THE LETTER OF COLUMBUS TO LUIS DE SANT ANGEL ANNOUNCING HIS DICOVERY

jhonnz41

Hero Member
May 4, 2020
554
247
Philippines
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have many questions but here is the one that I used. Note that this is not the first known English translation (1816), Could a party member be translating this back then? Did that translator passed on this to his relative?

As I know you will be rejoiced at the glorious success that our Lord has given me in my voyage, I write this to tell you how in thirty-three days I sailed to the Indies with the fleet that the illustrious King and Queen, our Sovereigns, gave me, where I discovered a great many islands, inhabited by numberless people; and of all I have taken possession for their Highnesses by proclamation and display of the Royal Standard without opposition. To the first island I discovered I gave the name of San Salvador, in commemoration of His Divine Majesty, who has wonderfully granted all this. The Indians call it Guanaham. The second I named the Island of Santa Maria de Concepcion; the third, Fernandina; the fourth, Isabella; the fifth, Juana; and thus to each one I gave a new name. When I came to Juana, I followed the coast of that isle toward the west, and found it so extensive that I thought it might be the mainland, the province of Cathay; and as I found no towns nor villages on the sea-coast, except a few small settlements, where it was impossible to speak to the people, because they fled at once, I continued the said route, thinking I could not fail to see some great cities or towns; and finding at the end of many leagues that nothing new appeared, and that the coast led northward, contrary to my wish, because the winter had already set in, I decided to make for the south, and as the wind also was against my proceeding, I determined not to wait there longer, and turned back to a certain harbor whence I sent two men to find out whether there was any king or large city. They explored for three days, and found countless small communities and people, without number, but with no kind of government, so they returned.

I heard from other Indians I had already taken that this land was an island, and thus followed the eastern coast for one hundred and seven leagues, until I came to the end of it. From that point I saw another isle to the eastward, at eighteen leagues' distance, to which I gave the name of Hispaniola. I went thither and followed its northern coast to the east, as I had done in Juana, one hundred and seventy-eight leagues eastward, as in Juana. This island, like all the others, is most extensive. It has many ports along the sea-coast excelling any in Christendom — and many fine, large, flowing rivers. The land there is elevated, with many mountains and peaks incomparably higher than in the centre isle. They are most beautiful, of a thousand varied forms, accessible, and full of trees of endless varieties, so high that they seem to touch the sky, and I have been told that they never lose their foliage. I saw them as green and lovely as trees are in Spain in the month of May. Some of them were covered with blossoms, some with fruit, and some in other conditions, according to their kind. The nightingale and other small birds of a thousand kinds were singing in the month of November when I was there. There were palm trees of six or eight varieties, the graceful peculiarities of each one of them being worthy of admiration as are the other trees, fruits and grasses. There are wonderful pine woods, and very extensive ranges of meadow land. There is honey, and there are many kinds of birds, and a great variety of fruits. Inland there are numerous mines of metals and innumerable people. Hispaniola is a marvel. Its hills and mountains, fine plains and open country, are rich and fertile for planting and for pasturage, and for building towns and villages. The seaports there are incredibly fine, as also the magnificent rivers, most of which bear gold. The trees, fruits and grasses differ widely from those in Juana. There are many spices and vast mines of gold and other metals in this island. They have no iron, nor steel, nor weapons, nor are they fit for them, because although they are well-made men of commanding stature, they appear extraordinarily timid. The only arms they have are sticks of cane, cut when in seed, with a sharpened stick at the end, and they are afraid to use these. Often I have sent two or three men ashore to some town to converse with them, and the natives came out in great numbers, and as soon as they saw our men arrive, fled without a moment's delay although I protected them from all injury.

