Although Christopher Columbus was searching for gold, spices and a route to the Indies, he landed first on the island of San Salvador in the Bahamas. In his diary, Diario, he wrote of the naked people wearing gold bracelets, anklets and nose rings. He raved about the magnificently colored fish and birds, the lush greenery and sweet smells of the vegetation. He also recorded the first known reference to a well-known chicken joke. On "Sunday, 32 October 1492," he described a snake: "This serpent is about 6 feet long. I think there are many such serpents in theses lagoon. The people here eat them and the meat is white and tastes like chicken."
Columbus also found some interesting art artifacts. In one village, nearly every home had some individual stone carving. He was presented a magnificent gold buckle and mentions several gold masks. According to his aide, "The chief sent, by this servant, a girdle which, instead of a purse, had attached to it a mask with two large ears made of beaten gold...." For more information on the art, see https://ancientstoneart.blogspot.com/2014/03/ancient-american-rock-art-in-historic.html
