THE WARS OF THE SPANIARDS.
1523-1524.
OVIEDO IN SPAIN—HE SECURES THE APPOINTMENT OF PEDRO DE LOS
RIOS AS GOVERNOR OF CASTILLA DEL ORO—PEDRARIAS DETERMINES
TO POSSESS NICARAGUA—HE SENDS THITHER CÓRDOBA, WHO FOUNDS
BRUSÉLAS, GRANADA, AND LEON—AND CARRIES A SHIP ACROSS THE
LAND FROM THE PACIFIC TO LAKE NICARAGUA—HE MAKES A SURVEY OF
THE LAKE—INFORMED OF SPANIARDS LURKING THEREABOUT—DEVELOPMENT
OF THE SPANISH COLONIAL SYSTEM—GIL GONZALEZ ESCAPES WITH
HIS TREASURE TO ESPAÑOLA—DESPATCHES CERECEDA TO SPAIN WITH
INTELLIGENCE OF HIS DISCOVERY—SAILS FROM SANTO DOMINGO TO THE
COAST OF HONDURAS—ARRIVES AT PUERTO CABALLOS—FOUNDS SAN GIL
DE BUENAVISTA—ENCOUNTERS HERNANDO DE SOTO—BATTLE—CRISTÓBAL DE
OLID APPEARS—FOUNDS TRIUNFO DE LA CRUZ.
Scarcely were the fair provinces of the Southern Sea brought under
the yoke of the Spaniards, when the conquerors began contending among
themselves. For it must be confessed that neither their culture nor
their religion prevented them from behaving very much like the wild
beasts and the wild men to whom they regarded themselves superior.
In following these disputes we will now accompany, in a second visit
to Spain, the author and veedor, and withal the maker of governors,
Fernandez de Oviedo, whom we left in July, 1523, fleeing the wrath of
Pedrarias.
At Cuba the veedor was entertained by Diego Velazquez, the governor;
at Española he was invited by Diego Colon to take passage with him for
Seville, where he arrived in November. After presenting himself to the
Council of the Indies, at Búrgos, he went to Vitoria, where the court
was residing. Vested with full power to act for the city of Antigua,
Oviedo set forth the affairs of the colony, entered his complaints
against Pedrarias, and urged the appointment of a new governor. In this
measure he was opposed by the bachiller Corral, whom he had made an
effort to send in chains to Spain, and by Isabel, wife of Pedrarias.
Through their influence he was involved in litigation which lasted
two years; and for his treatment of the bachiller he was fined one
hundred thousand maravedís, which he was obliged to pay. But in the
end the veedor triumphed in displacing Pedrarias, and in securing the
appointment of Pedro de los Rios, of Córdova, as governor of Castilla
del Oro, and of the licenciado Juan de Salmeron as alcalde mayor and
judge of residencia.
The prospect of speedy displacement in office, no less than the success
of Gil Gonzalez at the freshwater sea, determined Pedrarias to secure
a footing in Nicaragua before the arrival of the new governor of
Castilla del Oro. No one knew better than himself that by the customs
of discovery and occupation, which were now fast becoming laws, he
had not the slightest right there, having neither contributed to the
discovery of Gil Gonzalez, nor even sanctioned it. As an act preliminary
to taking possession of this discovery, Pedrarias despatched thither
his lieutenant, Francisco Hernandez de Córdoba—not he who discovered
Yucatan, though of the same name—and captains Gabriel de Rojas,
Francisco Compañon, and Hernando de Soto, who embarked from Panamá in
1524.
[Illustration]
[Sidenote: CÓRDOBA IN NICARAGUA.]
Landing at the gulf of Nicoya Córdoba founded a settlement at Urutina,
on the east side, which he called Brusélas, but which existed only three
years, being dismantled by order of Diego Lopez Salcedo in 1527. Thence
Córdoba proceeded northward thirty leagues, to Nequecheri, on the shore
of Lake Nicaragua, where he founded a city to which he gave the name
Granada, building there a fortress and a church. In the province of
Nagrando[XVI-1] he established another city which he called Leon. While
at Granada Córdoba drew one of his brigantines ashore, and taking it
apart conveyed the pieces overland to Nicaragua Lake. After rebuilding
he made a circuit round the shore of the Freshwater Sea, and discovered
its outlet in the Rio San Juan, though he did not descend the stream,
on account of the rocks and rapids. With this leader had come many
friars and religious men, some of whom were quite expert in performing
miracles, and by this means was excited among the natives a furor for
baptism scarcely inferior to the lively manifestation under the swift
instructions of Captain Gil Gonzalez. Córdoba sent Pedrarias a full
account of his proceedings thus far. He also informed him that a band of
Spaniards was lurking thereabout, though as yet he had not encountered
them, but he had sent Hernando de Soto to learn who they were.
[Sidenote: SPANISH COLONIAL SYSTEM.]
