It was discovered by
Christopher Columbus during his
fourth—and last—voyage to the
New World, following a two-year search for a passage to the
Pacific Ocean and the
Far East. In January 1503, he established a
garrison after having been informed of the existence of
gold mines upriver in the jungle. According to Columbus' account, Chief Quibian, who led the
Guaymí people, realized that the Europeans were not leaving, and thus on 6 April 1503, the Guaymí attacked the garrison, which Columbus and his men promptly abandoned. Ten days later, Columbus left for
Spain and never returned to the Americas. ==See also==