Publisher's Synopsis
When Columbus returned to Spain from his momentous first journey in the Spring of 1493, he presented his Journal to Queen Isabella. Unfortunately no complete copy has survived. The loss would have been irreparable had it not been for the efforts of Bartolome de las Casas whose digest survives in the Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid. The Journal, even in its abbreviated form, is a fascinating day-to-day account of the Admiral's discovery of Cuba and Hispaniola. Both the Spanish text and the English translation have been newly prepared for this edition. The Spanish text is accurate and readable, with extensive notes. Notes to the English text give assistance in matters of navigation and historical geography. The introduction covers the background of Spanish exploration of the New World and includes an account by Professor R.J. Penny of Columbus's knowledge of Spanish. This edition provides, in a convenient, accessible and economical format, the first authoritative text with facing English translation of the Journal, and will be of particular interest to students of Spanish colonial expansion.
