International studio (81.1925)

mceRnACionAL

at his post late in 1535. Indians
were hostile and food scarce.
Lugo set out to find provisions.
Failing, he returned with the
sick and sent his son Luis along
the coast. The latter was suc-
cessful in obtaining large quan-
tities of supplies and gold but
instead of returning to relieve
his father hailed a passing ship,
went on board with all his riches
and sailed to Spain.

Overcome with grief at the
perfidy of his son the governor
set forth to find the source of
the Magdalena, hoping to locate
the rich provinces he had heard
of. Quesada, with six hundred
soldiers and one hundred horses,
started April 6, 1536. Five boats
carried supplies. At the Cesari
River Quesada met the vessels,
learned three had been lost and
found one hundred of his men breastplate of beaten gold, thirteen inches in diameter, two croco-

diles are meeting at top and bottom. from antiogina

had died from sickness and
many more were ill. But he

pushed on up the river, traveling in the remain- slings, failed to make an impression on the mailed

ing boats. Trails were cut through the forests, and Spanish host and were quickly scattered. The

and mosquitoes sharing honors in tormenting man zipa retired to a secret place. Quesada captured

and beast. A hundred more men died. Rebellion the palace but found no gold. Angered, the

broke out but Quesada, arming himself, forced the Spanish leader dashed east to surprise the chief

expedition on. Quesada's officers, although or- of Tunja, an old man, before he could hide his

dered to treat them with courtesy, soon began treasure. Breaking into the palace, despite the

killing and pillaging the Indians along the river, chief's offers of presents and conciliation, the

The natives united in defense and sunk the invaders seized cotton cloth matting and other

boats carrying the sick. Quesada's kind treat- decorations and $600,000 worth of gold and silver

ment of the Indians turned out to be policy only, and 1,815 emeralds. The chief, refusing to divulge

Once he had a soldier shot for robbing an Indian, the hiding place of his gold, was put in chains and

He changed, however, when, after crossing the died of a broken heart.

Opon Mountains, 6,500 feet in elevation, he Quesada never found any other large treasure

beheld the "valley of palaces." Quesada and his in the land of the Chibcha. The zipa's body,

men were looking upon the "Chibcha Empire" according to custom, was embalmed and buried

with all its wealth, culture and gold. in a tree trunk lined with gold. Opening tombs

The story of the conquest of the Chibchas is a the Spaniards found $2,500 in gold at one ceme-

repetition of the foregoing accounts of Spanish tery. An urn of gold, set with jewels weighing

treachery. The zipa, a name applied to the 437lA ounces, was discovered in one palace. At

Chibcha ruler, went out to meet Quesada's army. Tunja the Spaniards heard of the palace of the

Preceded by the mummy of the former zipa the Iraca, the religious chief located at Suamo, the

king rode on the shoulders of his attendants in a most sacred place in the Chibcha country, twenty

gold inlaid litter, decorated with emeralds. His miles away. They rushed off to despoil the temple,

chiefs wore feather helmets set with gold and A single old priest guarded the place. Behind him

emeralds and with gold crescents on their fore- the soldiers saw the mummies of the holy men

heads, gold nose and ear ornaments, great brace- adorned with plates of gold. While the Spaniards

lets, collars, breastplates and shields all of solid hesitated flames broke out and the temple, its

gold. treasures and its guardian priest were consumed

The soldiers, armed with hardwood spears and before their eyes. What a glorious end! The

july I925

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