Virtual Museum of Art | Virtual Museum of History | Virtual Public Library | Virtual Science Center | Virtual Museum of Natural History | Virtual War Museum
   You are in: Museum of History >> Hall of North and South Americans >> Francisco Orellana

Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography, edited by James Grant Wilson, John Fiske and Stanley L. Klos. Six volumes, New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1887-1889 and StanKlos.com 1999. Virtualology.com cautions that these 19th Century biographies contain OCR errors and 19th Century bias. 

The Federal Deficit PAID
Courtesy of Wall Street - Click Here



Virtual American Biographies

Over 30,000 personalities with thousands of 19th Century illustrations, signatures, and exceptional life stories. Virtualology.com welcomes editing and additions to the biographies. To become this site's editor or a contributor Click Here or e-mail Virtualology here.



A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 



Francisco Orellana

ORELLANA, Francisco --  Biography - A Stan Klos Company

ORELLANA, Francisco (o-rayl-yah'-nah), Spanish adventurer, born in Trujillo, Spain, about 1500; died in Guiana in 1545. He was a school-mate of Francisco Pizarro, and, following him to Peru, participated in the conquest. In 1537 he rebuilt the city of Guayaquil.  

He commanded the rear-guard as Gonzalo Pizarro's deputy in the latter's expedition of 1539 in search of El Dorado. They arrived at the junction of Coca River with the Napo, and Orellana was ordered with sixty men to explore the river in a boat and return with provisions. He was rapidly carried down stream, but found only villages of warlike natives. After many days he reached the mouth of the Napo, where it joined a mighty river, which he called Orellana.  

He resolved to continue down the latter, and, after being at the point of starvation, reached a large village, where, after a fight with the inhabitants, the explorers found abundant provisions and much gold. Shortly afterward they arrived in the possessions of a cacique named Aparia, who received them well, and Orellana resolved to build a brigantine, as his boat was in a precarious condition. A forge was erected, from their old arms and stirrups nails were made, and after thirty-five days the brigantine was launched. 

On 20 June they discovered many villages, where they were fiercely attacked. According to Carvajal, the chronicler of the expedition, the natives were commanded by warlike women of imposing aspect, and he was told that the country belonged to women, who lived alone in communities. In consequence the story of an Amazon country became current, and this name was given to the river that Orellana had discovered.  

As they approached the ocean, they made cordage from grass and sails from their blankets and cloaks, took in water and provisions, and coasted as far as the Gulf of Paria, which they entered on 4 September, reaching on 11 June the island of Cubagua, or, according to Garcilaso, Trinidad.  

Orellana was certainly the first European to navigate the Amazon for the greater part of its course. He went immediately to Spain to give the king an account of his discoveries and solicit the government of the territory along the river. On 2 February, 1544, he obtained a grant of the country under the name of Nueva Andalucia, and he left San Lucar on 11 May with four ships and 400 men, accompanied by his wife.  

The expedition met with many drawbacks, and, after several defeats by the savages, Orellana died. His wife returned with the few survivors to the island of Trinidad, where she fixed her residence. A relation of Orellana's first voyage, by Friar Gaspar de Carvajal, was presented by the former to the king in 1542, and is to be shortly published in Madrid.

Edited Appletons Encyclopedia by John Looby, Copyright © 2001 VirtualologyTM

ORELLANA, Francisco (o-rayl-yah'-nah), Spanish adventurer, born in Trujillo, Spain, about 1500; died in Guiana in 1545. He was a school-mate of Francisco Pizarro, and, following him to Peru, participated in the conquest. In 1537 he rebuilt the city of Guayaquil. He commanded the rear-guard as Gonzalo Pizarro's deputy in the latter's expedition of 1539 in search of El Dorado. They arrived at, the junction of Coca river with the Napo, and Orellana was ordered with sixty men to explore the river in a boat and return with provisions. He was rapidly carried down stream, but found only villages of warlike natives. After many clays he reached the mouth of the Napo, where it joined a mighty river, which he called Orellana. He resolved to continue down the latter, and, after being at the point of starvation, reached a large village, where, after a fight with the inhabitants, the explorers found abundant provisions and much gold. Shortly afterward they arrived in the possessions of a cacique named Aparia, who received them well, and Orellana resolved to build a brigantine, as his boat was in a precarious condition. A forge was erected, from their old arms and stirrups nails were made, and after thirty-five days the brigantine was launched. On 20 June they discovered many villages, where they were fiercely attacked. According to Carvajal, the chronicler of the expedition, the natives were commanded by warlike women of imposing aspect, and he was told that the country belonged to women, who lived alone in communities. In consequence the story of an Amazon country became current, and this name was gives: to the river that Orellana had discovered. As they approached the ocean, they made cordage from grass and sails from their blankets and cloaks, took in water and provisions, and coasted as far as the Gulf of Paria, which they entered on 4 September, reaching on 11 June the island of Cubagua, or, according to Garcilaso, Trinidad. Orellana was certainly the first European to navigate the Amazon for the greater part of its course. He went immediately to Spain to give the king an account of his discoveries and solicit the government of the territory along the river. On 2 February, 1544, he obtained a grant of the country under the name of Nueva Andalucia, and he left San Lucar on 11 May with four ships and 400 men, accompanied by his wife. The expedition met with many drawbacks, and, after several defeats by the savages, Orellana died. His wife returned with the few survivors to the island of Trinidad, where she fixed her residence. A relation of Orellana's first voyage, by Friar Gaspar de Carvajal, was presented by the former to the king in 1542, and is to be shortly published in Madrid.

Edited Appletons Encyclopedia, Copyright © 2001 VirtualologyTM

Start your search on Francisco Orellana.


Born in a Tavern and ending in a Tavern The United States Founding governments
occupied 11 different capitol buildings experienced 15 years of challenges that included war,
hyper-inflation, a failed constitution, judicial corruption, armed citizen and U.S. Army rebellion.

Click Here For United States Court of Appeals Update

Forgotten Founders Historic Documents and Coins of Freedom - By Stanley L. Klos

Which U.S. President adopted the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention
resolution, enacted the Northwest Ordinance, and backed George Washington,
James Madison and Nathaniel Gorham's resolution to submit the new U.S.
Constitution to the States for ratification without Congressional alterations?

For A Unique Vacation on Florida's Nature Coast
Click Here
The Coachman House Circa 1870 at Cedar Key


Unauthorized Site: This site and its contents are not affiliated, connected, associated with or authorized by the individual, family, friends, or trademarked entities utilizing any part or the subject's entire name. Any official or affiliated sites that are related to this subject will be hyper linked below upon submission and Evisum, Inc. review.

Copyright© 2000 by Evisum Inc.TM. All rights reserved.
Evisum Inc.TM Privacy Policy

Search:

About Us

e-mail us

 

Historic Holiday Gifts Form Men Who Know Almost Everything

e-mail us


Holiday Gifts


FOR MEN
Click Here

 


Books For Sale
Click Here

Commentary

 

 


Virtual Museum of Art | Virtual Museum of History | Virtual Public Library | Virtual Science Center | Virtual Museum of Natural History | Virtual War Museum


Estoric.com - A Stan Klos Company