The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-08-10

cold Discoveries In South America.
New and wonderful gold discoveries have
been made about 22O miles north of Pana-
ma. The reports from there remind one OF
the old story of Sinbad the Sailor when
buried in the mountain with the body of his
wife. A correspondent of the n. Y. Times
writes from Aspinwall as follows
a vessel arrived from Chiriqui, few
days ago, bringing us the news that large
quantities of gold had just been discovered
in the tombs of the Indians, in the neigh
borhood of David, about $50 miles from this
place. The gold is found in the shape OF
ornaments, birds, alligators, sharks, etc
Some very fine gold, others very much alloy
cd with copper. I have seen letters from
two gentlemen of David, of undoubted We
racity. One estimates the value of the gold
extracted in ibont three weeks at 500, 900.
Another estimates the quantity to be over
nine arrobas (222 lbs.) About thousand
men were at work in the diggings. The
burial ground extends over several leagues
There is quite an excitement in Panama on
the subject. Two vessels have already left
for Chiriqui, and another will leave to-mor-
row. The people of Chiriqui say there was
gold mine in the neighborhood, supposed
to be the richest in South America. The
mine was near large Indian town called
La Estrslla' The tradition is, that the In
dans rose on the Spaniards and forced them
to leave the country, and that they retired
to Costa Rica, where they founded the city
Of Carthage
The same paper has the following, which,
as it brings the matter right home, will, of
course, allay all skepticism as to the fact of
discoveries:
" An extensive assortment of the gold i'm
ages recently discovered in the Huscus, or
Indian burial places upon the Isthmus of
Panama, were yesterday exhibited at our
office by one of the gentlemen from Messrs
Ball, Black & Cos, with whom they were
left by DR.. Otis, the surgeon of the steamer
Noses Taylor, for exhibition. They were
eight or ten in number, all of gold, and of
most curious workmanship and design
Number one is the form of bat, with out
spread wings and legs, having dragon like
head, surmounted by four horns curling
outwards. 1t is of the purest gold, and
weighs about six ounces. No. two is frog,
with large, protruding eyes, the eye-balls
being inclosed in the sockets like the balls
in sleigh bells. This appears to be slightly
alloyed with copper, and weighs about p
ounces. Number three has the body and
legs Of an alligator, with the heads and ears
of lamb, only with an enormous mouth,
and dragon-like teeth, and weighs about two
ounces. Number four is an idol of hideous
and obscene conception, with legs and arms
extended, the head fiat, having E,n-lke
crown at the back, a wide open mouth and
a hooked nose, under which curls something
like the latest form of moustache. This
was evidently one of the obscene gods which
belonged to the Peruvians. This idol
weighs about two ounces, and is of fine
gold. Besides these there were frog, an
eagle, very small twin frogs, an armadillo,
sv.ss .vsssat sss.saz~Aassss.s
pound, and were purchased by DIR. Otis
from person on the Isthmus, at twenty
dollars per ounce. The excitement growing
out Of these discoveries is represented as be-
ing very great throughout the Isthmus, and
multitudes were leaving for the Chiriqu, in
the District of Boqueron. One thousand
persons were reported already at work in
that region, digging for the newly discover
ed treasures. Several vessels were adver-
tised to leave Panama. The place is some
hundred and fifty miles from that point"