El Dorado Dorado and the initiation rite of the new "zipa", which used to take place in Lake Guatavita. The Spanish captured large amounts of gold from the Muisca, which led them to spread the word that El Dorado was near. After his brother Gonzalo had left for Spain in May 1539, Spanish conquistador Hernán Pérez de Quesada set out a new expedition in September 1540, leaving with 270 Spanish soldiers and countless indigenous porters to explore the Llanos Orientales. One of his main captains on this journey was Baltasar Maldonado. Their expedition was unsuccessful and after reaching Quito, the troops returned
Raleigh's El Dorado Expedition in case of any Spanish counterattack while his quest to find the supposed city of El Dorado was to begin. Raleigh interrogated de Berrio and was told what he knew about Manoa and El Dorado, but then tried to discourage the Englishman from continuing on his quest, but his warnings were in vain. On April 15, Raleigh set out from his base in the "Gallego" which was cut down for river travel, with a hundred men along with two wherries. They had provisions for nearly a month but they had to set out as quickly as possible - they had