The Red Cloud chief., 1912-05-30
LNRE 0lNZ1NzN-
his victorious campaign against the generals OF
Atahualpa. and here 1t was. according to Castel'
lanos. where


Atahualpa. and here 1t was. according to Castel.
lanos. where
An allen Indian. hailng from afar.
Who in the town OF Quito did abids
And neghbor to be Of Bogota.
There having come: know not by what a.oay: way
country rich In emeralds and gold
Also. among the things which them engaged.
a certain king he told of who. disrobed.
Upon a lake was wont. aboard raft.
To make oblations az himself had seen.
His regal form o'erspread with fragrant oil
From ~',o% sole Of foot unto his highest brow.
Respiendent a. the beamng Of the sun.
Arrivals without end he further said
Were there to make rich votive oiternss:
OF golden trnkets and md. Of .n;. emerald: rare
And worthy crcdence these things no afarmed
Then dubbed him Ell Dorado and the name
BY countless ways was spread throughout the word.
According to the chronicler, Juan Rodrgues
Cresle who was q son of one Of the conQuista'
dores OF New Granada. the lake on which were
made these offerings OF gold and emeraids was
Guatavita, q short distance to the northeast OF
Bogota. And the source Of his Information re-
specting the nature Of the ceremonies connected
with these offerings was. he assures US. no less
than one Don Juan, the cactque OF Guatavita'
who was the nephew OF the CHIEF who bore sway
at the time OF the arrival Of the Spaniards under
Jiminez de QuesaGa. and who was even then pre-
his uncle as cac lue Of Guatavita. After this
long fast, which Was made under the most trying
conditions, the 81 "cessor to the cacQueship was
obliged to 60 to he lake OF Guatavita and oner
sacrifice to the 6evil. who Frese informs US.
was regarded by the aborlgines as their god and
master. After bt ing stripped. he was anointed
with viscous earth. which was then overspread
with powdered gold In such wise that the chief
was covered with this metal from head to foot.
He was then placed on a balso provided with
1ty nf gold nd m
was to offer to his god. Arriving at the middle
OF the lake. which surrounded by vast mul.
titude of men and women. shouting and playing
on musical instruments Of various kinds. he made
his offering by throwing into the lake all the
treasure which he had at his feet After this
ceremony was he returned to the shore.
where. amid acclimation, music and rejoicing. he
was received as their legitimate lord and prince.
From this ceremony our author continues.
was derived that name. so celebrated. OF 'El
Dorado which has cost many lives and 30
much treasure. 1t was In Peru that this name
Dorado was first heard. Sebastian Belalcazar.
having met near Quito an Indian from Bogota.
who told him about the Gilded Man just de-
scribed, exclaimed Let US go in search Of that
gilded Indian" Hence the report Of Ell Dorado
was spread throughout CASTLE and the Indies.
and Belalcazar was moved to 90 In quest Of him
as he did, and hence also the cause Of that cele-
brated meeting with Quesada and Federmann.
which constitutes one Of the most thrilling and
dramatic chapters in the history Of the conquest
Of New Granada.
The fact that only few years after the arrival
of Belalcazar at Bogota the Spaniards began to
make efforts to secure the gold and precious
stones which, according to tradition. were cast
into tho sacred like Of Guatavita by the Gilded
King. is evidence that the statements OF Fresle
and other contemporary writer's regarding the
connection between this lake and Ell Dorado are
substantially true. For more than three cen.
turioa attompts were made to drain the lake. with
q view Of securing the priceless treasures which
were supposed to be spread over its bottom. but
the success which attended the efforts Of those
who had the matter In charge>was only partial.
There were never sufficient funds available to
complete the work Of drainage until few years
ago. when the attempt was again made by some
Englshmen. who are still engaged In the under.