We know from Castellanos that he had some aspirations^
towards poetry, and that he often talked with him about the
" ancient Spanish metres® so fitting to our tongue." Whether
these aspirations were towards active poetry is doubtful;
but if they were, Quesada may be called the first of the great
rh3miing brood that has spread its wings, and soared so
valiantly on the Parnassus of Bogota.
As years went on, Quesada, in his retirement, busied
himself with all affairs relating to the Indians, protect-
ing them on all occasions from ill-treatment by the
colonists.
He was naturally a kind-hearted man, and we know
from the testimony of Piedrahita that his conscience pricked
him sorely in the matter of the death of the last Zipa of
Bogota. A sa3dng of Quesada's, that Piedrahita quotes,
but without telling where he got it from, shows that Quesada
always had his eye upon the conduct of the government
of&cials from his retirement.
Speaking of the Oidor Briceno, an official of the Real
Audiencia, he says, " There was no better minister* to make
laws in favour of the Indians, nor a worse man to execute
them."

Thus did Quesada pass his life, after his return from his
disastrous expedition to the Llanos, striving to make amends

1 " Historia de la Conquista de la Nueva Espafia," Bernal Diaz
del Castillo, cap. cciv., pp. 449-464. (Madrid, 1796.)

2 Tenia infulas de poeta.
3 " Y el porfi6 conmigo muchas veces sobre los metres antiguos
Castellanos, los proprios y adaptados k su lengua": " Elegias de
Varones Ilustres de Indias," Castellanos.
* " No habia Ministro mejor para disponer leyes en favor de los
Indios, ni peer para ejecutarlas": "Historia General de las Con-
quistas del Nuevo Reyno de Granada," Piedrahita.
