266
VOYAGES
A N D DISCOVERIES OF
being appointed to its government by Ovando, and of bringing it peaceably into subjection.
After remaining some time on the
island, he returned to San Domingo to seek the desired appoint足 ment, but to his surprise, found the whole face of affairs had changed during his absence.
P
His patron, the governor Ovando, had been recalled to Spain, and Don Diego Columbus, son of the renowned discoverer, ap足 pointed in his place to the command of San Domingo.
T o add
to the perplexities of Juan Ponce, a cavalier had already arrived from Spain, empowered by the king to form a settlement and build a fortress on the island of Porto Eico.
His name was
Christoval de Sotomayor ; he was brother to the Count of Camina, and had been secretary to Philip I, surnamed the Hand足 some, king of Castile and father of Charles V . Don Diego Columbus was highly displeased with the act of the king in granting these powers to Sotomayor, as it had been done without his knowledge and consent, and of course in disre足 gard of his prerogative, as viceroy, to be consulted as to all appointments made within his jurisdiction.
He refused, therefore,
to put Sotomayor in possession of the island.
He paid as little
respect to the claims of Juan Ponce de Leon, whom he regarded with an ungracious eye as a favorite of his predecessor Ovando. To settle the matter effectually, he exerted what he considered his official and hereditary privilege, and chose officers to suit himself, appointing one Juan Ceron to the government of Porto Rico, and Miguel Diaz to serve as his lieutenant.* * If the reader has perused the history of Columbus, he may remember the romantic adventure of this Miguel Diaz with a female cacique, which led to the discovery of the gold mines of Hayna, and the founding of the city of San Domingo.