The mutineers conquered.

The natives, who had been spectators of the affray, were much perplexed.  Wiser people than these poor savages have looked with sorrowful wonder on the appeal to brute force to decide the quarrels of nations; and the Indians, when they saw strife and death among the beings whom they had formerly considered as heaven-descended and immortal, felt that their estimate of these attributes ought to be lowered.  But when curiosity impelled them to examine the corpses of the Spaniards who had been killed in the encounter, after minutely inspecting several bodies, they came to that of Ledesma—­whose name may be remembered as that of the gigantic pilot of Seville who swam through the surf at Bethlehem to the Adelantado’s relief—­who had now fallen, covered with wounds, fighting on behalf of the mutineers.  As the savages proceeded to thrust their fingers into his wounds, Ledesma, who had fainted from pain, recovered consciousness, and uttered a stentorian yell which put the Indians to flight, says an ancient chronicler, “as if all the dead men were at their heels.”  And as Ledesma eventually recovered, notwithstanding his having received wounds sufficient to kill three ordinary persons, the natives must have been inspired by a proper respect for the almost miraculous vitality of the white men.

  Porras A prisoner.

The victory gained by the Adelantado was conclusive.  The rebels at once submitted to the admiral, who consented to pardon them; reserving only their ringleader, Porras, for future punishment.  It was arranged that they should not again take up their habitation on board the ships, but Columbus sent ashore a trusty lieutenant as their commander, and supplied them at the same time with European articles to barter for food with the natives.  And so the two bands of castaways—­one on ship and one on shore—­awaited the promised succour, with the weariness of hope deferred.

CHAPTER XIII.

It was not till the 28th of June, 1504, when just a year had elapsed since their arrival at Santa Gloria, that the Spaniards were gladdened by the sight of the two caravels which had been sent—­one by Mendez, the other by Ovando—­to their relief.  Their embarkation, as may be supposed, was quickly effected; but adverse winds made the voyage to Hispaniola a long one, and the two vessels did not reach St. Domingo before the 13th of August.

  Conflicting jurisdiction.

Much to the surprise of the admiral, he found himself treated with the most punctilious courtesy by Ovando, who even proceeded to the harbour, with a numerous suite, to receive him in state upon his arrival.  However, differences soon arose as to the conflicting jurisdictions of the viceroy and the governor; especially with regard to the case of Porras, whom Ovando, in opposition to the admiral’s wish, insisted upon