1492

Dear King Ferdinard and Queen Isabella,

        We have landed today on the newly named island of San Salvador.  We have just put up the beloved Spanish flag.  The people of this island call it Guanahani.  With the new people, that we call Indians, we traded small glass beads and hawks bells.  The people loved them.  I plan to bring six Indians with me back to Spain to learn our language.  The land is large and flat, and it is green with many trees.  This land seems to fit the description of the West Indies.  Soon, I shall set sail for Japan in order not to lose time.

                       Sincerely,

                       Christopher Columbus