6 COCOA AND CHOCOLATE 



watered by the mighty Amazon and the Orinoco. This 

 is the very region in which Orellano, the Spanish 

 adventurer, said that he had truly seen El Dorado, 

 which he described as a City of Gold, roofed with gold, 

 and standing by a lake with golden sands. In reality, 

 El Dorado was nothing but a vision, a vision that for 

 a hundred years fascinated all manner of dreamers and 

 adventurers from Sir Walter Raleigh downwards, so 

 that many braved great hardships in search of it, 

 groped through the forests where the cacao tree grew, 



Old Drawing of an American Indian; at his feet 



a Chocolate-Cup, Chocolate-Pot, and Chocolate 



Whisk or " Molinet." 



(From Traitez Nouveaux et Curieux du Cafe, du The", et 

 du Chocolate. Dufour, 1693). 



