It was a little, low, flat green island, partly covered with trees and with what looked like a lake in the center.
This land was, in fact, one of the three thousand keys or coral islands that stretch from the capes of Florida to the island of Hayti, and are known as the Bahama Islands.

The one upon which Columbus landed was called by the natives Guanahani, and was either the little island now marked on the map as Cat Island or else the one called Watling's Island.
Just which of these it was has been discussed over and over again, but careful scholars have now but little doubt that it was the one known to-day as Watling's Island.

To see no sign of glittering palaces and gayly dressed people was quite a disappointment to Columbus.

But then, he said, this, is probably the island farthest out to sea, and the people who live here are not the real Cathay folks.

We shall see them very soon.
So with the royal banner and the green-cross standards floating above him, with his captains and chief officers and some of the sailors gathered about him, while all the others watched him from the decks of his fleet, Columbus stepped upon the shore.