"I have word from Spain," he told them, "that our good queen lies dying.
She is the only friend Cristobal Colon has; and you may be sure that the
minute she is dead I can easily arrange to have her favorite removed if
you will all rally around me." Many, of course, lent ear to his
treacherous talk, and these had many a skirmish with the few who were
faithful to Columbus.
Ojeda, besides sneering at and opposing the Admiral's authority, wrote
letters back to Fonseca telling him all sorts of unfavorable things
concerning Columbus and his brothers. All the rebels, in truth, were
sending back complaints, for the old and the new world sent little
packet ships monthly. What they did not write was told in Spain by those
of Roldan's men whom Columbus had sent home. Some indeed went straight
to the king himself with their stories, with the result that the queen
had to agree with her husband, who had never been much interested in
Columbus and his savages, that the whole matter must be thoroughly
investigated.
Yet, even after consenting to court-martial Columbus, as it were, the
queen delayed the proceeding as long as possible, as if trying to give
her viceroy time to straighten out his situation. But sad tales of
misrule still kept coming from Espanola, and finally, after more than a
year of waiting, the monarchs sent out Don Francisco de Bobadilla (Boba-
deel'ya) with a letter that began:--
* * * * *
Don Cristobal Colon, our Admiral of the Ocean:
We have ordered the Comendador Francisco de Bobadilla, the bearer of
this, that he speak to you on our part certain things which he will tell
you.
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