he ordered them, as a representative of the Sovereigns of Spain, to obey the captain whom he had appointed for them as they would have obeyed himself.  Third, he urged them to show respect and reverence towards King Guacanagari and his chiefs, and to the inferior chiefs, and to avoid annoying them or tormenting them, since they were to remain in a land that was as yet under native dominion; to “strive and watch by their soft and honest speech to gain their good-will and keep their friendship and love, so that he should find them as friendly and favourable and more so when he returned.”  Fourth, he commanded them “and begged them earnestly” to do no injury and use no force against any natives; to take nothing from them against their will; and especially to be on their guard to avoid injury or violence to the women, “by which they would cause scandal and set a bad example to the Indians and show the infamy of the Christians.”  Fifth, he charged them not to scatter themselves or leave the place where they then were, but to remain together until he returned.  Sixth, he “animated” them to suffer their solitude and exile cheerfully and bravely, since they had willingly chosen it.  The seventh order was, that they should get help from the King to send boat expeditions in search of the gold mines; and lastly, he promised that he would petition the Sovereigns to honour them with special favours and rewards.  To this very manly, wise and humane address the people listened with some emotion, assuring Columbus that they placed their hopes in him, “begging him earnestly to remember them always, and that as quickly as he could he should give them the great joy which they anticipated from his coming again.”

All of which things being done, the ships [ship—­there was only the Nina] loaded and provisioned, and the Admiral’s final directions given, he makes his farewells and weighs anchor at sunrise on Friday, January 4., 1493.  Among the little crowd on the shore who watch the Nina growing smaller in the distance are our old friends Allard and William, tired of the crazy confinement of a ship and anxious for shore adventures.  They are to have their fill of them, as it happens; adventures that are to bring to the settlers a sudden cloud of blood and darkness, and for the islanders a brief return to their ancient peace.  But death waits for Allard and William in the sunshine and silence of Espanola.

CHAPTER III

THE VOYAGE HOME

Columbus did not stand out to sea on his homeward course immediately, but still coasted along the shores of the island as though he were loth to leave it, and as though he might still at some bend of a bay or beyond some verdant headland come upon the mines and jewels that he longed for.  The mountain that he passed soon after starting he called Monte Christi, which name it bears to this day; and he saw many other mountains and capes and bays, to all of which he gave