Cristoforo Columbo (Admiral of the Sea) Part 3

In part 3 the narrative follows Christopher Columbus as he steps ashore on the islands he believed were the outer reaches of Asia. Planting the royal banners of Castile, he took possession in the name of Ferdinand and Isabella, declaring to all present, “I took possession before all others, as in fact I did take possession of the said island for the king and the queen, my lord and lady.”The indigenous people, “gentle and friendly,” approached the newcomers with offerings of cotton, parrots, and simple bread of cassava, astonished by the glittering steel and scarlet garments of their visitors. Columbus noted their innocence and lack of arms, writing that they “would be good servants and of good disposition, for I see that they repeat very quickly everything which is said to them.”From San Salvador to Fernandina, Isabella, and onward to Cuba, Columbus interpreted every detail through the prism of his ambitions. Hearing tales of gold and distant kings, he imagined he stood on the threshold of Cipango or the dominions of the Great Khan. His private journal reveals how easily he read the evidence to match his dreams.Yet even as he claimed new lands, Columbus’s sense of purpose began to change. The drive for exploration grew into visions of religious conversion, political power, and the wealth that could flow from these unknown shores. “With a handful of people,” he wrote, “I could conquer the whole island, were it necessary.”The History of the story is taken largely from three sources: 1). THE LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS by EDWARD EVERETT HALE, 2). CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AND HOW HE RECEIVED AND IMPARTED THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY BY JUSTIN WINSOR and 3). "The life and voyages" Washington Irving