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problems with the Welser’s or the charge of desertion. Thus was how one day, he separated
from the weary column of the Spanish vanguard and was lost forever, due to neither the
Germans of the Welser’s House, nor the Spaniards of the Kingdom, saw them again.
Nicolaus Federmann continued with his explorations, always disobeying the orders of
Georg de Spira. In 1539, with Jiménez de Quesada and Sebastián Belalcarzar, Governos of
Santa Marta and Quito respectively, with whom he met in the jungle, founded the City of Santa
Fe de Bogotá. Then he undertook with the aforementioned captains a voyage to Cartagena de
Indias and thence he moved to Spain with Quesada. Although discoverer and explorer of lands,
he didn’t obtain any riches and returned practically ruined. However, when he gave to the
Lords of Tharsis the news about the luck of the Lito and the Men of Stone, they compensated
him generously and employed him in the village of Turdes, where he ended his days.
And what had happened to the Lords of Tharsis in America? After the separation of
Nicolaous Federmann they were located on the West side of the Eastern Mountain Range, some
thousand kilometres from the starting point and some three hundred from the City of Quito,
at the height where the River Napo originates. Was region of cold moor and desolate, where a
gelid wind blew that made chill the teeth and penetrated to the bones. They had found a
precipitous path which seemed to be made by the hands of men, due to at a certain distance
stone stacks could be seen that worked as contention walls for the alluvial landslides, and they
followed with renewed hope: they didn’t imagine neither remotely that they still would have to
travel five thousands kilometres to reach their destination. All what Nicolaus could gave them
were ten horses and very few provisions: with four horses was enough to charge everything, the
few victuals, the cage with the chickens, and even the weapons, now useless for the lack of
powder. At the vanguard was advancing Lito of Tharsis, who was mounted and followed by
three Indians bought in Coro, valuable garrulous and trail guide; behind, the other five Men of
Stone were riding; and in the rearguard, was marching the troop of infantry composed by seven
Catalan soldiers, whose fidelity for their Spaniard masters impulse them to follow unto death;
the Spaniard Dogos, of well-known ferocity, were ahead the whole column exploring the path
fifty metres forward.
Seven days they transited through such escarpment, which now descended in full
gradient towards a small valley situated, nonetheless, among high mountains. Unknowing it,
they were approaching to a northen fortress of the Inca Empire, which served as borderline
mark to the muisca empire: a garrison of two thousand Indians, from one or another empire,
who rebelled every six months to occupy such bastion. When taking a bend, the Lords of
Tharsis saw the walls and the stone hamlet, while they were approaching there through a set of
staggered terraces, placed intelligently for that purpose. A sepulchral silence reigned in the
place and there was no movement; the door lacked of lock gave the impression to be in front of
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