The Elbert County tribune., 1912-05-31

one another is not surprising wheI we remember
that the Indians of Darien and Costa Rica. long
before Francisco Pizarros advent in Peru. were
aware of the wealth and the power of the Incas
in the remote south. And that there should have
been different accounts regarding the character
and place of abode of this marvellous savage is
what might have been expected by who
knows how prone Indians to exaggerate or
to modify what they have heard to suit
their own fancy. The same may in a measure
be said of the Spanlards also After the successes
achieved by their countrymen in Mexico and
Peru. and after the millions of treasure which
had been found in the lands OF the Aztecs. Chib-
chas and Incas. they were prepared for anything
Nothing seemed impossible. and tale about
gilded men golden palaces extravagant
as to be rejected as false. They were ready to
give full credence to greater ictions than
the Golden Fleece or the Apples of the Hesper-
ides, and would not have been surprised find
Ophir or Tarshish in the valleys of the Orinoco
or the Amazon. The spirit of adventure and ro-
nance dominated everyone not only In the Indies
but in the mother country well. For all this
Spanish nation." writes old chronicler. "is
SO desirous of novelties that what way soever
they bee called with becke only. soft whs-
pering voyce, to anything arising above water,
they speedily prepare themselves to file and for.
sake certainties, under hope of an higher degree.
to follow Uncertainties. which we may gather by
that which is past
1t was a vague and fantastic rumor like this
that lured Belalcazar from Quito TO the Sabana
Federmann According to the Indian from whom
the Spanish cheftain received his information
the province of El Dorado was called Cundiru-
marca. and was not more than twelve days dis
tant from Quito. This distance, If the Indian 8
statement was true, would preclude the plain OF
Bogota as the home of the Gilded Man. for 1t
was impossible to reach this place In such linn
tied time. Besides. Cundirumarca is a Quchua
word and could not, 1t is asserted have been
the name of province in New Granada where
the language OF the Incas unknown. Despite
therefore the positive statement OF Piedrah;ta
that the motive OF Belalcazar's expedition to the
north was the discovery of Ell Dorado and the
House of the Sun, 1t may be that the real reason
was the desire on the part of Pizarros lieutenant
to cut loose from his chief and find country
OF which he himself might become the adelan
tado- Subsequent events and the rezation of his
desire TO be appointed governor of Popayan give
color TO this surmise
Whether. however, BelaIcazar misunderstood
his informant regarding the location of the prov.
fnce OF Cundirumarca, or whether he was merely
looking for pretext for escaping from Perm
where he was overshadowed by Pizarro 1t is Ger.
tain that the next expedition in search of El
Dorado. by some considered the first genuine ex
pedition in quest Of the Gilded King was headed
for the eastern slopes of the Andes instead OF
for the northern plateau of New Granada The
country of the Gilded King. 1t was now thought
was in the vicinity Of the Land OF Cinnamon "
and preparations were forthwith made TO add
these rich lands to the possessions of the span
ish