ughed and
hooted at him when he had been dragged off to prison and sent in chains
on board the ship. He did wish to get even with them. He could not
forgive them. He wanted to sail into the harbor of Isabella and Santo
Domingo with his four ships and to say: See, all of you! Here I am
again, as proud and powerful as ever. The king and queen have sent me
over here once more with ships and sailors at my command. I am still
the Admiral of the Ocean Seas and all you tried to do against me has
amounted to nothing.

This is not the right sort of a spirit to have, either for men or boys;
it is not wise or well to have it gratified. Forgiveness is better than
vengeance; kindliness is better than pride.

At any rate, it was not to be gratified with Columbus. When his ships
arrived off the coast of Hayti, although his orders from the king and
queen were not to stop at the island going over, the temptation to show
himself was too strong. He could not resist it. So he sent word to the
new governor, whose name was Ovando, that he had arrived with his fleet
for the discovery of new lands in the Indies, and that he wished to come
into Santo Domingo Harbor as one of his ships needed repairs; he would
take the opportunity, he said, of mending his vessel and visiting the
governor at the same time.

Now it so happened that Governor Ovando was just about sending to Spain
a large fleet. And in these ships were to go some of the men who had
treated Columbus so badly. Bobadilla, the ex-governor, was one of them;
so was the rebel Roldan who had done so much mischief; and there were
others among the passengers and prisoners whom Columbus disliked or who
hated Columbus. There was also to go in the fleet a wonderful cargo of
gold--the largest amount yet sent across to Spain. There were twenty-six
ships in all, in the great gold fleet, and the little city of Santo
Domingo was filled with excitement and confusion.

We cannot altogether make out whether Governor Ovando was a friend to
Columbus or not. At any rate, he felt that it would be unwise and unsafe
for Columbus to come into the harbor or show himself in the town when so
many of his bitter enemies were there. So he sent back word to Columbus
that he was sorry, but that really he could not let him come in.

How bad that must have made the old Admiral feel! To be refused
admission to the place he had found and built up for Spain! It was
unkind, he said; he must and would go in.

Just the