But this is a mere absurdity of exaggeration.
Undoubtedly, he was frequently pressed for ready money.

He says to his son, in another letter, "I only live by borrowing." Still he had good credit with the Genoese bankers established in Andalusia.

In writing to his son he begs him to economize, but at the same time he acknowledges the receipt of bills of exchange and considerable sums of money.
In the month of December, there is a single transaction in Hispaniola which amounts to five thousand dollars of our money.

We must not, therefore, take literally his statement that he was too poor to pay for a night's lodging.

On the other hand, it is observed in the correspondence that, on the fifteenth of April, 1505, the king ordered that everything which belonged to Columbus on account of his ten per cent should be carried to the royal treasury as a security for certain debts contracted by the Admiral.
The king had also given an order to the royal agent in Hispaniola that everything which he owned there should be sold.