[Sir W. Ralegh in Trinidad] / [The origin of the legend of El Dorado].

Two engravings. [553] .When Ralegh arrived with his ships at Port-of-Spain in Trinidad, he was courteous and friendly to the local Spanish people who had already colonised the island. By so doing, he won their trust and was able to learn much about the strength of their army, along with the geography of the island.
Then one night he attacked the town of San José (now called St. Joseph) about six miles east of Port-of-Spain, with 100 men under the command of Captain Caulfield. The town was taken with little resistance, along with the governor of the island, Don Anyonio de Berrío whose residence was there. He was subsequently taken prisoner aboard Ralegh’s ship.

[431] From time to time the Indians of Guiana had drinking parties to which they invited all their neighbours. The chiefs would lie about in hammocks, drinking brews, fermented in large earthenware pots, which the women prepared with herbs, spices and flowers.
Some of their guests were stripped naked and painted all over with a sticky tree resin. Gold dust was then blown onto their skin with small blowpipes.
Ralegh learnt about this ceremony only by hearsay, moreover it is doubtful whether any Europeans ever saw an ‘El Dorado’, or Golden One.

In 1631 Johann Ludwig Gottfried, inherited the Theodor De Bry’s publishing firm, among the illustrated accounts of the expeditions of Magellan, Columbus, Vespucci, Cortes, Balboa, Raleigh, Drake, Smith, and many others.
Gottfried issued together with Matthaeus Merian a one-volume condensation "Newe Welt Vnd Americanische Historien/ Jnhaltende Warhafftige vnd volkommene Beschreibungen Aller West-Jndianischen Landschafften..." that used many of the original copper plates and supplemented them with new ones of more recent voyages. The book was published by Matthaeus Merian. The work was reprinted in 1655 / 1657.

More about Johann Ludwig Gottfried.[+]

Reference: www.history-engraved.org/ Trinidad 553-Venezuela 431