by Andrew Rowen | | Dominican Republic, Haiti, Sea of Darkness, Spain
In October 1492, the Taíno peoples of the Caribbean lived mostly in territory within modern Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, eastern Cuba, and Jamaica, and, to the north, the smaller islands of the Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos. Haiti was one of the...
by Andrew Rowen | | Sea of Darkness
The crews of the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María understood that the ships had sailed beyond the distance Columbus had promised for making landfall. They had been out of sight of land for a month, far longer than any other voyage they knew of. Murmurs of anxiety and...
by Andrew Rowen | | Dominican Republic, Haiti, Sea of Darkness, Spain
While the horizons remained landless, the crews of the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María were soothed that many birds were flying about—signaling land was nearby. Peace then reigned on the Taíno Haiti (i.e., modern Haiti and the Dominican Republic), with five caciques...
by Andrew Rowen | | Lucayan Islands, Sea of Darkness
Crew on the Santa María clamored for retreat, but the ships sailed on. Unknown to Columbus and crews, they were approaching the eastern side of the Bahamian archipelago. Taínos living in the modern Bahamas were referred to as Lucayans, meaning “island people.” They...
by Andrew Rowen | | Sea of Darkness
The seas were the roughest yet encountered, with waves crashing over the decks. But the signs the ships were approaching land were unmistakable, and the crews were heartened. The Niña retrieved a green branch with red berries intact, fresh as if just cut. The Pinta...
by Andrew Rowen | | Lucayan Islands, Sea of Darkness
At about 2:00 a.m., a seaman serving lookout on the Pinta shouted that land was to the northwest, and the Pinta’s lombard was discharged. Sailors on the three ships cried, embraced, and sang a hymn to the Virgin Mary for watching over them. The ships quartered...
