First Voyage.

Christopher Columbus left Spain for his epochal journey on 3 August 1492 with only a tiny fleet of three ships—the small caravels Nina and Pinta and the larger carrack Santa Maria. Together the three vessels carried a total of only ninety men, including Columbus himself. Putting to good use the knowledge of Atlantic wind patterns that he had learned from Portuguese sailors, Columbus chose to begin his journey west by first sailing south to the Canary Islands, where he could pick up the northeast trade winds that would carry him westward across the ocean. On 6 September Columbus's fleet left the Canaries, venturing into the unknown waters of the west. Based upon his own speculations Columbus expected to reach Asia within a few weeks at most if he maintained a steady westerly course. He was, of course, mistaken. A month after their departure...