At every point where I landed, and succeeded in talking to them, I gave them some of everything I had — cloth and many other things — without receiving anything in return, but they are a hopelessly timid people. It is true that since they have gained more confidence and are losing this fear, they are so unsuspicious and so generous with what they possess, that no one who had not seen it would believe it. They never refuse anything that is asked for. They even offer it themselves, and show so much love that they would give their very hearts. Whether it be anything of great or small value, with any trifle of whatever kind, they are satisfied. I forbade worthless things being given to them, such as bits of broken bowls, pieces of glass, and old straps, although they were as much pleased to get them as if they were the finest jewels in the world. One sailor was found to have got for a leathern strap, gold of the weight of two and a half castellanos, and others for even more worthless things much more; while for a new blancas they would give all they had, were it two or three castellanos of pure gold or an arroba or two of spun cotton. Even bits of the broken hoops of wine casks they accepted, and gave in return what they had, like fools, and it seemed wrong to me. I forbade it, and gave a thousand good and pretty things that I had to win their love, and to induce them to become Christians, and to love and serve their Highnesses and the whole Castilian nation, and help to get for us things they have in abundance, which are necessary to us. They have no religion, nor idolatry, except that they all believe power and goodness to be in heaven. They firmly believed that I, with my ships and men, came from heaven, and with this idea I have been received everywhere, since they lost fear of me. They are, however, far from being ignorant. They are most ingenious men, and navigate these seas in a wonderful way, and describe everything well, but they never before saw people wearing clothes, nor vessels like ours. Directly I reached the Indies in the first isle I discovered, I took by force some of the natives, that from them we might gain some information of what there was in these parts; and so it was that we immediately understood each other, either by words or signs. They are still with me and still believe that I come from heaven. They were the first to declare this wherever I went, and the others ran from house to house, and to the towns around, crying out, "Come ! come! and see the man from heaven!" Then all, both men and women, as soon as they were reassured about us, came, both small and great, all bringing something to eat and to drink, which they presented with marvellous kindness. In these isles there are a great many canoes, something like rowing boats, of all sizes, and most of them are larger than an eighteen-oared galley. They are not so broad, as they are made of a single plank, but a galley could not keep up with them in rowing, because they go with incredible speed, and with these they row about among all these islands, which are innumerable, and carry on their commerce. I have seen some of these canoes with seventy and eighty men in them, and each had an oar. In all the islands I observed little difference in the appearance of the people, or in their habits and language, except that they understand each other, which is remarkable. Therefore I hope that their Highnesses will decide upon the conversion of these people to our holy faith, to which they seem much inclined. I have already stated how I sailed one hundred and seven leagues along the sea-coast of Juana, in a straight line from west to east. I can therefore assert that this island is larger than England and Scotland together, since beyond these one hundred and seven leagues there remained at the west point two provinces where I did not go, one of which they call Avan, the home of men with tails. These provinces are computed to be fifty or sixty leagues in length, as far as can be gathered from the Indians with me, who are acquainted with all these islands. This other, Hispaniola, is larger in circumference than all Spain from Catalonia to Fuentarabia in Biscay, since upon one of its four sides I sailed one hundred and eighty-eight leagues from west to east. This is worth having, and must on no account be given up. I have taken possession of all these islands, for their Highnesses, and all may be more extensive than I know, or can say, and I hold them for their Highnesses, who can command them as absolutely as the kingdoms of Castile. In Hispaniola, in the most convenient place, most accessible for the gold mines and all commerce with the mainland on this side or with that of the great Khan, on the other, with which there would be great trade and profit, I have taken possession of a large town, which I have named the City of Navidad. I began fortifications there which should be completed by this time, and I have left in it men enough to hold it, with arms, artillery, and provisions for more than a year; and a boat with a master seaman skilled in the arts necessary to make others; I am so friendly with the king of that country that he was proud to call me his brother and hold me as such. Even should he change his mind and wish to quarrel with my men, neither he nor his subjects know what arms are, nor wear clothes, as I have said. They are the most timid people in the world, so that only the men remaining there could destroy the whole region, and run no risk if they know how to behave themselves properly. In all these islands the men seem to be satisfied with one wife except they allow as many as twenty to their chief or men. The women appear to me to work harder than the men, and so far as I can hear they have nothing of their own, for I think I perceived that what one had others shared, especially food. In the islands so far, I have found no monsters, as some expected, but, on the contrary, they are people of very handsome appearance. They are not black as in Guinea, though their hair is straight and coarse, as it does not grow where the sun's rays are too ardent. And in truth the sun has extreme power here, since it is within twenty-six degrees of the equinoctial line. In these islands there are mountains where the cold this winter was very severe, but the people endure it from habit, and with the aid of the meat they eat with very hot spices.

