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LIFE A N D VOYAGES OF
[BOOK V I I I .
whom Guacanagari had once relieved and succored as a ship足 wrecked stranger, had suddenly become the arbiter of the fate of himself and all his countrymen. The manner in which this peaceful island had been exaspe足 rated and embroiled by the licentious conduct of the Europeans, was a matter of deep concern to Columbus. He saw all his plans of deriving an immediate revenue to the sovereigns completely impeded. To restore the island to tranquillity required skillful management. His forces were but small, and the awe in which the natives had stood of the white men, as supernatural beings, had been in some degree dispelled. He was too ill to take a per足 sonal share in any warlike enterprise : his brother Diego was not of a military character, and Bartholomew was yet a stranger among the Spaniards, and regarded by the leading men with jealousy. Still Columbus considered the threatened combination of the caciques as but imperfectly formed ; he trusted to their want of skill and experience in warfare, and conceived that by prompt measures, by proceeding in detail, punishing some, con足 ciliating others, and uniting force, gentleness, and stratagem, he might succeed in dispelling the threatened storm. His first care was to send a body of armed men to the relief of Fort Magdalena, menaced with destruction by Guatiguana, the eacique of the Grand River, who had massacred the Spaniards quartered in his town. Having relieved the fortress, the troops overran the territory of Guatiguana, killing many of his warriors, and carrying others off captives : the chieftain himself made his escape.* He was tributary to Guarionex, sovereign cacique of the Royal Vega. As this Indian prince reigned over a great and populous extent of country, his friendship was highly important * Herrera, decad. i. lib. ii. cap. 16.