Spain; he was thrown into prison and after a few days he was hurried
with his brothers on board a ship and sent to Spain for trial and
punishment. How would it all turn out? Was it not a sad and sorry ending
to his bright dreams of success?



CHAPTER XI. HOW THE ADMIRAL CAME AND WENT AGAIN.

I suppose you think Bobadilla was a very cruel man. He was. But in his
time people were apt to be cruel to one another whenever they had the
power in their own hands. The days in which Columbus lived were not like
these in which we are living. You can never be too thankful for that,
boys and girls. Bobadilla had been told to go over the water and set the
Columbus matters straight. He had been brought up to believe that to set
matters straight you must be harsh and cruel; and so he did as he was
used to seeing other people in power do. Even Queen Isabella did not
hesitate to do some dreadful things to certain people she did not like
when she got them in her power. Cruelty was common in those days. It was
what we call the "spirit of the age." So you must not blame Bobadilla
too much, although we will all agree that it was very hard on Columbus.

So Columbus, as I have told you, sailed back to Spain. But when the
officer who had charge of him and whose name was Villijo, had got out to
sea and out of Bobadilla's sight, he wanted to take the chains off. For
he loved Columbus and it made him feel very sad to see the old Admiral
treated like a convict or a murderer. Let me have these cruel chains
struck off, Your Excellency, he said. No, no, Villijo, Columbus replied.
Let these fetters remain upon me. My king and queen ordered me to submit
and Bobadilla has put me in chains. I will wear these irons until my