TRINIDAD SEEN.

On Sunday, the 22nd of July, in the evening, the sailors saw innumerable
birds going from the south-west to the north-east, which flight of birds
was a sign that land was not far off. For several successive days birds
were seen, and an albatross perched upon the admiral's vessel. Still the
fleet went on without seeing land, and, as it was in want of fresh water,
the admiral was thinking of changing his course, and, indeed, on Thursday,
the 31st of July, had commenced steering northwards for some hours, when,
to use his own words, "as God had always been accustomed to show mercy to
him," a certain mariner of Huelva, a follower of the admiral's, named
Alonzo Perez, happened to go up aloft upon the maintop-sail of the
admiral's ship, and suddenly saw land towards the south-west, about
fifteen leagues off. This land which he described was in the form of three
lofty hills or mountains. It would be but natural to conjecture that, as
Columbus had resolved to name the first land he should discover
"Trinidad," it was by an effort of the will, or of the imagination, that
these three eminences were seen first; but it is exceedingly probable that
such eminences were to be seen from the point whence Alonzo Perez first
saw land.[16]

[Footnote 16: Cape Cashepou is backed by three peaked mountains, of
which a representation is given in Day's West Indies, vol 2, p. 31.]

The sailors sang the "Salve Regina," with other pious hymns in honour of
God and "Our Lady," according to the custom of the mariners of Spain, who,
in terror or in joy, were wont to find an expression for their feelings in
such sacred canticles.