The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-26
GUhoUEROs OF COLOMBIA.
Men who Hunt for Gold Hurled with the An
client Inhasitants OF the Country.

Men who Hunt for Gold Hurried with the An
Client Inhabitants or the Country.
The burial places Of the ancient inhabitants OF
Colombia, more particularly In the provinces Of
Antioquia and Cauca, have for more than three
centuries afforded a precarious livelihood, first
to some OF the Spaniards who colonized the
country and then to some OF the present inhabi-
tants, for the Indians of Colombia ollowed tho
custom of burying the dead with their posses
sessions and treasures. In Antioquia and Cauca
an Indian tomb Is known as a Duacd and q
group of tombs as q pueblo. Tho guacas are
said to DO rich when they contain q largo
amount of gold, poor when they contain little.
and empty when they contain only bones and
pottery.
1.-The art Of the guaqueroso or grave.searchers."
says Don Manuel Tribe. n quaint writer Of q
century ago. has perfectly plain rules. easy to
be understood, whose application is 30 certain
in its results that they are almost exact"
OF the men themselves he says: Like all who
seek treasure, their life Is enthusiastic and
full of dreams that too often are d~ispelled and
replaced by painful realities. There Is in the
Antioquian Ruaquero something strange and
and typ ical that makes its impress on his char.
acter and gives him q peculiar physiognomy.
Light-hearted and observing, he is always san
guine of finding treasures; he speaks
OF his occupation with pride. praises II, defends
~ ~ lShuSityt uia " oho No . vi - Aihu
of insanity which might we'll be called sarcoph-
agomania."
The don might have added that once q qua
quero always a guaquero. and that the qua
queros are the only miners in all the country
who cannot obtain credit. This is saying q good
deal. for in Colombia every retail, as wei! as
every wholesale. merchant expects to give from
The searchers claim to be able to locate a
guaca with unfaning accuracy. but the writer
to be other than q matter OF great luck. The
sole indication Of q guaca, SO far as an outsider
i EaR TO lea the' Size u e s 81 the s Gs yee 6 slei IN the Set eoSrse Of
centuries such indications have disappeared to
a large extent, The tools required art, few-a
and a block and tackle Il the grave Be deep.
Having located his guaca, the guaquero can,
may expect. If he finds a sstone; wall or signs Of
steps he may be pretty sure that the grave is of
stone. well joined, he knows 1t must DO Of a great
chief or q %cacique. By tho hardness and COM
Is Ra very ancient so or compsrstiveiy modern. By
the kind Of utensils found he can tell whether
the grave is that off man or a woman. He CT q also
tell whether the grave has been previously robbed
and whether by Indians or. Spaniards. This
he determines by Indications that would appeal
grave to, place the different earths. generally
o ordder' in 0' WHICH thy o sao Sr1"n Il tho h grave sre e1 wss
subsequently, robbed by Indians the bones and
pottery would DC CareIuly replacoO, Out the
same care would not he exercised in replacing
the earth. II the grave was robbed by Spaniards
broken pottery, and earth discriminatory
When it becomes evident to the guaquero that
he Is nearing the bottom. the earth is removed
in thin slices, and every piece is carefully ex.
amined. When the bones are. uncovered the
place about the head is searched for earrings
and nose rings. The pottery is broken and
washed for gold fshh9oks or rings. but It is pn.
der the body that the largest quantity Of gold is
factory the guaquero fills up the grave. all the
time praising and fiattering the memory of the
dead. his ancestors and heirs; but II the grave
is empty. the dead man is cursed and his bones
are left to fall to pieces.
The greatest find of this kind recorded by his.
tory was that of Don Pedro de Heredia. who left
Cartagena for FL Dorado In 1884. The party
came across an Indian town called Zemi. and
from a largo graveyard or pueblo near 1t they
obtained 80 much, gold that Don Pedro divided
the royal fifth and a fair share for himself.