The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-07


Titicaca. 1t Is more than two miles
above the sen. high up In tho Andes ana
not far from Lake CrcoS, In which arc
said to loo buried treasures Of the mas
worth many millions. When the Span
iards. under Pizarro, had killed tho lnas
King. Atahnulpa, they marched upon
Cugco. The Indians knew their greed
for tho precious metals, and they took
most OF their treasurers from tho cap
ftnl city and secretly buried them. Nc-
cordinE 10 tradition. thcy threw mil
lions az dollars worth OF gold into
this lake. and with other things the
great golden chain that ran around
their main plaza. This plaza remained
intact until few years ago. 1t was
about 500 feet long and several hun
dred feet wide, so that the length of
:he chain was probably between 1000
and 2,0oo feet Tho chain was puro
gold, wrought into links about a foot
long and as large around as the wrist
OK man. The links were so heavy
that n man could not lift more than
ono of them Mt II time, and 1t Is said
that hundreds Of Indians wero required
10 carry tho chain. They took it up
tho Valley Of Cuzco and threw 1t into
tho lake. md thcrc It is supposed To
lie TO this day, although many have
searched for IT In vain. The treasure
hunters have dlved in,v the waters and
clawed over the mud near the shore.
They have also dragged the lake with
graphing hooks, but in places IT Is
exceedingly deep, and so far the treas
ure has not been discovered. at one
time a syndicate was organized to-
drain tho lake. This syndicate had a
capital Of S5,ooo.0o0 and It's plan was
TO tunnel tho mountainsidc. But tho
rock was too tough and the enterprise
was abandoned.
The treasures of the Incas were not
confined To Cuzco. have heard stories
OF buried boards all along the Andes
from Panama Ia Lake Titicaca. they
had vast quantities of gold and silver
in Quito and at Ccrro de l'aSco
found a party of Americans and British
who were prospecting for one OF these
boards. They have already spent thou
sands of dollars, ana are sinking more
every day While ! was before the
vault of the Cu@co Cathedral ] was
shown a golden box Weighing thirty
sin pounds. made of the plates that
were torn from the Inca Temple OF the
Sun, and was told that that cathedral
was largely built by Inca gold.
understand that the treasures OF
gold that were stored on the holy is
lands OF the sun and the Moon were
thrown into Lake Titicaca, and hear
other traditions OF the vast amounts
of gold and silver the Spaniards failed
TO get That which they obtained was
greater than tho wealth OF 'CroeSus.
inc amount taken lTNlI tllc ltiHl'itH ~
Cuzco alone is said to have been worth
more than $90,0Go,00o, and part Of this
went TO Cajamarca to free the Inca
Emperor ltuhualpu when he WAS
IrcachcrouslY imprisoned Ny lizarro.
Tho Inca Emperor had come In friend
shin. He was carried TO Gajamarca in
n litter of massive gold covered with >
cloth embroidered with the plumcs o.
tropical birds. This cloth was studded
with gold and silver plates. Atahuai-
pas hair was decorated with gold He
had on q golden crown. and around his
neck WAS :: collar of cmcraids.
Al the start pizarro treated Alta
hualpa well, but n little later on
charged him with treachcry, and put
him in Il prison about fourteen TSet
square. The Inca King tool, R.-st6iIc
and scratched mark on the wall as
high UP as he could reach, telling
Jizarro that he would I'll the room to
that height with gold If he could only
he free. This proposition was accept
cd. and gold in the shape OF vases,
utensils and plates was brought In
from all parts of tho empire. II was
melted down by the Indians under the
direction of tho Spaniards. When tho
prison room was filled to above the
mark made by Atahualpn he WAS re-
lea scd But he was still kept under
surveillance, and n little later was ac-
cused of plotting against the Span
uS ITO NstS wen a. iiipNh - i'N'' 'ti'A
was condemned TO be burned. his exc
cution being brought about largely BY
Jriar Valvcrde, who was aftcrWard
Inado Bishop OF Cuzco.
During my stay in Cuzco i visited
the Temple OF tile Sun. upon whose
foundations now stand the church ana
convent OF the Dominicans. This was
konwn by the Incas as THE Coricnn-
cha" or the place OF gold" 1t was
rectangular on three sides. with a
great oval at the back. and its walls
were two stories high and altogether
about 1900 feet long. These walls
we're surrounded bY a thick cornicc or
border of gold about eight inches wide
and where the wall Joined the roof
there was n broad golden band. Tho
roof was covered with gold, and tho
inner walls OF The temple were liter
ally plated with II. vegetables and
vines OF all sorts being engraved upon
them.
Opposite the entrance TO the temple
was a mighty plate OF solid gold.
heavily incrustcd with cincralds and
precious stones. This represented
human face surrounded with rays. Ii
was The image OF tie sun whom the
Incas worshiped, and used gold In
doing so. They considered that metal
eacrcd TO the sun, and often referred
10 IT AS the tears Of that heavenly body.
ON both SIDES of the image We're the
oInbaincd bodies OF the meas Of the
past. each seated on a chair Of sol!d
gold.
in addition to tho Temple Of the sun.
the Incas had temples 10 the stars and
moon. Tie traditions say that there
were chapels to these heavenly bodies
!n the great temple at CuzcO, ana IL is
whispered that evidences OF these have
recently been discovered. When went
through the church my guide was not
permitted 10 80 with me The holy
father in charge performed this duty
himself, and the guide thought that 81
was 10 prevent me from learning what
they had recently discovered.
All of tho ornaments and utensils de-
voted to the religion OF the fncas were
,nade OF gold or silver. ia the great
hall OF the sun there were golden
cwcrs which held tho water, used at the
time Of the sacrihces: and there were
twelve silver Jars filled with Indian