▁a ▁direct ▁route ▁to ▁Asia . ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 4 9 2 ▁Columb us ▁reached ▁an ▁island ▁in ▁the ▁Bah am as , ▁an ▁event ▁long ▁regarded ▁as ▁the ▁' dis cover y ' ▁of ▁America . ▁This ▁first ▁island ▁to ▁be ▁visited ▁by ▁Columb us ▁was ▁called ▁Gu an ah ani ▁by ▁the ▁Luc ay ans , ▁and ▁San ▁Salvador ▁by ▁the ▁Spanish . ▁The ▁identity ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁American ▁land fall ▁by ▁Columb us ▁remains ▁controvers ial , ▁but ▁many ▁authors ▁accept ▁Samuel ▁E . ▁Mor ison ' s ▁identification ▁of ▁what ▁was ▁later ▁called ▁Wat ling ▁( or ▁Wat ling ' s ) ▁Island ▁as ▁Columb us ' ▁San ▁Salvador . ▁The ▁former ▁Wat ling ▁Island ▁was ▁officially ▁renamed ▁San ▁Salvador ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 . ▁Luis ▁M arden ' s ▁identification ▁of ▁Sam an á ▁Key ▁as ▁Gu an ah ani ▁is ▁the ▁strong est ▁cont ender ▁with ▁the ▁former ▁Wat ling ▁Island ▁theory . ▁Columb us ▁visited ▁several ▁other ▁islands ▁in ▁the ▁Bah am as ▁hunting ▁for ▁gold ▁before ▁sail ing ▁on ▁to ▁Cuba . ▁ ▁Columb us ▁spent ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁visit ing ▁other ▁islands ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity : ▁Santa ▁María ▁de ▁la ▁Con cep ción , ▁Fern and ina , ▁and ▁Sa om ete . ▁Luc ay ans ▁on ▁San ▁Salvador ▁had ▁told ▁Columb us ▁that ▁he ▁could ▁find ▁a ▁" king " ▁who ▁had ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁gold ▁at ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁S ama ot ▁( also