Reaching Mesoamerica from the East – Part II

In a letter from Columbus on March 14th at Lisbon, to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain received in April 1493, it becomes quite evident that those crossing thousands of miles of ocean after five or more weeks at sea would likely not have continued on to the mainland—a land they would not be certain even existed. But the island lands they passed would have offered all that they could have wanted:

As Columbus wrote: “This island of Juana is exceedingly fertile, as indeed are all the others; it is surrounded with many bays, spacious, very secure, and surpassing any that I have ever seen; numerous large and healthful rivers intersect it, and it also contains many very lofty mountains. All these islands are very beautiful, and distinguished by a diversity of scenery; they are filled with great variety of trees of immense height and which I believe to retain their foliage in all seasons; for when I saw them they were as verdant and luxuriant as they usually are in Spain in the month of May—some of them were blossoming, some bearing fruit, and all flourishing in the greatest perfection, according to their respective stages of growth, and the nature and quality of each; yet the islands are not so thickly wooded as to be impassable.

It would have been hard to pass up landing on such an island

“The nightingale and various birds were singing in countless numbers, and that in November, the month in which I arrived there. There are besides herbs and fruits, trees that considerably surpass ours in height and beauty. The pines also are very handsome, and there are very extensive fields and meadows, a variety of birds, different kinds of honey, and many sorts of meals.

“In that island also which I have before said we named Espanola, there are mountains of very 
great size and beauty, vast plains, groves, and very fruitful fields, admirably adapted for tillage,
 pasture, and habitation. The convenience and excellence of the harbours in this island, and the
 abundance of the rivers, so indispensable to the health of man, surpass anything that would be 
believed by one who had not seen it. The trees, herbage, and fruits of Espanola are very different
 from those of Juana, and moreover it abounds in various kinds of spices, gold, and other metals, but not iron.”

Columbus, at this point in time, was convinced he had found Marco Polo's “Cinpangu” (Japan). He was puzzled, however, that there were no silk clad sages, or palaces tiled with gold to be seen anywhere. Accordingly, he decided to dispatch an embassy into the interior of the island, where he believed the cities were located. To lead the mission, he chose Luis de Torres. The interpreter was given a Latin passport, which he was to present to the chief of the natives ("the Great Khan"), as well as gifts. He also carried letters of credence from Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. An able-bodied seaman named Rodrigo de Jerez was chosen to accompany Torres. Two native Arawak Indian guides rounded out the embassy. But after three days, they returned to the ship, having seen numerous houses and natives, but not finding any great cities or emissaries of a government.

It would be hard to imagine how the Mulekites would have bypassed this large island which Columbus claimed was larger than England and also of Spain, which afforded, according to Columbus’ description, the most beautiful and amazing scenery, foods, and beauteous comfort, for a land further west. What would have propelled them ever forward after such a long time at sea? We know of no Liahona, of no day-to-day heavenly guidance—only that they were led by the hand of the Lord across the ocean.

It would seem more reasonable that the Mulekites would have stopped on this island--which is several times larger than today’s Haiti/Dominican Republic, and which today holds some 15 million people combined--than travel further to some unknown and unseen land.

It seems likely that if the Mulekites could have possibly come this way—somehow making their way against currents, winds and through countless difficult-to-navigate coastal waters—they would have stopped on the island of Cuba which Columbus called Juana and described so glowingly, and gone no further. After all, they would not have known there was any land beyond that and it certainly would have satisfied any dream of a promised land. Nor can we attribute any great religious fervor to those who brought Mulek out of Jerusalem, coming from the royal household of Zedekiah who time and again went against the prophet's counsel.