Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1912-12-06


tculary elaborate, but it rise to the stories
of Ell Dorado which so fired the Imagination Of
the early cCnquerors and gave such an impetus
to the exploration of the interior. According to
Fresle, the population of the neighborhood re-
paired to the sacred lake of Guatavita clad In
their finest ornaments of gold and feathers In
Vulnerable sacrifcial fires were kindled on the
banks and the lake was enc;rcled with cloud
of incense. The ruler-elect Invested OF his
garments, anointed with an adhesive earth, and
powdered with gold dust. Attended by his four
principal sub-chiefs he embarked upon a reed raft
ornamented with gold dust and furnished with
four braziers for incense; at his feet was piled
mound of gold and emeralds, and amid the shouts
of the multitude and the sound OF whistles and
other instruments he proceeded to the middle OF
the lake There he plunged into the waters and
washed OF the offerings of gold dust, and the
gold and emeralds thrown In at the same
time the four chiefs making offerings on their
own account The raft then returned and the
proceedings terminated with the revery and
chicha drinking so dear to the heart of the Co
lombians"
The chief with his gold-dust coat was in real
ity "El Dorado" the golden of Spanish
legend and Indian history.
Splendid as were the ceremonies attending the
conservation of the tribal chief at Guatavita, OF
Guatabita, as Professor Joyce calls It, the ne
tional pilgrimages and feasts still more
important. These pilgrimages were made pc
riodically to all the chief lakes of the country
The northern Chibcha honored Guatavita almost
exclusively while the southern tribes paid their
religious homage at Ubaque. south of Bogota
While the chiefs and mobiles were throwing
their gold and jewels into the sacred waters the
common people we're buryng theirs by the side
of the lake or in secret places not far removed
from the holy waters. Many curious bits of pot
terry have been recovered from the neighborhood
OF the lake of Guatavita.
When MIR. Knowles came to America short
time ago he brought with him many of the
treasures that he had taken from the sacred
lake. Most OF the pieces are small. Whatever
may be their value as ancient pieces of handi
craft, the emeralds are undoubtedly the riches
finds in Intrinsic worth
NJ de la Kier of the Royal Institute OF Paris
is quoted estimating the probable value of the
articles in the lake at several million English
pounds. But such estimates are, of course
guesses. The bottom of the lake has not vel
been reached, and is still in a semiliuuid mudd,
state. 1t is believed that the articles taken on
to date were thrown or buried In the sides OF tn.
lake and have been, in the ages since carried
toward the center by the pressure of the mud
The number of pottery vessels found seems t.
substantiate this view.
The work done by Mr. Knowles, comnanv-
which is incorporated in London under the nam,
OF Contractors Limited"-is but the final Iint
IN a long chain of explorations that stretche,
from the times of the Spanards down IN N,
present day
In 1862 Antonio de Sepulveda of Santa Fe A,
Bosota lowered the waters of the lake to fiftee,
rect, or thereabout. and Is said to have taken ON
great quantities Of gold and an emerald NJ rar.
beauty. Sepulveda had made his attemnt bv d,o
ging trench and tefore the work could he An
lshed the sides of the trench caved in ana a.,
waters began to rise again During the tbra,
Injuries 'nat 1oliowed several attempts to drair
the lake. always by means of trenches cut from
above, were made and failed
In 1877 small company of native enoinao-
was formed and three years later sold Ont a.
lsn's 70 hartiey Knowles and his company
had read about the legends OF tina go,aa,
nlah' SAID Mr. Knowles, who stands sponsor %
the foregoing history of the attemnts - 5rat,
une iake, and. being an engineer, / thought
snouid IKE to have try. I have been workin,
at II Tor twelve years The lake ia drained =
ory as want 1t; If it is completely drained ~
muu at the bottom may solidify. and we do M
want that What we are after now "a to die 49,,
70 what was the bottom OF the lake 45o vears a..
Inc present bottom is. of course a sedimant :
years. The lake is cup-shaped II is 49,
ioooo feet above sea level in the colon,b1a,
ANDES. 1t took four years to drain the IoLs
Now we are excavating
me government of Colombia has hosn -.
KIND IN letting US make the excavations ana ..l.
out the things, OF course the Interest ~ :,
taches to the treasure is for anionsrias.. -
seums and collectors" NV