HISTORICAL SKETCH. 425 



of the fort. It was not long before he was compelled to return 

 to the continent to retake possession of the fortified house on the 

 coast of Paria, which had been delivered up to one Alonzo de 

 Hen-era, by Gonzales. Herrera and Gonzales were made prisoners 

 and taken over to Trinidad, and Delgado appointed commander. 

 Sedeflo had constant quarrels, now. with Herrera, then with the 

 Royal Audiencia of Santo Domingo. He was of violent temper and 

 rather unscrupulous. His own men revolted against him and 

 made him prisoner, but, dissensions having occurred among them, 

 he was soon relieved. Finding himself in a precarious position, 

 he decided on again returning to Porto Rico, leaving Agustin 

 Delgado as his lieutenant in the island. During his absence, 

 Diego de Ortal landed in Trinidad, and was joined by Delgado ; 

 they then both left the island for the continent. 



Sedeflo, finding it difficult to enrol people for the conquest of 

 Trinidad, began to give countenance to the reports respecting the 

 marvellous riches of the neighbouring continent, and thus suc- 

 ceeded in enlisting 140 men and procuring fifty horses, which 

 troop he directed to the main where he had been authorised to 

 establish his head-quarters. There he attempted to dissuade his 

 men from going in search of the promised treasures, and to 

 induce them to complete the conquest of Trinidad, but in vain. 

 He was compelled to follow them, but was soon after poisoned by 

 a slave woman, and died in 1540. Thus ended the first Spaniard 

 who had attempted the conquest of Trinidad, and who may be 

 said to have been its first Governor. 



From the death of Sedeflo to the year 1570, say during a 

 period of thirty years, the Gulf of Paria was visited only by 

 slave dealers, who had but one object in view — Indian slave 

 trading. 



About this year, 1570, a Creole of Santo Domingo, Juan 

 Ponce, made application to the Spanish Government, and obtained 

 letters patent permitting the conquest, and granting to him the 

 government of Trinidad. Being bent on success, Ponce took 

 with him some monks and a few emigrants, and arrived safely in 

 Trinidad some time at the end of 1571. The natives showed 

 resistance, and had, as effective auxiliaries, mosquitoes and other 

 vermin, which played mischief with the intruders ; they died by 

 scores, a small number only having succeeded in leaving the 

 island. As to Don Juan Ponce, it is not known what became of 



