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east of the mines of rock salt of Zipaquira, into 

 which the gilded 5ord was made to enter. 1 saw 

 on it's banks the remains of a staircase hewn in 

 the rock, and serving for the ceremonies of abla- 

 tion. The Indians said, that powder of gold and 

 golden vessels were thrown into this lake, as a sa- 

 crifice to the idols of the adoratorio de Guatavita. 

 Vestiges are still found of a breach, which was 

 made by the Spaniards for the purpose of draining 

 the lake. The temple of the Sun at Sogamozo 

 being pretty near the northern coasts of Terra 

 Firma, the notions of the gilt man were soon 

 applied to a high priest of the sect of Bochica, 

 or Idacanzas, who every morning, before he per- 

 formed his sacrifice, caused powder of gold to 

 be stuck upon his hands and face, after they 

 had been smeared with grease. Other accounts, 

 preserved in a letter of Oviedo addressed to the 

 celebrated cardinal Bembo say, that Gonzalo 

 Pizarro, when he discovered the province of 

 cinnamon trees, " sought at the same time a 

 great prince, noised in those countries, who was 

 always covered with powdered gold, so that 

 from head to foot he resembled a una Jigura 

 d'oro lavorata di mano d'un buonissimo orifice. 

 The powdered gold is fixed on the body by 

 means of an odoriferous resin ; but, as this hind 

 of garment would be uneasy to him while he 

 slept, the prince washes himself every evening, 

 and is gilded anew in the morning, which proves, 



