he says bitterly that he has such a singular reputation
that if he "were building churches and hospitals they would say they
were cells for stolen goods."

Then Bobadilla came to Santo Domingo while Columbus was at La Vega and
the Adelantado at Jaragua. "The second day of his arrival he declared
himself governor, created magistrates, made offices, published grants
for gold and tithes, and everything else for a term of twenty years." He
said he had come to pay the people, and declared he would send Columbus
home in irons. Columbus was away. Letters with favors were sent to
others, but none to him. Columbus resorted to methods to gain time so
that their Highnesses could understand the state of things. But he was
constantly maligned and persecuted by those who were jealous of him. He
says:

"I think that you will remember that when the tempest threw me into the
port of Lisbon, after having lost my sails, I was accused of having the
intention to give India to that country. Afterwards their Highnesses
knew to the contrary. Although I know but little, I cannot conceive
that any one would suppose me so stupid as not to know that though
India might belong to me, yet I could not keep it without the help of a
prince."

Columbus complains that he has been judged as a governor who has been
sent to a peaceful, well-regulated province. He says, "I ought to be
judged as a captain sent from Spain to the Indies to conquer a warlike
people, whose custom and religion are all opposed to ours, where the
people live in the mountains without regular houses for themselves, and
where, by the will of God, I have placed under the rule of the king and
queen another world, and by which Spain, which calls itself poor, is
today the richest empire. I ought to be judged as a captain who for many
years bears arms incessantly.

"I know well that the errors that I have committed have not been with
bad intentions, and I think that their Highnesses will believe what I
say; but I know and see that they use pity for those who work against
them."

"If, nevertheless, their Highnesses order that another shall judge me,
which I hope will not be, and this ought to be on an examination made
in India, I humbly beg of them to send there two conscientious and
respectable people, at my expense, which may know easily that one
finds five marcs of gold in four hours. However that may be, it is very
necessary that they should go there."

APPENDIX C.

It would