| To Navigation Bar | Welcome to The History of Nevis page By the time Christopher Columbus first visited Nevis in 1493 it was already occupied by the Caribs who bare the reputation of having been cannibalistic and warlike. The gentle Arawaks had populated the Caribbean islands before the Caribs came. (It was not then called the Caribbean as the Caribs had not yet arrived and so their tribal name had not made the hall of geographic fame). Perhaps the islands should all be called the "A ...