Francisco de Garay

[3] In 1496, Miguel Díez and Francisco de Garay found gold nuggets along the Haina River.

As a Governor of Santiago, he was accused of enslaving the island's indigenous population to work in the gold mines of Cuba.

Writing in 1516, Bartolomé de Las Casas accused him of being responsible for the great decline of the indigenous population.

Garay later sent Díez de Aux and Diego Camargo to try to find Pineda, but he had been killed by hostile natives.

He reconnoitered by sending a small boat upriver about 25 miles, probably reaching the site of the present day city of Soto la Marina.