▁probably ▁did ▁not ▁reach ▁central ▁Cuba ▁until ▁after ▁ 1 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁particular ▁evidence ▁that ▁this ▁was ▁the ▁route ▁of ▁the ▁initial ▁migration ▁to ▁the ▁Bah am as . ▁ ▁From ▁an ▁initial ▁colon ization ▁of ▁Great ▁In agua ▁Island , ▁the ▁Luc ay ans ▁expanded ▁throughout ▁the ▁Bah am as ▁Islands ▁in ▁some ▁ 8 0 0 ▁years ▁( c .   7 0 0   – ▁c .   1 5 0 0 ), ▁growing ▁to ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁about ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁Population ▁density ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁first ▁European ▁contact ▁was ▁highest ▁in ▁the ▁south ▁central ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁Bah am as , ▁decl ining ▁towards ▁the ▁north , ▁reflect ing ▁the ▁progress ively ▁shorter ▁time ▁of ▁occupation ▁of ▁the ▁northern ▁islands . ▁Kn own ▁Luc ay an ▁settlement ▁sites ▁are ▁conf ined ▁to ▁the ▁nin ete en ▁largest ▁islands ▁in ▁the ▁arch ip el ago , ▁or ▁to ▁smaller ▁c ays ▁located ▁less ▁than ▁one ▁kilomet re ▁from ▁those ▁islands . ▁Ke eg an ▁pos its ▁a ▁north - ward ▁migration ▁route ▁from ▁Great ▁In agua ▁Island ▁to ▁A ck l ins ▁and ▁Cro oked ▁Islands , ▁then ▁on ▁to ▁Long ▁Island . ▁From ▁Long ▁Island ▁expansion ▁would ▁have ▁gone ▁east ▁to ▁Rum ▁C ay ▁and ▁San ▁Salvador ▁Island , ▁north ▁to ▁Cat ▁Island ▁and ▁west ▁to ▁Great ▁and ▁Little ▁Ex uma ▁Islands . ▁From ▁Cat ▁Island ▁the ▁expansion ▁proceeded ▁to ▁Ele uth era , ▁from ▁which