had been unhealthy, and because the disgusting licentiousness of the
settlers had offended the Indians to such an extent that whereas they had
at first regarded the white men as angels from heaven, now they considered
them as debased profligates and disturbers of the peace, against whom they
had to defend their honour and their lives.


COLONY FOUNDED AT ISABELLA.

Sailing along the coast of Hayti, Columbus selected a site for his
projected settlement, about forty miles to the east of the present Cape
Haytien. This he called Isabella, after his royal mistress. Here the ships
of his squadron discharged their stores, and the Spaniards laboured
actively in the construction of the first town built by Europeans in the
New World. But the work did not progress prosperously. Diseases prevailed
among the colonists. The fatigues and discomforts of a long sea voyage
were not the best preparations for hard physical labour. The number of men
which the admiral had brought out with him was disproportionate to his
means of sustaining them. Provisions and medicines began to fail. And,
worst of all, none of the golden dreams were realized, under the influence
of which they had left Spain. Only small samples of the precious metal
could be procured from the natives, and the vaguely indicated gold mines
of Cibao had not been reached. Anxiety, responsibility, and labour began
to tell upon the iron constitution of the admiral, and for some time he
was stretched upon a bed of sickness.


COLUMBUS DESPATCH TO THE COURT OF SPAIN.

Some idea of the difficulties which had to be encountered at this period