
very good reasons.
The investigation in the West Indies was not called a visita at the time, but such it was in fact. The visi- tador chosen was Francisco de Bobadilla, of whom both Las Casas and Oviedo (friends and admirers of Cohun- bus) speak in favourable terms. His instructions were, as his office required, general, and his faculties, of course, discretionary; there is no need of supposing se- cret orders inimicaltoCohimbustoexplainwhai. after- wards happened. The admiral wasdirected, in a letter addressed to him and entrusted to Bobadilla, to turn over to the latter, at least temporarily, the forts and all public property on the island. No blame can be at- tached to the monarchs for this measure. After an ex- periment of five years the administrative capacity of Columbus had failed to prove satisfactory. Yet, the vice-regal power had been vested in him as an hereditary riglit. To continue adhering to that clause of the ori- ginal contract was impracticable, since the colony re- fused to pay heed to Columbus and his orders. Hence the suspension of the viceregal authority of Columbus was indefinitely prolonged, so that the office was re- duced to a mere title and finally fell into disuse. The curtailment of revenue resulting from it was compara- tively small, as all the emoluments proceeding from his other titles and prerogatives were left untouched. The tale of his being reduced to indigence is a baseless fabrication.
A man suddenly clothed with unusual and discre- tionary faculties is liable to be led astray by une.x- pected circumstances and tempted to go to extremes. Bobadilla had a right to expect implicit obedience to royal orders on the part of all and. above all, from Col- imibus as the chief servant of the Crown. When on 24 August, 1500, Bobadilla landed at Santo Domingo and demanded of Diego Columbus compliance with the royal orders, the latter declined to obey until directed by the admiral who was then absent. Bobadilla, pos- sibly predisposed against Columbus and his brothers by the reports of others and by the sight of the bodies of Spaniards dangling from gibbets in full view of the port, considered the refusal of Diego as an act of direct insubordination. The action of Diego was certainly unwise and gave colour to an assvunption that Colum- bus and his brothers considered themselves masters of the country. This implied rebellion antl furnished a pretext to Bobadilla for measures imjustifiably harsh. As visitador he had absolute authority to do as he thought best, especially against the rebels, of whom Columbus appe;irc'd in his eyes as the chief.
Within a fiw days after the landing of Bobadilla, Diego and Bartholomew Cohimbus were imprisoned and put in irons. The admiral liimself, who returneil with the greatest possible speed, shared their fate.
