In a few days more, the miserable body of men, reduced
now to less than sixty, would have perished of starvation.

Nicuesa's spirit had not been chastened by his unparalleled
misfortunes. He not only accepted the proffered command of the
colony--which was no more than his right, since it was established on
his own territory--but he did more. When he heard that the colonists
had amassed a great amount of gold by trading and thieving, he harshly
declared that, as they had no legitimate right there, he would take
their portion for himself; that he would stop further enterprises on
their part--in short, he boastfully declared his intention of carrying
things with a high hand in a way well calculated to infuriate his
voluntary subjects. So arrogant was his bearing and so tactless and
injudicious his talk, that the envoys from Antigua fled in the night
with one of the ships and reported the situation to the colony. Olano,
still in chains, found means to communicate with his friends in the
other party. Naturally he painted the probable conduct of the governor
in anything but flattering colors.

All this was most impolitic in Nicuesa. He seemed to have forgotten
that profound political principle which suggests that a firm seat in
the saddle should be acquired before any attempts should be made to
lead the procession. The fable of "King Stork and the Frogs" was
applicable to the situation of the colonists.

In this contingency they did not know quite what to do. It was Balboa
who came to their rescue again. {25} He suggested that, although they
had invited him, they need not permit Nicuesa to land. Accordingly,
when Nicuesa hove in sight in the other ship, full of determination to
carry things in his own way, they prevented him from coming ashore.

Greatly astonished, he modified his tone somewhat, but to no avail. It
was finally decided among the colonists to allow him to land in order
to seize his person. Arrangements were made accordingly, and the
unsuspicious Nicuesa debarked from his ship the day after his arrival.
He was immediately surrounded by a crowd of excited soldiers menacing
and threatening him. It was impossible for him to make headway against
them.

He turned and fled. Among his other gubernatorial accomplishments was
a remarkable fleetness of foot. The poor little governor scampered
over the sands at a great pace. He distanced his fierce pursuers at
last and escaped to the temporary shelte