Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-08-03
The ChlrlauI Gold Fields.


The Northern Light, which arrived at
New York on Sunday night brings further
accounts Of the Indian graves at Chiriqui.
A correspondent of the New York Times.
at Panama, says:
Our gold excitement is inteusitying. On
the 10Th, the brig Jusefa, commanded by a
down-east Yankee, Capt. Patterson, sailed
with II cargo Of shoyels. liquors and provis-
ions; and about fifty passengers, for Chiri4ui,
the grae-iiggers' "El Dorado" Amoug the
passengers were halta dozen Americans, u
few English, and monte dealer. The ac-
counts that continue to reach us of the wealth
of these Indian cemeteries Or 'huara>, IN
golden images and trinkets, are every day
growing more wonderful.
/ A hat has been found made Of exceeding
fine gold, and of great weight Also, a gold
woman" but how large a woman is not sta
ted. Ii Is little curious, seeing with what
contempt the Indians generally treat females,
that they should have wasted the precious
metal i'll tashivnIng one. 1t must have been
love sick Indian that made that figure.
Most OF the passengers who took passage
in the Joseta carried silver with them to pur-
chase the gold. Ii is said that it il sold by
the poorer class of the people who are turn
ing up the graves. at from three Ia four dol
lars per ounce. Yesterday another vessel
arrived at ChlriquI with box OF the gold,
hut ui what value | cannot ascertain. Ii Is
SAID that one man at the grave digglngs"
has taken out D pounds Of images, but this
Is probably an exaggeration.
Ia x
tent, some of them having contained many
hundred bodies The gold is said to be con-
tanned in earthen vessels by the side of the
body. The ground where the "huacas" are,
is covered with trees, and il was by the fall
ing OF large tree growing out OF the top Of
Il mound that the depostes were discovered.
The roots ut the tree took with them the
earth and the mason work Of one Of tho
mounds, leaving the gold exposed, which was
accidentally seen by man when passing
close to it. Many persons who have gone
down are enthusiastic enough to believe they
shall find the source from whence all this
wealth WAS obtained. They may do So but
it does not follow they will get much gold
from it.
The Indians only used the article for or
naments. ANA it is more than likely that they
were two or three hundred years in getting
together the quarter Vt u million dollars
worth that may have been buried with their
chefs and great men in this Chirlqul sepul-
chre. Gold has never been found in New
Granada IN sufficient quantities 10 pay Cal
it"rnia digger: and it Is only from the fuct
that Indians IN Choro and Autioqua can be
had for II couple of dimes day that the peo-
pie Of the Magdalrnl District are now able Ia
export two or three millions vi dollars year.
The following is Il specimen at the posters
that mny be seen on every street corner:
"tmr The Chirqni GoH DiyyimyS
i,st->aiIing clipper-schooner Carolina, Cap
tam Manuel Delgado, having II large part Of
her freight engaged, will have immediate
dispatch Tor David, Chriqul. Only u limited
lumber oi passengers aud small quantity vi
freight will he taken, for which early APP
plIrul,un must be made ut the office Of the
undersigned Over S2oO,OoU worth Of gold
images have been taken from one hudrd,
many 0i which images can be seen at Don
Maximono Perez, who has received u Hing
weighing % pounds, and hal weighing 70
pounds, and as there are thousands of hndcds
in ChrI4ui, many millions Of dollars will be
dug out Of these Indian burial places. Over
three thousand persons are now digging
th1re with great success. For full particu-
lars inquire Of the unders Snel, at their Of
flee near the Taller.
Panama, July y. JIMINEz HERNANos."
The Chiriqui Real Estate Company, of
Baltimore, clam that the land on which these
huacas are situated, are part Of its grant.
Another correspondent says: -"Ons OF the
natives Is said to have gone stark mad at the
sudden Increase and one very ancient gen
tleman OF color has taken out u lump, $4,000
worth, 'at one fell swoop." These 'huacas"
extend over wide area, are regularly aud
cnnpactly arranged, and thousands upon
thousands remain TO be uncovered. The
dead Indians were buried in u sitting posi-
ton, with all their yellow drops enclosed
with them as company, and almost every
"huuca" is supposed to contain more or less
gold, besides II is conceived that in this To-
cality Chiriqul- -many rich mines, now lost,
will he redlscuvered, the same from whence
the immense wealth Of these Indians was
first obtained. A number ot old miners have
gone for the purpose OF prospecting for the
virgin gold. There is II legend OF the coun.
try, that III days Of old, ship being forced
to put in upon the coast OF Chiriqui for wa
ter, TILED at the same time their galley bottom
with fresh earth, and on their arrival back
t. old Spain, found at the bottom OF their gal
ley fire sheet OF melted gold, which enrich
ed them all Others returned aud sought the
spot from whence they took the earth, but in
vain. What il they should strike this lead'
Old Folks Quilting"
One of these interesting gatherings pecu-