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


with large force OF foot and horse.
Won Hutton. after serious deliberation. con-
Guided to follow closely in the rear of Que
sada in the hope Of sharing with him the
treasures Of Ell Dorado, should he succeed
in discovering his whereabouts. The march
of both expeditions through trackless
plains and woods, across impetuous rivers
and deep morasses, In tropic heat and tor
rental rains that were more than enough to
depress the stoutest hearts. But these
dauntless soldiers of fortune pressed onward
fully convinced that they would eventually
find the object of their quest. After untold
trials and dangers Quesada at length reached
the Province of Papamene, at the headwa-
tiers of the Caqueta or Japura, and thence
made his way to Popayan. whence he was
glad to return to Bogcta wiser but Il
poorer man.
Won Hutton after following him to Timana,
near the crest of the eastern CordTlAra to
the southeast of Popayan. faced ?aA6nt and
directed his course toward the river Qua
Ware, on the banks Of which his Indian guide
had assured him was great city called Ma
catoa, the capital Of region rich in gold
and silver. AS an evidence of the truth of
his story he showed the German leader sam
pies of gold fashioned in the form of apples or
n1speros which, he said, had been brought
from that city. But before he could reach his
eagerly coveted goal the winter season came
on, and the entire country was inundated.
There was then nothing left for ther, to do
but seek higher ground and await the return
of the dry season. But as the district ir which
they took refuge was sparsely populated and
almost entirely destitute of the means of sub.
sistence the intrepid explorers soon began to
experfnce all the horrors Of famine. For a
while their chief sustenance was a mixture of
maize and ants. The ants were secured by
placing some maize near the opening Of an ant
hill, and when It was covered with these in
sects they consumed maize and insects togeth-
er and thus appeased their hunger. But as
there was not enough Of this allment for all,
many were fain to appease the cravings Of
hunger by consuming grubs beetles or other
things equally disgusting. In consequence OF
this their hair, boards and eyebrows fell of.
FINALLY" writes Oviedo Banos "al were
covered with pestiferous tumors and poisonous
ulcers, and that afflicted troop was converted
into a theater Of miseries and an hospital of
misfortunes." When the inundation had sub
sided sufficiently to permit them to travel they
resumed their march. and after long wander
Ing about in the wilderness they found them
selves again at Nuestra Sonora. whence they
had departed a twelvemonth before
Their failure and hardships did not, how
ever, cause them to abandon their enterprise.
and their determination to achieve success was
as strong as when, they took their departure
from Coro The reported existence toward
the south of a country Astounding in gold and
silver supplied them with a new clue and gave
zest to the expedition. After long and peril
GUS march. during which they passed through
tho country OF the Tapes and visited their
capital. Macatoa, the brave and persevering
expeditfoners reached the land Of the rich and
powerful Omaguas who inhabited the terri
tory between the Guaviare and the Caqueta,
that land which Wallace, as late as 1852 call
ed the unknown regions between the Rio
Guaviare ON one side and the Japura on the
other"
Here, rom an elevated position, the adver-
turers deserted what they fondly believed was
the goal which they had 80 long been striving
to reach. 1t was a city so large that though
it was nea~ at hand 1t extended beyond the
range OF vision The streets were straight
with the houses close together, and in the
midst OF al was an imposing edifce, which
their 1ndf<a guide informed them was the pal
ace of Que'tca, the lord of the Omaguas The
structure Also served as a temple in which,
Won Hutten's guide stated were idols Of mas