NO. I COLUMBUS S LANDFALL WOLPER 3 



Each has had his turn in attempting to identify the San Salvador of 

 Christopher Columbus. Theories formed from the mistakes in car- 

 tographers' charts and maps have caused confusion 1 ; some theorists, 

 charging that Columbus was highly imaginative and his descriptions 

 inaccurate,- have suggested tracts that could not he followed in 

 Columbus's Log; these do not present sufficient evidence for con- 

 sideration in this study. Theories not based on actual investigation 

 cannot adduce arguments logical to the discussion. Mathematically, to 

 see a light under ordinary conditions, from the distance Columbus 



1 The demand for maps brought a map-trade to the markets ; surveys were too 

 expensive because of changes; and in the 18th century plates were sold, touched 

 up, and maps made from them sold as new maps (Skelton, 1952, vol. 3, p. 74). 



It is important to rely mostly on the records and maps of those who have 

 either visited these parts or received word first hand. 



1492. Columbus was the first to mention Guanahani, the first island seen. 



1513. Ponce de Leon mentions the Caycos, Guanahani, and Guanima — places 

 visited by him. He did not know about Guanima until he had passed it on his 

 way to find Bimini ; it was on his return that he mentioned this island. Guanima 

 cannot be confused with Guanahani as the writings and drawings of White show. 



1587. John White made a voyage to Virginia in 1587 and on July 6th he 

 recorded that the island of Caycos was one of the Turks Island group. The 

 chart he drew of islands was copied and engraved by Theodore de Bry (1624) 

 showing three separate islands of Guanima, Guanahani, and Caycos. 



De Bry, who had also made engravings for the writings of Las Casas, must 

 have read that Las Casas described Guanahani as Triango, and therefore he added 

 the name Triangulo to his chart, which gave it some originality. There are no 

 islands east of Guanahani, but it is likely that the many cays southeast of Guana- 

 hani were called Triango or Triangulo as they are depicted in several maps. 

 This island has many cays, southeast and north of the island, which could have 

 been the reason for it to have been called "Lucayo," which Morison translates as 

 "dwellers of Cays." 



1635. Blaeu copied De Bry's chart and in his chart #92 he places "Guana- 

 hani O' S.Salvador" where Guanima should be and makes it the shape of Guan- 

 ima ; this confused Washington Irving, whose mistake remains a controversial 

 issue, when he called Guanima "Cat Island — San Salvador." (In maps 1700 and 

 1747 Guanima was first called Catt, perhaps after a Catt family or because it was 

 confused with other islands such as Blaeu's Los Cata meaning Little Cat, etc. 

 There are more explanations, but this can become more confusing. 



In Blaeu's same Atlas of 1635, in chart #91, Guanimo is where it should be 

 and Trianga is where Guanahani should be, which is called Triangulo in the 

 chart #92. The shape of Guanimo in chart #91 is the same Guanima as the one 

 drawn by John White on page 186 of Lorant, 1946. 



- "It is impossible to see Mayaguana Island from Caicos. We also found it 

 impossible to see from one island to another anywhere on these suggested 

 courses of Columbus, although Columbus frequently notes seeing the island 

 ahead" (Link and Link, 1958, p. 10). (Columbus described the second island 

 7 leagues from San Salvador; the Links' (1958) choice of the second island 

 was 165 miles from Caicos.) 



