From
The Log of Christopher Columbus:
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6.
He started on that day in the morning from the harbour of Gomera and
took his course to go on his voyage: and the Admiral learned from a
caravel which came from the island of Hierro, that three caravels
from Portugal were sailing about there, in order to capture him: it
must have been through the envy felt by the King of Portugal,
because of the Admiral's going to Castile: and he sailed all that
day and night in a calm and in the morning found himself between
Gomera and Tenerife.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7.
He was becalmed all Friday and Saturday until 3 o'clock at night.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8.
On Saturday at 3 o'clock in the night, the north-east wind commenced
to blow, and he took his course and route to the west he had a heavy
head sea, which obstructed his way; and he sailed that day and night
about 9 leagues.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9.
He went 19 leagues that day and resolved to reckon less than he had
gone, so that if the voyage should be a long one, his people would
not be frightened and discouraged. During the night he went 120
miles which are 30 leagues, at the rate of 10 miles an hour. The
sailors steered badly, falling off to the north-east quarter and
even half of the quarter {a la media partida} about which the
Admiral many times reprimanded them.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10.
During that day and night he went 60 leagues, at the rate of 10
miles an hour, which are 2 1/2 leagues: but he computed only 48
leagues, in order not to frighten the people if the voyage should be
lengthy.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11.
That day they sailed on their way, which was to the west, and went
20 leagues and more, and they saw a large piece of a mast belonging
to a ship of 120 tons burden, and they were not able to take it.
That night--about 20 leagues, but he did not count more than 16 for
the said reason.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12.
This day, pursuing his course, they went 33 leagues during the night
and day, computing less for the said reason.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13.
This day and night, going on their way which was to the west, they
went 33 leagues and computed 3 or 4 less. The currents were against
them. On this day at the beginning of the night, the needles
declined to the north-west, and in the morning they declined a
trifle.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14.
During that day and night they sailed on their way to the west and
went 20 leagues: he computed something less. Here the persons on
the caravel Nina said they had seen a jay (garjao) and a ring-tail
(rabo de junco) and these birds never go more than 25 leagues from
land at most.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15.
He sailed that day and night 27 leagues upon his course to the west
and somewhat more, and at the beginning of this night they saw a
marvellous branch of fire fall from the heavens into the sea, 4 or 5
leagues distant from them.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16.
They sailed that day and night on their course to the west: they
went 39 leagues but be computed only 36: there were some clouds that
day and it rained slightly. The Admiral says here, that now and
always from this time forward the air was extremely temperate, and
that it was a great pleasure to enjoy the mornings and that nothing
was lacking except to hear nightingales. He says that the weather
was like April in Andalusia. Here they began to see many tufts of
very green grass, which according to appearance had not long been
detached from the land, on which account every one judged they were
near some island: but not the continental land, according to the
Admiral, who says, "because I make the continental land farther
onward."
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17.
He sailed on his way to the west, and they went 50 leagues and more
during the day and night. He did not register more than 47. The
current helped them. They frequently saw a great deal of grass and
it was grass from rocks, and it came from the west. They judged
that they were near land. The pilots took the position of the North
Star, marking it, and they found that the needles declined to the
north-west a good quarter, and the sailors were afraid and were
troubled, and did not say for what reason. The Admiral knew it and
ordered them to take the position of the North Star again at dawn
and they found that the needles were good. This was because the
star which appears, moves, and the needles do not. At dawn that
Monday they saw much more grass, which appeared to be grass from
rivers, in which they found a live craw-fish which the Admiral kept,
and he says that those were sure indications of land because they
are not found 80 leagues from land. They found the water of the sea
less salt since they left the Canaries, the breezes always milder.
They all became very joyful and the fastest ships went onward in
order to be first to see land. They saw many tunny-fish {toninas}
and the people on the Nina killed one. The Admiral Says here that
those indications came from the west, "where I hope in that exalted
God in whose hands are all victories that land will very soon
appear." This morning he says he saw a white bird which is called
ring-tail {rabo de junco} which is not accustomed to sleep on the
sea.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18.
He sailed that day and night, and they went more than 55 leagues,
but he only noted 48. All these days the sea was very calm, as in
the River of Seville. This day Martin Alonso with the Pinta, which
was a fast sailor, did not wait for the others because he said to
the Admiral from his caravel, that he had seen a great number of
birds go toward the west, and that night he hoped to see land, and
for that reason he was sailing so fast. A large dark cloud appeared
to the north, which is a sign that land is near.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19.
He sailed on his way and during the day and night went 25 leagues,
because it was very calm: he wrote 22 leagues. This day at 10
o'clock a pelican came to the ship and another came in the
afternoon. These birds are not accustomed to go 20 leagues from
land. There were slight rains without wind, which is a certain
indication of land. The Admiral did not wish to delay, beating
about in order to find out if there was land, but he was sure that
toward the north and toward the south there were Some islands, as in
fact there were, and he was going between them: because it was his
desire to go forward toward the Indies and the weather is pleasant;
as, God pleasing, in returning, everything would be Seen. These are
his words...Here the pilots discovered their location. The Nina's
pilot found himself 440 leagues from the Canaries. The Pinta's 420
leagues, and the pilot of the vessel, upon which was the Admiral,
exactly 400.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20.
