In middle August we turned northward from our New
Land, and a fortnight later we came to San Domingo, that
Christopherus Columbus had never seen, though to us in
Hispaniola it was an old town, having been builded above
two years.
The Viceroy and the Adelantado clasped hands, embraced;
tears ran down their bronzed cheeks.
Not later than a day after our anchoring, the ships being
unladed, all San Domingo coming and going, trumpets blew
and gathered all to our open place before the Viceroy's
house. Proclamation--Viceregal Proclamation! First,
thanks to God for safe return, and second, hearty approval
of the Adelantado, all his Acts and Measures.
There were two parties in San Domingo, and one now
echoed in a shout approval of the Adelantado, and the other
made here a dead silence, and here a counter-murmur. I
heard a man say, "Fool praises fool! Villain brother upholding
villain brother!"
Now I do not think the Adelantado's every act was wise,
nor the Viceroy's either, for that matter. But they were
far, far, those brothers, from fool and villain!
The Proclamation arrived at long thunders against Francisco
Roldan his sedition. Here again the place divided as
before. Roldan, I had it from Luis Torres, was in Xaragua,
safe and arrogant, harking on Indian war, undermining
everywhere. Our line of forts held for the Adelantado,
but the two or three hundred Spaniards left in Isabella
were openly Roldan's men.
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