As for monsters, I have found not trace of them except at the point in the second isle as one enters the Indies, which is inhabited by a people considered in all the isles as most ferocious, who eat human flesh. They possess many canoes, with which they overrun all the isles of India, stealing and seizing all they can. They are not worse looking than the others, except that they wear their hair long like women, and use bows and arrows of the same cane, with a sharp stick at the end for want of iron, of which they have none. They are ferocious compared to these other races, who are extremely cowardly; but I only hear this from the others. They are said to make treaties of marriage with the women in the first isle to be met with coming from Spain to the Indies, where there are no men. These women have no feminine occupation, but use bows and arrows of cane like those before mentioned, and cover and arm themselves with plates of copper, of which they have a great quantity. Another island, I am told, is larger than Hispaniola, where the natives have no hair, and where there is countless gold; and from them all I bring Indians to testify to this. To speak, in conclusion, only of what has been done during this hurried voyage, their Highnesses will see that I can give them as much gold as they desire, if they will give me a little assistance, spices, cotton, as much as their Highnesses may command to be shipped, and mastic as much as their Highnesses choose to send for, which until now has only been found in Greece, in the isle of Chios, and the Signoria can get its own price for it; as much lign-aloe as they command to be shipped, and as many slaves as they choose to send for, all heathens. I think I have found rhubarb and cinnamon. Many other things of value will be discovered by the men I left behind me, as I stayed nowhere when the wind allowed me to pursue my voyage, except in the City of Navidad, which I left fortified and safe. Indeed, I might have accomplished much more, had the crews served me as they ought to have done. The eternal and almighty God, our Lord, it is Who gives to all who walk in His way, victory over things apparently impossible, and in this case signally so, because although these lands had been imagined and talked of before they were seen, most men listened incredulously to what was thought to be but an idle tale. But our Redeemer has given victory to our most illustrious King and Queen, and to their kingdoms rendered famous by this glorious event, at which all Christendom should rejoice, celebrating it with great festivities and solemn Thanksgivings to the Holy Trinity, with fervent prayers for the high distinction that will accrue to them from turning so many peoples to our holy faith; and also from the temporal benefits that not only Spain but all Christian nations will obtain. Thus I record what has happened in a brief note written on board the Caravel, off the Canary Isles, on the 15th of February, 1493.

Yours to command,
THE ADMIRAL

Postscript within the letter
Since writing the above, being in the Sea of Castile, so much wind arose south southeast, that I was forced to lighten the vessels, to run into this port of Lisbon to-day which was the most extraordinary thing in the world, from whence I resolved to write to their Highnesses. In all the Indies I always found the temperature like that of May. Where I went in thirty-three days I returned in twenty-eight, except that these gales have detained me fourteen days, knocking about in this sea, Here all seamen say that there has never been so rough a winter, nor so many vessels lost. Done the 14th day of March.

This letter Columbus sent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, from the Islands discovered in the Indies, enclosed in another to their Highnesses.
 

Singlestack Wonder

Bronze Member
Mar 28, 2014
1,711
2,627
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Please advise as to what this has to do with the fictional beale codes?
 

OP
OP
J

jhonnz41

Hero Member
May 4, 2020
554
247
Philippines
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Please advise as to what this has to do with the fictional beale codes?

This will also make a fictional message that has led me to the purchase of the Harkening Hill by James Jopling(Lord), using one third of the Gold where they found Indian tribe(cherokees) in a place they called as Santa Maria. Where he said that they were aided by the Indians there, where he said that Jopling gave him a land which I believe is the Johnson Farm, He purchase a cabin or home of Elizabeth which I think became the Johnson Ancestral Home.

