The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1912-12-07

ticuarly elaborate, but it gave rise ito the stories
OF El Dorado which fired the Imagination Of
the early conquerors and gave such an impetus
to the exploration of the interior. According to
Fresle, the population of the neighborhood
paired to the sacred lake of Guatavita clad in
their finest ornaments of gold and feathers. In
Vulnerable sacrificial fires were kindled the
banks, and the lake encircled with cloud
of incense. The rulerelect divested of his
garments, anointed with adhesive earth, and
powdered with gold dust. Attended by his four
principal sub-chiefs he embarked upon reed raft
ornamented with gold dust and furnished with
four braziers for incense; at his feet piled
mound Of gold and emeralds, and amid the shouts
of the multitude and the sound OF whistles and
other instruments he proceeded "a. the middle of
the lake There he plunged into the waters and
washed off the offerings of gold dust and the
gold and emeralds thrown in at the same
time, the four chiefs making offerings on their
own account. The raft then returned and the
proceedings terminated with the revelry and
chicha drinking so dear to the heart of the Co.
lombians"
The chief with his gold-dust coat was in real
1ty lei Dorado" the golden man OF Spanish
legend and Indian history.
Splendid the ceremonies attending the
conservation of the tribal chief at Guatavita or
Guatabita, as Professor Joyce calls It, the me-
t1onal pilgrimages and feasts were still more
important. These pilgrimages were made pe
country
The northern Chibcha honored Guatavita almost
exclusively, while the southern tribes paid their
religious homage at Ubaque, south of Bogota
While the chiefs and mobiles we're throwing
their gold and jewels into the sacred waters the
common people were burying theirs by the side
OF the lake or in secret places not far removed
from the holy waters. Many curious bits of pot
terry have been recovered from the neighborhood
of the lake of Guatavita.
When Mr. Knowles cano tn A,,,,;..
time ago he brought with him many of the
treasures that he had taken from the sacred
lake. Most of the pieces are small Whatever
may be their value ancient pieces Of hand
craft, the emeralds are undoubtedly the richest
finds" in intrinsic WORTH
M. de la Kier Of the Royal Institute Of Paris
is quoted as estimating the probable value If tho
articles in the lake at several million Enp,isb
pounds But such estimates are. of c6nrse
guesses The bottom of the lake has not VET
been reached and is still in semi-liouid mnddv
state 1t is believed that the articles taken ou+
TO date were thrown or buried in the sides of the
lake and have been, In the ages since carried
toward the center by the pressure of the mud
The number of pottery vessels found seems to
substantiate this view
Inc work done by Mr. Knowles comnanv-
which is incorporated in London under the name
OF contractors, Limited"-is but the final l;n1,
IN a long chain of explorations that stretches
->o~AA SAAS 'AAAA0S VI ZIG opdHlaTQS down tO fho
present day. Wy
In 1862 Antonio de Sepulveda of Santa 70 do
Bogota lowered the waters of the lake IN ffteen
teet or thereabout, and is said to have takon ou+
great quantities of gold and an emerald ~ roro
beauty. Sepulveda had made his attemnt NV do
glng trench, and tefore the work could he An.
lshed the sides of the trench caved in. and tho
waters began to rise again During tho tbree
centuries that followed several attempts to drain
the lake, always by means of trenches cut from
ABOVE, were made and failed
In 1897 small company of native onoi,a
was formed and three years later sold ont to
ilsn's TO Hartley Knowles. and his company.
mad read about the legends of the golden
man. said Mr. Knowles, who stands snonsor ~
the foregoing history of the ATTEMPTS r. drain
the lake, and being an engineer, I thonoht +
should like to have try. I have been wor.in
d. II Tor twelve years. The lake is drained &c
dry as want it; If it is completely dr.inaa as
Muo at the bottom may solidify, and we do mt
want mat. What we are after now is to Dip down
- "nat was the bottom of the lake $50 wears
Inc present bottom u.s. of course a sea;n,an+ =,
years. The lake is cup-shaped. II "a aho,,t
!o'OOO feet above sea level in the co,o,ob;...
ANDES. It took four years to drain +ha 1olsa
Now we are excavatine NC iaAe
Inc government Of Colombia has hoo.
Klnd IN letting us make the excavations .na 49,
out the things. OF course the Interest that sA =.
tacnes to the treasure is for aniuuari.n. s - -
seums and collectors" aus NV ~