Alonso de Herrera

During the first exploration of the Rio Orinoco under the leadership of Diego de Ordáz, Herrera held the office of Maestre de Campo, commander of the foot soldiers. At the middle reaches of the river, the natives told them about a gold-rich province of Meta in the headwaters of the Orinoco. However, the expedition ended at the Atures Rapids, which they could not cross with their ships.[3]

After the death of Ordáz - who was actually governor of the islands in the Amazon estuary, but instead, perhaps due to a mix-up, had taken possession of the Orinoco estuary, which the natives called Paria - Herrera succeeded him. In doing so, he came into conflict with the governor of Trinidad Island, Anonio Sedeño, who also claimed the territory of Paria. Sedeño imprisoned Herrera, but was ordered by the Real Audiencia in Santo Domingo to release Herrera, who was then also officially appointed by the Audiencia as governor of the newly created province of Paria. In 1534, he had to hand over the governorship to Hierónimo Dortal, who had been appointed the new governor of Paria by the Crown of Spain. Because Herrera and Dortal, both longtime retainers of Diego de Ordáz, subsequently worked together, it is possible that Herrera had merely "held the fort" until Dortal returned from Spain with the deeds of appointment - and a well-equipped army of conquistadors. Together, they resumed the search for the "Province of Meta".[4]

Dortal sent Herrera up the Orinoco with most of the army, 200 men, 22 horses, and several light boats.[5][6] Instead of establishing a base behind the Orinoco delta and waiting for Dortal, as had been agreed, Herrera undertook the conquest on his own. After overcoming the cataracts, he was the first European to explore the Rio Guaviare, the longest and most water-rich tributary after the confluence with the Rio Orinoco. At a place that cannot be precisely located, the conquistadors went ashore in search of indigenous settlements and immediately became involved in fighting with a Carib-speaking people. As an interpreter with Carib peoples, they had brought with them from the Caribbean the Spanish-speaking Carib Catalina de Perálvarez. In the opinion of Herrera and his people, however, she was viciously misleading the increasingly desperate conquistadors.