Today, we celebrate 530th anniversary of the sighting of land by a sailor on one of the three ships in the first voyage of Christopher Columbus to the New World.
Excerpts from Christopher Columbus‘ Log, 1492 A.D.
IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
Whereas, Most Christian, High, Excellent, and Powerful Princes, King and Queen of Spain and of the Islands of the Sea, our Sovereigns, this present year 1492…
Thursday, 11 October.
“as the Pinta was the swiftest sailer, and kept ahead of the Admiral, she discovered land and made the signals which had been ordered. The land was first seen by a sailor…”
“the Admiral directed them to keep a strict watch upon the forecastle and look out diligently for land, and to him who should first discover it he promised a silken jacket, besides the reward which the King and Queen had offered, which was an annuity of ten thousand maravedis. At two o’clock in the morning the land was discovered, at two leagues’ distance;”
Read more at http://www.franciscan-archive.org/columbus/opera/excerpts.html.
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