Friday, 4 January 1493
At sunrise I weighed anchors in a light wind. I sent the small boat ahead on a course to the NW to get outside of the reef, using a wider channel than the one by which I had entered. This channel and others are very suitable for going to the Villa de la Navidad;* the least depth is 3 fathoms, and it ranges up to 9 fathoms. This channel extends from the NW to the SE along the reefs that extend from Cabo Santo* (Punta Santa) to Cabo de Sierpe,* a distance of more than 18 miles, and that reach out into the sea a good 3 miles* beyond Cabo Santo. Three miles beyond Cabo Santo the water is not more than 8 fathoms deep, and inside the cape to the east there are many shoals and channels to pass through. This entire coast extends NW and SE and is all beach, and the land is very level for a distance of 12 miles inland. After that there are very high mountains, and it is all well populated with large villages and good people, as we have seen.
I sailed to the east toward a very high mountain that looks like an island but is not. It is connected to the land by a low isthmus and is shaped like a very beautiful tent. I named this mountain Monte Cristi* and it is exactly east of Cabo Santo at a distance of about 24 miles. Since there was a very light wind today, I was only able to get within 18 miles of Monte Cristi. I found four very low, small, sandy islets with a reef projecting well out toward the NW and extending to the SE. Inside there is a large gulf that extends to the SE from the mountain a good 60 miles, and that seems to be very shallow and have many shoals. Inside this gulf, along the coast, there are many rivers that are not navigable, although the sailor I had sent with the Indians to look for the Pinta said that he had seen a river where ships could enter.
I anchored here for the night, 4 ½ miles from Monte Cristi* and in 19 fathoms of water, having put out to sea a little in order to avoid the many shoals and banks. Whoever is obliged to go to the Villa de la Navidad must take his bearing from Monte Cristi at a distance of 6 miles on the sea. I am certain that Japan is on this island and there is a great deal of gold and a great quantity of spices, mastic, and rhubarb.
*This is the first mention of the name of the village established by Columbus. Because it was founded on Christmas Day (Navidad means Nativity), its name is most fitting. For a more extensive discussion, see Epilogue.
*Punta Santa, already mentioned in the entry for 23 December
NOTE: (this entry can be found on the Taino ~ Indigenous People of the Caribbean face book page).
*Cape of the Serpent; now known as Pointe Yaquezi.
*The Log again confuses miles and leagues. In point of fact, the reefs are 3 miles offshore at this location.
*Christ Mountain. The name survives in the town of the same name. The Log states that Monte Cristi is 18 leagues (54 NM) from Cabo Santo. Another error: 8 leagues (not 18), or about 24 NM.
6. The Log entry “6 leagues,” again confuses leagues and miles. The correct reading is “6 Columbian miles, or 4 ½ NM.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This photo of Monte Cristi was found on the Internet.
No comments:
Post a Comment