The Voyages of Christopher Columbus (1492-1504)
Christopher Columbus · 1492–1504 · Santa María, Pinta and Niña, and the fleets of the later voyages
The crossing of 1492 and the three voyages that followed: the landfall at Guanahaní, the coasts of Cuba and Hispaniola, the wreck of the Santa María and the garrison left at La Navidad, and the return voyages that turned a discovery into a colony.
The itinerary
37 stages. Journal excerpts are verbatim from public-domain sources, each with its citation; where no verified quote exists, the entry says so rather than inventing one.
1. Palos
Today: Palos de la Frontera, Huelva, Spain · Arrived 3 August 1492The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.
2. Gomera
Today: La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain · Arrived 2 September 1492Columbus arrived at Gomera with the repaired Pinta, after having previously visited Gran Canaria to fix the ship. He and his crew prepared for the Atlantic crossing by taking on supplies.
the Admiral reached Gomera on Sunday, the 2nd of September, with the _Pinta_ repaired.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 3. Guanahani
Today: San Salvador Island, Bahamas · Arrived 12 October 1492The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.
4. Concepcion, La, island
Today: Rum Cay, Bahamas · Arrived 15 October 1492Columbus arrived at the island he named La Concepcion, which is identified as modern Rum Cay in the Bahamas, during his first voyage of discovery.
Concepcion, La, island, 356.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 5. Guaigo
Today: Long Island, Bahamas · Arrived 17 October 1492On October 17, Columbus and his crew left Aburema and sailed twelve leagues to Guaigo, where they landed. This marks the arrival at what is now known as Long Island in the Bahamas.
October 17 they left Aburema and went twelve leagues to Guaigo, where they landed.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 6. Crooked Island
Today: Crooked Island, Bahamas · Arrived 19 October 1492Columbus reached and explored Crooked Island, which he called by this name in his journal, during his first voyage through the Bahamas.
Crooked Island, 123.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 7. Cuba
Today: Cuba (near Bariay, Holguín Province, Cuba) · Arrived 28 October 1492 · position reconstructedColumbus landed on the coast of Cuba, believing it to be part of the mainland of Asia, and secured supplies after reaching the Queen's Garden islands.
The next day they landed in Cuba and secured supplies. It is significant of the tenacity of Columbus's conviction that Cuba was a part of the mainland of Asia that he here calls it Mago (_i.e._, Mango).
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 8. Española
Today: Hispaniola, near Môle Saint-Nicolas, Haiti · Arrived 5 December 1492Columbus arrived at the island he called Española, which is now known as Hispaniola, near the area of modern Môle Saint-Nicolas, Haiti.
Española, 321.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 9. Navidad
Today: Site of La Navidad, near present-day Caracol, Nord, Haiti · Arrived 25 December 1492 · position reconstructedColumbus established the fort of Navidad as the first European settlement in the New World, leaving a garrison behind before returning to Spain.
Navidad, fort built, 206; Columbus leaves settlement, 209-211, 268-269, 271; gold, 217; anxiety of Columbus about, 224; Columbus finds settlement destroyed, 298-304;
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 10. Bay of Samana
Today: Samaná Bay, Dominican Republic · Arrived 13 January 1493Columbus and his crew arrived at the Bay of Samana, where they encountered local people and feared for the safety of a lost landing party, suspecting they might have been harmed by the Caribbees.
We had already looked upon them as killed and eaten by the people that are called Caribbees; for we could not account for their long absence in any other way, since they had among them some pilots who by their knowledge of the stars could navigate either to or from Spain, so that we imagined that they could not lose themselves in so small a space. On this first day of our landing several men and women came on the beach up to the water's edge, and ga
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 11. Santa Maria
Today: Santa Maria Island, Azores, Portugal · Arrived 18 February 1493Columbus reached the island of Santa Maria in the Azores, anchored on the north side, and sent a boat ashore to communicate with the local people, who expressed amazement at the stormy weather and joy at the news of his discoveries.
