In one of them Ojeda lost blood in battle, for the first time in his life; an arrow, supposed to be poisoned, having pierced his thigh. A remedy suggested itself which few but him could have had the courage to try. He caused two plates of iron to be made red hot and ordered a surgeon to apply them to each orifice of the wound. The surgeon shuddered and refused, saying he would not be the murderer of his general. Upon this, Ojeda vowed he would hang him unless he obeyed. To avoid the gallows, the surgeon applied the glowing plates. It is said that Ojeda refused to be tied down or let any one hold him during the operation, yet endured it without shrinking or uttering a murmur, though his whole system was so inflamed that a barrel of vinegar was exhausted, steeping sheets in which to wrap him to allay the burning heat. He recovered; whether owing to his desperate remedy, or whether because the arrow was not poisoned, must remain uncertain.* * Voyages of Companions of Columbus, p. 74 to 82. CHAPTER XIX. Of the voyage of Alonzo de Ojeda in 1509 from the isthmus of Darien for Hispaniola; his landing on Cuba, and his hardships then on his journey by land; the little oratory which he built; his course then by Jamaica to San Domingo, and his death there. The pressing wants of the colony caused Ojeda to start himself for San Domingo in quest of reinforcements and supplies. It was agreed that his men should remain quietly at St. Sebastian for fifty days. If in that time, no tidings were received of him, they were to be at liberty to abandon the settlement and return in the brigantines to Hispaniola. Francisco Pizarro was left in command as lieutenant. The governor embarked in a pirate vessel wherein Bernardino de Talavera had come from and was going to return to Hispaniola. Ojeda had scarce put to sea when a quarrel arose between him and Talavera. The former assumed command and the latter resisted it as usurpation. Ojeda, as usual, would have settled the question by the sword, but he had the whole vagabond crew against him who overpowered him and threw him in irons. He offered to fight the whole of them successively provided they would give him a clear deck and come on two at a time, but they had heard too much of his exploits to accept this challenge; so they kept him raging in his chains while they pursued their voyage. On the way, however, a violent storm arose; in the hour of peril, a truce was made with Ojeda for the common safety. His irons were taken off on condition that he would act as pilot during the remainder of the voyage. But the vessel had been already swept so far to the westward that his skill was ineffectual in endeavouring to work up to Hispaniola against storms and adverse currents. The shattered bark was almost in a foundering condition when it was run ashore on the southern coast of Cuba.* This was before the subjugation and settlement of Cuba in 1510. Then Diego Columbus congratulated King Ferdinand on having acquired this large and beautiful island without losing a single man.† Now it was a place of refuge to the unhappy natives of Hayti. Ojeda to avoid being attacked took a route away from the populous parts of the island. The sufferings of him and his companions were so great that after some time, out of seventy men who set out from the ship but thirty-five remained. This number was still further reduced. Ojeda with a few of the lightest and most vigorous, struggled forward through the morasses and at length arrived to where the land was firm and dry. They soon descried a foot path, and following it arrived at an Indian village.‡ "The Indians gathered round and gazed at them with wonder; but when they learnt their story, they exhibited a humanity that would have done honour to the most professing Christians. They bore them to their dwellings, set * Voyages of Companions of Columbus, p. 82 to 89. meat and drink before them, and vied with each other in discharging the offices of the kindest humanity. Finding that a number of their companions were still in the morass, the cacique sent a large party of Indians with provisions for their relief, with orders to bring on their shoulders such as were too feeble to walk."* seca. Ojeda had with him a little Flemish painting of the Madona, which had been given him by Bishop FonAt a moment of great despondency, when he was in a morass that seemed interminable, he made a solemn vow to his patroness that if she conducted him alive through this peril, he would erect a chapel in the first Indian village he should arrive at, and leave her picture there, to remain an object of adoration to the Gentiles.† "Being recovered from his sufferings, Alonzo de Ojeda prepared to perform his vow concerning the picture of the Virgin, though sorely must it have grieved him to part with a relique to which he attributed his deliverance from so many perils. He built a little hermitage or oratory in the village, and furnished it with an altar, above which he placed the picture. He then summoned the benevolent cacique, and explained to him, as well as his limited knowledge of the language, or the aid of interpreters would permit, the main points of the Catholic faith, and especially the history of the Virgin, whom he represented as the mother of the Deity that reigned in the skies, and the great advocate for mortal man. "The worthy cacique listened to him with mute attention, and though he might not clearly comprehend the doctrine, yet he conceived a profound veneration for the pic * Voyages of Companions of Columbus, p. 93. † Id. p. 91, 2. ture. The sentiment was shared by his subjects. They kept the little oratory always swept clean, and decorated it with cotton hangings, laboured by their own hands, and with various votive offerings. They composed couplets or areytos in honour of the Virgin, which they sang to the accompaniment of rude musical instruments, dancing to the sound under the groves which surrounded the hermitage. "A further anecdote concerning this relique may not be unacceptable. The venerable Las Casas, who records these facts, informs us that he arrived at the village of Cuebas sometime after the departure of Ojeda. He found the oratory preserved with the most religious care, as a sacred place, and the picture of the Virgin regarded with fond adoration. The poor Indians crowded to attend mass, which he performed at the altar; they listened attentively to his paternal instructions, and at his request brought their children to be baptized. The good Las Casas having heard much of this famous relique of Ojeda, was desirous of obtaining possession of it, and offered to give the cacique in exchange, an image of the Virgin which he had brought with him. The chieftain made an evasive answer, and seemed much troubled in mind. The next morning he did not make his appearance. "Las Casas went to the oratory to perform mass, but found the altar stripped of its precious relique. On inquiring, he learnt that in the night the cacique had fled to the woods, bearing off with him his beloved picture of the Virgin. It was in vain that Las Casas sent messengers after him, assuring him that he should not be deprived of the relique, but, on the contrary, that the image should likewise be presented to him. The cacique refused to venture from the fastnesses of the forest, nor did he return to his village and replace the picture in the oratory until after the departure of the Spaniards."*+ * Las Casas, Hist. Ind. c. 61, MS.-Herrera, Hist. Ind. d. i. l. ix., c. xv. ↑ Voyages of Companions of Columbus, p. 94, 5. |