Hello Everyone,

Wow! Am I tired from this trading business. I spent the night at Hesutu’s trading hut. The sun was long gone by the time I actually got to go to sleep. It was also very noisy, so it was hard to fall asleep. I think I only got about 2 hours of sleep! I woke up this morning and didn’t even get to eat breakfast; I had to go right to the trading huts. The village is becoming newer and fresher with all the trade that is going on and all of the newer items we are collecting.

We have tons of new items on the island now. We have traded for things like red caps, glass beads for around the neck, silks, spices, and sugars. Everyone is dressing better now that we have new material for clothing and ‘jewelry.’ The silk material is smooth and shiny. I love the feel of it and it looks so fancy. I have made a short skirt out of some of the silk, it’s green in colour and feels wonderful! I really like this trade, I’d like it better if it didn’t keep me up so late at night!

The food tastes so much better now with the spices and sugars added to it. The food now makes my taste buds jump and hop around in my mouth. It’s really good to taste something other than plain fish or meat for once.

I think that trade is making Moga a better place because it is advancing. Now we are able to get the things we don’t have, but need through other people.  Anyways, Christopher and his men set sail out to see again this morning. They are going to search for more land and riches, which I hope they succeed in finding. Good luck!

Jaci     

October. 17, 1492

Before I leave, I have to make a trade agreement from India to Europe. They have agreed to trade with us Europeans. The Indians don’t have as much as we were expecting. They have no spices. Their very low in spices, but there is one thing we were not expecting to get from here… Sugar Cane. They did not have gold, or spices, or much of anything we found of value. They had sugar cane.

We are going to continue trade with the Indians, after we leave. I don’t believe Europe will be very pleased that we came back with only Sugar Cane, but then again, where else was Europe going to get Sugar Cane. So they might reconsider.

For trade the citizens of Moga will have to come down to the beach shore and set up huts. Here they will put all of their valuables and things they are willing to trade in there. We began trade on the night of October 16 and we have ended just recently.

Now, my crew and me have set sail again, and we are heading off to see new land we can discover.

Christopher Columbus

Hello Everyone,

I’ve got excellent news! Christopher and his men have decided to stay on the island longer! He says that he wants to trade his stuff for our stuff, but we don’t really have to many items living on Moga. The village has decided to set up an area with 4-5 huts and bring all of our valuables to trade with Christopher and his men. They seem to really like our valuables here and I really like their valuables where they come from. They are very shiny and beautiful. Christopher says that they call the beads that you wear around your neck necklaces in Europe. I like them a lot; they make me feel dressed up and that I have something special.

We are starting the trade when the sun starts to go down tonight. We are given the day to set up the huts and haul all of our valuables down to the huts. We are setting the huts up on the beach, a nice peaceful and relaxing place. We are going to stay there and trade through the night and when the sun rises we go for a nap and come back to continue trade. After 2 days of heavy trade Christopher and his men are going to set sail to head out on the sea again.

We are going to trade our parrots, cotton threads in skeins, and spears for red caps and glass beads for around the neck. I think this new trade is going to be fun and Moga is going to actually get some pretty nice, new valuables.

Jaci    

  Christopher Columbus and his men have been here quite a while, which has given everyone on this island a chance to get to know them well. And in my point of view I think that they are great people and I think that they could teach us wonderful things that we could carry on through the rest of are lives.  

  One of the things that we are going to carry on through our lives is trade. My father has taught me a little bit about trade, but I still don’t fully understand it. He also said that Moga is going to continue trade with the Europeans even after they leave. Some of the things that we have already traded and are going to continue to trade are silks and spices.   

  Some of the things that I have seen are so different from anything on this island and I hope that everyone on this island can continue to see these things. 

Doli.

Before I leave the Island, i thought it might be necessary to leave the names of the Europeans who first dicovered the Island of San Salvador.

The Crew of The Santa Maria:

Cristobal Colon (Christopher Columbus), captain-general
Juan de la Cosa, owner and master
Diego de Arana, master-at-arms
Pedro de Gutierrez, royal steward
Rodrigo de Escobedo, secretary of the fleet
Rodrigo Sanchez, comptroller
Diego de Salcedo, servant of Columbus
Luis de Torres, interpreter
Rodrigo de Jerez
Alonso Chocero
Alonso Clavijo
Andres de Yruenes
Antonia de Cuellar, carpenter
Bartolome Biues
Bartolome de Torres
Bartolome Garcia, boatswain
Chachu, boatswain
Cristobal Caro, goldsmith
Diego Bermudez
Diego Perez, painter
Domingo de Lequeitio
Domingo Vizcaino, cooper
Gonzalo Franco
Jacomel Rico
Juan, servant
Juan de Jerez
Juan de la Placa
Juan Martines de Acoque
Juan de Medina
Juan de Moguer
Juan Ruiz de la Pena
Juan Sanchez, physician
Lope, joiner
Maestre Juan
Marin de Urtubia
Pedro de Terreros, cabin boy
Pero Nino, pilot
Pedro Yzquierdo
Pedro de Lepe
Rodrigo Gallego, servant

Crew of the Pinta:

Martin Alonso Pinzon, captain
Francisco Martin Pinzon, master
Cristobal Garcia Xalmiento, pilot
Cristobal Quintero, ship’s owner
Francisco Garcia Vallejo
Garcia Hernandez, steward
Gomez Rascon
Juan Bermudez
Juan Quintero
Juan Rodriquez Bermejo
Pedro de Arcos
Alonso de Palos
Alvaro Perez
Anton Calabres
Bernal, servant
Diego Martin Pinzon
Fernando Mendes
Francisco Mendes
Gil Perez
Juan Quadrado
Juan Reynal
Juan Verde de Triana
Juan Vecano
Maestre Diego, surgeon
Pedro Tegero
Sancho de Rama

