E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Indians.
American Indians. When Columbus landed at Cat Island, he thought that he had landed on one of the Indian islands, and in this belief gave the natives the name of Indians.
1
India proper is so named from Indus (the river), in Sanskrit Sindhu, in Persic Hind, whence the Greek Hindus. Hindustan is the tan or “country” of the river Hindus.
