their pardon from the admiral, as he had always been friendly to the Spaniards.  “As soon as they arrived, the admiral ordered their heads to be cut off in the market-place, a crier proclaiming the offences for which they were to suffer this condign punishment; but for the sake of the friendly cacique he forgave them[1].”  About this time a horseman came to Isabella from the fort, who reported that the inhabitants of the town belonging to the cacique who was their prisoner had beset five Spaniards with intention to put them to death; but that he and his horse had rescued them from above 400 of the natives, who all fled before him out of fear for his horse, and that he had wounded several of them with his lance.

Having pacified the threatened commotions to all appearance for the present, the admiral determined to prosecute his maritime discoveries as he had been directed by their Catholic majesties, and because his disposition was averse from idleness, and much inclined to explore the country which he had discovered.  For the better government of the colony during his absence, he appointed a council, of which his brother Don James Columbus was constituted president; the other members were, Friar Boyle, Peter Fernandez Coronel, the chief alguazil or judge, Alonso Sanchez de Carvajal, and John de Luxon.  Don Peter Margarite was ordered to continue marching up and down the country with the military force, being above 400 men; and the admiral left such instructions for the good management of the colony in his absence as he deemed convenient and necessary.

[1] The words marked with inverted commas, however equivocal in their
    meaning, are expressed so in Churchill’s Collection, from which this
    article is adopted.  The meaning of Herrera probably is, “That having
    ordered the nature of their crime, and the sentence which it merited
    to be proclaimed, he pardoned them at the desire of the friendly
    cacique.”—­E.

SECTION XIII.

Columbus proceeds to explore the Coast of Cuba, discovers the Island of Jamaica, and returns to Isabella in Hispaniola.

Leaving two vessels in the harbour of Isabella to serve the colony in any case of emergency, the admiral set sail on Thursday the 24th of April 1494, with one large ship and two caravels.  Taking his course to the westwards, he proceeded to Monte Christo and the harbour of Nativity, where he inquired for Guacanagari, who happened to be absent; and although his people said he would be soon back, the admiral was unwilling to delay his voyage.  He then advanced to the isle of Tortuga, but was forced back by contrary winds, and came to anchor in a river which he named Guadalquivir.  On the 29th of April he reached Port St Nicholas, whence he discovered the eastern point of the island of Cuba, called Bayatiquiri by the natives, but which he named Cape Alpha and