Yesterday, after sunset, the Admiral was sailing round the island, to see where he could anchor and open communications. He let go one anchor, which he presently lost, and then stood off and on all night. After sunrise he again reached the north side of the island, where he anchored, and sent the boat on shore. They had speech with the people, and found that it was the island of Santa Maria, one of the Azores. They pointed out the port[244-2] to which the caravel should go. They said that they had never seen such stormy weather as there had been for the last fifteen days, and they wondered how the caravel could have escaped. They gave many thanks to God, and showed great joy at the news that the Admiral had discovered the Indies.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 12. Lisbon
Today: Lisbon, Portugal · Arrived 4 March 1493Columbus arrived at Lisbon and wrote to the king of Portugal, requesting permission for his caravel to enter the port for safety and to obtain what was needed for payment.
Presently the Admiral wrote to the king of Portugal, who was then at a distance of nine leagues, to state that the Sovereigns of Castile had ordered him to enter the ports of his Highness, and ask for what he required for payment, and requesting that the king would give permission for the caravel to come to Lisbon, because some ruffians hearing that he had much gold on board, might attempt a robbery in an unfrequented port, knowing that they did not come from Guinea, but from the Indies.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) Also called at by Bartolomeu Dias, Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama, Vasco da Gama. Identified as Lisbon
13. Palos
Today: Palos de la Frontera, Huelva, Spain · Arrived 15 March 1493After completing his first voyage to the New World, Columbus returned to Palos, arriving on the same evening as the Pinta, commanded by Martin Alonso Pinzon, who died shortly after reaching his home there.
He went to Palos to his own house and died after a few days since he went there very ill.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 14. Cadiz
Today: Cádiz, Spain · Arrived 25 September 1493Christopher Columbus departed from Cadiz with seventeen ships and about 1200 men on his second voyage to the Indies.
The expedition which their Catholic Majesties sent, by Divine permission, from Spain to the Indies, under the command of Christopher Columbus, Admiral of the Ocean, left Cadiz on the twenty-fifth of September, of the year [1493, with seventeen ships well equipped and with 1200 fighting men or a little less,][283-1] with wind and weather favorable for the voyage.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 15. Gomera
Today: La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain · Arrived 13 October 1493Columbus and his fleet arrived at Gomera, where they remained several days to lay in stores of meat, wood, and water in preparation for the long voyage ahead.
We had to remain at Gomera some days[284-1] to lay in our stores of meat, wood, and as much water as we could stow, preparatory to the long voyage which we expected to make without
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 16. Dominica
Today: Dominica, Caribbean · Arrived 3 November 1493 · position approximateColumbus discovered and described the island of Dominica during his second voyage to the New World.
Dominica, discovered, 285; described 285; mentioned, 290, 321; report of gold, 293; Columbus heads for, 330.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 17. Guadeloupe
Today: Guadeloupe, France (Caribbean) · Arrived 4 November 1493 · position reconstructedColumbus and his men landed on the island of Guadeloupe, where they remained for two days. Many of the crew went ashore, but the native inhabitants had fled, likely out of fear of the Caribbees.
We remained two days in this island, and a great number of our men went on shore, but could never get speech of the natives, who had all fled, from fear of the Caribbees.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 18. St. John the Baptist
Today: San Juan, Puerto Rico · Arrived 19 November 1493Columbus arrived at the island which he named St. John the Baptist, now known as San Juan, Puerto Rico, and noted that the indigenous people called it Boriquen.
The island of Porto Rico, to which the Admiral "gave the name of St. John the Baptist, which we now call Sant Juan and which the Indians called Boriquen." Las Casas, II. 10.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 19. Villa de la Navidad
Today: Navidad, near present-day Limonade, Haiti · Arrived 25 December 1492 · position reconstructedColumbus established the settlement of Villa de la Navidad after arriving on Christmas Day, with the help of local people and his crew, constructing a stronghold within ten days.
