The Elbert County tribune., 1912-12-06

before we reach 1t. But, according to the sto-
ries the bottom of the lake is where the richest
treasures are"
We have most OF us heard in our childhood
that the Spaniards of the sixteenth century
dreamed of "El Dorado" the land Of gold and
that they sought for 1t in strange and savage
and ever hopeful ways among strange and
age peoples. We have read how the lust of gold
seized the adventurers of Spain and they press
ed Into the wilderness and found and conquered
more and more land without finding the land
of gold But. as a matter OF fact the Spanish
explorers did find Ell Dorado. Only El Dorado
was not the land OF gold 1t was the golden man
And the treasure of the golden mans gift not
a treasure that could be found on the land: 1t
lay at the bottom of lake. and the Spaniards
could not drain 1t. The story OF the real FL
Dorado is the story of the religious festivals OF
the Chibchas
The tribes Of the Chibchas. according to recent
historians. occupied the plateau region of the
northeastern province of Colombia, and
among the richest. the most magnificent and the
most enlightened of South American tribes In
their wealth. their barbaric splendor and their
handicrafts. they ranked with the Aztecs OF Mex
leo and the Incas of Peru Their land was rich
in emeralds Gold they procured in great guam
titles from their immediate neighbors. Rich tex
tiles and dyed cotton stuns well as the feath-
ers OF beautiful birds. added to the wealth and
their magnfncence. Amber they obtained from
their neighbors, and apparently from the other
side of the world they procured in some unknown
manner some quantity of jade.
savage uncontrolled In their Indulgence
the arts of pleasure that they had cultivated
even more eagerly than the arts of war they
were yet thoroughly religious people. Their
hierarchy OF gods and goddesses had passed be-
yond the simple worship of the forces of nature
and included definite deties with definite powers
--deities to be propitated Occasionally they
offered up human beings to their gods; often
they sacrificed talking parrots to avert calamity.
But for the most part they gave their possessions
to their deties, and worshipped, with barbartc
wealth OF sacrifice the sacred lakes
There were five of these lakes in the district
that we now know as Colon mbia-Guatavita Guas-
ca. Siecha. Teusaca, and Uhaque; of the five.
Guatavita by far the most important, UbaQue
being Its neare1t rival The people made pill
grirnages to all the lakes. but to Guatavita most
of all and with the richest gifts. And 1t was at
the lake OF Guatavita that the great ceremony
OF the Chibcha tribes took place-the installation
OF the chief Guatavita was the most important
center of the Chibchas. the religious capital" Of
the tribe
The chief who came to his kingdom with sac
rifces to the holy water of the plateau was an
the assumption that he semidivine. No sub
ject dared look his leader in the face but In the
royal presence turned aside assumed a stoop-
Ing attitude. No messenger might approach the
chief without bearing gift, not to win the royal
favor. but merely to do homage to the royal state
Over every detail OF his subjects lives he ruled
and II man of Guatavita wished to alter the
style of his dress he must ask his leaders per-
mission and receive the garment from the
royal hand. In his South American Archaeol-
ogy T. Athol Joyce of the British Museum de-
scribes the state of the Zipa OF Bogota His gar
ments of the finest cotton his throne was
OF gold studded with emeralds, and he travelled
in litter hung with golden plates His head
dress was OF gold and golden crescent orna-
mented his brow: and ear ornaments were
of the same material. and also the breastplate
he upon his chest"
For five years more before Chibcha chief
became his peoples ruler he must remain in Sc
clusion preparatory to the great ceremony OF
the lake. At the end of his rigorous period OF
probation-for 1t was also period Of stern self
denial-the chiefs and ears were pierced
for the ornaments of his rank. and he made gold
en- offerings to the gods. Professor Joyce who
in his book describes the ceremonies of the sa
cred lake historically attested facts quotes
from the history of the conquest and discovery
OF New Granada. by Juan Rodriguez Fresle.
written in 1896: