daged we managed to examine it. It is certain
that he was no more injured in that leg than in the other, although he
pretended that it was very painful."

The Spaniards did not know what to believe. But it seemed certain that
an attack of some enemy upon these Indians had taken place, and the
Admiral determined to continue upon good terms with them. Nor did he
change this policy toward Guacanagari. How far that chief had tried to
prevent the massacre will never be known. The detail of the story was
never fully drawn from the natives. The Spaniards had been cruel and
licentious in their dealing with the Indians. They had quarrelled among
themselves, and the indignant natives, in revenge, had destroyed them
all.

CHAPTER IX. -- THE NEW COLONY

--EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY--GUACANAGARI--SEARCH FOR GOLD--MUTINY IN THE
COLONY--THE VESSELS SENT HOME--COLUMBUS MARCHES INLAND--COLLECTION
OF GOLD--FORTRESS OF ST. THOMAS--A NEW VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY--JAMAICA
VISITED--THE SOUTH SHORE OF CUBA EXPLORED--RETURN--EVANGELISTA
DISCOVERED--COLUMBUS FALLS SICK--RETURN TO ISABELLA.

Columbus had hoped, with reason, to send back a part of the vessels
which made up his large squadron, with gold collected in the year by
the colonists at La Navidad. In truth, when, in 1501, the system of
gold-washing-had been developed, the colony yielded twelve hundred
pounds of gold in one year. The search for gold, from the beginning,
broke up all intelligent plans for geographical discovery or for
colonization. In this case, it was almost too clear that there was
nothing but bad news to send back to Spain. Columbus went forward,
however, as well as he could, with the establishment of a new colony,
and with the search for gold.

He sent out expeditions of discovery to open relations with the natives,
and to find the best places for washing and mining for gold.
Melchior Meldonado commanded three hundred men, in the first of these
expeditions. They came to a good harbor at the mouth of a river,
where they saw a fine house, which they supposed might be the home of
Guacanagari. They met an armed party of one hundred Indians; but these
men put away their weapons when signals of peace were made, and brought
presents in token of good-will.

The house to which they went was round, with a hemispherical roof or
dome. It was thirty-two paces in diameter, divided by wicker work into
different rooms. Smaller houses, for persons of rank lower than the
chiefs, sur