Chapter 2287 - 1625: Haha! Foolish De La Cosa!

Chapter 2287: Chapter 1625: Haha! Foolish De La Cosa!

In May of 1496 AD, at 13 degrees north latitude, 2,000 li southeast of the Great Island of Puerto Rico, on the south side of the Lesser Antilles, Barbados Island (Barbados),

The setting sun hung low, casting a copper-red glow over the Atlantic Ocean, foreshadowing who knows what kind of tomorrow. Four medium-sized Castilian caravels quietly anchored in the bay on the west coast of Barbados. Their tall masts and Latin lateen sails resembled birds from an exotic realm, their elongated silhouettes gently swaying at the horizon where water met sky.

Upon closer look, the lower parts of these large ships were marked by vague collision dents and dappled with dark red bloodstains, foretelling not only of past skirmishes. After the sea winds and long journey, these ships quietly anchored here, like white ghosts from the old world observing the tropical islands of the new world.

"Haha! Almighty bless us! This tiny island in the deep sea can be seen at a glance, front and back! Oh! There are so many wild banyan trees here? Then let’s call it ’Banyan Tree Island,’ Barbados!"

Expedition Commander Columbus stood at the bow, gazing at "Banyan Tree Island Barbados," this beautiful tropical island.

The afterglow of the sunset, like red gauze, sprinkled over the coral sandy beach. The sea was crystal clear, as if it were a giant blue glass, reflecting the glow of the distant clouds. Palm groves and banyan groves swayed lightly in the sea breeze. The mottled shadows of the trees covered the white sandy ground, and occasionally, a small brown lizard darted out from the tree roots, flashing by like a shooting star.

Without a doubt, this was a tranquil and beautiful small tropical island! The area of this island is only 430 square kilometers, less than one-twentieth of the Great Island of Puerto Rico. The island stretches over 40 li from east to west and over 60 li from north to south, with extremely flat terrain, only a few hills and small mountains in the center. The highest hill on the entire island is just over 300 meters high. Starting from this western bay where the exploration fleet was anchored, any point on the island could be reached within a day’s journey!

On such an island, there was barely any space for guerrilla warfare. And this Barbados Island, suspended outside the windward island chain, is three or four hundred li away from the nearest Saint Vincent Island. This means that this island is isolated and unsupported, and the connection of the natives on the island with other islands is far from easy, relying on long hours of rowing. All in all, this is almost the best place that Columbus’s exploration fleet has found to establish a new Castilian stronghold!

"Ah haha! De La Cosa, how do you find this place?"

"Commander Columbus! We have circled around this small island. The location of this place is excellent!"

De La Cosa’s eyes were burning as he looked at this beautiful island, as if seeing the future Queen Isabella’s Castle, seeing fertile lands where sugarcane could be planted! He laughed happily, with undisguised desire in his eyes, also revealing undisguised killing intent.

"Almighty bless us! As long as we take over here, clear out the few villages of hundreds or thousands of Caribbean natives... we won’t have to worry about any barbarian attacks on the island! Even if Cipangu’s barbarian warriors want to land on the island, there’s no place to hide or any village supplies to rely on!

"Praise the Almighty! If the barbarians from there want to attack this island, they must honestly engage us in naval warfare! And when it comes to naval warfare, our vast Castilian fleet fears no one! Hmm, except the Portuguese people..."

"But, as long as we dismantle the ten-pound cannons and set up earthen and wooden forts at several prominent positions on this island. Then, even if the Portuguese people’s large-scale fleet appears, they will have no solution for this future Queen’s Castle!"

"You’re right! This small island is the safest! Not to mention whether Cipangu barbarians can find it or not, even if they discover it, they must first fight with the Caribbean natives on the islands to the west before they can come close. And when they do come close, our warships and shore batteries will bombard them, surely turning these barbarians’ oar-sailed longships into sieves! Haha! This is the best place! Anton, that fool, choosing Puerto Rico, is no match for my wise Columbus..."

Hearing De La Cosa’s comment, Columbus was very satisfied. This was an "Indian Island" he discovered personally, and according to the contract signed with the Royal Family and himself, it was only natural that he should appoint a Governor and receive thirty percent of all the island’s revenues. And his brother Bartolomeo just reminded him that this warm island at 13 degrees north latitude, with its flat terrain, should be very suitable for planting sugarcane, just like the Portuguese people did in the similarly latitudinal Cape Verde Islands...

After a moment’s gaze, Columbus, immensely proud, waved his hand and gave orders to the Holy War veterans and sailors.

"The Holy Mother blesses us! Disembark! Right here, erect the wooden pillar of territorial claim for the Kingdom!"

As the sun set and rose, the Caribbean sea breeze, laden with a salty tang, swept across the bays of Barbados’s west coast. The morning sea breeze still carried the coolness of night dew, and sunlight shone through the gaps of the east side’s palms, casting mottled golden light. 37 Holy War veterans and 90 Castilian sailors, busy for two days, finally erected a rudimentary camp by the seaside, raising a wooden pillar of banyan tree material as the claim.

Indeed, in over half a month of exploration, the exploration fleet led by Columbus had encountered several harassing Caribbean natives! These pesky horseflies rowed their small boats, lunatics rushing forward, only to be shot down in boatloads by the fleet’s cannons, sailors’ matchlock guns, and veterans’ arrows!