At length, having slowly recovered, his father once more turned his thoughts toward the New World. Young Cortes still burned with the desire to join his kinsman Don Nicolas; and all being made ready accordingly, he left Medellin, and arrived safely at Saint Domingo, in the year 1504. Ovando welcomed him cordially, receiving him like his own son. He at once fixed him in places of distinction and profit, and seemed in every way determined to push his fortunes. Notwithstanding this, Cortes was restless, and in a little time panting for a wider field, where he might earn, as he thought, fame and glory. He was better satisfied when a circumstance occurred, which he thought opened that field. Two Spaniards, Ojeda and Nicuesa, had determined upon an expedition for the purpose of making discoveries and settlements upon the main land of America. Cortes heartily joined them in this enterprise, laboring with diligence to make all things ready. But when, at length, all was ready, his companions departed, leaving him too sick to undertake the voyage. He was now very miserable over this third disappointment, but afterwards, when he learned the result of that expedition, he looked upon the disappointment as a blessing. It was the most unfortunate attempt ever made by the Spaniards in the New World. The poor adventurers suffered sorely by tempests; and when at length they landed, the poisoned arrows of the natives, together with disease and famine, swept off the most of them. A little colony planted upon the Isthmus of Darien, by Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, was all that remained of the enterprise. Yet with all this, he had a thought that had he been among the adventurers, things might have gone better; and his heart was still bent upon discoveries and conquests. Among all the wild schemes of adventure talked of among the settlers at Hispaniola, none were too wild for him: he was ready, in fact, for any daring expedition,--the more daring the better. In 1511, Don Diego Columbus, who had succeeded Ovando as Governor, determined upon the conquest of the island of Cuba, and Cortes resolved to bear his part in it. The Governor selected as the leader of this enterprise Diego Velasquez, a man well known in Hispaniola; and Cortes managed by his ability to be made, with Andres de Duero, joint secretary to Velasquez. In a little time all was ready, and Velasquez departed with a large number of followers. He anticipated a struggle in subduing the natives of the island, and had made preparations for it; but, strange to tell, an island seven hundred miles long, and covered with numerous inhabitants, was brought into subjection almost without an effort. The cacique Hatuey opposed his landing, and afterwards gave him some trouble, but with his three hundred men he was soon master of the island, and established several colonies, the principal one being at St. Jago.