LAKE OF GUATAVITA. 203 



to a calculation, made from a basis laid 

 down by Monsieur de la Kier, of the 

 Royal Institute of Paris, who particularly 

 examined every document relating to the 

 Lagoon, there ought to be gold and pre- 

 cious stones yet buried in it to the amount 

 of one billion one hundred and twenty mil- 

 lions sterling. On the Spaniards conquer- 

 ing the country, they so cruelly persecuted 

 the natives to obtain gold, that most of them 

 threw what they had left into the Lagoon. 

 The Cacique himself caused to be cast into 

 the centre of it the burdens of fifty men, 

 laden with gold dust. 



" Some of the chiefs, when afterwards 

 taken prisoners, and ill used by the Spa- 

 niards, revenged themselves by saying, * If 

 it is gold you want, go and search at the 

 bottom of the Lagoon, and you will find 

 sufiicient there supposing the undertak- 

 ing to be impossible. The Spaniards, how- 



