During his first visit to America in 1492, Christopher Columbus saw for the first time this river, at its mouth, and he called it "Río de Oro" ("Gold River") because he found many small pieces of gold. But later, during his second visit, he saw the river in other place and called it "Río de las Cañas" ("River of Canes") because many tall grasses (as sugar cane) were growing on the borders of the river. But none of those names were ever used; it has always been called Yaque, or Yaque del Norte.