, for some misconduct, had been ordered by
the admiral to leave the island, but instead of obeying he had made his
way to Xaragua, and caused trouble by this love passage, for he had a
rival in Roldan himself, who ordered him to desist from the pursuit of
the daughter of Anacaona, and to return to Santo Domingo. Guevara refused
to obey, but he was promptly arrested and sent as a prisoner to the
capital. When his cousin Mujica, who was then in the Vega Real, received
the news, he raised a mutiny, offering rewards to the soldiers if they
would follow him in an attempt to rescue Guevara. The admiral, though
suffering from illness, showed remarkable energy on this occasion.
Marching very rapidly at the head of eighteen chosen men, he surprised
the mutineers, captured the ringleader, and carried him off to the
fort of Concepcion. Some severity had now become incumbent upon the
authorities, and Mujica was condemned to death. The admiral regretted the
necessity, but in no other way could a motive be supplied to deter
others from keeping the country in a constant state of lawless disorder.
Guevara, Riqueline, and other disorderly characters were imprisoned
in the fort at Santo Domingo, and by August, 1500, peace was quite
established throughout the island.

Thus had Columbus restored tranquillity to the colony. By prudent and
conciliatory negotiations, during which he had exercised the most
wonderful self-abnegation and patience, he had succeeded in averting the
serious danger caused by the formidable revolt of Roldan. But as the
habit of disorder was threatening to become chronic, he wisely took
another way with the sedition of Mujica, maintaining order by a resort
to prompt and vigorous action, and making a salutary example which was
calculated to be deterrent in its effects.

With the restoration of peace, trade revived and prosperity began to
return. The receivers of grants of land found that they had a stake
in the country, and sought to derive profit from their crops. Similar
activity appeared at the mines, and the building at Santo Domingo
progressed rapidly. The admiral began to hope that the first troubles
incident to an infant colony were over, and that the time had arrived
for Spain to feel the advantages of his great achievement. He now
looked forward to further and more important discoveries followed by
colonization on the main continent.

Yet at this very time a blow was about to come from a quarter whence it
w