COLONIZATION The climate proved unhealthy ; the colonists were greedy of gold, ignorant and mutinous ; and Columbus, whose inclination drew him westward, was doubtless glad to escape the worry and anxiety of his post, and to avail himself of the instructions of his sover eigns as to further discoveries. On Feb. 2, he sent home, by Antonio de Torres, that despatch to their Catholic highnesses by which he may be said to have founded the West Indian slave trade. He established the mining camp of San Tomaso in the gold country of central Hispaniola; and on April 24, 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 14) the island of Ja maica, 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 (June 12, 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 Evange lista (now Isla de los Pinos), revisited Jamaica, coasted the south of Hispaniola, and on Sept. 24, 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 ter rible tear and wear of mind and body he had undergone (he says himself that on this expedition he was 33 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 Sept. 29, 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 (June 24, 1495) to be sold as slaves; and a tribute was imposed upon their fellows, which must be looked upon as the origin of that system of repartimientos or encomiendas which was afterwards to work such mischief among the conquered. In Oct. 1495 Juan Aguado arrived at Isabella, with a royal commission to report on the state of the colony ; here he took up the position of a judge of Columbus's government ; and much recrimination followed. Columbus decided to return home; he appointed his brother Bartholomew adelantado of the island; and on March io, 1496 he quitted Hispaniola in the "Nina." The vessel, after a protracted and perilous voyage, reached Cadiz on June i i, 1496, where the admiral landed, wearing the habit of a Franciscan. He was cordially received by his sovereigns, and a new fleet of eight vessels was put at his disposal. By royal patent, moreover, a tract of land in Hispaniola, of 5o leagues by 20, was offered to him, with the title of duke or marquis (which he declined) ; for three years he was to receive an eighth of the gross and a tenth of the net profits on each voyage ; the right of creating a mayorazgo or perpetual entail of titles and estates was granted him; and his two sons were received into Isabella's service as pages.
