In the letters Christopher Columbus wrote about his exploration of the islands he landed on and traveled through in 1492, he describes the land, people and climate he encountered. He doesn’t mention his journey across the Atlantic – that seafaring information was in a journal that has its own scrutiny. As with the letters, the journal was also hand-copied and translated and the original – so far – has not been found.

As mentioned in the February article, the letters are recorded as sent to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand; Luis De Sant Angel (Santangel), who helped finance the voyage; and Gabriel Sanchez, treasurer of the Monarchs. Each version is worded differently, but similar in its intent.