ceive Nicuesa when he came; and this was determined on. So when Nicuesa approached the shore, instead of being received with honour, a public functionary warned him not to disembark. That day, they would not allow him to land; next day he was invited to land, but when he set foot on shore, the multitude rushed to seize him. Vasco Nuñez had not anticipated such popular fury, and endeavoured to allay the tempest he had raised. Through his mediation, Nicuesa now held a parley with the populace. He begged that if they would not acknowledge him as governor, they would, at least, admit him as a companion. This they refused, saying that if they admitted him in one capacity, it would end in his attaining the other. He then implored that if he could be admitted on no other terms, they would treat him as a prisoner and put him in irons, for he would rather die among them than return to Nombre de Dios. Even this was not granted. He was compelled by menaces of death, to swear that he would immediately depart, and make no delay in any place until he had presented himself before the king and council in Castile; and there was allotted to him the worst vessel in the harbour, an old crazy brigantine totally unfit to encounter the perils of the sea. Seventeen followers embarked with him; some being of his household and attached to his person; the rest were volunteers, who accompanied him out of respect and sympathy. The frail bark set sail on the 1st of March 1511, and steered across the Caribbean sea for the island of Hispaniola, but was never seen or heard of more.*

* Voyages of Companions of Columbus, p. 138 to 146.

CHAPTER XXI.

Of the return of the Bachelor Enciso to Spain in 1511; the attack of Vasco Nuñez upon Careta, the cacique of Coyba; the peace made between them, by Vasco Nuñez taking as a wife a young and beautiful daughter of Careta; the invasion by Nuñez of the territories of Ponca, an adversary of Careta; his friendly visit to Comagre; the skill and solidity of the architecture of Comagre's village; and the information received from the son of Comagre, of a great sea and opulent country beyond the mountains.

The question now was, who should have the rule. The Bachelor Enciso insisted upon his claims as paramount: but he who was to have been a judge upon the bench, now became a culprit at the bar. Vasco Nuñez had him tried for usurping the powers of Alcalde Mayor on the mere appointment of Alonzo de Ojeda, whose jurisdiction did not extend to this province. On this charge he was convicted and thrown into prison, and all his property was confiscated. His friends, however, interceded warmly in his behalf, and at length obtained his release from confinement and permission for him to return to Spain. In the small vessel in which he went, Vasco Nuñez prevailed on his fellow Alcalde Zamudio and the Regidor Valdivia to embark also; the former to return to Spain to make the best report he could; the latter to Hispaniola, to obtain provisions and recruits, and make a present to the treasurer of that island, (who had credit with the king and extensive powers,) and crave

his protection in the new world and his influence at

court.*

Vasco Nuñez sent Pizarro with six men, to explore a province about thirty leagues distant, called Coyba, in which expedition there was a conflict with the natives. He also dispatched two brigantines for such of the followers of Nicuesa as remained at Nombre de Dios: they rejoiced at being brought to Darien. In coasting the shores, the brigantines picked up two Spaniards, who, to escape some punishment, had fled from the ship of Nicuesa about a year and a half before, and had taken refuge with Careta, the cacique of Coyba. By him they had been treated with hospitable kindness, and their first return for it, now that they were safe among their countrymen, was to advise the latter to invade the cacique in his dwelling, where they assured them immense booty would be found. One of them proceeded to Darien to serve as a guide to any such expedition; the other returned to the cacique, to assist in betraying him. After Nuñez had been received by the cacique with hospitality, he made a pretended departure for Darien with his troops; and in the dead of night, when the Indians were asleep, led his men into the village, and made captives of Careta, his wives and children, and many of his people. He discovered, also, a hoard of provisions, with which he loaded two brigantines. And then he returned with his booty and his captives to Darien.t

"When the unfortunate cacique beheld his family in chains, and in the hands of strangers, his heart was wrung

* Voyages of Companions of Columbus, p. 138 to 150. † Id. p. 151 to 153.

with despair: What have I done to thee,' said he to Vasco Nuñez, 'that thou shouldst treat me thus cruelly? None of thy people ever came to my land that were not fed, and sheltered, and treated with loving kindness. When thou camest to my dwelling, did I meet thee with a javelin in my hand? Did I not set meat and drink before thee, and welcome thee as a brother? Set me free, therefore, with my family and people, and we will remain thy friends. We will supply thee with provisions, and reveal to thee the riches of the land. Dost thou doubt my faith? Behold my daughter, I give her to thee as a pledge of friendship. Take her for thy wife, and be assured of the fidelity of her family and her people !'"*

The maid was young and beautiful; and Nuñez felt the importance of a strong alliance with the natives. He granted the father's prayer and accepted the daughter. She remained with Nuñez, and was his wife, according to the usages of her country; he treated her with fondness, and she gradually acquired great influence over him.†

Nuñez had promised the cacique to aid him against his enemies, on condition of his furnishing provisions to the colony. Taking with him eighty men, and his companion in arms Rodrigo Enriquez de Colmenares, he repaired by sea to Coyba. Here landing, he invaded the territories of Ponca, the great adversary of Careta, and obliged him to take refuge in the mountains. He then ravaged his lands and sacked his villages, in which he found considerable booty. Returning to Coyba, he next made a friendly visit to the adjacent province of Comagre, which was under a

* Voyages of Companions of Columbus, p. 153, 4. † Id. p. 154, 5.

His dwel

cacique with three thousand fighting men. ling surpassed any they had yet seen for magnitude and for the skill and solidity of the architecture. It was one hundred and fifty paces in length and eighty in breadth, founded upon great logs, surrounded with a stone wall; while the upper part was of wood work, curiously interwoven and wrought with great beauty. It contained many commodious apartments. In a retired part of it was a great hall, wherein Comagre preserved the bodies of his relatives. These had been dried by the fire, so as to free them from corruption, and afterwards wrapped in mantles of cotton, richly wrought and interwoven with pearls and jewels of gold, and with certain stones held precious by the natives. They were then hung about the hall with cords of cotton, and regarded with great reverence, if not a species of religious devotion. A son of the cacique gave to Nuñez and Colmenares four thousand ounces of gold, wrought into various ornaments, together with sixty slaves, being captives that he had taken in the wars. Nuñez ordered one fifth of the gold to be set apart for the crown, and the rest to be shared among his followers. When the Spaniards were weighing it out, a quarrel arose among them as to the size and value of the pieces which fell to their respective shares. The Indian who had made the gift, then spoke to them in this manner:"

"Why should you quarrel for such a trifle? If this gold is indeed so precious in your eyes, that for it alone you abandon your homes, invade the peaceful lands of

*Voyages of Companions of Columbus, p. 156 to 158.