did not require the light of
after events to make plain. More was certainly to be hoped from his
presence on the spot, and from the influence he might exercise over
Ocampo, than from anything he could obtain from the Audiencia, whose
members were his bitterest enemies. It was, moreover, impossible for any
counter-orders he might be able to wrest from the reluctant Audiencia, to
reach the Pearl Coast in time to stop the action of Ocampo, and Las Casas
does not even appear to have sought to detain the latter in Puerto Rico,
pending the arrival of further instructions.

After dividing his colonists, who thus became scattered, and lost touch
with him and with one another, Las Casas bought a vessel for five hundred
dollars--an enormous sum at the time--in which he sailed for Hispaniola.
His arrival in Santo Domingo was most unwelcome and revived all the
ancient odium of the colonists against him, for he was without doubt the
best-hated man in America.

He presented his papers to the Governor, and a meeting of some ten
officials, who composed what was termed the Consulta and dealt with local
questions, was convoked to consider his demands. The first of these was,
that the provisions of the royal grant to him should be formally
published, according to custom, with sound of trumpet so that all the
colonists might clearly understand the prohibition for any one to enter
the territory conceded to him, without his permission, and that all
Spaniards were commanded to treat the Indians humanely, and to keep faith
with them in treaties and contracts under severe penalties at the King's
pleasure. Second he demanded that the Consulta should order all Spaniards
to quit the territory of his concession, and should recall Ocampo
forthwith, as the murder of the friars there had been provoked by the
barbarous conduct of Ojeda.

As his previous experience might have taught him, the Consulta listened
with gravity to his demands and permitted the proclamation of his cedulas,
but when it came to taking any action to restrain Ocampo, reasons for
delay were found and the matter dragged on without anything being
accomplished.

It being to the interests of those colonists who were expecting a rich
cargo of slaves to be brought back by Ocampo, from his punitive
expedition, to hinder the departure of Las Casas and, if possible, to
wreck his plans for colonising, divers means were invented to accomplish
this object. A rumour was started that h