Table 1. Columbus Landfall Theory Scorecard
Columbus's Description Pl Sa Co Wa Ca Eg Gr
1 Saw light 1492/10/11, 10 PM (LAT) 3 1 3 1 3 1 1
2 Island is well watered 3 2 2 3 3 1 3
3 Large laguna in the middle 2 1 3 2 1 3 3
4 Went NNE along I . . . 3 0 3 3 2 3 2
5 . . . to other, E part 3 3 3 2 3 3 1
6 Island is surrounded by a reef 3 3 3 1 3 2 3
7 Large harbor between reef & island 2 2 2 3 3 0 3
8 Fortifiable peninsula 0 1 1 1 3 1 2
9 Saw many islands from I . . . 2 2 2 1 2 3 3
10 . . . and headed for largest 3 3 1 3 0 0 3
11 From I to II is 5-to-7 leagues 2 3 2 3 1 2 3
12 N-S coast of II faces I 3 1 0 1 2 1 3
13 N-S coast of II is 5 leagues long 3 3 0 0 0 1 3
14 E-W coast of II is 10+ leagues long 2 2 0 0 2 2 2
15 Can see III from II 1 1 3 3 0 3 0
16 From II to III is 8 or 9 leagues . . . 3 3 1 1 1 3 0
17 . . . almost E-W 3 3 3 3 3 3 1
18 Coast of III runs NNW-SSE 3 3 3 3 2 3 0
19 Harbor 2 leagues from end of III . . . 3 3 0 0 3 3 3
20 . . . with two mouths 1 1 3 3 1 1 1
21 NW of harbor, part of III runs E-W 3 3 0 0 1 3 1
22 Coast of III is 20+ leagues 3 3 3 3 2 3 0
23 Six hours sailing from III to IV 3 3 3 3 0 0 0
24 N end of IV lies E of III 2 2 3 3 1 0 1
25 Coast of IV runs W . . . 0 0 0 0 2 2 1
26 . . . 12 leagues to C.Hermoso 0 0 2 2 3 3 3
27 N end of IV has many pools 2 2 2 2 1 1 1
28 WSW, C.Isleo to C.Verde fix 2 2 2 2 0 0 0
29 C.Verde fix to Ragged is 23 leagues 3 3 3 3 0 0 0
30 W by S, C.Verde fix to Ragged 3 3 3 3 1 0 0
31 From IV to I is 8 leagues 1 1 0 0 3 0 0
Total Score: 70 63 59 58 52 51 47
Average Score: 2.3 2.0 1.9 1.9 1.7 1.6 1.5
In this Scorecard, abbreviations are adopted for obvious space
reasons.The scoring system (from 0 to 3):
0 = does not fit the log(Columbus's Diario), requires assumption of
transcription error;
1 = poor fit to the log, requires unusual interpretation;
2 = reasonable fit with the log;
3 = perfect fit with the log.(Further details below at D2.)
Islands (in order of discovery): I = San Salvador,II = Santa Maria, III = Fernandina, IV = Isabela.
(This paper's ultimate identifications: Plana = I = San Salvador,Acklins-Crooked = II = Santa Maria, Long = III = Fernandina,Fortune = IV = Isabela.)
The seven vying theories (regarding the identity of I = San Salvador),which are being scored in the above Table 1, are:Pl = Plana, Sa = Samana, Co = Conception,Wa = Watlings, Ca = Caicos, Eg = Egg, Gr = Grand Turk.
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