Now let us see what mischief had been brewing in the colony during their
absence. Columbus, before leaving, had commanded the military governor
to place himself at the head of four hundred men and scour the island
for provisions. Instead of following these orders, the military
governor, without Diego Columbus's leave, went aboard the first ship
sailing for Spain. In other words, he deserted. The remainder, on
learning this, made a raid on the nearest natives and stole their food
and their wives; and the natives naturally took revenge.
It was while the outraged Indians were gathering in large numbers to
destroy Isabella that Columbus returned. A sad state of affairs to greet
a sick man, and especially when the trouble was all of Spanish making.
But there was no time to spend in asking whose fault it was. Their lives
were at stake. Isabella might soon share the horrible fate of La
Navidad. Columbus hurriedly mustered his men--less than two hundred--and
divided them into two companies. One of these he himself commanded, and
the other was under his older brother, Bartholomew, who had arrived from
Spain during the expedition to Cuba. The Spaniards were clad in armor.
The natives were naked and had no guns, and though they were far more
numerous than the Europeans, they were soon overcome.
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