The Red Cloud chief., 1912-05-30
G0kD EEZHE RA WZ22AW
VIII q MRD AWMZSV

one another Is not surprising when we remember
that tho Indians Of Darien and Costa Rica. long
before Francisco Pizarro's advent In Peru. were
aware Of the wealth and the power OF the lncas
in the remote south. And that there should nave
been different accounts regarding the charac'er
and place Of abode of this marvellous savage ID
what might have been expected by one VINO
knows how prone Indians are to exaggerate or
to mcdify what they have heard. so as to suit
their own fancy. The same may In measure
be said Of the Spaniards also. After the successes
achieved by their countrymen IN Mexico ana
Peru and after the millions OF treasure whicn
had been found in the lands Of tho Aztecs. Chib'
chas and Incas. they were prepared for anything.
Nothing seemed impossible. and no tale about
glded men or golden palaces was 80 extravagant
a. to be rejected as false. They were ready to
give full credenoe to even greater fctions than
the Golden Fleece or the Apples Of the Hesper-
ides. and would not have been surprised to ma
Ophir or Tarshish in the valleys OF the Orinoco
or the Amazon. The spirit Of adventure and TO
nance dominated everyone not only In the Indies
but in the mother country as we'll. For all this
Spanish nation" writes old chronicler, 'ts
30 desirous of novelties that what way soever
they bee called with becke only. or soft whis-
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"
It was a vague and fantastic rumor like this
that lured Belalcazar from Quito to the sabana
of distant Bog0ta, where he met Quesada and
Federmann. According to the Indian from whom
the Spanish chieftain 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 II the Indians
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 a lin
tied time. Besides. Cundirumarca is Quichua
word, and could not, 1t Is asserted. have been
the name OF a province In New Granada, where
the language of the lncas was unknown. Despite.
therefore. the positive statement Of Piedrahita
that the motive of Belalcazar's expedition to the
north was the discovery Of Ell Dorado and the
House Of the Sun. It may be that the real reason
was the desire the part Of Pizarro's 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. Belacazar misunderstood
his informant regarding the location of the prov.
ince OF Cundirumarca. or whether he was merely
looking for pretext for escaping from Peru.
where he was overshadowed by Pizarro, II is Ger.
tain that tho next expedition In search OF Ell
Dorado. by some considered the first genuine ex.
for the eastern slopes OF the Andes instead OF
for the northern plateau OF New Granada The
country OF the Gilded King. It 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 crown.