There, According To The Custom Of Those Who Sail From Spain For
The Indies, The Admiral Took In A Fresh
Supply of wood and water, and
ordered the men to wash their linens, staying till the 18th, when we stood
To the westwards and came to Dominica ten leagues distant from Matinino[1].
So continuing our course among the Caribbee islands we came to Santa Cruz,
and on the 24th of June we ran along the south side of the island of St
John[2]; and thence proceeded for St Domingo, where the admiral proposed
to have exchanged one of his ships for another. The vessel he wished to
part with was a bad sailer, and besides could not carry sail without
running its lee gunwale almost under water, and was a great hindrance to
the voyage. His original design was to have gone directly to the coast of
Paria, and to keep along the shore to the westwards till he should
discover the straits, which he concluded must be somewhere about Veragua
or Nombre de Dios. But on account of the fault of that ship he was forced
to repair to St Domingo in hope of exchanging her for a better.
That the commandary Lores[3], who had been sent out by their majesties to
call Bovadilla to account for his mal-administration, might not be
surprised at our unexpected arrival, the admiral sent on the 29th of June,
being then near the port, Peter de Terreros, captain of one of the ships,
with a message to him signifying the necessity there was for exchanging
one of the ships. For which reason, and because he apprehended the
approach of a great storm, he requested permission to secure his squadron
in the harbour; and he advised him not to allow the fleet then preparing
to sail for Spain to quit the port for eight days to come, as it would
otherwise be in great danger. But the governor would not permit the
admiral to come into the harbour; neither did he delay the sailing of the
fleet which was bound for Spain. That fleet consisted of 18 sail, and was
to carry Bovadilla who had imprisoned the admiral and his brothers, and
Francis Roldan with all those who had been in rebellion and done so much
harm; all of whom it pleased God so to infatuate that they would not
listen to the admirals good advice. I am satisfied that the hand of God
was in this; for had they arrived in Spain they would never have been
punished as their crimes deserved, as they enjoyed the protection of the
bishop Fonseca. This impunity was prevented by their setting out from St
Domingo for Spain, as no sooner were they come to the east point of
Hispaniola than there arose a terrible storm; the admiral of the fleet
went to the bottom, and in her perished Bovadilla with most of the rebels,
and so great was the havock among the rest, that only three or four
vessels escaped of the whole eighteen.
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