424 TEINIDAD. 



position, it began to attract attention. The Royal Treasurer at 

 Porto Rico, Don Antonio Sedeiio, asked for, and obtained, a licence 

 to conquer the island; and, in the year 1528, the king, by letters 

 patent, appointed him Governor and Captain-General of Trinidad. 

 Sedeiio then returned to Porto Rico to make his preparations; and 

 in the beginning of the year 1530 he left that island with two 

 vessels and seventy men. He was, on his landing on the 

 southern coast — at Erin, it is supposed — cordially received by 

 the natives and one of their caciques, or chiefs, called Chacomar. 

 His first act was the construction of a fortified building. 

 He treated the natives conciliatorily, and paid generously for 

 whatever assistance they gave him. But both provisions and 

 money became scarce ; and Sedefio, being unable to pay for 

 food, did not scruple to plunder the provision grounds of the 

 natives. The exasperated Indians resisted, and came to the 

 determination of driving the invaders away by all means 

 Fighting began in earnest, and the Spaniards were reduced t< 

 the last extremities. Sedeiio in this stress sought and obtaine 

 advice from his friend Chacomar ; and, by following his direc- 

 tions, was, for some short time, relieved from starvation and left 

 undisturbed. Fighting, however, was soon resumed, and the 

 fortified barracks furiously assailed; but the assailants were 

 repulsed with great slaughter. The position had become most 

 critical, and it was agreed that Sedefio should go to Porto Rico 

 for provisions and fresh reinforcements, and that his companions 

 should temporarily retire to the neighbouring continent, where 

 they expected to be left unmolested. In order, however, to be 

 prepared for all eventualities, they erected a fortified enclosure, 

 where they collected whatever provisions they could procure. 

 This enclosure, or fort, was built near Cano Perderuales. He 

 appointed as his lieutenant and commander of the fort one Juan 

 Gonzales, and sailed for Porto Rico. Soon after his departure, 

 the Spaniards were attacked by the Indians, and reduced to the 

 last straits. They were timely relieved by Geronimo de Ortal, 

 a rival of Sedefio, who induced them to break faith to their 

 Governor, with the exception of Gonzales and a few others. 

 Sedefio, who had returned from Porto Rico, retook possession of 

 the fort by misleading its commandant, Captain Agustin 

 Delgado, whom he took as his associate; he then sailed for 

 Trinidad, after appointing Bartolomeo Gonzales commandant 



