The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-08-09

sive gold. Some of them, he averred, were as
children 3 and years DID, while one of them
was of the size Of full-grown woman. Be-
sides these objects there were also there in
calculable treasures belonging to the caciQue
and his vassals. And beyond this great city,
the Spantards were assured, were other larger
and richer cities belonging to powerful chief
talns, who governed countless subjects and
whose treasures of gold were far greater than
those of the lord Of the imposing city on which
their eyes were then riveted.
With such vast riches within their grasp the
adventures were beside themselves with Joy.
And although they counted but 40 men all
told, they did not hesitate to attack city
in which, as they had been appraised, was a
large and well-trained army. Putting spurs
to his horse, Van Hutton dashed forward, fol-
lowed by his men, who all confidently expect
ed to be In a few hours the possessors of
princely fortunes. But well-directed javelin
from the hand Of an Omaguan Indian, which
seriously wounded the daring leader, suddenly
arrested the impetuous onset and compelled
the attacking party to beat a hasty retreat.
But $4,000 Omaguan warriors we're soon in hot
pursuit and shortly after engaged the invaders
in battle The Indians, however, notwith-
standing their vastly superior numbers were
defeated with. great loss, while the followers OF
Won Hutton, under the command of Pedro de
L1mpias, did not have single casualty The
victors then returned to Nuestra Sehora, where
six months before they had left their inf1rm
and incapacitated companions A council of
war was then convened in which it was de-
cided not to prosecute the enterprise SO auspi-
'ciously begun without more men, These had
to be obtained from COrO. But Won Hutton did
not live to realize his fond hopes, for he was
soon afterwards cruelty murdered through the
treachery of Pedro de Limpias, when those
who had taken part in the expedition disband
ed without making any further attempt to gain
possession Of the rich kingdom which they
had discovered and which they had already
considered as theirs by right Of virtual con-
quest.
Did Won Hutton really discover Ell Dorado?
He certainly thought so, as did likewise his
brave followers. Fully cre:itin~ what his In.
dian guides had told him regarding the vast
treasures of gold kept in the temple Of the
Omaguas, he concluded at once .ha: the ca
Clique OF this tribe was no other than the long
sought-:or '*Gided King" although he had no
ocular evidence Of the fact or any tangible
proof OF the existence Of the great stores of
gold and silver of which he had heard such
glowing reports. AS to the city Of the Oma-
guas which, we are told. was SO large that It
extended beyond the range Of vision 1t was
manifestly the creation Of an excited fancy
and as much of an exaggeration as the battle
OF 80 Europeans against Is 600 Indians
1t could, at best, have been nothing more
than an agglomeration of villages, and the pal
ace and temple, far from being the imposing
edifce described, was but large matched
structure similar to those still seen in the re-
gion bordering the Equator.
Be this. however, as it may, the fact remains
that Won Huttens expedition created an extra
ordinary sensation both in the New and In the
Old World Other adventures had but heard
of Ell Dorado, but the German commander and
his men had actually located him and had gazed
on his palace which was an immense store
house Of silver and gold. Naturally they were
elated, for they had succeeded in achieving
what others had failed to accomplish. The
Gilded Man was no longer q mere chimera but
a being with local habitation and name"
He was the ruler Of a densely populated region
betaween the Guaviare and the Amazon and his
people were known as Omaguas. Thencefors
ward the name Ell Dorado was coupled with
that Of the Amaguas and both names were re-
garded as synonymous with inexhaustible
wealth.