Bastidas' Expedition to the Far East

For Spain, Bastidas' expedition was part of a push to explore and colonize the region they called Tierra Fermé. This area consisted of roughly what is modern day Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama. Gold was the big money-maker, but we will find that pearls and slaves also were valued commodities. In his explorations, Bastidas often avoided the use of force when acquiring gold and pearls and other valuables.