Chapter IV: Venezuela Under Spanish Rule and Before 61

Pre-Columbian times—No great empire—Primitive
Venezuelans—Picture rocks—Invasions—The Guatavitas and
the legend of El Dorado—Amalivaca—An Inca prince?—Ancient
roads—The discovery of Tierra firme, 1498—Alonso de Ojeda—The
name “Venezuela”—A great geographical fraud—Discovery of the
treasures of the west—Arrival of the _conquistadores_—The
slave trade—Treacheries of the Cubagua colonists—Gonzalez de
Ocampo—Las Casas—First cities of the New World—Settlement
of Coro—The Welsers—Alfinger—Ingratitude of Charles
V.—New Andalusia—Exploration of the Orinoco—Cruelties
of Alfinger—Exploration of the Llanos—First Bishop of
Venezuela—Destruction of New Cadiz—Faxardo and the
Carácas—Cities of Western Venezuela—The rebellion
of Aguirre—Foundation of Carácas—Pimentel moves his
capital to the new city—Capture of Carácas by English
buccaneers—Inaccuracies of Spanish historians—Explorations of
Berrio in Guayana—Raleigh and El Dorado—Attempts to civilise
the Indians—Missions—University of Carácas—Guipuzcoana
Company—Revolution of Gual and España—Miranda—The last
Captain-General—The Junta—Appeals to England—The Declaration of
Independence.