The Fate of the Most Important Exploring
Expedition in History Was Decided
by a Flight of Birds.
A flight of birds, coupled with a sailor's superstition, robbed Columbus
of the honor of discovering the continent.
When the great Italian navigator sailed westward over the unknown
Atlantic, he expected to reach Zipangu (Japan). After several days' sail
from Gomera, one of the Canary Islands, he became uneasy at not
discovering Zipangu, which, according to his reckonings, should have been
two hundred and sixteen nautical miles more to the east.
After a long discussion he yielded to the opinion of Martin
Alonzo Pinzon, the commander of the Pinta, and steered to
the southwest.
Pinzon was guided in his opinion solely by a flight of
parrots, which took wing in that direction. It was good luck
to follow in the wake of a flock of birds when engaged upon
a voyage of discovery--a widespread superstition among
Spanish seamen of that day--and this change in the great
navigator's course curiously exemplifies the influence of
small and apparently trivial events in the world's history.
If Columbus had held to his course he would have entered
the Gulf Stream, have reached Florida, and then probably
have been carried to Cape Hatteras and Virginia.