And lastly, the giving of a hill owned by Mary Polly Dooley-Wood to the party now named as the Johnson-Dooley Farm in Sweet Birch Lane.

additional:
Ending in page one with
"I know you will be rejoiced at the Illustrious King and Queen, me in my voyage I discovered, at the end of many leagues that nothing new appeared, ashore to some. And some great success that our Lord has given, and of all arrive".
 

Last edited:
OP
OP
J

jhonnz41

Hero Member
May 4, 2020
554
247
Philippines
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
But there is a question I could not answer. How did the party obtained a copy of this one which was published later than 1821? Could a party member be the original translator and handed it down to his relatives or family?

We need to trace the family background of the one who published this version, or the one who made this translation.

All I know is that the first known English translation appeared in the Edinburgh Review in 1816(not this version).
 

bigscoop

Gold Member
Jun 4, 2010
13,373
8,689
Wherever there be treasure!
Detector(s) used
Older blue Excal with full mods, Equinox 800.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
But there is a question I could not answer. How did the party obtained a copy of this one which was published later than 1821? Could a party member be the original translator and handed it down to his relatives or family?

We need to trace the family background of the one who published this version, or the one who made this translation.

All I know is that the first known English translation appeared in the Edinburgh Review in 1816(not this version).

Suggestion,.....what you need to do before any of this is to find a single shred of evidence that actually supports anything in this tale of treasure. 200 years, the efforts of thousands of capable researchers before you, and still not a single supporting piece of actual evidence. Just seems to me that, like many before you, you are trying to fit a square into a round hole. Got to establish that there is some measure of truth to the tale first.
 

OP
OP
J

jhonnz41

Hero Member
May 4, 2020
554
247
Philippines
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Suggestion,.....what you need to do before any of this is to find a single shred of evidence that actually supports anything in this tale of treasure. 200 years, the efforts of thousands of capable researchers before you, and still not a single supporting piece of actual evidence. Just seems to me that, like many before you, you are trying to fit a square into a round hole. Got to establish that there is some measure of truth to the tale first.

“Gold in the Blue Ridge, the true story of the Beale Treasure” by Pauline B. Innis and
Walter Dean Innis.
 

OP
OP
J

jhonnz41

Hero Member
May 4, 2020
554
247
Philippines
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
But still this wont solve the fact that this version of Columbus first Voyage is not the same as the one published in Edinburgh review(1816). We should check the family background of the translator/owner of the version I used.

I always wonder if a party member is the original translator of this, and passed it to his relative or family members.
 

bigscoop

Gold Member
Jun 4, 2010
13,373
8,689
Wherever there be treasure!
Detector(s) used
Older blue Excal with full mods, Equinox 800.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
“Gold in the Blue Ridge, the true story of the Beale Treasure” by Pauline B. Innis and
Walter Dean Innis.

"A lot of unsupported speculation" in that book. The details in this book have been picked apart long ago, it's not a very credible source. There are old threads in this forum which address a lot of this.
 

bigscoop

Gold Member
Jun 4, 2010
13,373
8,689
Wherever there be treasure!
Detector(s) used
Older blue Excal with full mods, Equinox 800.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
But still this wont solve the fact that this version of Columbus first Voyage is not the same as the one published in Edinburgh review(1816). We should check the family background of the translator/owner of the version I used.

I always wonder if a party member is the original translator of this, and passed it to his relative or family members.