Crew Of the Nina:

Vincente Yanez Pinzon, captain
Juan Nino, owner and master
Francisco Nino
Bartolome Roldan, apprentice pilot
Alonso de Morales, carpenter
Andres de Huelva
Bartolome Garcia, boatswain
Diego Lorenzo
Fernando de Triana
Garcia Alonso
Juan Arias, cabin boy
Juan Arraes
Juan Romero
Maestre Alonso, phyiscian
Miguel de Soria, servant
Pedro de Soria
Pero Arraes
Pero Sanches
Rodrigo Monge
Sancho Ruiz, pilot

October 15, 1492

My men and I are very pleased with the way we’ve been treated here. As I have written before, we were invited to dinner.

Last night I was so pleased with the Achak family, if I hadn’t met them, some of my men and I might not have been fed! For dinner we had vegetables and fruits and fish. It was a colourful meal and I was so hungry by the time I got there I ate every bit. We had corn, and carrots and peas for vegetables and for fruits we had bananas and other things. The fish was schoolmasters again but they were still very good. Thank you Jaci and family for dinner!

Now I have some more news…me and my men are leaving San Salvador Island. It is a sad thing for some of us because we have made great valuable friendships. We’ve been having so much better of a time then we do back in
Spain and Portuguese.

I am very unhappy, yet excited to leave, therefore I will be making more valuable discoveries.

Christopher Columbus

Hello Everyone,

Dinner last night with Christopher and his men went alright. They told us about their religion and some of the things that they do and believe in in their religion. They also told us about what types of things they do for entertainment where they come from. Their culture and way of life is much different from ours. I must say that it is quite interesting to learn about new cultures and new ways of life, but I don’t think I would be able to change my culture and way of life. I think this is because I have spent my whole life learning and cherishing this culture and way of life and I have a great time with it. Christopher and his men also listened to what we had to say about our culture and way of life. I had so much I wanted to share with them, but I didn’t want to make their ears ring! It was fabulous getting to learn about one another and just get closer to someone new.

After dinner I went to see Doli. She thought it was fabulous that I was learning all of this stuff about new people and she wanted me to share it with her. I told her that I would come over the following day and tell her all about it. I told her it was amazing some of the stuff they do where they come from. She couldn’t wait for the next day to come. Doli also told me that she was still weary about these people and wanted the day where they left to come sooner. Doli also isn’t feeling very good, with an upset stomach and fever. I hope she feels better real soon!

After getting back from visiting with Doli, I found an empty house. Then I heard singing coming from the church 5 doors down. I walked over there…and what do you know there was Christopher, some of his men, and the village at the church singing. I was glad to see everyone getting along and Christopher learning about our religion and what it is all about.

Christopher has informed me that in a couple of days he and his men will be leaving the island. It will be sad and hard to see them go, but I knew this time would come. We can also keep in contact with him over our blogs. I am glad we have these to communicate with people who live further away. I just hope that we can stay good friends and that someday he will be back to visit.

Jaci  

October 14, 1492

 Last night at the feast I became very close with one of the families here in Moga.  The young girl I am writing to named Jaci, it’s her family.  That family then invited a few of my men and I to dinner at their hut tonight. So that is where I am heading to in a quarter of an hour of so. 

The food here is so delicious.  That is why I could not decline an invitation to dinner at Mr. & Mrs. Achaks house.  I am very excited. They treat us wonderful, I have never felt so well fed and healthy.   

Anyways, I don’t want to turn up late to their dinner. So I must be going! 

Christopher Columbus

October.14, 1492

 Last night, all of the village of Moga and all of my ninety men got together and had a feast.  These people here are good. Kind and very thoughtful.   The feast was wonderful. They had a variety of food prepared. It all looked so good.  We had lots and lots of fish.  It was so good. The fish that the Indians eat here re called Schoolmasters.  We don’t eat much fish in Europe so this was a good change.   

At the feast the whole village sang and danced. Music is like communication here. The instruments are played beautifully and the songs they sing and play are so much fun to dance to. People here are all about peace and I think I like it that way. I don’t know about the other men but it was a good change for a little bit.

Christopher Columbus

Hello Everyone,

The feast last night was lovely! The weather was beautiful. It was warm with a cool wind blowing the palm trees and the waves crashed on the beaches. Boy, is it ever good to be able to go on the beaches again! The food was delicious and the dancing was refreshing. Christopher and his men seemed to really enjoy the feast and dancing, I’m glad they are liking it here.

Christopher, however, found our island and now has possession of it under the Spanish Throne. He renamed the island “San Salvador,” which means Holy Saviour. I don’t like the re-naming because I’ve lived on this island all my life and have only known it as Guanahani. I wish that Christopher would’ve just kept the name as Guanahani and I wish that our island wasn’t under possession of him and the Spanish Throne. I just have a bad feeling that something horrid is going to happen.

Tonight Christopher and some of his men are coming to join us for dinner. I have been helping my Mom in the garden all day, picking and re- planting vegetables and fruits. I also went fishing with Hesutu and we caught many fish. I think tonight will be fun. I also think we are going to have a very good meal.

Doli is kind of weary about the new people. She is kind of shy and doesn’t really like to be around a big group of people. Now that we have 90 more people on our island she is scared that something horrid is going to happen, I think that she wishes none of this would have happened. I’m going to visit her tonight after dinner and see how she is. I’ll write soon!

Jaci