Mr. Thiesmeyer’s
English III – American Literature
Home
Syllabus
Literary Terms
Readings &
Assignments Notes
Contact
(From) The Letter of Columbus to
Luis De Sant Angel Regarding His
Discovery
(from) The Letter of
Columbus to Luis De Sant Angel
Announcing His Discovery
- 1493 -
As I know you will be rejoiced at
the glorious success that our Lord has given me in my voyage, I write this to
tell you how in thirty-three days I sailed to the Indies with the fleet that
the illustrious King and Queen, our Sovereigns, gave me, where I discovered a
great many islands, inhabited by numberless people; and of all I have taken
possession for their Highnesses by proclamation and display of the Royal
Standard without opposition. To the first island I discovered I gave the name
of San Salvador, in commemoration of His Divine Majesty, who has wonderfully
granted all this. The Indians call it Guanaham. The
second I named the Island of Santa Maria de Concepcion; the third, Fernandina;
the fourth, Isabella; the fifth, Juana; and thus to each one I gave a new name.
When I came to Juana, I followed the coast of that isle toward the west, and
found it so extensive that I thought it might be the mainland, the province of
Cathay; and as I found no towns nor villages on the sea-coast, except a few
small settlements, where it was impossible to speak to the people, because they
fled at once, I continued the said route, thinking I could not fail to see some
great cities or towns; and finding at the end of many leagues that nothing new
appeared, and that the coast led northward, contrary to my wish, because the
winter had already set in, I decided to make for the south, and as the wind
also was against my proceeding, I determined not to wait there longer, and
turned back to a certain harbor whence I sent two men to find out whether there
was any king or large city. They explored for three days, and found countless
small communities and people, without number, but with no kind of government,
so they returned.
I heard from other Indians I had
already taken that this land was an island, and thus followed the eastern coast
for one hundred and seven leagues, until I came to the end of it. From that
point I saw another isle to the eastward, at eighteen leagues' distance, to
which I gave the name of Hispaniola. I went thither and followed its northern
coast to the east, as I had done in Juana, one hundred and seventy-eight
leagues eastward, as in Juana. This island, like all the others, is most
extensive. It has many ports along the sea-coast excelling any in Christendom —
and many fine, large, flowing rivers. The land there is elevated, with many
mountains and peaks incomparably higher than in the centre
isle. They are most beautiful, of a thousand varied
forms, accessible, and full of trees of endless varieties, so high that they
seem to touch the sky, and I have been told that they never lose their foliage.
I saw them as green and lovely as trees are in Spain in the month of May. Some
of them were covered with blossoms, some with fruit, and some in other
conditions, according to their kind. The nightingale and other small birds of a
thousand kinds were singing in the month of November when I was there. There
were palm trees of six or eight varieties, the graceful peculiarities of each
one of them being worthy of admiration as are the other trees, fruits and
grasses. There are wonderful pine woods, and very extensive ranges of meadow
land. There is honey, and there are many kinds of birds, and a great variety of
fruits. Inland there are numerous mines of metals and innumerable people.
Hispaniola is a marvel. Its hills and mountains, fine plains and open country,
are rich and fertile for planting and for pasturage, and for building towns and
villages. The seaports there are incredibly fine, as also the magnificent
rivers, most of which bear gold. The trees, fruits and grasses differ widely
from those in Juana. There are many spices and vast mines of gold and other
metals in this island. They have no iron, nor steel, nor weapons, nor are they
fit for them, because although they are well-made men of commanding stature,
they appear extraordinarily timid. The only arms they have are sticks of cane,
cut when in seed, with a sharpened stick at the end, and they are afraid to use
these.
Printer friendly
version
Copyright
thiesmeyer.net 2014