International studio (81.1925)

mceRHAcionAL

governor of a colony established
by some merchants under char-
ter of Charles V at Coro, Ven-
ezuela. Colonizing proved a
failure so Alfmger went west-
ward in search of gold. His
cruelties, too horrible to chron-
icle here, resulted in his obtain-
ing about $60,000 worth of
treasure.

It was Sebastian de Belal-
cazar who next found the valley
of the Cauca. As a runaway
boy he had joined a Spanish
expedition to the New World
and was made a lieutenant un-
der Pizarro. With one hundred
and forty men he conquered
Quito and the surrounding coun-
try. But, like his predecessors,
Sebastian was ambitious; he de-
cided to conquer a territory for
himself. Reaching the Cauca
he founded the town of Cali.
disc of beaten gold decorated in repousse He decimated the population;

brought a famine upon the land

Indians. His first conquering expedition netted by driving the people from their fields, and then
de Heredia gold to the value of $3,000,000, includ- set out to Spain in 1539 to obtain a concession as
ing a massive gold figure from a temple. Finally, governor independent of Pizarro. He received his
suspected of hiding some of the treasure, he was concession, refused further to correspond with
thrown into prison but exonerated. Pizarro to whom he owed his former position, and

Vadillo, who threw de Heredia into prison and began operations by attacking his neighboring
took his treasure, apprehensive for his own safety, Spanish conqueror, Robledo. Although Robledo
decided to do some conquering himself. Crossing had been his friend for years, Sebastian caused
the Abibe Mountains he returned with $90,000 him to be hanged. For this treachery he was con-
worth of gold from the tombs. He attacked the demned to death and ordered to Spain but died on
chief Nutibara, who, in a litter, inlaid with gold, the way in 1550.

commanded his warriors in person. He was de- The territory Sebastian de Belalcazar ravaged

feated and Vadillo moved on to the Nori Valley was that occupied by the Quimbaya, the race of
where another chief, Nabuco, to get rid of him, goldsmiths. They produced no gold themselves
presented him with gold and the information that but obtained it from the tribes to the northward
the next valley was full of it. There followed more in exchange for salt and manufactured articles,
treachery in which Chief Buritica and his wife The Spaniards reported them as the best gold-
were burned alive because they refused to yield smiths in the New World and a Chiocha legend
their gold. Leon says: "The detestation we con- confirms the story of their reputation. Their
ceived for these Indians was such that we hung smiths were in such demand by other tribes that
them and their women by the hair to the boughs their chief required two men in exchange for one
of trees; and left their bodies there whilst amid of his smiths.

grievous moans their souls went down to hell." The conquest of New Granada proper took
A little later Vadillo discovered the great valley place from the north coast. Quesada, the destined
of the Cauca which contained the richest gold destroyer of the highly developed Chibcha civili-
mines of the whole region, but, a fugitive from zation, was a cultured, educated lawyer at the
justice, he could not return with his riches. His Fligh Court of Justice at Grenada when he received
expedition broke up; he was sent to Spain, and an appointment as chief magistrate of the new
he died in poverty. province of Santa Marta on the Magdalena River.

A German, Alfmger by name, was the first With Pedro Lugo, the new governor, he arrived

two seventy-six

july I925