LITMIR.BIZ

      A drawing of Christopher Columbus, his men, and the natives on Hispaniola, 1492 (Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida)

      Whatever it was, they felt they should claim the land for Spain. As the men placed the flag of Spain in the sand, eyes were watching from the bushes. The natives, who had lived there for thousands of years, were cautious because neighboring tribes would sometimes come to attack their villages. They looked over the newcomers carefully.

      Columbus and his men seemed to be friendly, and they were certainly different from anyone else who had landed on their island. The natives thought they must have come from the sky! When the strangers offered gifts, the natives welcomed them.

      While the natives looked over the strangers, Columbus was also trying to figure out the natives. They didn’t look like the Chinese whom Marco Polo had described. But still hopeful that he had really reached the East Indies, Columbus noted in his log book that he had met the natives, and they were “Indians.”

      The natives loved the glass beads and other trinkets the visitors had brought. They also gave gifts. Beautifully colored live parrots were presented to the Spaniards. The Indians then allowed the men to look over their island. Columbus named the beautiful island San Salvador, in honor of the Savior of their Catholic faith.

      There were many natives on this island and on other islands nearby. They grew their own vegetables and ate fish from the ocean. They made their own pottery and had their own religion and culture.

      The Spaniards stayed a short time on San Salvador and then sailed to other islands. Again the Indians were friendly. On one island, which Columbus named Hispaniola, his flagship ran aground on a sand bar. Unable to fix the Santa Maria, Columbus had to leave it, along with about forty men, on that island. He told them to start a new settlement, which he named Villa de la Navidad, or Town of the Nativity.

      After making such tremendous discoveries about what was across the Ocean Sea, Columbus was anxious to return to Spain to tell the king and queen about his adventure. Leaving food and supplies for the men who would stay at La Navidad, Columbus assured them that he would return soon with more settlers and supplies. Taking some of the parrots, a small amount of gold, and other gifts from the natives, Columbus found his way back to Spain.

      There was much excitement when Columbus met with the king and queen, and he gladly answered their many questions. They had traveled uncharted seas and found unknown lands. They had made the voyage and returned after more than 200 days to tell about it! It was an amazing accomplishment.

      King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella realized their money had been well spent on what had seemed a crazy idea. No one, not even Columbus, was sure if he had reached the East Indies, but right now they concentrated on what he had found!

      For his bravery, the royal couple gave Christopher Columbus the title of Viceroy and Admiral of the Ocean Sea. He would also be called Don (or Sir) Christopher Columbus. And his eldest son would inherit those titles after his death.

      The word spread throughout Europe, and young Spanish soldiers who no longer had to fight the Moors were listening. They, too, then dreamed of exploring this unknown world. Perhaps they, too, could find adventure, and perhaps riches, beyond the Ocean Sea.

      One of those young soldiers was Juan Ponce de Leon.