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When the day dawned, Columbus saw before him a level and beautiful island, covered with trees, like a continual orchard. Though everything appeared in the wild luxuriance of untamed nature, yet the island was evidently populous, for the inhabitants were seen running from all parts to the shore. From their attitudes and gestures, they appeared lost in astonishment at the sight of the ships. Columbus made signal to cast anchor, and to man the boats. He entered his own boat, richly attired in scarlet, and bearing the royal standard.
As they approached the shore they were delighted by the beauty of the forests and the variety of unknown fruits on the trees which overhung the shores. On landing, Columbus threw himself upon his knees, kissed the earth, and returned thanks to God with tears of joy. His example was followed by his companions, whose breasts, indeed, were full to overflowing. Columbus, then rising, drew his sword, displayed the royal standard, and took possession, in the names of the Castilian sovereigns,giving the island the name of San Salvador.
The natives of the island, when at the dawn of day they had beheld the ships hovering on the coast, had supposed them some monsters,which had issued from the deep during the night. Their veering about,without any apparent effort, and the shifting and furling of their sails,resembling huge wings, filled them with astonishment. When they beheld the boats approach the shore, and a number of strange beings, clad in glittering steel, or raiment of various colors, landing upon the beach,they fled in affright to their woods. Finding, however, that there was no attempt to pursue them, they gradually recovered from their terror, and approached the Spaniards with great awe. During the ceremony of taking possession they remained gazing, in timid admiration, at the complexion,the beards, the shining armor, and the splendid dress of the Spaniards.When they had still further recovered from their fears, they approached the Spaniards, touched their beards, and examined their hands and faces,admiring their whiteness.
The natives of the island were no less objects of curiosity to the Spaniards, differing, as they did, from any race of men they had ever seen. They were painted with a variety of colors, so as to have a wild and fantastic appearance. Their natural complexion was of a copper hue, and they were entirely destitute of beards. Their hair was straight and coarse,partly cut above the ears, but some had locks behind left long, and falling upon their shoulders. Their features, though disfigured by paint, were agreeable; they so had lofty foreheads and remarkably fine eyes. They were of moderate stature and well shaped; most of them appeared to be under thirty years of age. They appeared to be a simple people, and of gentle and friendly dispositions. Their only arms were lances, hardened at the end by fire, or pointed with a flint or the bone of a fish. There was no iron to be seen among them, nor did they know its properties,for when a drawn sword was presented to them, they unguardedly took it by the edge. Columbus distributed among them colored caps, glass beads, hawks’ bells, and other trifles, which they received, and decorating themselves with them, were wonderfully delighted with their finery.
As Columbus supposed himself to have landed on an island at the extremity of India, he called the natives Indians. The Spaniards remained all day on shore, refreshing themselves, after their anxious voyage, amidst the beautiful groves of the island, and they returned to their ships late in the evening, delighted with all they had seen.
( Washington Irving )
Washington Irving (1783-1859) was a native of New York. He led a happy life, rambling in his boyhood about every nook and corner of the city and the adjacent woods. New York, called New Amsterdam in early colonial times, was then the capital of the country, and here the boy grew up, seeing many sides of American life, both in the city and country.
Manhattan Island and the region about it, with its commanding position at the entrance to a great inland waterway, was from the first a prize for which the nations from across the sea had contended. Such a mingling of different people must give rise to interesting experiences, and when someone appears who can put the story of those events into a pleasing sketch, then we begin
to have real literature. But we had to wait until this prince of story-tellers had grown to man-hood and given his sketches of this region to the world before we could claim at last to have a work of real American literature.
Irving is best known as a humorist and a charming story-teller, but he wrote some serious works also. His Life of George Washington was a tribute of loving reverence to the great American for whom he was named. As a boy, Irving was of a rather mischievous turn, a trait which perhaps helped to make him “the first American humorist.” Indeed, it has been said that“before Irving there was no laughter in the land.” He is called the “Father of American Literature,” and also the “Gentle Humorist.” “The Landing of Columbus” is taken from Columbus, His Life and Voyages.
veering : going off in a different direction
extremity : the end of something
A) Answer the following questions.
1) How did Columbus describe the island he saw from the ship?
2) How did Columbus take possession of the island?
3) What name did Columbus give the island?
4) What did the natives think of the ships and the white men?
5) How did the Spaniards see the natives?
6) Why were the natives called Indians?
B) Similarities and differences—How were the Spaniards and Natives similar and different? Make a list of each.
C) Summary—Write a short summary of this story.