Columbus Journal

Name Date
CHAPTER PRIMARY SOURCE fromThe Journal of Christopher

4 Columbus
Section 1 Columbus kept a ships log, or journal, of his historic voyage from Spain to the
Americas. When he returned to Spain in 1493, he presented the journal to King
Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. The version printed here was originally copied by
the missionary Bartolom de Las Casas and refers to Columbus in the third per-
son as admiral unless quoting him directly. As you read, think about the reactions
of Columbus, his crew, and the Taino when they first encountered one another.
was a wonder to see. Afterwards they came swim-

T hursday, October 11th/. . .Two hours after mid-
night land appeared, at a distance of about two
leagues from them. They took in all sail, remaining
ming to the ships boats, where we were, and
brought us parrots and cotton thread in balls, and
with the mainsail, which is the great sail without spears and many other things, and we exchanged
bonnets, and kept jogging, waiting for day, a Friday, for them other things, such as small glass beads and
on which they reached a small island of the Lucayos, hawks bells, which we gave to them. In fact, they
which is called in the language of the Indians took all and gave all, such as they had, with good
Guanahan. Immediately they saw naked people, will, but it seemed to me that they were a people
and the admiral went ashore in the armed boat, very deficient in everything. They all go naked as
and Martin Alonso Pinzn and Vicente Yaez, his their mother bore them, and the women also,
brother, who was captain of the Nin. The admiral although I saw only one very young girl. And all
brought out the royal standard, and the captains those whom I did see were youths, so that I did not
went with two banners of the Green Cross, which see one who was over thirty years of age; they were
the admiral flew on all the ships as a flag with an very well built, with very handsome bodies and very
F [for Ferdinand] and a Y [for Isabella], and over good faces. Their hair is coarse almost like the hairs
each letter their crown, one being on one side of of a horses tail and short; they wear their hair down
the [cross] and the other on the other. When they over their eyebrows, except for a few strands behind,
had landed, they saw very green trees and much which they wear long and never cut. Some of them
water and fruit of various kinds. The admiral called are painted black, and they are the colour of the
the two captains and the others who had landed, people of the Canaries, neither black nor white,
and Rodrigo de Escobedo, secretary of the whole and some of them are painted white and some red
fleet, and Rodrigo Sanchez de Segovia, and said and some in any colour that they find. Some of
that they should bear witness and testimony how them paint their faces, some their whole bodies,
he, before them all, took possession of the island, some only the eyes, and some only the nose. They
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as in fact he did, for the King and Queen, his do not bear arms or know them, for I showed to
Sovereigns, making the declarations which are them swords and they took them by the blade and
required, as is contained more at length in the tes- cut themselves through ignorance. They have no
timonies which were there made in writing. Soon iron. Their spears are certain reeds, without iron,
many people of the island gathered there. What and some of these have a fish tooth at the end,
follows are the actual words of the admiral, in his while others are pointed in various ways. They are
book of his first voyage and discovery of these all generally fairly tall, good looking and well pro-
Indies. portioned. I saw some who bore marks of wounds
I, he says, in order that they might feel great on their bodies, and I made signs to them to ask
amity towards us, because I knew that they were a how this came about, and they indicated to me that
people to be delivered and converted to our holy people came from other islands, which are near,
faith rather by love than by force, gave to some and wished to capture them, and they defended
among them some red caps and some glass beads, themselves. And I believed and still believe that
which they hung round their necks, and many they come here from the mainland to take them for
other things of little value. At this they were greatly slaves. They should be good servants and of quick
pleased and became so entirely our friends that it intelligence, since I see that they very soon say all
The Atlantic World 75

Name The Journal of Christopher Columbus continued
that is said to them, and I believe that they would king who had large vessels of it and possessed
easily be made Christians, for it appeared to me much gold. I endeavoured to make them go there,
that they had no creed. Our Lord willing, at the and afterwards saw that they were not inclined for
time of my departure I will bring back six of them the journey. I resolved to wait until the afternoon
to Your Highnesses, that they may learn to talk. I of the following day, and after that to leave for the
saw no beast of any kind in this island, except par- south-west, for, as many of them indicated to me,
rots. All these are the words of the admiral. they said that there was land to the south and to the
Saturday, October 13th/As soon as day broke, south-west and to the north-west, and that those of
there came to the shore many of these men, all the north-west often came to attack them. So I
youths, as I have said, and all of a good height, very resolved to go to the south-west, to seek the gold
handsome people. Their hair is not curly, but loose and precious stones. This island is fairly large and
and coarse as the hair of a horse; very flat; the trees are very green
all have very broad foreheads and
heads, more so than has any peo- They came to the and there is much water. In the
centre of it, there is a very large
ple that I have seen up to now. ship in boats, which lake; there is no mountain, and all
Their eyes are very lovely and not is so green that it is a pleasure to
small. They are not at all black,
are made of a gaze upon it. The people also are
but the colour of Canarians, and treetrunk like long very gentle and, since they long to
nothing else could be expected, boat and all of one possess something of ours and fear
since this is in one line from east that nothing will be given to them
to west with the island of Hierro in piece. They are very unless they give something, when
the Canaries. Their legs are very wonderfully carved they have nothing, they take what
straight, all alike; they have no bel- they can and immediately throw
lies but very good figures. They . . . and they travel themselves into the water and swim.
came to the ship in boats, which wonderfully fast. But all that they do possess, they
are made of a treetrunk like long give for anything which is given to
boat and all of one piece. They are them, so that they exchange things
very wonderfully carved, considering the country, even for pieces of broken dishes and bits of broken
and large, so that in some forty or forty-five men glass cups. . . .
came. Others are smaller, so that in some only a from Cecil Jane, trans., The Journal of Christopher
solitary man came. They row them with a paddle, Columbus (New York: Bonanza Books, 1989), 2328.
like a bakers peel, and they travel wonderfully fast.
If one capsizes, all at once begin to swim and right
it, baling it out with gourds which they carry with Discussion Questions
them. They brought balls of spun cotton and par- 1. Recognizing Facts and Details What is
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rots and spears and other trifles, which it would be Columbuss main interest on the island? Why is
tedious to write down, and they gave all for any- he interested in that?
thing that was given to them. And I was attentive 2. Making Judgments What impressed you most
and laboured to know if they had gold, and I saw about this excerpt from Columbuss journal?
that some of them wore a small piece hanging from 3. Recognizing Point of View What do you think
a hole which they have in the nose, and from signs is Columbuss attitude toward the Taino? Point
I was able to understand that, going to the south or out passages that reveal his thoughts and feelings
going round the island to the south, there was a about them.
76 Unit 1, Chapter 4

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CHAPTER PRIMARY SOURCE fromThe Journal of Christopher

was a wonder to see. Afterwards they came swim-

The Atlantic World 75

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