Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1912-12-06

before we reach it. But, according to the sto-
ries the bottom of the lake is where the richest
treasures are"
We have most of us heard in childhood
that the Spaniards of the sixteenth century
dreamed of "El Dorado" the land of gold, and
that they sought for it in strange and savage
and hopeful ways among strange and saw
age peoples. We have read how the lust Of gold
seized the adventures 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 Ell Dorado
not the land of god it was the golden man.
And the treasure of the golden mans gift was not
a treasure that could be found the land; 1t
lay at the bottom Of atlake. and the Spaniards
could not drain it. The story of the real Ell
Dorado is the story of the religious festivals of
the Chibchas.
The tribes of the Chbchas according to recent
historians, occupied the plateau region of the
northeastern province of Colombia, and were
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 stuffs well the feath-
ers of beautiful BIRDS added to the wealth and
their magnifcence. Amber they obtained from
side of the world they procured in some unknown
manner some quantity OF jade
Savage uncontrolled in their indulgence Of
the arts of pleasure that they had cultivated
even more eagerly than the arts of war, they
were yet a thoroughly religious people. Their
hierarchy of gods and goddesses had passed be-
yond the simple worship of the forces of nature
and included definite deities with definite powers
-deitles to be propitiated. 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 deities, and worshipped, with barbaric
wealth of sacrifice, at the sacred lakes.
There were five of these lakes in the district
that we now know Colombia-Guatavita. Guas
ca Siecha Teusaca, and Uhaque; of the FIVE
Guatavita was by far the most important, Ubaque
being it's nearest rival. The people made pill
grimages to all the lakes. but to Guatavita most
of all and with the richest gifts. And it 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
rihces to the holy water OF the plateau
absolute monarch, whose power rested largely on
the assumption that he was 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 lie a man Of Guatavita wished to alter the
style of his dress he must ask his leaders per-
mission and receive the new 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 were of the finest cotton. his throne
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: nose and ornaments were
Of the same material and also the breastplate
he wore upon his chest
For 1--WE years or more before a 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 also a period Of stern self
denialAthe chiefs and 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 as historically attested facts, quotes
from the history Of the conquest and discovery
of New Granada by Juan Rodriguez Fresle.
written In 1886: