The following is an excerpt from Columbus's description of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (Evaluating the Evidence 14.1): "Hispaniola is a wonder. The mountains and hills, the plains and meadow lands are both fertile and beautiful. They are most suitable for planting crops and for raising cattle of all kinds, and there are good sites for building towns and villages. The harbours are incredibly fine and there are many great rivers with broad channels and the majority contain gold. The trees, fruits and plants are very different from those of Cuba. In Hispaniola there are many spices and large mines of gold and other metals."
This description supports the contention that Columbus's patrons in Spain were particularly interested in

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Columbus's description emphasizes the economic potential of Hispaniola, including its fertile land, good sites for building, fine harbours, and gold mines. This suggests that his patrons in Spain were interested in the economic benefits that could be gained from exploring and exploiting new lands.

The Following Is an Excerpt from Columbus's Description of the Caribbean