The colonial system of Spain as it unfolded in the New World seemed at
this time to assume the form of a political tripod whose three props
were the subjugator, the sovereign, and the executive vicegerent, each
contributing to the support of the others, though in a manner oppugnant
and contradictory. It was something wholly new in the polities of
nations for royalty thus to delegate so much and so varied power at
such a distance; and royalty was troubled for itself in consequence,
and regarded with jealousy and mistrust such of its servants as it
was obliged to confide in. Ashamed of his suspicions, the sovereign
attempted to cover them by the application of chicane to a system of
balancing, placing one agent to watch another, and counteracting the
power of one deputy by the power of another deputy. The discoverer
on returning from his perilous voyage must wear away the remainder
of his life importuning for the promised recompense; and often he was
compelled to lose beside his services the costs advanced by himself.
The conqueror must be frowned upon in the moment of his triumph, lest
he should forget himself, or rather forget his master. He, without
whose adventurings the monarch's realm could scarcely find enlargement,
must immediately on the attainment of new territory be diverted by the
intrusion of some professional governor, who between law, selfishness,
and despotism usually managed to defeat the aims of both king and
conqueror, and attain his own end in ruin and disgrace. Thus it was on
Española, and thus it is again on Tierra Firme. Had Columbus been less
incompetent as the beginner in this colonization, and as governor; had
he with wise statesmanship founded one New World colony on firm and
liberal principles, the whole Spanish-American colonial system during
the following three centuries might have been something quite different.
Had the monarch found on trial that his deputies were trustworthy, he
would have trusted them. Had he not, they would have compelled him. As
it was they compelled him to treat them as unreliable and unjust, as
indeed they were, that is to say such of them as were competent. While
the monarch was far less blamable than his representatives, while as
a rule he sought with honest and pious purpose the best welfare of his
subjects, civilized and savage, it seemed his fate thus far to keep the
colonies always in a ferment, every man's hand against his neighbor, and
under such poisonous and perverting stimulus, that the vilest elements
attained success, while the noblest were consumed to cinders. Witness
Christopher Columbus and Bartolomé his brother as against Bobadilla
and Ovando; Vasco Nuñez beside Pedrarias; and now Pedrarias and Gil
Gonzalez.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: GIL GONZALEZ AGAIN.]
Upon the return to Panamá in June, 1523, of Andrés Niño and Gil
Gonzalez, from their discovery of Nicaragua, Pedrarias undertook, as
we have seen, at once to secure for himself every benefit of their
adventure. And this without a shadow of right or reason. The pilot
and the contador had acted under authority direct from the king; they
had imperilled their lives and had exhausted their private fortunes;
while the governor had not only contributed nothing, but actually
disobeyed the king in refusing to deliver the ships of Vasco Nuñez, and
in withholding men and means for the expedition. A grand achievement
had been consummated by a handful of men, poorly equipped and in small
unseaworthy vessels, whose consequent sufferings were in a measure
caused by the inherent wickedness of the governor, now the first of all
to clutch at the gold. He would have the honor of paying the king's
fifth into the royal treasury, for he could make it advantageous for
himself.
Gil Gonzalez would cheerfully have turned over the treasure to
the king's officers, for his blood was up, and he wished to return
immediately and chastise the impudent caciques, Diriangen and Nicaragua.
But, when under his letters patent he demanded aid for that purpose, the
governor promised it only on condition that he went as his lieutenant,
and that the war should be conducted in his name. This the contador
refused to do. Pedrarias then said that he would undertake the further
pacification of Nicaragua on his own account, and plant a colony,
perhaps, at the gulf of Fonseca; that a southern expedition which he
had planned would be directed north, in view of the superior attractions
appearing in the reports of the late discoveries. Upon this Gil Gonzalez
determined to hasten from Panamá with the king's gold, which had been
melted down by the assayer, and lay the matter before the audiencia at
Santo Domingo, thence going to Spain if necessary.
There was a caravel lying at Nombre de Dios, which Gil Gonzalez
purchased for one thousand castellanos, and stealing from Panamá he
escaped with the gold, and set sail for Española just as Pedrarias in
hot pursuit appeared upon the shore with a requisition and order of
arrest.
