The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-25

when land was sighted, it was 80 degrees
high. The moons rays disclosed the shin
ing sands of the eastern shore of Watling's
Island, with the white caps dashing over a
line OF reefs skirting the coast. In the
morning the memorable landing took place.
The description which Columbus gives of
the island TO which he had come fits Wat
ling'S Island and no other Watling's, of all
the Islands suggested, is the only one with
q lagoon. and Columbus said San Salvador
had "a large lagoon in its middle.' Some
of the other Islands have fresh water ponds,
but water in the lagOons at Wating's Is
brackisn and unfit tor drinking. Ii the
water in the lagpOns had been fresh, it is
reasonable to suppose the Admiral would
have retilled his ship-caSks, after the long
journey from Spain. If he did he
neglected TO make mention thereof in his
journal. though he did mention the natives
bringing him some water as offerings. and a
few days later, while at Fernandina. be tells
of the great labor with which the casks were
filed from wells.
Without doubt Columbus was on the
eastern side of the island. for he wanted to
go TO the southwest in search of gold, and
speaks of rounding the island to the south"
for that purpose, an expression which he
would not have used had lie been on the
western or southern shore.
Sunday morning the Admiral took his
boats and rowed along the shore in north
nOrthea ,terly direction, ito see the other
sue. ne SPEAKS OIL TIC DeODl9 VINO came
running TO him from the Villages, reckoning
to him to land. which he did not do. ION ac-
count of the reefs, which wholly surround
this island" Though in the accompany ing
map of Watiing's the engraver has run the
course of Columbus through the reefs, as a
matter Of fact he must have rowed outside
of them in north-northeasterly direction,
as he said. The Herald expedition repeat
edly rowed and sailed through these reefs in
boats manned by natives, and Columbus
would not have trusted his precious craft in
those treacherous and intricate passages.
So Columbus r0wed on some three or four
miles, but still within sight Of his caravels
till he came to a remarkable headland, "a
piece OF land like an island, though 1t is not
one, yet could easily be made an island"
He thought this fine place for fort, mas
much as beside it lay harbor, ample for
all the vessels of Christendom, with some
rocks in 1t, and the water in it as still as in
well, though the entrance is very mar
row." just such harbor as this
lies between Cat Point and Mans Head
Cay, and at the southern end of the
Cay Is the barrow entrance of which
Columbus spoke. The western side of the
harbor Is 'piees of land like an island.
though not one, long, low headland run
ming out into the sea some 500 yards, and
about midway its length cut through it.
where the waves aud the tides have worn
away an opening. When the tide is high
boats may be rowed through the cut !;
when it is low one may walk across the
channel with dry feet. No better descrip-
ton in brief could be written Of this neck of
land and adjacent harbor than that which
Columbus himself penned 1893 years ago.
In every particular, important and unim-
portant, WatlDg's meets the requirements
OF the journal, and 1t is the only island
which does meet them. On this alone the
identity Of Watling's with San Salvador
could be considered fairly established, even
did its geographical position but imperfectly
fit the description of the remainder of the
first voyage. The fact is. however that the