THE
C O M P A N I O N S OF C O L U M B U S
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to him the unfortunate discoverer and his companions.
He re足
ceived him with the utmost kindness, lodged him in his own house, and treated him in all things with the most delicate attention. He was a gentleman who had seen prosperous days, but had fallen into adversity and been buffeted about the world, and had learnt how to respect the feelings of a proud spirit in distress.
Ojeda
had the warm, touchy heart to feel such conduct ; he remained several days with Esquibel in frank communion, and when he sailed for San Domingo they parted the best of friends. And here we cannot but remark, the singular difference in character and conduct of these Spanish adventurers when dealing with each other, or with the unhappy natives.
Nothing could be
more chivalrous, urbane, and charitable ; nothing more pregnant with noble sacrifices of passion and interest, with magnanimous instances of forgiveness of injuries and noble contests of gener足 osity, than the transactions of the discoverers with each other ; but the moment they turned to treat with the Indians, even with brave and high-minded caciques, they were vindictive, blood足 thirsty, and implacable.
The very Juan de Esquibel, who could
requite the recent hostility of Ojeda with such humanity and friendship, was the same, who, under the government of Ovando, laid desolate the province of Higuey in Hispaniola, and inflicted atrocious cruelties upon its inhabitants. When Alonzo de Ojeda set sail for San Domingo, Bernaldino de Talavera and his rabble adherents remained at Jamaica. feared to be brought to account for their piratical
They
exploit in
stealing the Genoese vessel, and that, in consequence of their re足 cent violence to Ojeda, they would find in him an accuser rather than an advocate.
The latter, however, in the opinion of Las
Casas, who knew him well, was not a man to make accusations.
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