It was at this moment (September 5, 1499) that a diversion arose in the rumour that four caravels had been seen off the western end of Espanola and duly reported to the Admiral; and this announcement was soon followed by the news that they were commanded by Ojeda, who was collecting dye-wood in the island forests.  Columbus, although he had so far as we know had no previous difficulties with Ojeda, had little cause now to credit any adventurer with kindness towards himself; and Ojeda’s secrecy in not reporting himself at San Domingo, and, in fact, his presence on the island at all without the knowledge of the Admiral, were sufficient evidence that he was there to serve his own ends.  Some gleam of Christopher’s old cleverness in handling men was—­now shown by his instructing Roldan to sally forth and bring Ojeda to order.  It was a case of setting a thief to catch a thief and, as it turned out, was not a bad stroke.  Roldan, nothing loth, sailed round to that part of the coast where Ojeda’s ships were anchored, and asked to see his licence; which was duly shown to him and rather took the wind out of his sails.  He heard a little gossip from Ojeda, moreover, which had its own significance for him.  The Queen was ill; Columbus was in disgrace; there was talk of superseding him.  Ojeda promised to sail round to San Domingo and report himself; but instead, he sailed to the east along the coast of Xaragua, where he got into communication with some discontented Spanish settlers and concocted a scheme for leading them to San Domingo to demand redress for their imagined grievances.  Roldan, however, who had come to look for Ojeda, discovered him at this point; and there ensued some very pretty play between the two rascals, chiefly in trickery and treachery, such as capturing each other’s boats and emissaries, laying traps for one another, and taking prisoner one another’s crews.  The end of it was that Ojeda left the island without having reported himself to Columbus, but not before he had completed his business—­which was that of provisioning his ships and collecting dye-wood and slaves.

And so exit Ojeda from the Columbian drama.  Of his own drama only one more act remained to be played; which, for the sake of our past interest in him, we will mention here.  Chiefly on account of his intimacy with Fonseca he was some years later given a governorship in the neighbourhood of the Gulf of Darien; Juan de la Cosa accompanying him as unofficial partner.  Ojeda has no sooner landed there than he is fighting the natives; natives too many for him this time; Ojeda forced to hide in the forest, where he finds the body of de la Cosa, who has come by a shocking death.  Ojeda afterwards tries to govern his colony, but is no good at that; cannot govern his own temper, poor fellow.  Quarrels with his crew, is put in irons, carried to Espanola, and dies there (1515) in great poverty and eclipse.  One of the many, evidently, who need a strong guiding hand, and perish without it.