The royal authorities at Santo Domingo listened with favor to their
former contador; on comparing his actions with his instructions
they found that he had acquitted himself creditably. They deemed it
unnecessary for him to go to Spain, and thought he could better serve
the king by continuing his important discovery. He might proceed at
once to the eastern shore of Tierra Firme, and search for the strait
communicating with the Freshwater Sea, or its outlet, which was sure
to exist; or, failing in that, enter the territory, pass over to the
Freshwater Sea by land, found there a colony and build a town. To this
end the audiencia promised to aid him in raising three hundred men and
fifty horses, which, with the ship he had brought from Nombre de Dios,
would give him a fair equipment. Distributing, therefore, the royal
share of the treasure[XVI-2] among five ships lying at Santo Domingo,
according to the royal regulations, Gil Gonzalez despatched by Antonio
de Cereceda, treasurer of the Nicaraguan expedition, the famous letter
which I have so frequently quoted, and a map of the coast from Panamá
to the Gulf of Fonseca, made with great care by the pilots of the
expedition. In this letter, after giving an account of the discovery
and presenting his plans, the writer begs the sovereign that his pay
as captain be made over to his wife at Seville, for the support and
education of his children; that the limits of his discovery may speedily
be defined, and other conquerors and rulers forbidden to intrude; that
letters patent may be granted him with the title of Admiral of the
Freshwater Sea, together with a tenth of the king's revenue within the
territory. Were it not that his majesty might deem it a desire on the
part of the discoverer to call attention to himself he could tell much
more; but this he would say of five things done by him, namely—no other
Spaniard ever before discovered so many leagues on foot with so few men
so poorly equipped; no man ever converted so many souls to Christ in so
short a time; no discoverer as yet had brought so much gold; none had
fought so many Indians without the loss of a man; and, finally, no one
before him had ever returned from a voyage of discovery without having
lost to the adventurers the cost of the outfit. Cereceda and the letter
were graciously received by the emperor, who ordered Gil Gonzalez to
continue his discoveries.
[Illustration]
[Sidenote: ADMIRAL OF THE FRESHWATER SEA.]
But without waiting instructions from Spain Gil Gonzalez had hastened to
occupy what he had discovered, before others should arrive to dispute
possession with him. He sailed from Santo Domingo in the spring of
1524[XVI-3] for the eastern coast of Nicaragua, intending to cross to
the Freshwater Sea, by way of its outlet, and thereby avoid collision
with the governor at Panamá; but he steered too far to the right, and
struck the continent on the north side of Honduras, about twenty leagues
east of Golfo Dulce. Obliged by a storm to throw overboard some horses
to save his ship, he gave the name of Caballos[XVI-4] to the port from
which he had under the circumstances to turn away. From this point he
was driven by the wind westward to Golfo Dulce. Finding himself in a
strange mountainous country, and at a loss whither to proceed, he deemed
it safe in any event to take possession and plant there a colony, and
to this he gave the name San Gil de Buenavista. Leaving there a portion
of his men he coasted eastward, to a point between capes Honduras and
Camarones, and although still far from his destination he disembarked
the troops and marched southward in search of his Freshwater Sea.
Continuing on this course Gil Gonzalez in due time approached the
territory of Nicaragua, but only to encounter Hernando de Soto, sent
by Córdoba to ascertain who were the rival settlers. Gil Gonzalez first
learned of the presence of Córdoba in that quarter while passing through
the valley of Olancho. There was but one way to settle rival claims
under such circumstances, the old brutal way, practised by both savage
and civilized from the beginning, and in vogue to-day among our most
Christian and cultured nations—the weaker must give way to the stronger.
The two companies met at a place called Toreba. The savage method of
warfare was adopted. Just before dawn, as Soto lay wrapped in slumber,
Gil Gonzalez, with a portion only of his command, crept into the enemy's
camp, and raising the war-cry, "San Gil! kill the traitors!" began
a furious onslaught upon his countrymen. Soto commanded the superior
force, and although taken at a disadvantage he was soon disputing for
the victory with every prospect of success. The engagement lasted some
time, and several Spaniards on both sides were killed. At length Gil
Gonzalez, fearing defeat, cried out, "Peace! peace, Señor capitan,
in the emperor's name!" And although Soto was urged by his associates
to follow up the advantage, he ceased hostilities and prepared for an
amicable adjustment of differences.
Thus matters remained for several days. But Gil Gonzalez had no
intention of abandoning the field, as his actions and words implied. He
only wished to gain time and bring up the remainder of his force. This
effected, he again suddenly sprang upon the enemy, and after a short
but severe engagement drove him from the field, securing his treasure,
to the value of one hundred and thirty thousand castellanos.[XVI-5]
Satisfied with this success, and unprepared to meet a superior force
under Córdoba, Gil Gonzalez disarmed the enemy, and retired to Puerto
Caballos, where he was informed that a fleet had arrived from Mexico in
command of Cristóbal de Olid, one of the captains of Hernan Cortés.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: HONDURAS AND NICARAGUA.]
After the defeat of Soto, Córdoba took measures to strengthen his
position at Leon, building there a strong fortress. Cristóbal de Olid,
of whom I shall speak presently, founded a settlement on the north
coast of Honduras, fourteen leagues east of Puerto Caballos, to which
he gave the name of Triunfo de la Cruz.[XVI-6] Thus for the territory
now embraced within the boundaries of Nicaragua and Honduras, there
appeared three claimants—Gil Gonzalez, who, under the auspices of the
crown, claimed for himself as the discoverer; Francisco Hernandez de
Córdoba, who claimed for Pedrarias; and Cristóbal de Olid, who claimed
for Cortés and himself.