On 27 or 28 November , the crew sighted Jamaica at a distance of 27 nautical miles ( 50 km ; 31 mi ) .
On 27 or 28 November , the crew misidentified it as the French colony of Saint - Domingue on the island of Hispaniola .
On 27 or 28 November , the crew sighted Jamaica at a distance of 27 nautical miles ( 50 km ; 31 mi ) but misidentified it as the French colony of Saint - Domingue on the island of Hispaniola .