Aguado

a personal enemy of Columbus, was sent as commi ioner to investigate the complaints against the great discoverer, who, thinking it time to vindicate himself in the presence of his sovereigns, prepared to return to Spain. Having appointed his brother Bartolommeo adelantado, or lieutenant-governor, he embarked for Spain in March, 1496, with 225 Spaniards and 30 natives. In Spain calumny was silenced by his presence, and probably still more by his treasures. Yet his enemies were powerful enough to detain the supplies intended for the colony a whole year, and to retard the fitting out of a new expedition. It was not till May 30, 1498, that he sailed with six ve els on his third voyage. To man these ve els criminals had unwisely been taken—a measure which Columbus himself had advised, and which had been taken up with great satisfaction by his enemies. Three of his ve els he sent direct to Hispaniola; with the three others he took a more S. direction for the purpose of discovering the mainland, which information derived from the natives induced him to supppose lay to the S. of his former discoveries. He visited Trinidad and the continent of America, the coasts of Paria and Cumana, and returned to Hispaniola, convinced that he had reached a continent, His colony had been removed © from Isabella, according to his orders, to the other side of the island, and a new forte erected called St. Domingo. Columbus found the colony in a state of confusion. After having succeeded in restoring it to tranquillity by his prudent measures, in order to supply the deficiency of laborers he distributed the land and the inhabitants, subjecting the latter to the arbitrary will of their masters, and thus laying the foundation otf that system of slavery which has lasted down to our time. His enemies, in the meantime, endeavored to convince his sovereigns that he had abused his power, and that his plan was to make himself independent, till at last even Isabella yielded to the wishes of Ferdinand, who had previously become convinced of the truth of the slanders. Everybody's Cyclopedia (Vol. 1) — D **D**