He named it the City of Christmas (Villa de la Navidad) because he had arrived there on that day, and so to-day that harbor is called Navidad, although there is no memory that there even has been a fort or any building there, since it is overgrown with trees as large and tall as if fifty years had passed, and I have seen them.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 20. Queen's Garden
Today: Jardines de la Reina, Cienfuegos area, Cuba · Arrived 12 May 1494 · position reconstructedColumbus and his crew reached the Queen's Garden, a group of islands south of Cuba, and landed in Cuba the next day to secure supplies during his exploration of the southern coast.
May 10 they sighted two little islands, Caymanos Chicos, and the 12th they reached the Queen's Garden just south of Cuba (see p. 301, note 1). The next day they landed in Cuba and secured supplies.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 21. Yamaye
Today: Jamaica · Arrived 1 May 1494Columbus learned from the local people about the island called Yamaye, which he understood to be rich in gold, and noted its proximity to Española and the mainland.
They call that island Yamaye.[215-2] The Admiral also heard of an island further east, in which there were only women, having been told this by many people.[215-3] He was also informed that Yamaye and the island of Española were ten days' journey in a canoe from the mainland, which would be about 70 or 80 leagues, and that there the people wore clothes.[215-4]
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 22. Isabella, in Española
Today: Isabela, Dominican Republic · Arrived 1 August 1494Columbus returned to the settlement of Isabella on the island of Hispaniola (Española) during his second voyage, where preparations for the city and other activities are mentioned.
Isabella, in Española, preparations for city, 308; Columbus's departure, 366; mentioned, 321, 322.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 23. Cadiz
Today: Cádiz, Spain · Arrived 11 June 1496Columbus's fleet returned to Cadiz at the end of the second voyage to the Indies.
The returning fleet arrived at Cadiz in March, 1494.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 24. San Lucar de Barrameda
Today: Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Cádiz, Spain · Arrived 30 May 1498Columbus departed from the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda with six ships, beginning his third voyage to discover new lands.
He started then (our First Admiral)[319-1] "in the name of the Most Holy Trinity" (as he says and as he was always accustomed to say) from the port of San Lucar de Barrameda, Wednesday, May 30, 1498, with the intention of discovering new land not yet discovered, with his six ships, "greatly fatigued," he says, "with my voyage, since as I was hoping for some quietude, when I left the Indies, I experienced double hardships;"
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) Also called at by Ferdinand Magellan — who called it “San Lucar”, Ferdinand Magellan — who called it “San Lucar”. Identified as Sanlúcar de Barrameda
25. the Cape Verde Islands
Today: Cape Verde Islands, Cabo Verde · Arrived 27 June 1498Columbus arrived at the Cape Verde Islands, first sighting the island of La Sal on June 27, 1498, and then proceeding to anchor at the island of Buenavista, where his crew went ashore to gather provisions.
Then the Admiral continuing on his way arrived at the Cape Verde Islands, which according to what he says, have a false name, because he never saw anything green but all things dry and sterile. The first thing he saw was the island of La Sal, Wednesday, June 27: and it is a small island. From there he went to another which is called Buenavista and is very sterile, where he anchored in a bay, and near it is a very small island.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) Also called at by Ferdinand Magellan — who called it “Cape Verde islands”. Identified as Cape Verde Islands
26. Punta del Arenal, island of Trinidad
Today: Icacos Point, Trinidad and Tobago · Arrived 2 August 1498Columbus arrived at the southern cape of the island of Trinidad, which he named Punta del Arenal, and entered the gulf he called 'de la Ballena,' encountering dangerous currents and the outflow of a great river.
He says that he came to search for a harbor along the island of Trinidad, Thursday, August 2, and arrived at the cape of the island of Trinidad, which is a point, to which he gave the name "Punta del Arenal,"[334-1] which is to the west: so that he had in a sense already entered in the gulf which he called "de la Ballena,"[334-2] where he underwent great danger of losing his ships, and he as yet did not know that he was becoming encircled by land as will be seen.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 27. Boca del Drago
Today: Mouth of the Orinoco River, Paria Peninsula, Venezuela · Arrived 1 August 1498 · position reconstructedThe surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.
