Island contains about 600 inhabitants scattered over the surface, with a
small settlement called Cockburn Town on the west side, nearly opposite
the landfall of Columbus. The seat of the local government is in the
island of New Providence, and the inhabitants of Watling's Island and of
Rum Cay unite in sending one representative to the House of Assembly. It
is high water, full and change, at Watling's Island at 7 h. 40 m., as it
was in the days of Columbus; and these facts form about the sum of the
world's knowledge of and interest in Watling's Island to-day.

But it was a different matter on Friday morning, October 12, 1492, when,
all having been made snug on board the Santa Maria, the Admiral of the
Ocean Seas put on his armour and his scarlet cloak over it and prepared
to go ashore.

[This date is reckoned in the old style. The true astronomical date
would be October 21st, which is the modern anniversary of the
discovery]

The boat was lowered and manned by a crew well armed, and Columbus took
with him Rodrigo de Escovedo, the secretary to the expedition, and
Rodrigo Sanchez his overseer; they also took on board Martin Alonso
Pinzon and Vincenti Yanez Pinzon, the captains of the other two ships.
As they rowed towards the shore they saw a few naked inhabitants, who
hid themselves at their approach. Columbus carried with him the royal
standard, and the two captains each had a banner of the expedition,
which was a square flag with an "F" and a "Y" upon either side, each
letter being surmounted by the crown of the sovereigns and a green cross
covering the whole. Columbus assembled his little band around him and
called upon them to bear witness that in the presence of them all he was
taking possession of the island for the King and Queen of Spain; duly
making depositions in writing on the spot, and having them signed and
witnessed. Then he gave the name of San Salvador to the island and said
a prayer; and while this solemn little ceremony was in progress, the
astonished natives crept out of their hiding and surrounded the strange
white men. They gesticulated and grovelled and pointed upwards,
as though this gang of armed and bearded Spaniards, with the tall
white-bearded Italian in the midst of them, had fallen from the skies.

The first interest of the voyagers was in the inhabitants of this
delightful land. They found them well built, athletic-looking men, most
of them young, with handsome b