Gilpin observer., 1912-05-30
LAHE G1zAZANzH-

lanos where
An alien Indian, hans from afar.
Who in the town of Quito did abide.
And neighbor to be of Bogota,
There having come know not by what way.
Did with him speak and solemnly announce
country rich in emeralds and gold
Also. among the things which them engaged.
certain king he told of who. dsrobed.
Upon lake wont. aboard a raft,
To make oblations. as himself had seen
On which laid coat Of powdered gold
From sole of foot unto his highest brow.
Respendent the beaming of the SUM-
Arrivals without end further said.
Were there to make rich votive offerings
OF golden trinkets and of emeralds
And divers other of their ornaments:
And worthy credence these things he affirmed
The soldiers. light of heart and well content,
Then dubbed him Ell Dorado, and the name
By countless ways was spread throughout the world
According to the chroncler, Juan Rodriguez
Fresle. who was Of one of the conquista
dores of New Granada, the lake which were
made these offerings of gold and emeralds was
Guatavita, a 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 us. less
than one Don Juan. the cacique of Guatavita
who was the nephew of the chief who bore sway
at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards under
Jiminez de Quesada, and who was even then pre-
pairing himself by a six years fast to succeed
his uncle as cacque of Guatavita. After this
long fast, which was made under the most trying
conditions, the successor to the cacGueship was
obliged to go to the lake of Guatavita and offer
sacrifice to the devil, who, Frese informs u.s.
was regarded by the aborigines their god and
master. After being stripped, he was anonted
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 balso provided with a
great quantity of gold and emeralds, which he
was to offer to his god. Arriving at the middle
of the lake. which was surrounded by a vast null
and ayin
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 he returned to the shore,
where amid acclimaton, music and rejoicing, he
was received as their legitimate lord and prince
From this ceremony author continues,
was derived that name, celebrated, of Eel
Dorado which has cost SO many lives and
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-
scrbed, exclaimed Let go in search of that
gilded Indian" Hence the report of Ell Dorado
spread throughout CASTLE and the Indies
and Belalcazar was moved to go in quest of him
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 a 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. cast
into the 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.
turtles attempts were made to drain the lake with
view OF securing the priceless treasures which
were supposed to be spread over It's 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
Englishmen. who are still engaged In the under.