atives--Frightened into friendship--Much gold obtained--Columbus quits
the gold region in search of the straits--Hears of the gold region of
Ciguere--Anchors in Puerto Bello--Passes Nombre de Dios--Anchors in
Cabinet Harbour--The seamen insult the natives, who attack the ships--
Put to flight by the guns--Columbus sails in search of the gold-mines of
Veragua.

Columbus had reached the age of sixty-eight years when he embarked upon
his fourth voyage. His squadron consisted of four caravels, the
smallest of fifty tons burden, the largest not exceeding seventy; the
crews amounted, in all, to one hundred and fifty men. He had with him
his faithful and intrepid brother, Don Bartholomew, and his younger son,
Fernando. The squadron sailed from Cadiz on the 9th of May, A.D. 1502,
and after touching at Ercilla, on the coast of Morocco, stood away for
the Canaries, where it arrived on the 25th of May, on the evening of
which day he took his departure for the New World. Without shifting a
sail it reached Martinico.

Though prohibited from touching at Hispaniola, one of his vessels was so
bad a sea boat that he ventured to steer for San Domingo, in order to
change her for another.

Arriving off the river on the 29th of June, he found a fleet with
Bobadilla on board, as well as a large amount of treasure and several
unhappy Indian captives.

The agent of Columbus had shipped four thousand pieces of gold, recently
collected or recovered from Bobadilla, on board one of the caravels.

Columbus immediately sent to ask permission of Ovando, who had assumed
the government, to enter the harbour, stating that the weather looked
threatening, and that he believed a hurricane was brewing.

Ovando most ungraciously refused the boon asked for by Columbus, who
then again sent on shore, entreating that, although shelter was denied
to him, the fleet about to sail might be detained in harbour until the
coming tempest had spent its fury.

This request was also refused, the Governor and his officers not
believing the warning. Columbus, therefore, steered along the coast,
keeping as close to the shore as possible, convinced that the storm
would blow from the north. The crews at once began to complain, having
lost their reliance on one who was subjected to such ill treatment.

Within two days his predictions were verified. A fearful hurricane
burst upon them, during which the ship carrying Bobadilla and an
unfortunate cacique foundered,