Quote from Ricter:
I never have found a Canuck who could tell me why they call Indians "East Indians". Who are the "West Indians"?
Quote from Tsing Tao:
I thought the West Indians were the North American Indians. Ie, Sioux, Cherokee, etc. Thought the term originally came from the West Indies (Caribbean Islands) and the "Indians" that got the name while Columbus (and before him, Vespucci) landed.
I am just guessing, however.