The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-05-30

one another Is not surprising when we remember
that the Indians of Darien and Costa Rica long
before Francisco Pizarros advent in Peru, were
aware of the wealth and the power Of the Incas
in the remote south. And that there should nave
been different accounts regarding the character
and place of abode of this marvellous savage Is
what might have been expected by one VINO
knows how prone Indians are to exaggerate or
to modify what they have heard, so as to suit
their own fancy. The same may in measure
be said of the Spanards also. After the successes
achieved by their countrymen in Mexico and
Peru and after the millions Of treasure which
had been found in the lands Of the Aztecs, Chib-
chas and Incas they prepared for anything.
Nothing seemed impossible, and no tale about
gilded men or golden palaces was extravagant
as to be rejected false. They were ready to
give full credence to greater fctions than
the Golden Fleece or the Apples of the Hesper
ides, and would not have been surprised to find
Ophr Tarshish in the valleys of the Orinoco
the Amazon. The spirit of adventure and ro-
nance dominated everyone not only in the Indies
but in the mother country as WELL For all this
Spanish nation" writes an old chronicler, "is
so desirous of novelties that what way soever
they bee called with becke only, or soft whis
pering voyce, to anything arising above water
they speedily prepare themselves to file and for
sake certanties, under hope of an higher degree,
to follow Uncertainties, which may gather by
that which is past"
1t a vague and fantastic rumor like this
that lured Belalcazar from Quito to the Sabana
of distant BOgOta, where he met Quesada and
Federmann According to the Indian from whom
the Spanish chieftain received his information,
the province Of El Dorado was called Cundru-
marca, and was not more than twelve days dis
tant from Quito. This distance, if the Indians
statement was true, would preclude the plain of
Bogota as the home of the Gided Man, for it
was impossible to reach this place in such linn
tied time. Besides, Cundtrumarca is a Quichua
word, and could not, it is asserted, have been
the name of a province in New Granada, where
the language Of the Incas unknown Despite,
therefore, the positive statement of Piedrahfta
that the motive of Belalcazars expedition to the
north was the discovery Of Ell Dorado and the
House Of the Sun, it may be that the real reason
was the desire on the part Of Pizarros lieutenant
to cut loose from his chief and find a country
of which he himself might become the adelan
tado Subsequent events and the relization of his
desire to be appointed governor of Popayan give
color to this surmise.
Whether, however, Belalcazar misunderstood
his informant regarding the location Of the prov.
ince of Cundirumarca, or whether he was merely
looking for a pretext for escaping from Peru
where he was oYershadowed by Pizarro, 1t is Ger.
tain that the next expedition in search of Ell
Dorado, by some considered the first genuine ex-
pedtion in quest of the Gilded King, was headed
for the eastern slopes Of the Andes instead of
for the northern plateau of New Granada The
country of the Gilded King, it was now thought
was in the vicinity of the Land of Cinnamon"
and preparations were forthwith made to add
these rich lands to the possessions of the Span.
ish crown.