Italian - Explorer | October 31, 1451 - May 20, 1506
The Indians on board said that thence to Cuba was a voyage in their canoes of a day and a half; these being small dug-outs without a sail. Such are their canoes. I departed thence for Cuba, for by the signs the Indians made of its greatness, and of its gold and pearls, I thought that it must be Cipango.
Christopher Columbus
DayGreatnessSailGoldSmallSaid
I have come to believe that this is a mighty continent which was hitherto unknown.
BelieveUnknownMightyComeWhich
I believe that there are many herbs and many trees that are worth much in Europe for dyes and for medicines; but I do not know, and this causes me great sorrow. Arriving at this cape, I found the smell of the trees and flowers so delicious that it seemed the pleasantest thing in the world.
GreatFlowersMeWorldBelieveKnow
These people are very unskilled in arms... with 50 men they could all be subjected and made to do all that one wished.
MenPeopleArmsMadeVeryCould
For this purpose I determined to keep an account of the voyage, and to write down punctually every thing we performed or saw from day to day, as will hereafter appear.
DayPurposeDownWillWriteSaw
Tomorrow morning before we depart, I intend to land and see what can be found in the neighborhood.
MorningTomorrowLandSeeFound
Each day we understand better what the Indians say, and they us, so that very often we are intelligible to each other.
DayBetterSayUnderstandUsVery
Sailed this day nineteen leagues, and determined to count less than the true number, that the crew might not be dismayed if the voyage should prove long.
DayLongTrueProveCountVoyage
I found that part of it towards San Salvador extending from north to south five leagues, and the other side which we coasted along, ran from east to west more than ten leagues.
MoreSideWestAlongFiveFound
After having dispatched a meal, I went ashore, and found no habitation save a single house, and that without an occupant; we had no doubt that the people had fled in terror at our approach, as the house was completely furnished.
PeopleDoubtHouseSingleMealSave
I propose to construct a new chart for navigating, on which I shall delineate all the sea and lands of the Ocean in their proper positions under their bearings; and further, I propose to prepare a book, and to put down all as it were in a picture, by latitude from the equator, and western longitude.
SeaOceanBookPictureDownNew
I saw a boy of the crew purchasing javelins of them with bits of platters and broken glass.
BrokenGlassBoySawCrewThem
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