and five from the Ni?a volunteered to stay behind, under command of Columbus's Cordovan friend Diega de Harana. The Admiral gave them a share of his provisions, most of the trading truck, and the flagship's boat. They were instructed to explore the country with a view to finding a permanent settlement, to trade for gold, and to treat the natives kindly (Morison 81).
The land was fertile, though the gold had the greater appeal for the Spaniards. Several attempts were made to plant colonies along the north coast of Hispaniola in subsequent years, but Spain's first permanent settlement was established on the southern coast at what is now the site of Santo Domingo, a name given the entire island under Spanish sovereignty. One of the appeals was the presence of a population of tractable natives who could be used for labor, and most of the settlers were adventurers more interested in sudden wealth than in the acquisition of land. They developed poor relations with the Taino natives by mistreating them. The Indians had been peaceful until they were subject to continued seizures of their food supplies and the abuse of their women, and they rebelled only to be crushed decisively in 1495 (Haggerty 3-4).
In the early history of Latin America, two forms of agricultural landholdings emerged--the encomienda and the hacienda--and they were distinguished by the manner in which the landholders obtained labor. The encomienda was a grant of the right to receive the tribute of Indians living within a certain boundary, while the hacienda operated through a contract arrangement involving the owner--the haciendado--and Indian laborers. The encomendero was the recipient of the encomienda and was extended privileges to the de facto control of the land designated in the grant. The encomendero was essentially charged by the crown with the responsibility for the support of the Indians and their moral and religious welfare. The monarchy saw the en...