Argosy, Vol. 120, No. 1 — page 121: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE GREAT manner was changed. Columbus com- plained of this, and was informed that the king was suffering with his wounded leg. The admiral insisted that his attendant surgeon inspect the wound. The king arose, and leaning heavily on the admiral, limped into the light. The leg was unban- daged, and there were no signs of wound or bruise. : ‘ Guacanagari showed no chagrin, but in- sisted that the wound was internal, and he winced and moaned whenever the doctor’s prying fingers came near the suspected spot. Columbus hated to doubt his old friend, who frequently repeated that he had been wounded in attempting to aid the Spaniards. ‘Again the admiral inquired about Arthur, and again was met with blank silence. Even questions put to the king concerning Noa- nita elicited but one short word, which the interpreter. declared meant that she was dead. “And Arthur?” Columbus demanded loudly, feeling that by shouting he would more surely convey his meaning. Guacanagari shook his head, and said something which the interpreter said meant that ‘he was not, any more.” The admiral in leaving attempted to pre- sent the king with a beautiful crucifix which he wore about his own neck, but Guacanagari shrank from it. He had come to know too much of the’ Christians; any symbol of their religion inspired only dread. The admiral attempted by means of the interpreter to explain the significance of the crucifix, but Guacanagari declared: ‘ That is not their god. Their god is this!”’. He pointed to a bit of gold that he wore through a hole in his nose. Thus ended the interview between two men who had once loved each other so that, as Columbus had declared to the queen, “ it was. wonderful!” CHAPTER XLIII. ARTHUR’S TALE. COLUMBUS worried a good deal about Arthur, but other cares and anxieties crowded fast upon him. He had to select a place for a new settlement, and direct its DISCOVERY. 111 beginnings. He now had a considerable body of men to look out for, and whereas his handling of them on shipboard was most masterly, he was anything but efficient as a colonizer. The new settlement was begun farther along the coast, and christened Isabella, in honor of the queen. Busy days followed. Stone buildings were started, lands cleared, and orchards planted. . The admiral forced all to labor excessive- ly, and soon there was grumbling among those who had thought they were coming to a place where gold could be had for the asking, and where nothing would be re- quired of them except the collecting of treasure. “ Many of the settlers were noblemen who were unused to any sort of labor, and who resented and resisted the severe orders of the admiral. Sickness developed, and added its fears and miseries to the already dis- heartened men. But Columbus pursued his same ways. . Hearing that the gold mines were lo- cated in the interior of the island, directly back of the settlement, Columbus himself went to see, leaving his gentle brother, Diego, to look after the colony. The admiral, upon reaching the moun- tains, which were in the country of the Spaniards’ enemy, Caonabo, thought that he discovered evidences of gold, amber, lapis lazuli, and copper. Again his imagi- nation had got hold of him! However, he established a fort here, as he noticed the natives were very different from the pacific creatures he had usually encountered. The admiral left fifty-six men at the new - fort, and returned to Isabella, where he be- sought all to gather what gold they could, keep in frequent touch with the fort near the mines; then he departed with three small caravels on a cruise of discovery. He left the ineffectual brother Diego in charge, and sent the fleet, in charge of his friend Antonio de Torres, back to Spain with various letters to the sovereigns, in one of which he proposed taking the natives captive and exporting them as slaves. This suggestion was met with a peremptory refu- sal from the merciful queen: A refusal which Columbus disregarded, to his own wo. COMicdoo S CO@