With these assurances he cheered their hearts.  In truth, however, he was very indignant at Ovando’s cool behavior.  That he should have left them for months in danger and uncertainty, with a mere tantalizing message and a scanty present of food—­all this naturally made the great leader indignant.  He believed that Ovando hoped that he might perish on the island.

He supposed that Ovando thought that this would be favorable for his own political prospects, and he believed that Escobar was sent merely as a spy.  This same impression is given by Las Casas, the historian, who was then at San Domingo.  He says that Escobar was chosen simply because of his enmity to Columbus, and that he was ordered not to land, nor to hold conversation with any of the crew, nor to receive letters from any except the Admiral.

After Escobar’s departure, Columbus sent an embassy on shore to communicate with the rebel party, who were living on the island.  He offered to them free pardon, kind treatment, and a passage with him in the ships which he expected from Ovando, and, as a token of good will, he sent them a part of the bacon which Escobar had brought them.

Francesco de Porras met these ambassadors, and replied that they had no wish to return to the ships, but preferred living at large.  They offered to engage that they would be peaceable, if the Admiral would promise them solemnly, that, in case two vessels arrived, they should have one to depart in; that if only one vessel arrived they should have half of it, and that the Admiral would now share with them the stores and articles of traffic, which he had left in the ship.  But these demands Columbus refused to accept.

Porras had spoken for the rebels, but they were not so well satisfied with the answer.  The incident gave occasion for what was almost an outbreak among them.  Porras attempted to hold them in hand, by assuring them that there had been no real arrival of Escobar.  He told them that there had been no vessel in port; that what had been seen was a mere phantasm conjured up by Columbus, who was deeply versed in necromancy.

He reminded them that the vessel arrived just in the edge of the evening; that it communicated with Columbus only, and then disappeared in the night.  Had it been a real vessel would he not have embarked, with his brother and his son?  Was it not clear that it was only a phantom, which appeared for a moment and then vanished?

Not satisfied, however, with his control over his men, he marched them to a point near the ships, hoping to plunder the stores and to take the Admiral prisoner.  Columbus, however, had notice of the approach of this marauding party, and his brother and fifty followers, of whose loyalty he was sure, armed themselves and marched to meet them.  The Adelantado again sent ambassadors, the same whom he had sent before with the offer of pardon, but Porras and his companions would not permit them to approach.