con which Escobar had brought them.

Francesco de Porras met these ambassadors, and replied that they had no
wish to return to the ships, but preferred living at large. They offered
to engage that they would be peaceable, if the Admiral would promise
them solemnly, that, in case two vessels arrived, they should have one
to depart in; that if only one vessel arrived they should have half
of it, and that the Admiral would now share with them the stores and
articles of traffic, which he had left in the ship. But these demands
Columbus refused to accept.

Porras had spoken for the rebels, but they were not so well satisfied
with the answer. The incident gave occasion for what was almost an
outbreak among them. Porras attempted to hold them in hand, by assuring
them that there had been no real arrival of Escobar. He told them that
there had been no vessel in port; that what had been seen was a mere
phantasm conjured up by Columbus, who was deeply versed in necromancy.

He reminded them that the vessel arrived just in the edge of the
evening; that it communicated with Columbus only, and then disappeared
in the night. Had it been a real vessel would he not have embarked, with
his brother and his son? Was it not clear that it was only a phantom,
which appeared for a moment and then vanished?

Not satisfied, however, with his control over his men, he marched them
to a point near the ships, hoping to plunder the stores and to take the
Admiral prisoner. Columbus, however, had notice of the approach of this
marauding party, and his brother and fifty followers, of whose loyalty
he was sure, armed themselves and marched to meet them. The Adelantado
again sent ambassadors, the same whom he had sent before with the
offer of pardon, but Porras and his companions would not permit them to
approach.

They determined to offer battle to the fifty loyal men, thinking to
attack and kill the Adelantado himself. They rushed upon him and his
party, but at the first shock four or five of them were killed.

The Adelantado, with his own hand, killed Sanchez, one of the most
powerful men among the rebels. Porras attacked him in turn, and with
his sword cut his buckler and wounded his hand. The sword, however,
was wedged in the shield, and before Porras could withdraw it, the
Adelantado closed upon him and made him prisoner. When the rebels saw
this result of the conflict, they fled in confusion.

The Indians, meanwhile, amazed at this conflict