Gilpin observer., 1912-05-30
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episode of the conquest of South America. One
reason for this lies in the fact that the most
authentic and elaborate accounts of these stir
ring enterprises to be found only in the old
Spanish chronicles, some of which are COMPARE
lively rare while Others forgotten unknown,
have for centuries been buried in the dusty ar.
chives of Spain and Peru and have only recently
been given to the press.
Among the most important of these chronicles
are the Noticias Historiales" of Fray Pedro
Simon. learned Franciscan monk who wrote
nearly three centuries ago, while of the
conquistadores were still living and while the
memory of the events connected with the first
expeditions in quest of Ell Dorado was still fresh
in the minds of many of the survivors. OF scarce
ly less value the "Elegias de Varones Ilustres
de 1Gdias'' and the "Hstora del Nuevo Reno
de Granada" by Juan de Castellanos. the poet.
priest and historian of the conquest, who had
served with distinction under Jiminez de Que
sada in his celebrated campaign against the Mu.
iscas and who knew personally many of the most
celebrated of the adventurers who had taken
part in the search for the Gilded King on the pa-
teau of Cundinamarca and in the sultry lowlands
OF the Meta and the Guaviare.
But although these and similar invaluable
works bearing on the expeditions in quest of the
Gilded King have appeared in Spanish. compare
lively little of the information contained in them
has yet made its way into English. This ex-
plains the numerous errors that found In
what, has hitherto been written the subject
and why many adventurers like Antonio Sedeno.
Diego de Ordaz, Nicolas Federmann and others
OF their contemporaries are classed among those
who sought for Ell Dorado when, as a matter OF
fact during their time no one had even heard OF
this mythical parsonage.
1t is pity that those who love the curious
and romantic phases of history have not given
more attention to the interesting episode of Ell
Dorado. An exhaustive and authoritative work
on the subject, which shall embody the
suits of the most recent researches in Spain and
Latin America, is certainly desideratum in the
history of the conquest and of the exploration
OF the northern portion of our sister continent
For the years devoted to the quest of the Gilded
King were not only years crowded with incl
dent, streaked with tragedy, stained by crime
darkened by intrigue" but they also years
during which the amazing audacity, the match
less prowess and the thrilling herosm of the
conquistadores were seen at their best. And the
study of these years will show that the prime
mover OF the Spaniards in their extraordinary
adventures was not only thirst for gold, is
often asserted. but that behind II all was a
love OF glory and sense of patriotism which
1mpeled them to make sacrifices and to under.
take enterprises before which the bravest
OF degenerate age would recoil with
horror.
II in 1885 that rowing Indian first told
the Spanards the story of the gilded chieftain
to whom they forthwith gave the name of Ell Do
rado-the Gilded Man King-a MAJ , which
was subsequently applied not only to the gilded
chief himself. but also to the city wherein he
supposed to reside, and to the province
which he bore rule, and to the lake which
his capital was said to be located. At that time
Sebastian Belalcazar, the lieutenant Of Francisco
Pizarro. was in Quito, whittier he had gone after