at first, sedeño treated the natives of the island with "consideration and justice" and was received well by them. he distributed gifts to the indigenous people who came to greet them and the cacique maruana welcomed him as an ally against other natives. he used the short period of peace to build a fort. the spaniards' treatment of the natives then turned harsh as their food ran out and they raided the village of cumucurapo in the north of the island. this prompted fighting which plagued the rest of the years of sedeño's rule. all the natives except those headed by maruana then attacked the spaniards and forced sedeño to flee. their fort and arms held out for long enough for them to do so, and maruana helped them in the process.