It was reckoned in those days that a ship on an average could make four knots an hour, dead reckoning, which would give about 100 miles a day, so that Columbus might reckon on passing over the 3100 miles which he thought intervened between the Azores and Japan in about thirty-three days.

All through the early days of October his courage was kept up by various signs of the nearness of land--birds and branches--while on the 11th October, at sunset, they sounded, and found bottom; and at ten o'clock, Columbus, sitting in the stern of his vessel, saw a light, the first sure sign of land after thirty-five days, and in near enough approximation to Columbus's reckoning to confirm him in the impression that he was approaching the mysterious land of Zipangu.
Next morning they landed on an island, called by the natives Guanahain, and by Columbus San Salvador.

This has been identified as Watling Island.

His first inquiry was as to the origin of the little plates of gold which he saw in the ears of the natives.

They replied that they came from the West--another confirmation of his impression.
Steering westward, they arrived at Cuba, and afterwards at Hayti (St.Domingo).