to hold Las Casas
in the highest esteem and to show him all possible favors.

Las Casas then at once began publicly preaching against the sin of
slavery, and proclaiming the right of the natives to equal freedom with
the Spaniards; a course which gave great offense to many in the island
but in which Velasquez protected him. Then he determined to hasten at
once to Spain and to lay the matter before the King, who in his various
cedulas and messages to Velasquez had expressed so much concern for the
welfare of the Indians. He accordingly wrote to Renteria, in Jamaica,
that he was called to Spain on imperatively urgent business, and that
unless he, Renteria, could return to Cuba at once, he would have to go
without seeing him first, which he would regret to do. Upon receiving
this letter, Renteria immediately hastened back to Cuba; and then was
disclosed one of the most extraordinary coincidences in history.

The meeting of the two friends was in the presence of Velasquez and
others, and nothing was said by Las Casas concerning his plans, nor did
Renteria say anything about his own affairs. But as soon as they were
alone together, Renteria announced that he was planning himself to go to
Spain, and that he would therefore accompany Las Casas. He then
explained that while in Jamaica he had gone for a time into "retreat" at
a Franciscan monastery, and while thus engaged in pious meditation had
become convinced that the Indians of Cuba were being very badly treated,
and had resolved to go to Spain and there to plead their cause before
the King, especially asking for the foundation of schools and colleges
in which the Indian youth could be educated. The astonishment and
delight of Las Casas at hearing this was equalled only by the similar
feelings of Renteria when in turn Las Casas told him the purpose of his
proposed mission to Spain. Hundreds of miles apart, and entirely unknown
to each other, the two friends at precisely the same time had been
cherishing the same noble purposes. It was quickly agreed between them
that Las Casas alone should undertake the mission, that their native
wards should be surrendered at once to Velasquez, and that their land
and other property should be sold, if necessary, to provide Las Casas
with the money needed for his journey. In his departure from Cuba and
his journey to Spain, Las Casas was also greatly assisted by Pedro de
Cordova, the head of the Dominican Order in Hispaniola.

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