But when these ships arrived in Spain the tidings they brought and the other letters sent by them only made matters worse.  People in Spain had heard so many queer things from across the sea that they were beginning to lose faith in Columbus.  The men who had lost health and money in the unlucky second voyage of the Admiral were now lazy loafers about the docks, or they hung about the court and told how Columbus had made beggars of them, while they hooted after and insulted the two sons of Columbus who were pages in the queen’s train.  They called the boys the sons of “the Admiral of Mosquitoland.”

Then came the ships with news of Roldan’s rebellion, but with little or no gold.  And people said this was a fine viceroy who couldn’t keep order among his own men because, no doubt, he was too busy hiding away for his own use the gold and pearls they knew he must have found in the river of Paradise he said he had discovered.

Then came five shiploads of Indian slaves, sent to Spain by Columbus, and along with them came the story that Columbus had forgiven Roldan for his rebellion and given him lands and office in Hayti.

King Ferdinand had never really liked Columbus and had always been sorry that he had given him so much power and so large a share in the profits.  The queen, too, began to think that while Columbus was a good sailor, he was a very poor governor.  But when she heard of the shiploads of slaves he had sent, and found out that among the poor creatures were the daughters of some of the chiefs, or caciques, of the Indians, she was very angry, and asked how “her viceroy” dared to use “her vassals” so without letting her know about it.  Things were indeed beginning to look bad for Columbus.  The king and queen had promised that only members of the Admiral’s family should be sent to govern the island; they had promised that no one but himself should have the right to trade in the new lands.  But now they began to go back on their promises.  If Columbus cannot find us gold and spices, they said, other men can.  So they gave permission to other captains to explore and trade in the western lands.  And as the complaints against the Admiral kept coming they began to talk of sending over some one else to govern the islands.

More letters came from Columbus asking the king and queen to let him keep up his slave-trade, and to send out some one to act as a judge of his quarrel with Roldan.  Then the king and queen decided that something must be done at once.  The queen ordered the return of the slaves Columbus had sent over, and the king told one of his officers named Bobadilla to go over to Hayti and set things straight.  And he sent a letter by him commanding Columbus to talk with him, to give up all the forts and arms in the colony and to obey Bobadilla in all things.

Bobadilla sailed at once.  But before he got across the sea matters, as we know, had been straightened out by the Admiral; and when Bobadilla reached Hayti he found everything quiet there.  Columbus had made friends with Roldan (or made believe that he had), and had got things into good running order again.