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{\an1}Tonight, a famed ancient city
overflowing with gold.
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{\an1}MARTIN PEPPER: The legend
of El Dorado takes hold
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{\an1}amongst the Spanish,
and people start
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{\an1}looking for it everywhere.
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{\an1}For centuries,
explorers seeking it
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{\an1}find only disappointment
or death.
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{\an1}AMORY SIVERTSON:
It’s less a quest for gold
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{\an1}and more a fight for survival.
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{\an1}Now we reveal the top theories
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00:00:28,070 --> 00:00:31,780
{\an1}surrounding this legendary
lost city.
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{\an1}MARTIN: Pictures from space
show what appears
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{\an1}to be rivers of gold
weaving through the area.
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{\an1}There could
be a lost golden city
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{\an1}right there
under the rainforest canopy.
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{\an1}There’s not just one
golden city.
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{\an1}There’s multiple golden cities.
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{\an1}Does El Dorado exist?
And if so, where could it be?
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{\an1}♪ ♪
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{\an1}LAURENCE: March, 1537.
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{\an1}For nearly 20 years, the Spanish
have been on a mission
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{\an1}to conquer South America
with their infamous
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{\an1}army of conquistadors.
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{\an1}As part of that mission,
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{\an1}Chief Magistrate
Gonzalo Jimenez De Quesada
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{\an1}leads an expedition to find
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{\an1}an overland route from
present-day Colombia to Peru.
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{\an1}De Quesada and his men have
been tasked with finding a way
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{\an1}around or over
or through the Andes mountains,
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{\an1}a long mountain range
that has proven
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{\an1}to be an obstacle
to the Spanish conquistadors.
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{\an1}It’s a brutal trek.
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{\an1}There’s bad weather,
it’s cold, there’s disease.
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{\an1}The men are really ready
to give up.
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{\an1}But then De Quesada
hears a rumor
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{\an1}that causes him to completely
change his mission.
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{\an1}LAURENCE: The rumor,
a city filled with gold.
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{\an1}This is absolute music
to De Quesada’s ears,
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{\an1}because
for Spanish conquistadors,
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{\an1}nothing is more important
than gold.
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{\an1}For decades,
the Spanish have been exploring
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{\an1}Central and South America
and conquering its peoples.
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{\an1}Along the way,
they’ve sent back ships
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{\an1}filled with tons of gold
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{\an1}and stories
of unbelievable wealth
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{\an1}to be found in the Americas.
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{\an1}Stories of what is waiting
to still be found,
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{\an1}unlimited resources,
unlimited land,
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{\an1}unlimited food and wealth
were believed to be possible.
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{\an1}The problem is,
by the time De Quesada
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{\an1}gets to South America,
most of the easy to find
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{\an1}stores of gold have
already been plundered.
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{\an1}Now he’s desperate to know,
"Where is this
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{\an1}so-called golden village?"
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{\an1}LAURENCE: As De Quesada’s troops
press further south,
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{\an1}they encounter
the indigenous Muisca people.
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{\an1}The Muisca
are as advanced as Aztec,
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{\an1}Inca, or even the Maya,
but they aren’t as warlike
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{\an1}or even really as organized.
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{\an1}MARTIN: They’re more like
a loose confederation of tribes,
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00:03:15,028 --> 00:03:16,988
{\an1}but they’re known
as skilled metal workers,
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{\an1}and their metal of choice
is gold.
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{\an1}Gold has no monetary value
for them.
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{\an1}They use it because it’s soft
and easy to work with.
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00:03:25,497 --> 00:03:28,077
{\an1}But it also has a spiritual
significance for them
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{\an1}because the Muisca’s god,
Chiminigagua, is a sun god
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{\an1}and gold shines like the sun.
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{\an1}This suggested to Quesada
that there was more
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{\an1}where it came from,
and he was gonna go find it.
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{\an1}LAURENCE: De Quesada’s men
quickly overpower the Muisca
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{\an1}and interrogate them
about where to find gold.
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{\an1}The Muisca people describe
a ritual to De Quesada
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{\an1}in which a new leader
is coronated,
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{\an1}and the ritual entails
this new leader.
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{\an1}He will be called the Zipa.
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{\an1}He is covered
in a sticky substance
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{\an1}that then is covered
with gold dust.
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{\an1}Then they take him out
to the middle of a sacred lake
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{\an1}on a raft, and they put
gold statues, figurines
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{\an1}and jewels on the raft.
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{\an1}And there are thousands
of Muisca people
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{\an1}standing on the banks,
watching all of this.
