COLUMBIAN HISTORICAL EXPOSITION AT MADRID. 259 



There was a number of pictures of places identified Avith the career 

 of Columbus in Spain, but these were not so new or novel as the large- 

 collection which represented the present appearance of Watling Island, 

 which is believed by the best authorities to have been the landfall of 

 the discoverer. 



All the places in America visited by Columbus can be absolutely 

 identified except his first landfall, called by the natives Guauahani, 

 and by him San Salvador. Each of half a dozen islands in the Bahama 

 group has had its advocates, but the highest authorities favor Watling 

 Island because it answers more closely to the description given 

 by Columbus in his journal. Watling Island lies in latitude 24 

 north. It is about 13 miles long, from G to 7 wide, and has an area of 

 about 60 square miles, nearly half of which is covered by a series of 

 lagoons, connected with each other by narrow passages. Watliug 

 Island is 175 miles from New Providence, the capital of the Bahamas, 

 which can be reached by the New York and -Cuba Line of steamers, and 

 about 75 miles from Fortune Island, where the Atlas Line of steamers 

 from New York touch, but it has no regular transportation facilities, 

 and to reach it one must hire a sailboat at Nassau. 



Although there has been some dispute about the actual landing-place 

 of Columbus on Watling Island, owing to a confused rendering of his 

 journal, yet the majority of writers have agreed that it was on the east 

 coast, in or near the bay known as Greens Harbor, and in a cove at its 

 southern extremity. There is a headland there, whence thebay stretches 

 northwardly some 3 miles, and an excellent place for landing, after the 

 coral reefs have been passed, under the lee of the cliffs. Stopping here 

 a day, Columbus explored the coast in small boats, keeping behind the 

 barrier reefs of coral that lie off the beach and surround the island. 



An important point in favor of Watling as the landfall of Columbus, 

 in comparison with other islands claiming it, is the fact that it has in 

 its center a great lagoon as a distinctive feature. Columbus particu 

 larly states that the first island on which he landed had a large lagoon 

 in its center, ad this description will only apply to Watling and to 

 Crooked Island. 



The only settlement on Watling Island is that of Cockbi*rn Town, 

 at Biding Kock Bay, on the west side of the island. Here is the port 

 of entry, the house of the resident magistrate, a chapel, church, and a 

 few score huts and houses. Hiding Kock has a fine bay, but is exposed 

 to storms at times and is then unsafe. It is supposed that Columbus 

 came around the island around its northern point and then along 

 the west shore as far as this point, whence he took his departure for 

 Kum Cay and Long Island. 



The Baptists are in the majority in Watling Island, and their chief 

 place of worship is at Cockburn Town. Like nearly all the houses of 

 the island, it is built with walls of stone, and covered with a roof of 

 thatch composed of palm leaves. 



