CHAP.
II.]
CHRISTOPHER
COLUMBUS.
353
The mob shouted assent, for Bobadilla was already the idol of the multitude. About the hour of vespers, he set out at the head of this motley army, to storm a fortress destitute of a garri son, and formidable only in name, being calculated to withstand only a naked and slightly-armed people. The accounts of this transaction have something in them bordering on the ludicrous, and give it the air of absurd rhodomontade. Bobadilla assailed the portal with great impetuosity, the frail bolts and locks of which gave way at the first shock, and allowed him easy admis sion. In the meantime, however, his zealous myrmidons applied ladders to the walls, as if about to carry the place by assault, and to experience a desperate defence. The alcayde, Miguel Diaz, and Don Diego de Alvarado, alone appeared on the battlements ; they had drawn swords, but offered no resistance. Bobadilla en tered the fortress in triumph, and without molestation. The pris oners were found in a chamber in irons. He ordered that they should be brought up to him to the top of the fortress, where, having put a few questions to them, as a matter of form, he gave them in charge to an alguazil named Juan de Espinosa.* Such was the arrogant and precipitate entrance into office of Francisco de Bobadilla. He had reversed the order of his writ ten instructions ; having seized upon the government before he had investigated the conduct of Columbus. He continued his career in the same spirit ; acting as if the case had been pre judged in Spain, and he had been sent out merely to degrade the ad miral from his employments, not to ascertain the manner in which he had fulfilled them. He took up his residence in the house of Columbus, seized upon his arms, gold, plate, jewels, horses, to gether with his letters, and various manuscripts, both public and * Las Casas, ubi sup.
Herrera, ubi sup.