This he reached in August 1541, after a voyage of one thousand leagues.

The river was named after Orellana, but, from reports he made of the existence of a tribe of female warriors, was afterwards known as the river of the Amazons.

The author spread reports of another El Dorado to the north, in which the roofs of the temples were covered with gold.

This report afterwards led to the disastrous expedition of Sir Walter Raleigh to Guiana.

By his voyage Orellana connected the Spanish and Portuguese "spheres of influence" in the New World of Amerigo.