He sailed this day to the west, quarter north-west and half the
quarter {a la media partida} because the winds changed many times
with the calm they went as much as 7 or 8 leagues. Two pelicans
came to the ship, and afterwards another which was an indication
that land was near: and they saw a great deal of grass, although the
previous day they had not seen any. They took a bird with their
hands which was like a jay: it was a river-bird and not a sea-bird
and had feet like a gull. At dawn two or three small land birds
came singing to the ships: and afterwards disappeared before
sunrise. Afterwards a pelican came from the west-north-west and
went to the south-east, which was an indication that it left land to
the west-north-west, because these birds sleep on land and in the
morning they go to the sea in search of food, and do not go 20
leagues from land.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21.
Most of that day it was calm, and afterwards there was some wind.
They went on their way and during both the day and night did not
make as much as 13 leagues. At dawn they found so much grass that
the sea appeared to be coagulated with it and it came from the west.
They saw a pelican. The sea was very calm like a river and the
breezes the best in the world. They saw a whale which is an
indication that they were near land, because they always remain near
it.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22.
They sailed west-north-west, more or less, inclining to one side and
the other. They went about 30 leagues. They saw almost no grass.
They saw some petrels {pardelas} and another bird. The Admiral says
here: "This contrary wind was very necessary to me, because my
people were becoming very much excited, as they thought that on
those seas no winds blew in order to return to Spain." For a part
of the day there was no grass, afterwards it was very thick.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23.
He sailed to the north-west and at times to the north quarter and at
times on his course, which was to the west, and they went as much as
22 leagues. They saw a turtle dove and a pelican, and another small
river-bird and other white birds. There was a great deal of grass
and they found craw-fish in it, and as the sea was calm and quiet
the people murmured, saying that, since there was not much sea in
that region, the wind would never blow for the return to Spain: but
afterwards the sea rose greatly and without wind, which terrified
them, because of which the Admiral says here: "So that the high sea
was very necessary to me, as it came to pass once before in the time
when the Jews went out of Egypt with Moses, who took them from
captivity."
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24.
He sailed on his course to the west day and night, and they went
about 14 1/2 leagues. He noted 12. A pelican came to the ship and
they saw many petrels.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25.
It was very calm this day and afterwards the wind blew: and they
went on their course to the west until night. The Admiral talked
with Martin Alonso Pinzon, Captain of the other caravel Pinta, in
regard to a chart which he had sent to Martin Alonso on his caravel
three days before, where, as it appears, the Admiral had drawn
certain islands in that sea, and Martin Alonso said that they were
in that region, and the Admiral replied that it appeared so to him:
but since they had not encountered them, it must have been caused by
the currents which had continually forced the ships to the
north-east and because they had not gone as far as the pilots said:
and then having arrived at this conclusion the Admiral told Martin
Alonso to send him the said chart and it being sent by a cord the
Admiral began to mark out places upon it with his pilot and sailors.
At sunset Martin Alonso mounted in the stern of his ship and with
great joy called to the Admiral, begging a reward from him as he saw
land: and when the Admiral heard him affirm this, he says that he
commenced on his knees to give thanks to Our Lord, and Martin Alonso
said Gloria in Excelsis Deo with his people: the Admiral's people
did the same and the people on the Nina all ascended the mast and
rigging: and all affirmed that it was land and it appeared so to the
Admiral, and that it might be 25 leagues away. They all affirmed
until night that it was land. The Admiral ordered that the course,
which was to the west, should be changed and that they should all go
to the south-west, where the land had appeared. That day they went
to the west about 4 1/2 leagues; and during the night 17 leagues to
the south-east which makes 21 leagues; although he told the people
13 leagues, because he always pretended to the people that he was
making little headway, that the journey might not appear long to
them. So that he wrote two courses for that voyage, the shorter was
the false course and the longer the true one. The sea was very calm
for which reason many sailors began to swim. They saw many dorados
and other fish.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26.
He sailed on his course to the west, until after mid-day. Then they
went to the south-west until they learned that what they had said
was land was only the sky. They went 31 leagues during the day and
night and he computed for the people 24. The sea was like a river,
the breezes pleasant and very mild.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27.
He sailed on his course to the west, and went during the day and
night 24 leagues: he told the people 20 leagues: they saw many
dorados, killed one and saw a ring-tail.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBRR 28.
He sailed on his course to the west. They went in a calm, 14
leagues during the day and night. He computed 13. They found
little grass. They took two dorados and more were taken on the
other ships.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29.
He sailed on his course to the west. They went 24 leagues and he
told the people 21. Because of calms which befell them they went
only a short distance during the day and night. They saw a bird
which is called a frigate-pelican which makes the pelicans yield up
what they have eaten in order to eat it himself, and obtains his
sustenance in that manner only. It is a sea-bird but does not rest
on the sea nor go 20 leagues from land. There are many of these
birds on the Cape Verde Islands. Afterwards they saw two pelicans.
The breezes were very pleasing and delightful and he says that only
the song of the nightingale was lacking: and the sea was smooth as a
river. In three times afterwards three pelicans appeared and a
frigate-pelican. They saw a great deal of grass.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30.
He sailed on his course to the west, and went 14 leagues during the
day and night on account of the calms. He counted 11. Four
ring-tails came to the ship, which is a great indication of land,
because so many birds of one kind together is a sign that they are
not astray or lost. They saw four pelicans in two different times
and much grass. Nota: that "the stars which are called the guards
when night falls are near the arm in the west, and at dawn they are
on the line below the arm to the north-east, as it appears that
during all the night they do not go more than three lines, which are
nine hours, and this each night." The Admiral says this here. Also
at nightfall the needles decline to the north-west one quarter, and
at dawn they are exactly in the direction of the North Star: by
which it appears that the North Star moves the same as the other
stars and the needles always indicate the truth.