29 - Time Traveler: Voyage With Columbus - Pages 40-42

It's October 12, 1492. You are leaning over the railing of the Santa Maria when the sun comes up. Before your eyes is a beautiful island. You see tall palm trees and smooth, wide beach. Colorful birds are flying everywhere. What a joyful moment!

You and the others climb into rowboats and head for shore. Christopher Columbus, in the first boat, carries the flag of Spain. Others carry the green and white banners of the fleet.

You're excited--this is history being made! On the beach, some of the men fall to their knees and give thanks. Proudly, Columbus plants his flag in the sand.

"I name this island San Salvador," he says. "I claim it for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain!"

You see a band of natives coming slowly from the bushes. They have painted bodies and faces. They call themselves Tainos, and they turn out to be friendly.

When they reach your group, they fall down and bow. Later, you learn that they think the ships, with their big sails, flew here from the sky!

Using sign language, the sailors begin trading with them. They give the natives beads and mirrors, red cloth caps and tiny bells. The Tainos love the trinkets. Many are wearing rings and necklaces of solid gold. They gladly give their gold to the sailors for more bells and beads!

Columbus likes these friendly natives. "We're in the East Indies," he tells his men, "so we will call these people Indians."

You smile to yourself. Now you know how the word Indian got its start!

Climbing to a high spot on the beach, you look across the water. You know that this island is in the Caribbean Sea, near the coast of North America. But Columbus thinks he's really off the coast of China. He hoped to reach China and the East Indies, but he didn't know that a huge continent was in his way!

Your thoughts are broken by a cracking noise. You turn and look up. A giant palm tree, loosened by wind and rain, is starting to topple--and you're right under it!

Better jump--quickly!


Turn to page 45.

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