Interesting, but nothing to suggest that it has anything at all to do with the story in the Beale Papers. There simply exist no direct connections or connecting evidences to any of the details in the story outside of that story itself. i.e., no mention of the party at all in local source materials from the period, no mention of the party or its members by the families of these men who supposedly went missing, etc., etc., etc. Any party heading west during the period would have been HUGE news, especially a party that had gone their and come back and was planning to return. T. J. Beale was supposed to have been well known, even "universally known" and also quite popular with the ladies, yet not a single word of him or his alleged adventures in any other source outside of the story in the Beale Papers, etc. And the list of discrepancies and opposing "facts" goes on and on. These same opposing facts also present in regards to the Innis details, i.e., many of the details from both sources could not of happened and very clearly did not happen. You have to respect that over the years thousands of capable researchers have already picked every single detail to death with absolutely zero connecting evidences ever discovered, the most advanced computer programs in the world already concluding that a grammatically correct clear text can't exist in the C1 cipher. And so, when we look at all of the "actual facts" then the story itself is rendered a complete fabrication. Wish it wasn't the case, but it is.
 

Last edited:
OP
OP
J

jhonnz41

Hero Member
May 4, 2020
554
247
Philippines
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I agree with you. We need to rely on records first before concluding anything. Some information that I found based on page 1 and 3 might have been just a pure coincidence.
My purpose of sharing this to everyone was so that everyone could research. I don't mind about the gold as I really believe that it was retrieved by the party.

To start with, here is the information that I found which I think is the Beale party, though no names are mentioned.
Let me know what you think about this. What is their purpose of doing that? Why in 1820?

Stone.png

summit.jpg

I hope we will pool our available information as one.
 

bigscoop

Gold Member
Jun 4, 2010
13,373
8,689
Wherever there be treasure!
Detector(s) used
Older blue Excal with full mods, Equinox 800.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I agree with you. We need to rely on records first before concluding anything. Some information that I found based on page 1 and 3 might have been just a pure coincidence.
My purpose of sharing this to everyone was so that everyone could research. I don't mind about the gold as I really believe that it was retrieved by the party.

To start with, here is the information that I found which I think is the Beale party, though no names are mentioned.
Let me know what you think about this. What is their purpose of doing that? Why in 1820?

View attachment 1902629

View attachment 1902631

I hope we will pool our available information as one.

What gold? That's the point, the entire details surrounding the account of the gold discovery and its refining wasn't even possible in the region in question until about 40/50 years later. At best you'd be looking at what's called dor bars, or just ore, both still needing to be further refined. You're still operating on the conclusion that this story of lost gold is true when there exist absolutely zero supporting evidences and mountains of evidences to the contrary. As for the Sharp Mountain story you posted, again, absolutely zero evidences that it had anything at all to do with the Beale treasure tale. Like I said, the very first thing that one has to establish is that some facts and conclusive evidences exist that support the details in the tale, to which there are still absolutely zero to date.
 

Last edited:

bigscoop

Gold Member
Jun 4, 2010
13,373
8,689
Wherever there be treasure!
Detector(s) used
Older blue Excal with full mods, Equinox 800.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
johnz41,....here's what I'm trying to relay to you. I could start putting information out there that would eventually have 100% convinced that I did in fact have the accurate remedy to the Beale Paper treasure mystery. BUT, and here's the nudge, in all of that research, despite the mountains of coincidences, it is all still just speculation, conjecture, circumstantial, and "without a single directly connecting piece of conclusive evidence that ties it to the story in the Beale Paper tale." And you can achieve this same type of thing with just about any principle subject you wish to pursue, be it the Freemasons, the fake Paralta stone, the stone tablets, Christopher Columbus, the Adams Onis Treaty, and just about any other principle suspect or suspicion one desires to pursue. And there's a good reason for this.....because there exist absolutely no facts of any kind to place limits on what suspect or suspicion one desires to pursue. If that evidence was out there then all of these other avenues couldn't exist at all. Just the cold hard facts to the situation......it is the complete absence of supporting evidences that allow all of these other avenues to exist. And that alone should clearly tell you something......:thumbsup:
 

OP
OP
J

jhonnz41

Hero Member
May 4, 2020
554
247
Philippines
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My mind is telling me Gold based on the Beale papers and based on "Castellanos of Pure Gold". Yet, I agree with you, no solid evidence about the Peaks of otter story. I will be posting the page three tomorrow so you guys could analyze it. It links the statements mentioned in page 1. I need to sleep now.
 

