The new era., 1910-05-19

near the coast many of which constantly
changing their courses Along the banks of these
rivers the Spaniards found the richest Indian vii
lagos. The Indians extracted gold from the
sands Of many of these rivers and worked it into
weird figures representing aigators, frogs. birds.
turtles. fish, snakes, BELLS plates. images and
others. which 1t the custom to bury with the
owners thereof in the rock-walled tombs in which
their dead were inferred.
Among the documents referred to are found
the records of expedition that set out from the
city of Garci-Munoz in Costa Rica in the year
1863. for Quepo Couto. Boruca and the valley Of
Guaymi. An extract from this document liter
ally translated retds follows:
Going up the Guaymi valley arrives at
place called Couto where much gold has been
found. and the natives have 1t worked into all
forms; and on being questioned as to where they
obtained 1t they stated that they had gotten 1t
in very big grains from river four days journey
from that place. in the dominion of an Indian
cacique called Ucaraci Not days march
from Couto lies the village Of Turucaca. the in
habitants Of which stated that they had obtained
gold in the same river the inhabitants Of Couto.
The provinces of Couto and Turucaca lie 80
leagues from the city of Garci-Munoz at the be-
ginning of the valley of Guaymi. 10 leagues from
the South sea in front of the Colo Dulce. 1t is
known that following up the Guaymi valley to
the mountains toward the north there to be
found numerous villages, such Quepo Couto,
Boruca, Aci, Uriaba, Xarixaba, Yabo Duba, Ca
bara, Barerto, Tabicte, Arabora. Cabangara. Que
cabangara.
The following year. 1864, another expedition
set out from Cartago, Costa Rica. to explore this
same country, and the chronicer. writing of their
discoveries. says:
Crossing the province of Ara and passing the
valley of Coaca we arrived in the province of
Terb and made camp in the village of Co
curu, which lies in the valley Of Duy And the
Indians having brought to the leader great
quantity of gold, he sent the slaves to explore,
and they brought back such large pieces that the
leader himself decided to explore. We then ar
rived at river called La Estrea, which is the
principal one to the quantity Of gold found.
. from Cartago the expedition
turned to the province of Terbi to the village of
Cururu in the valley of the Duy Qndian name
for Quequexque); and from there we went to the
bg river which had already been named Rio de
la Estrella."
Since the sixteenth century the land bordering
the Sixiola river which lies to the north of tho
Chiriqui volcano and which empties into the Ca
ribbean sea- had been in dispute between the
governments of Costa Rica and that Of Panama
At that time it was claimed by both the governor
of Costa Rica and the governor Of Veraguas The
province OF Chriqu adjons Sixiola and formerly
formed part of the province OF Veraguas. now one
of the seven provinces OF Panama After the
independence of Panama in 1903 this dispute
again arose due, to great extent to changes
in the names of many of the rivers OF this part
of the two countries. some Of which still retain
their Indian Names while others have been re-
named The question was finally submitted to
President Fallieres of France for arbitration and
an entirely new boundary line was traced In &C
cordance with his findings
The Indians inhabiting the country lying near