Columbus' Log

(I got most of these logs from the book entitled Christopher Columbus Log,

Please see bibilograpy & I only used about 1/20 of them !)

Friday, 3 August 1492

"We went to sail on this third day of this day of August, 1492, at 8 o'clock in the morning, from the bar of Saltes. The wind is strong and variable, and we had gone 45 miles to the south by sunset. After dark I altered course for the Canary Islands, to the SW and south by west."

Monday, 6 August 1492

"The rudder of the Pinta, in which Martin Alonso Pinzon was traveling, slipped from its socket. I belive this was diliberaterly caused by Gomez Rascon and the owner of the carnaval, Christobal Quintero. Neither of these men wanted to make this voyage, and even before they departed Palos they had at tempted to delay or prenvent the enterprise. All the time they were complaining and concocting excuses for not sailing."

Saturday, 25 August 1492

"I reached Grand Canary this mourning at the hour of nice and had no difficulty locationg Matin and the Pinta. he had not repaired the rudder, a fact that disturbs me somewhat. I am still of the opinion that Gomez Rascon and the Pinta's owner, Cristobal Quintero, are reluctant to make this journey and have done everything possible to delay or even prevent it."

"I learned that Dona Beatriz had sailedfor Gomera on Monday the 20th, and I cannot explain why her ship did not rech Gomera before we departed that island. God must have planned it that way. If I had been still another delay in preparing it for long voyage and it transferring supplies from the Pinta to it."

"I have determined that most efficient action is to make a new rudder for the Pinta. Also, I havge determined that the Nina should be square-rigged as the other ships and have ordered the lateen sails altered. This will enable the Nina to follow the other ships more closely and safely in the belt of the easterlies. These winds blow steadily from the East or NE everyday of the year, and a square-rigged ship has every advantage in these latitudes. We will return from the Indies with the westerly winds, which I have observed firsthand in the winter along the coast of Portugal and Galicia. When I sailed to England with the Portuguese some years ago, I learnded that the westerlies blow year-round in the higher latitudes and are as dependable as the easterlies, but in the oppsite direction."

Sunday, 9 September 1492

"This day we completely lost sight of land, and many of men signed and wept for fear they wouldnot see it againfor a long time. I comforted them with great promises of lands and riches. To sustain their hope and dispel their fears of a long voyage, I decided to reckon fewer leagues than we actually made. I did this that they might not think themselves so great a distance from Spain as they really were. For myself I will keep a onfidential accurate reckoning."

"Tonight I made 90 miles at a speed of 7 1/2 knots. Thr helmsmen steered badly, letting the ship get off course to the west by north and even to the WNW. I reprimanded them several times for this."

Thursday, 13 September 1492

"I sailed 99 miles, but recored 10 less, holding my course to the west by day and by night. The currents are contrary. At sunset the needles of our compasses declined to the NW, and in the mouring they declined to the NE."

Wednesday, 26 September 1492

"After sunrise I realized that what wee all thought was land last evening was nothing more than small clouds, which often resemble land. I returned to my origonal course of the west in the afternoon, once I was positive that what I had seen was snot land. Day and night I sailed 93 miles, but recorded 72. The sea was like a river and the air sweet balmy."

Saturday, 29 September 1492

"I sailed on to the west making 72 miles by day and by night, but told the crew 63 miles. I made littel progress beyween day and night because of calms. This morning I saw a frigat bird which makes turns vomit what it has eaten and then catches it in midair. the fridgate bird lives on else, and even though it is a sea bird, it does not alight on the water and never is found more than 60 miles from land. I have seen many of them in the Cape Verde Islands. A little later I saw two more terns and many flying fish. They are about a foot long and have two little wings like a bat. These fish fly avove the water at about the height of a lance, rising in the air like an harquebus shot. Sometines they fall on our ships. The sea is as smooth as a river, and the breeze is delightful and pleasing; only the nightingales are lacking. On three different occasions I saw terns and another frigate bird. There is also more weed."

Wednesday, 10 October1492

"I held couse to the WSW, running 7 1/2 knots, and at times 9 knots, and for awhile 5 1/4 knots. Between day and night I made 177 miles. I told the crew 132 miles, but they could stand it no longer. They grumbled and complained of the long voyage, and I reproached them for their lack of spirit, telling them that, for better or worse, they had to complete the enterprise on which the Catholic Sovereigns had sent them. I cheered them on as best I could, telling them all the honors and rewards they were about to recieve. I also told the men that it was useless to complain, for I had started out to find the Indies and would continue until I had accomplished that mission, with the help of Our Lord."

Saturday, 17 November 1492

"I took the ship's boat this morning and went to the SW to see the islands I had not yet seen. I saw many others that were very fertile and delight, and between them the sea is very deep. Some of them areseparated by streams of fresh water, which I think comes from spring hat rise in the mountain ranges on the island. Contineing on, I found a very butiful river of fresh water that slowed very cold. I saw a very pretty medow ans many palms, much taller than those I had seen before. I found large nuts like those of Indina, large rats, also like those of India, and very large crawfish. I saw many birds and smelled a powerful oder of musk, which leads me to belive that there must be some hearabouts. Today, of the six youths I had taken at the Rio de Mares and who were on the Nina, the two oldest one escaped."

Monday, 10 December 1492

"The wind blew hard from the NE and caused the anchors to drag half the length of their lines. This suprised me, but it must have been because I am anchored quite near land and the windblew toward it. Scince the wind was contray for me to depart, I sent six-armed men ashore, with orders to go 6 to 9 miles inland to see if they could find anybody. They went and weturned without finding any people or houses. They did find a few huts, some very wide roads, and places where many fires had been built. They saw some of the best land in the world and found many mastic trees. They brought some of it and said that there was a great deal, but now is not the time to gather it, for it is not ready to form into gum."

Thursday, 3 January 1493

"I did not leave today because last night three of the Indians who had come with me from the other islands and remained here on the land, reported to me that other Indians and their wives were coming today at sunrise. The sea had also changed somewhat, and the small boat could not go ashore. I determenined to depart tomarrow, the grace of God permitting."

Tuesday, 22 January 1943

"Yesterday after sunset I sailed to the NNE with the wind east and veering to the SE. I made 6 knots during five half-hour glasses and for three before the watch began. I thus made 24 miles. Then I went to the north by east for six glasses, which would be another 18 miles. I then went for four glasses of the second watch to the NE at 4 1/2 knots, which is 9 miles to the NE. From then until sunrise I went to the ENE during II glasses at 4 1/2 knots, or 24 3/4 miles. I then went ENE until II o'clock in the morning, 24 miles. The wind became dead calm and I went no further today. The indians went swimming and we saw ringtails and a great deal of seaweed."

Monday, 11 Febuary 1493

"I maintained my course last night at 9 knots and made 117 miles by sunrise. From then until sunset I ran another 49 1/2 miles. I saw many birds; because of this, I think we are near land."

Tuesday, 12 March 1949

"Today, as I was about to start from Alhandra for the ship, a squire from the King Arrived and offered me, on the part of the King, land transportation to the Castile, if I desired to take that route, including lodgings, beasts for travel, and everything I might need. When I left the squire, he gave me a mule, and another to my pilot who was with me, and he gave my pilot 20 gold coins. It is said that this was done so Your Highnesses might know of it. I reached the ship at night."

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