Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1912-08-08

children 3 and 4 years old, while one of them
was of the size Of a full-grown woman. Be
sides these objects there were also there In
calculable treasures belonging to the cacfque
and his vassals. And beyond this great city,
the Spaniards were assured, were other larger
and richer cities. belonging to powerful chief
tains, 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
adventurers were beside themselves with Joy.
And although they counted but 40 men all
told, they did not hesitate to attack a city
in which, as they had been %apprised, was a
large and welltrained 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 a 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 5000 Omaguan warriors were 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 commandNf Pedro de
Limpias, did not have a single casualty. The
victors then returned to Nuestra Sehora, where
six months before they had left their infrm
and incapacitated companions. A council of
war was then convened, in which it was de-
c1ded 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 cre5ftin@ 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 that the ca
Clique of this tribe was no other than the long
sought-for "Gf1ded 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, it was
manifestly the creation of an excited fancy
and as much of an exaggeration as the battle
of 80 Europeans against IL. 600 Indians.
. 1t could, at best. have been nothing more
than an agglomeration of villages, and the pal
~ NA0 OH0PA A"A " ONAA6 Inv
edifce described, was but a 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 Hutten's 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 a local habitation and a name"
He was the ruler of a densely populated region
betaween the Guaviare and the Amazon and his
people were known as Omaguas. Thencefor-
ward the name Ell Dorado was coupled with
that of the Amaguas and both names were re-
garded as synonymous with inexhaustible
wealth.