The Shasta courier., 1859-09-24
Golden Graves ofthe 1sthn,us of Panama.

New Grenada, the scene of so many golden
stories, for three centuries past, is once more
the theatre of tremendous excitement, IN con-
sequence of the accidental discovery OF gold,
in the ancient hudcas or graves of q people,
whose history, like that of the builders of the
wonderful cities throughout Central America,
has been gathered by the hand of oblivion
These golden graves are located in the district
of Boqueron, between $50 and $50 west longi-
tude, and 80 and 90 north latitnde and some
two hundred miles northwest of Panama. The
discovery of them was made in June last, by
native Indian, who, in passing through the
woods, found a tree uprooted by the winds and
which revealed an earthen jar containing a
number of images of the finest gold. Within a
few days he had exumed sepenty.fre pounds OF
them. The images are of men, fish, crocodies,
bats, &C., and display a considerable artistic
skill. DR.. Otis in letter to Harper's Weekly,
says, in speaking of these sepulchral remains,
"that they date back to very early period,
there seems but lite doubt, not only from the fact
that the present Indian tribes of Central Ameri-
ca have no knowledge of these huacas which
abound throughout the whole country, nor OF
the art of making the images which are found
erein, but in the history of New Grenada, by
Colonel Joachim Acosta, mention is made OF
discovery by the Spaniards as far back as the
in the province of Antiochia, New Grenada."-
Acosta says, "The Cemetery of Yenu was COM
posed of ar indefinite number of mounds of
earth, some of conical form, and others more
or less square. When an Indian died., It WAS
the custom to dig hole capable of containing
his arms and jewels, which were placed on the
LEFT hand side of his grave, looking towards the
east, and around these were earthen vases, con-
tanning chich, and other fernented drinks; al
SO, Indian corn, and stones to pound the same /;
also, his wives and slaves (if he was a princi-
pal man), which last thoroughly intoxicated
themselves previous to their interment; and then
the whole was covered over with a species Of
red earth brought from distance. Then the
mourning commenced, which lasted as long as
there remained anything to drink; and, in the
mean time, mourners continued to throw earth
upon the grave thus it was elevated, according
to the ability of the individual or family to pro-
vide greater or less quantity of liquor. Jewels
of gold, in large or small quantities, were found
in all the tombs. In some were golden figures,
representing every class of animals, from man
to the ant, and sometimes in amount to the value
of ten, twenty, and even thirty thousand dollars"
Dr. Otis, further observes, " 1t appears not i'm
probable from the above extract, that the mode
Of Indian burial at the time Of the conquest, was
almost if not quiet identical with that of those
recently discovered SO chat these relics may
not date more than four or FIVE hundred years
anterior to the present day. In appearance,
however, they sufficiently antique to have
been the handwork of old Tubal Cain himself
The immense quantity of golden ornaments in
the possession of the people whose sepuchres
are now being so unceremoniously ransacked,
would lead us to believe in the existence of rich
mines of the precious metal in this vicinity. 1t
is said that the Spaniards formerly worked ex-
ceedingly rich gold mines near the ancient city
of Cartajo, in the adjoining province, but that
the hostility of the Indians compelled them to
abandon both the mines and the city"