Mixtape #69 by Hekske

Baikal Nomads Mixtape #69 by Hekske In the year 1542, the Spanish conquistador and explorer Francisco de Orellana, accompanied by some 50 men, set off on an exploration mission in present-day Ecuador, in search of the ‘Land Of Cinnamon’ which was believed to be located somewhere east of the Andean mountains. His team first built a brigantine boat and then went on a mission to explore the uncharted coca river downstream. After arriving there, and after facing a mutiny and strong currents, the party decided to continue downstream, following the Napo River until it joined the Rio Negro (which was named by de Orellana) and finally the Amazon River itself. At one point the river became so wide that the Spaniards already thought they had reached the Open Sea, yet at that point they still needed to complete a couple of thousand kilometers before they would finally reach the Atlantic Ocean, becoming the first people to navigate the Amazon river after an epic and perilous journey which took over half a year. This way, de Orellana and his men were the very first Europeans to see and describe the Amazon river and surrounding forests in its pure, unspoiled state. Given the fact that they were largely outnumbered by the local population, the Spanish did their best to avoid trouble. Yet, they got involved in quite a few skirmishes, the most famous with a tribe of Tapuyas, where the Spanish were surprised to see women fight bravely alongside the men, which was something they had never seen or heard of before. It even made them think they had found the mythical Amazon tribe, which was described by Herodotus and Diodorus in ancient Greek legends. And that’s how the Amazon River eventually got its name… Follow & Support: Hekske ❋ The House Witchtapes @hekske