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{\an1}BUDDY LEVY: At which point,
the chieftain immerses himself
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{\an1}in the lake, cleansing himself
of the gold dust,
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{\an1}and the attendants
throw trinkets and gold objects
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{\an1}into the middle of the lake.
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{\an1}Thousands of people
are along the banks,
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00:04:36,818 --> 00:04:39,238
{\an1}also throwing gold themselves.
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00:04:39,321 --> 00:04:42,571
{\an1}And when that man emerges,
he’s the new chief,
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{\an1}the Zipa of the community,
and he is known, importantly,
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{\an1}as El Dorado, The Golden Man.
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{\an1}♪ ♪
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{\an1}Although it’s just the story
of a man, De Quesada
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{\an1}considers this to be
something much bigger.
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{\an1}He thinks of this man
as a golden king
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{\an1}who must live
in a golden kingdom,
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{\an1}and therefore all he has to do
is find it.
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{\an1}LAURENCE: Inspired by the story
of the Muisca,
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{\an1}De Quesada believes
he’ll find the golden city
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{\an1}on the shores of a nearby lake.
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{\an1}♪ ♪
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{\an1}The Spanish press on,
and soon De Quesada comes
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{\an1}upon a body of water
called Lake Guatavita.
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{\an1}Lake Guatavita is located about
35 miles northeast of Bogota.
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{\an1}It’s a really beautiful, almost
supernatural or eerie place.
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{\an1}The lake is
almost perfectly round.
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{\an1}It’s surrounded by trees,
it reflects the sky,
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{\an1}it reflects
the environment around it.
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{\an1}There’s no obvious city
on its shores,
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{\an1}but De Quesada still thinks
this is the place.
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{\an1}He thinks this city
must have either been abandoned
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{\an1}or perhaps it lies underwater.
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{\an1}ALEXEI VRANICH: The Spanish
think that all they need to do
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{\an1}is get to the bottom
of the lake and they can recover
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{\an1}all these golden jewels
that have been thrown in.
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{\an1}DR. LYNNE S. MCNEILL:
De Quesada is here
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{\an1}in the mid-1500s, so
the technology to get underwater
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{\an1}simply isn’t available.
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{\an1}To get to the treasure,
they assume
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{\an1}they’re gonna have to drain
the entire lake.
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00:06:16,084 --> 00:06:19,004
{\an1}It’s an insane amount
of manual labor.
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{\an1}But they have
a captive workforce.
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{\an1}Two conquistadors,
Lazaro Fonte and De Quesada’s
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{\an1}own brother,
Hernan Perez de Quesada,
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{\an1}come up with a plan.
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{\an1}They are going to empty out
this entire lake by hand.
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{\an1}They essentially form
this huge bucket chain.
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{\an1}Using the brute force of these
captured indigenous people,
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{\an1}they’d spend months
taking the water
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{\an1}out of Lake Guatavita,
one bucket at a time.
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{\an1}LAURENCE:
Progress is painfully slow.
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{\an1}After three months, they haven’t
come close to their goal.
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{\an1}They manage to drop
the water level about ten feet,
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{\an1}and they do find
some pieces of gold
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{\an1}in the mud that they manage
to expose.
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{\an1}It’s not nothing,
but it’s certainly
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{\an1}no lavish city of gold.
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{\an1}Their bounty ends up
being worth about $100,000
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{\an1}in today’s money,
certainly not a fortune.
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{\an1}LAURENCE: Without the technology
to explore any further,
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{\an1}hundreds of years pass
with no new discoveries.
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{\an1}Then, in the late 1800s,
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{\an1}a British entrepreneur
is inspired to investigate.
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{\an1}In 1898, Hartley Knowles hears
about De Quesada’s efforts.
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{\an1}He has started
the company for the exploration
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{\an1}of the lagoon at Guatavita,
and he now is taking
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{\an1}his turn at getting
to that gold.
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{\an1}What’s different now is that
it’s the turn of the century,
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{\an1}and Britain is
an industrial powerhouse,
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{\an1}so he has much better equipment
at his disposal.
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{\an1}They bring in
a massive steam pump
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{\an1}and earth-moving equipment
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{\an1}to dig a huge tunnel
under the middle of Guatavita,
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{\an1}and start to drain it.
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{\an1}LAURENCE: After six years,
the lake is finally emptied.
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00:08:09,197 --> 00:08:13,407
{\an1}But what remains
is another problem.
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{\an1}Hartley Knowles manages to get
to the bottom of the lake.
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{\an1}BUDDY LEVY: The problem is, when
he gets to the bottom of it,
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{\an1}there’s silt and mud
and hard pan,
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{\an1}and as it’s baked in the sun,
it becomes like cement.
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{\an1}And so they have
to abandon the project.
