Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-12-05

Not only was the ceremonial of Guatavita par
ticuarIy elaborate, but it gave rise to the stories
of Ell Dorado which so fired the imagination OF
the early conquerors and gave such 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 encrcIed with a cloud
of incense. The ruler-elect Invested of his
garments, anointed with 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 bTaziers 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 off the offerings of gold dust, and the
gold and emeTalds were 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 revelry and
chicha drinking so dear to the heart of the Co
Iombians."
The chief with his gold-dust coat was in real
ity "El Dorado" the golden man of Spanish
legend and Indian history.
Splendid as were the ceremonies attending the
conservation of the tribal chief at Guatavfta, or
Guatabtta, as Professor Joyce calls it, the nG-
tional pilgrimages and feasts were still more
important. These pigrimages were made Pc
riOdicaIly 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 were burying 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 Mr.. Knowles came to America a 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 emeTalds undoubtedly the richest
finds i'll intrinsic worth
NJ. de la Kier of the Royal Institute of Paris
is quoted as 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 vet
been reached, and is still in a semi-liquid muddy
state 1t is believed that the articles taken ont
to date were thrown or buried in the sides of the
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 to
substantiate this view.
The work done by Mr. Knowles comnanv-
which is incorporated in London under the Mans
of Contractors Limited"-is but the final IinL
in long chain of explorations that stretches
from the times of the Spaniards down to the
present day.
In 1852 Antonio de Sepulveda of Santa Fe De
Bogota lowered the waters Of the lake to fifteen
feet or thereabout, and is said to have taken out
great quantities Of gold and an emerald of rare
beauty. Sepulveda had made his attempt bv dig
g1ng a trench, and before the work could be fin.
ished the sides Of the trench caved in. and the
waters began to rise again. During the three
centuries that followed several attempts to drain
the 4ake, always by means of trenches cut from
above, were made and failed
In 1897 a small company of native engineers
vas formed and three years later sold out its
rights to Hartley Knowles and his company.
1 had read about the legends of the golden
man said Mr. Knowles, who stands sponsor for
the foregoing history of the attempts to drain
the lake, and being an engineer Thought 7
ShouId ike TO have a try. I have been V0rkin Q
al II Tor twelve years. The lake is drained as
Dry as want it; If it is completely drained the
mud at the bottom may solidify and we do not
want that What we are after now is to dig down
to what was the bottom of the lake $50 wears apo
The present bottom is of course sediment of
years. The lake is cup-shaped. It is ahout
10000 feet above sea level in the Co1orobisn
Andes. 1t took four years to drain the Ial,a
Now we are excavating
The government of Colombia has been most
kind IN letting Us make the excavations and take
out the things Of course the interest that At
taches TO the treasure is for aniouarfans mn
seums and collectors"