The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-06-06

treasure was buried somewhere il
the mountains of Llanganati, north
west Of Quito, and has been searched
for ever since.
A Spsniard named Valverde mar.
ried an Inca girl. and from povert,
became suddenly rich. To escape
persecution from those who wished
to know the secret of his sudden &C.
cumulation Of gold he fed to Spain,
and upon his deathbed made con-
fession to the effect that through his
wife he had discovered the Inca
treasures. and left q guide to the
place of their deposit as legacy to
his king. This guide has been fol-
lowed by the government and by
private individuals; fortunes have
been wasted in the search, hundreds
Of men have persisted in the noun
tains while engaged in it, and, while
the gold of the Incas will never cease
to haunt the memories OF tho avari-
cious. no man has been able to reach
the spot designated by the confession
of Valverde.
The last to attempt it was an En-
glish botanist, who wrote pamphlet
giving his experience. He says that
no one who was not familiar with
every inch Of the Llanganati noun
tains could have written the Valverde
document, for the landmarks are all
infinitely described; but the path
indicated leads to q ravine which is
impossible, and in attempting to
cross which 90 many people have lost
their lives. It is his opinion that
the condition Of this gorge has been
SO changed by volcanic eruptions and
earthquakes as to obliterate the land
marks which Valverde describes, and
permanently obstruct . path which
he is said to have followed.
The capital and the productive
regions Of Ecuador are 100 miles
from its only sea port Guayaquil,
and are accessible only by . mule
path. which is impossible for six
months in the year, during the rainy
season, and in the dry season it re-
quires eight or nine days to traverse
it. with no resting place where .
man can find decent bed or food fit
for human consumption. This is the |
only means Of communication be-
tween Quito and the outside world, |
except along the mountains south |
ward into BOLIVIA and Peru, where
Ehe Incas constructed beautiful high |
ways, which the Spaniards have per-
mitted to decay, until they are now
comparatively useless. They were
70 well built, however, as to stand
The wear and tear for three centuries,
md the slightest attempt at repair
would have kept them in order.
Although the journey from Quay
lquil to Quito takes nine days. Gar
10 Moreno, the former President of
once made it in thirty-six
lours He heard Of a revolution,
ind, springing upon his horse. went
o the capital. had twenty-five con-
pirators shot, and was back at Quay
'quil in less than . week. Moreno
vss President for twelve years, and
vas one of the fercest and most
ruel rulers South America has ever
cen. He shot men who would not
axe OF their hats to him in the
treets, and had Q drunken priest
mpaled in the principal plaza of
luito - q warning to the clergy to
bserve habits Of sobriety or conceal
niemperance. There was nothing
90 brutal for this man to do and
othiny too sacred to escape his
rasp. Yet he compelled Congress
D pass an act declaring that the Re-
ublc of Ecuador EXISTED wholly
nd alone devoted to the service Of
be Holy Church" and forbidding
be importation OF books and period
:als which did not receive the sane
ON Of the Jesnits. He divided bis
rmy into four divisions, called re-
pectively the Division of the Blessed
irgin, the Division Of the Son of
rod, the Division of the Holy Ghost,
nd the Division of the Blood and
ody of Christ. He made the eSa-
red Heart of Jesus" the national
nblem, and called bis body guard
le Holy Lancers of Santa Maria.
le died in 1876 by assassination,
nd the country hes been in . state /,
political eruption ever since. Il
Although the road to Quito is over
almost untrodden wilderness, it
resents the grsndest scenic piano.
ma in the world. Directly beneath
70 equator. surrounding the city
hose origin is lost in the mist Of
'nturies. rise twenty volcanoes, pre-
ded over by the princely Cbimbo-
20. the lowest being Is. 922 feet in
eight, and the highest reaching IN
titude Of ~. 800 feef. Three Of