The Elbert County tribune., 1912-12-06

ticularly elaborate but It gave rise 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 sacrificia fires kindled the
banks, and the lake was encrced with cloud
OF incense. The ruler-eect divested OF his
garments, anointed with adhesive earth, and
powdered with gold dust. Attended by his four
principal ub-chiefs he embarked upon reed raft
ornamented with gold dust and furnished with
four brazers for incense; at his feet piled n
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 on the offerings OF gold dust. and the
gold and emeralds thrown in at the same
time. the four chiefs making offerings their
account The raft then returned and the
proceedings terminated with the revery and
chicha drinking dear to the heart OF the Co
ombians."
The chief with his gold-dust coat was In real
ity "El Dorado" the golden man of Spanish
legend and Indian history.
Splendid the ceremonies attending the
conservation of the tribal chief at Guatavita or
Guatabita, as Professor Joyce calls It, the ma
tfonal pilgrimages and feasts were still more
important These pilgrimages made pc
rfodically to all the chief lakes of the country.
The northern Chibcha honored Guatavita almost
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
OF the lake OF Guatavita
When Mr.. Knowles 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 small. Whatever
may be their value as ancient pieces OF bandi-
craft, the emeralds are undoubtedly the richest
finds" in intrinsic worth
M. de la Kier of the Royal Institute of Paris
Is quoted 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 semi-liquid muddy
state. 1t Is believed that the articles taken out
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 COMPANY
which is incorporated In London under the name
OF Contractors, Lmited"-is but the final link
In long chain OF explorations that stretches
from the times of the Spaniards down to the
present day
In 1862 Antonio de Sepulveda Of Santa Fe de
Bogota lowered the waters of the lake to fifteen
great Quantities of gold and emerald of rare
beauty. Sepulveda had made his attempt by dig
gtng 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 lake. always by OF trenches cut from
above. were made and failed
In 1897 small company OF native engineers
was formed and three years later sold out its
rights to Hartley Knowles and his company
Il 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 engineer / thought I
should Ike to have try. l have been working
at 1t for twelve years. The lake is drained as
dry as want it; II 1t is completely drained the
mud at the bottom may solidify and we do not
want that What we are after is to dig down
to what was the bottom of the lake 45o years ago
The present lotion is, OF course sediment of
years The lake is cup-shaped 1t is about
10000 feet above sea level IN the Colombian
Andes 1t took four years to drain the lake
Now we excavating
The government Of Colombia has been most
kind In letting us make the excavations and take
out the things. or course the interest that At
taches to the treasure is for aniqu,-ians. mu-
seums and collector"