The men who had lost health and money in the unlucky second voyage of the Admiral were now lazy loafers about the docks, or they hung about the court and told how Columbus had made beggars of them, while they hooted after and insulted the two sons of Columbus who were pages in the queen's train.

They called the boys the sons of "the Admiral of Mosquitoland." Then came the ships with news of Roldan's rebellion, but with little or no gold.

And people said this was a fine viceroy who couldn't keep order among his own men because, no doubt, he was too busy hiding away for his own use the gold and pearls they knew he must have found in the river of Paradise he said he had discovered.
Then came five shiploads of Indian slaves, sent to Spain by Columbus, and along with them came the story that Columbus had forgiven Roldan for his rebellion and given him lands and office in Hayti.
King Ferdinand had never really liked Columbus and had always been sorry that he had given him so much power and so large a share in the profits.
The queen, too, began to think that while Columbus was a good sailor, he was a very poor governor.

But when she heard of the shiploads of slaves he had sent, and found out that among the poor creatures were the daughters of some of the chiefs, or caciques, of the Indians, she was very angry, and asked how "her viceroy" dared to use "her vassals" so without letting her know about it.

Things were indeed beginning to look bad for Columbus.