OP
OP
J

jhonnz41

Hero Member
May 4, 2020
554
247
Philippines
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
johnz41,....here's what I'm trying to relay to you. I could start putting information out there that would eventually have 100% convinced that I did in fact have the accurate remedy to the Beale Paper treasure mystery. BUT, and here's the nudge, in all of that research, despite the mountains of coincidences, it is all still just speculation, conjecture, circumstantial, and "without a single directly connecting piece of conclusive evidence that ties it to the story in the Beale Paper tale." And you can achieve this same type of thing with just about any principle subject you wish to pursue, be it the Freemasons, the fake Paralta stone, the stone tablets, Christopher Columbus, the Adams Onis Treaty, and just about any other principle suspect or suspicion one desires to pursue. And there's a good reason for this.....because there exist absolutely no facts of any kind to place limits on what suspect or suspicion one desires to pursue. If that evidence was out there then all of these other avenues couldn't exist at all. Just the cold hard facts to the situation......it is the complete absence of supporting evidences that allow all of these other avenues to exist. And that alone should clearly tell you something......:thumbsup:

I agree to this...8-), But could you guys at least check it a little? I will be posting the key with numbers here so you can try solving using this method and let me know what you find out.

Again, I am not saying that I solved it. But this might be worth a try.

There is a lot of theories about this topic anyway, maybe you can add another one in the list?:tongue3:
 

ECS

Banned
Mar 26, 2012
11,639
17,694
Ocala,Florida
Primary Interest:
Other
...
To start with, here is the information that I found which I think is the Beale party, though no names are mentioned.
Let me know what you think about this. What is their purpose of doing that? Why in 1820?...
This is in no way related to the story contained in the 1885 Beale Papers beyond one's wishful thinking.
 

OP
OP
J

jhonnz41

Hero Member
May 4, 2020
554
247
Philippines
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
This is in no way related to the story contained in the 1885 Beale Papers beyond one's wishful thinking.

Because I am thinking that this is related to the clue "Lined with Stone", as if they are the one who made the landmarks..

I am just wondering.What is their purpose of dislodging a boulder on top of the Mountain? Was it only for fun? What are they trying to achieve? Who are these young people?

Its only a few questions that I cant answer.
 

Singlestack Wonder

Bronze Member
Mar 28, 2014
1,711
2,627
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
johnz41,....here's what I'm trying to relay to you. I could start putting information out there that would eventually have 100% convinced that I did in fact have the accurate remedy to the Beale Paper treasure mystery. BUT, and here's the nudge, in all of that research, despite the mountains of coincidences, it is all still just speculation, conjecture, circumstantial, and "without a single directly connecting piece of conclusive evidence that ties it to the story in the Beale Paper tale." And you can achieve this same type of thing with just about any principle subject you wish to pursue, be it the Freemasons, the fake Paralta stone, the stone tablets, Christopher Columbus, the Adams Onis Treaty, and just about any other principle suspect or suspicion one desires to pursue. And there's a good reason for this.....because there exist absolutely no facts of any kind to place limits on what suspect or suspicion one desires to pursue. If that evidence was out there then all of these other avenues couldn't exist at all. Just the cold hard facts to the situation......it is the complete absence of supporting evidences that allow all of these other avenues to exist. And that alone should clearly tell you something......:thumbsup:

Since the beale codes are absolute fiction finding factual evidence will be difficult...
 

Rebel - KGC

Gold Member
Jun 15, 2007
21,680
14,737
Because I am thinking that this is related to the clue "Lined with Stone", as if they are the one who made the landmarks..

I am just wondering.What is their purpose of dislodging a boulder on top of the Mountain? Was it only for fun? What are they trying to achieve? Who are these young people?

Its only a few questions that I cant answer.
Bunch of "Rowdies" (local boys) looking for "fun"...
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top