28. Santo Domingo
Today: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic · Arrived 31 August 1498Columbus arrived at Santo Domingo during his third voyage, after departing from Spain and exploring new lands. His arrival is noted as a significant waypoint in the narrative of his expedition.
He started then (our First Admiral)[319-1] "in the name of the Most Holy Trinity" (as he says and as he was always accustomed to say) from the port of San Lucar de Barrameda, Wednesday, May 30, 1498, with the intention of discovering new land not yet discovered, with his six ships, "greatly fatigued," he says, "with my voyage, since as I was hoping for some quietude, when I left the Indies, I experienced double hardships;" they being the result of the labors, new obstacles and difficulties with which he obtained the funds for his starting upon the expedition and the annoyances in connection therewith received from the royal officials and the hindrance and the evil reports the people around about the Sovereigns gave concerning the
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 29. Cadiz
Today: Cádiz, Spain · Arrived 1 November 1500Columbus returned to Spain at the port of Cadiz at the end of his third voyage, arriving there in November 1500 after being sent back from the Indies.
The returning fleet arrived at Cadiz in March, 1494. Bernaldez, _Historia de los Reyes Catolicos_, (ed. 1870), II. 37.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 30. Cadiz
Today: Cádiz, Spain · Arrived 11 May 1502Columbus and his fleet departed from Cadiz, Spain, at the outset of his fourth voyage to the Indies.
The expedition which their Catholic Majesties sent, by Divine permission, from Spain to the Indies, under the command of Christopher Columbus, Admiral of the Ocean, left Cadiz on the twenty-fifth of September, of the year [1493, with seventeen ships well equipped and with 1200 fighting men or a little less,][283-1] with wind and weather favorable for the voyage.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 31. Martinique
Today: Martinique, Caribbean · Arrived 15 June 1502Columbus identified an island he visited as Martinique, as noted in his journal entry for January 15, which is later identified with Martinique in the commentary.
See Journal, January 15, and note. The island is identified with Martinique.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 32. Guanaja
Today: Guanaja Island, Bay Islands, Honduras · Arrived 30 July 1502Columbus sighted the island of Guanaja and made a landing, where he encountered a canoe with Indians carrying merchandise, marking his first contact with the more advanced cultures of the region.
From the Queen's Garden he sailed south July 27 (the Porras narrative of this voyage, Navarrete, II. 283; in English in Thacher, _Columbus_, II. 640 _et seqq._), and after a passage of ninety leagues sighted an island Saturday, July 30. (Porras in Thacher, II. 643.) This was the island of Guanaja about twelve leagues north of Trujillo, Honduras. (Las Casas, III. 109.) Here a landing was made and a canoe was encountered which was covered with an awning and contained Indians well clothed and a load of merchandise.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 33. Cape Gracias á Dios
Today: Cape Gracias a Dios, Nicaragua/Honduras border · Arrived 12 September 1502 · position reconstructedThe surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.
34. Veragua
Today: Veraguas, Panama · Arrived 1 January 1503The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.
35. Jamaica
Today: St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica · Arrived 1 June 1503Columbus, after enduring storms and severe damage to his ships, reached Jamaica by the end of June, where he sought refuge and attempted repairs.
After eight days I put to sea again, and reached Jamaica by the end of June;[406-2] but always beating against contrary winds, and with the ships in the worst possible condition.
The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985–1503 (ed. Olson & Bourne, Original Narratives of Early American History, 1906) 36. Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Today: Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Cádiz, Spain · Arrived 7 November 1504The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.
Also called at by Ferdinand Magellan — who called it “San Lucar”, Ferdinand Magellan — who called it “San Lucar”. Identified as Sanlúcar de Barrameda
37. Seville
Today: Seville, Spain · Arrived 1 November 1504The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.
Also called at by Ferdinand Magellan, Ferdinand Magellan. Identified as Seville
Published under CC BY-SA 4.0. Sources keep their own open licences. See the Magna Carta of the Seas for how this was verified.