have eventually joined up with the one Morison had 

 picked by way of Long and Crooked islands. 



Ed and I have since prepared a thorough exposition 

 of our investigations, in which we have attempted to pre- 

 sent the arguments both for and against all three theories, 

 so I will not go into the details of the days of search which 

 followed our visit to Samana.* 



Briefly, we headed south from Samana toward Acklin, 

 anchoring overnight at Crooked island, close to Bird Rock 

 hght. After inspecting the western side of Crooked island 

 the next morning, we sailed north along the coast of Long 

 island to Clarencetown harbor, just a few miles north of 

 the rocky cape that stands out prominently halfway down 

 the lower section of Long island. 



Two days later we headed for Rum cay, Morison's 

 Santa Maria de la Concepcion, and in the late afternoon 

 dropped anchor in the lee of Watling island. This was the 

 island which tradition said was the place of Columbus's 

 first landfall. Necessarily it was the last to be visited, as it 

 was farthest north on our homeward route. Until we had 

 made a careful comparison of its quahfications with those 

 of the Caicos archipelago, it was impossible to draw any 

 conclusions. 



Our anchorage close by the small settlement of 

 Cockbumtown was an open harbor formed by an indenta- 

 tion in the shore line. From the chart it appeared to be 

 the only section of the entire island with even partial 

 protection and approaches free from coral heads. We were 

 boarded soon after our arrival, first by the commissioner 

 of the island, and later by a young naval lieutenant and 

 his bride. From them we learned that a U.S. guided- 

 missile base was being established on Watling. 



* A New Theory on Columbus's Voyage Through the Bahamas. 

 Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Vol. 135, No. 4, published by the 

 Smithsonian Institution, Washington, Jan. 20, 1958, Publication 4306. 



318 Sea Diver 



