Letter from Christopher Columbus to Luis de Santangel Announcing His Discovery - 1493

Oct 19, 2026

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A 1493 letter from Christopher Columbus to Luis de Santangel recounts the voyages that led to Columbus’s discovery of the Indies. He describes sailing with royal fleets, taking possession of islands by proclamation, naming multiple islands, and traveling along coasts while encountering numerous settlements with no formal government. The letter emphasizes Hispaniola’s geography—ports, rivers, mountains, forests—and its perceived abundance of resources such as gold, spices, metals, and fertility. Columbus also comments on the inhabitants’ timidity and their exchanges with visitors, linking gifts to encouragement of conversion and loyalty to Castile.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time6 min

AccessFree to download

Letter Content

Voyage and island naming

Observations of Hispaniola and resources

Encounters, gifts, and beliefs

Letter from Christopher Columbus to Luis de Sant Angel Announcing His Discovery 1493 As I know you will be rejoiced at the glorious success that our Lord has given me in my voyage, I write this to tell you how in thirty-three days I sailed to the Indies with the fleet that the illustrious King and Queen, our Sovereigns, gave me, where I discovered a great many islands, inhabited by numberless people; and of all I have taken possession for their Highnesses by proclamation and display of the Royal Standard without opposition. To the first island I discovered I gave the name of San Salvador, in commemoration of His Divine Majesty, who has wonderfully granted all this. The Indians call it Guanaham. The second I named the Island of Santa Maria de Concepcion; the third, Fernandina; the fourth, Isabella; the fifth, Juana; and thus to each one I gave a new name. When I came to Juana, I followed the coast of that isle toward the west, and found it so extensive that I thought it might bethe mainland, the province of Cathay; and as I found no towns nor villages on the sea-coast, except a few small settlements, where it was impossible to speak to the people, because they fled at once, I continued the said route, thinking I could not fail to see some great cities or towns; and finding at the end ofmany leagues that nothing new appeared, and that the coast led northward, contrary to my wish, because the winter had already set in, I decided to make for the south, and as the wind also was against my proceeding, I determined not to wait there longer, and turned back to a certain harbor whence I sent two men to find out whether there was any king or large city. They explored for three days, and found countless small communities and people, without number, but with no kind of government, so they returned. I heard from other Indians I had already taken that this land was an island, and thus followed the eastern coast for one hundred and seven leagues, until I came to the end ofit. From that point I saw another isle to the eastward, at eighteen leagues' distance, to which I gave the name of Hispaniola. I went thither and followed its northern coast to the east, as I had done in Juana, one hundred and seventy-eight leagues eastward, as in Juana. This island, like all the others, is most extensive. It has many ports along the sea-coast excelling any in Christendom—and many fine, large, flowing rivers. The land thereis elevated, with many mountains and peaks incomparably higher than in the centre isle. They are most beautiful, of a thousand varied forms, accessible, and full of trees of endless varieties, so high that they seem to touch the sky, and I have been told that they never lose their foliage. I saw them as green and lovely as trees are in Spain in the month of May. Some of them were covered with blossoms, some with fruit, and some in other conditions, according to their kind. The nightingale and other small birds of a thousand kinds were singing in the month of November when I was there. There were palm trees of six or eight varieties, the graceful peculiarities of each one of them being worthy of admiration as are the other trees, fruits and grasses. There are wonderful pine woods, and very extensive ranges of meadow land. There is honey, and there are many kinds of birds, and a great variety of fruits. Inland there are numerous mines of metals and innumerable people. Hispaniola is a marvel. Its hills and mountains, fine plains and open country, are rich and fertile for planting and for pasturage, and for buildingtowns and villages. The seaports there are incredibly fine, as also the magnificent rivers, most of which bear gold. The trees, fruits and grasses differ widely from those in Juana. There are many spices and vast mines of gold and other metals in this island. They have no iron, nor steel, nor weapons, nor are they fit for them, because although they are well-made men of commanding stature, they appear extraordinarily timid.

FAQs

Who is the letter from, and who is it addressed to?

The letter is from Christopher Columbus and is addressed to Luis de Santangel.

What does Columbus say happened during his voyage?

He reports that he sailed to the Indies, discovered many islands, took possession by proclamation, and named several islands in honor of divine majesty and his sovereigns.

What are Columbus’s key observations about Hispaniola?

He describes extensive ports and fine rivers, mountainous terrain and fertile lands, abundant trees and plants, and resources such as spices and metals, especially gold.

Oct 19, 2026

Upload by Cipher