How did Columbus encourage the natives to find gold.....?

Question

And what was the punishment if they did not?

Answer 1

Fossa climbs trees has nailed it. There was little or no gold in the West Indies. The gold was in Central and South America. Also, it was easy for the Spanish to get the gold from the native populations they conquered. The Aztecs and Incas were already mining the gold. all the Spanish had to do was topple the native rulers and basically, enslave the native population.

Answer 2

I think you should be asking this about Cortes, or Pizarro.  Columbus made first contact, founded the short-lived colony of Isabela (On Hispaniola), in the late 15th century; then left.  He was an explorer, had very little to do with the actual running of the Spanish empire.

Answer 3

When Columbus got financing from Spain he demanded to rule the lands he set foot on.  And promised 10% profits to the Spanish Crown.

Columbus forced them to bring him gold.  And if they could not he had his sailors cut off their (the Indians) hands so they could bleed to death.

How he did it.  He became God. They did it because they eared him and the punishment.