Fogedo’s cruelty and destruction.
Famine.
Strange accident.
Ancisus escapes great danger.
Colmenares Expedition.
His strange reception.
Here Fogeda set upon a poor Village near the Sea-side, where without mercy he put them all to the Sword, except a few Youths which were onely saved, that they might inform Fogeda, what was become of the slain and taken Spaniards; Who told him, that according to their Custom, they had Roasted the dead, and also their living Prisoners, and feasted on their Flesh. Here having burnt the Houses, and sifting the Ashes, Nicuesa found some Gold. But now they began to be distress’d for Provisions; for prevention of which, Nicuesa had given order to Ancisus, Marshal in Hispaniola, that he should follow with a Ship of Victual, for the Army to Codega. But he being kept back by inconveniencies, most of the Spaniards were famish’d, so that the three hundred Men which Codega brought from Hispaniola, were reduced to sixty. And he was already under-Sail to Hispaniola, when Ancisus Anchor’d in the Haven of Codegoos, and sent some Men ashore to mend his Boat, and fetch fresh Water, which whilst they were doing, the Natives came flocking about them: Three days they fac’d one another, using no Hostility, when at last a Spaniard that understood the Codegan Tongue, adventuring to fetch Water, he was immediately encompassed; when speaking to them, and informing them in their own Language, That he was none of Fogedas or Nicuesas People, which not long since had committed so great slaughter, they left him, and the rather, because he told them, that Ancisus would take revenge on them, if they did any wrong to him. Thus quieted, they brought all sorts of Provisions Aboard. Mean while, Ancisus Sail’d to the Main Continent Uraba, where in the Mouth of a Haven he ran his Vessel aground, which was bilg’d; the Sea-men taking some Arms along with them, sav’d their lives by swimming ashore; where, their first sustenance they found was store of Peaches and Cherries, which was a great refreshment in those hot Countreys, but yet had undoubtedly been starv’d, but that in searching the Wood for Fruits, they found Wild-Swine, which preserv’d their lives; yet they were not free from apparent danger, having to deal with a Salvage People, into whose hands they were so unfortunately cast by Shipwrack; however Ancisus set a good face on the business, marching with a hundred Men up into the Countrey, where some of the Urabanners from an ambuscade unawares, with their Arrows wounded several of his Men, hereupon they retreated to the Shore of the River Daria, whither also they had brought the small Boats, sav’d from the Wreck; where whilst they were in consultation how to return to Hispaniola, the Inhabitants having muster’d themselves, and making a Body of five hundred Men, set upon them, who after a sharp Conflict, made them retreat, and at last to flie, whom Ancisus pursuing, found in a Thicket of Canes or Reeds a great Treasure of Gold. Mean while, Nicuesa Sail’d to the plentiful Golden Countrey Veragua with three Ships, of which he lost two, the one Commanded by Lupus de Olana, and the other by Peter Umbria Olana, which was stranded in the River Veragua, which gives name to the whole Island, but he built a new Carvil, whereas that of Lupus Olana was bilg’d among the Rocks. Little better success had Nicuesa, whose Ship over-turning with a Tempest, he with a few of his Men made land upon Veragua, where he rang’d up and down in a miserable condition, on a barren, and in a manner desolate Shore seventy days: All that time, finding no other Food than Wild Roots, who wandring up and down, at last met with Olana, a little before cast away on the same Isle, whom he secur’d, because he presum’d to usurp the Title, and be prime Commander of that Countrey. Upon which, the Spaniards being divided, some for Ancisus, some for Olana, the difference more and more encreasing, would not be reconcil’d, till the Famine over-powering, master’d both, so that not being able to handle their Arms, the Salvages flew them at their pleasure, by this means in a short time, of seven hundred eighty five, remain’d scarce ninety; yet did not all this misery work any thing upon the ambitious humor of Vasques Nunnez, who rebelling against Ancisus, split that small remainder of Men, and with the help of those he had drawn over to his Party, made himself Governor of Uraba, not possible to be long enjoy’d without speedy supply, which soon after they receiv’d; for Colmenares Sailing from Hispaniola with Provisions, arriv’d there the 15. of October, Anno 1510. having been toss’d twenty three days at Sea; then making into the River Gaira, to furnish himself with fresh Water, he lost forty seven Men; for whilst they were filling their Casks, seven hundred of the Salvages came down upon them, and with their Poyson’d Arrows wounded and kill’d most of them. Colmenares came in a good time to the remainder under Ancisus Command, being in danger of death for want of Provisions, and finding the factions that were among them about Superiority, he thought it fit, consulting with some of the chiefest of them, to find out Nicuesa, who was indeed the Governor that had the Grant from the King: This agreed, Colmenares went to search, and at last lighted upon him, building a Fortress against the assaults of the Enemies on the Promontory. Mormor, he was glad to find him, but griev’d to see the misery and hardship they endur’d, most of his Men being kill’d, partly by the excessive Heats, partly by Famine, and partly by the cruelty of the Natives, so that he had onely sixty remaining, and those many of them also sick and weak.
Colmenares having deliver’d his Message, Nicuesa broke up his Quarters, and sleighting the Fort, went with him, but both himself and his Men were oppos’d from Landing by Nunnez; wherefore Nicuesa was necessitated to Steer for Hispaniola; whom, or what became of him was never known.
Nunnez having thus quitted himself of Nicuesa, and now, more than ever, wanting Provision, he resolv’d to take out his own Commission at large, and setting up for himself, make no discrimination of Persons, Spaniards, or Natives, but to make out his Fortune.
And first, he fell upon Careta King of Coita, whom he took Prisoner, Plundering him of all his Treasure and Provisions; yet this sufficed not long, for soon after, King Poncha invading Careta, Nunnez took hold of that opportunity, and pretending to assist Careta, being well recruited with his Forces, set upon Poncha, who immediately fled, and left all to the spoil of his Enemies.