e sailor's method: On
October 27th, when Columbus sighted Cuba at a distance of 20 miles, the
bearing of his anchorage at sunrise of the same day, off the Islas de
Arena, was N. E. 58 miles, and from the point reached in Cuba it was N.
E. 75 miles. The Ragged Islands are 75 miles from Cuba, therefore the
Islas de Arena of Columbus are identified with the Ragged Islands of
modern charts. The Islas de Arena were sighted when Columbus was 56
miles from the south end of Fernandina, and E.N.E. from Isabella. These
bearings show that Fernandina was Long Island, and that Isabella was
Crooked Island, of modern charts. Fernandina was 20 leagues long N. N.
W. and S. S. E.; Long Island is 20 leagues long N. N. W. and S. S. E.
Santa Maria de la Concepcion was several miles east of the north end of
Fernandina, but in sight. Rum Cay is several miles east of the north
end of Long Island, but in sight. Rum Cay is, therefore, the Santa Maria
of Columbus. San Salvador, or Guanahani, was 21 miles N. W. from Santa
Maria de la Concepcion. Watling's Island is 21 miles N. W. from Rum Cay;
Watling's Island is, therefore, proved to be the San Salvador, or
Guanahani, of Columbus.

The spot where Columbus first landed in the New World is the eastern end
of the south side of Watling's Island. This has been established by the
arguments of Major, and by the calculations of Murdoch, beyond all
controversy. The evidence is overwhelming. Watling's Island answers to
every requirement and every test, whether based on the Admiral's
description of the island itself, on the courses and distances thence to
Cuba, or on the evidence of early maps. We have thus reached a final and
satisfactory conclusion, and we can look back on that momentous event in
the world's history with the certainty that we know the exact spot on
which it occurred--on which Columbus touched the land when he sprang
from his boat with the standard waving over his head.[48]

The discoveries of Columbus during his first voyage, as recorded in his
journal, included part of the north coast of Cuba, and the whole of the
north coast of Espanola. The journal shows the care with which the
navigation was conducted, how observations for latitude were taken, how
the coasts were laid down--every promontory and bay receiving a
name--and with what diligence each new feature of the land and its
inhabitants was examined and recorded. The genius of Columbus would not
have been of the same service to mank