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{\an1}After spending
all that time and money,
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{\an1}Knowles and his company
only end up finding
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{\an1}about 30 to 40 golden artifacts
in the mud.
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{\an1}They’re auctioned off
at Sotheby’s in London in 1909,
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{\an1}and they’re sold for a whopping
total of 500 British pounds.
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{\an1}Unsurprisingly,
the company goes bankrupt.
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{\an1}By 1965, Lake Guatavita
has been almost ruined,
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{\an1}and the Colombian government has
decided that it’s had enough.
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{\an1}LAURENCE: The government bans
any further exploration
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{\an1}of Lake Guatavita,
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{\an1}officially ending the quest
for El Dorado here.
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00:09:06,921 --> 00:09:10,841
{\an1}But Lake Guatavita
was not the only candidate
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{\an1}for the location of El Dorado,
not by a long shot.
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{\an1}LAURENCE:
When Spanish conquistador
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{\an1}Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada
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{\an1}spreads a rumor of a lost city
of gold in 1537,
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{\an1}others quickly expand
the search far and wide.
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{\an1}The legend of El Dorado
starts to take hold
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{\an1}amongst the Spanish,
and so they look everywhere,
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00:09:34,491 --> 00:09:36,161
{\an1}all over South America.
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00:09:36,284 --> 00:09:38,374
{\an1}Many of these soldiers
have come looking for gold,
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00:09:38,453 --> 00:09:40,413
{\an1}and they haven’t seen
much of it yet.
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{\an1}Among the inspired conquistadors
is Gonzalo Pizarro.
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00:09:44,584 --> 00:09:47,594
{\an1}He’s the half-brother
of Francisco Pizarro,
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00:09:47,670 --> 00:09:49,710
{\an1}the man who conquered
the Inca Empire,
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{\an1}and brought boatloads of gold
back to Spain.
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{\an1}Because of the strength
of his last name,
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00:09:55,095 --> 00:09:58,435
{\an1}Pizarro has been made
the vice governor in Quito,
189
00:09:58,515 --> 00:10:00,105
{\an1}which is modern-day Ecuador.
190
00:10:00,183 --> 00:10:02,813
{\an1}But he has bigger ambitions
than just being
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00:10:02,894 --> 00:10:04,104
{\an1}the local vice governor.
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00:10:05,563 --> 00:10:09,483
{\an1}LAURENCE: In 1541, four years
after De Quesada’s expedition,
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00:10:09,609 --> 00:10:13,899
{\an1}Pizarro sets out on his own
quest to find El Dorado.
194
00:10:13,988 --> 00:10:17,448
{\an1}Pizarro enlists the help
of his childhood friend
195
00:10:17,534 --> 00:10:21,084
{\an1}and cousin,
Francisco de Orellana.
196
00:10:22,205 --> 00:10:24,715
{\an1}Pizarro speaks to a different
indigenous group in Ecuador,
197
00:10:24,833 --> 00:10:28,003
{\an1}and he’s told that the gold
that De Quesada seeks
198
00:10:28,086 --> 00:10:31,006
{\an1}is actually much further south
than where he’s looking.
199
00:10:31,089 --> 00:10:33,799
{\an1}It’s some 600 miles south,
200
00:10:33,883 --> 00:10:36,893
{\an1}and it’s not even
in the Andes mountain region.
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{\an1}MARTIN: Avoiding the mountains
sounds like a really good idea
202
00:10:39,347 --> 00:10:40,967
{\an1}to Pizarro,
but he doesn’t realize
203
00:10:41,057 --> 00:10:43,177
{\an1}this new destination
is just as treacherous.
204
00:10:43,309 --> 00:10:46,189
{\an1}According to his sources,
El Dorado sits on the shores
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00:10:46,271 --> 00:10:49,521
{\an1}of a river
deep in the Amazon rainforest.
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00:10:49,607 --> 00:10:53,737
{\an1}♪ ♪
207
00:10:53,862 --> 00:10:57,702
{\an1}LAURENCE: In February, 1541,
the two men leave Quito
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00:10:57,782 --> 00:11:03,452
{\an1}with 340 Spaniards and some
4,000 indigenous people.
209
00:11:03,538 --> 00:11:06,038
{\an1}They head due east
across the Andes,
210
00:11:06,124 --> 00:11:09,844
{\an1}then down into the lowlands,
then toward the far southeast
211
00:11:09,919 --> 00:11:12,669
{\an1}of Ecuador, where
the Amazon rainforest begins.
212
00:11:12,755 --> 00:11:16,295
{\an1}They end up being
some of the first Europeans
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00:11:16,384 --> 00:11:18,724
{\an1}to explore the Amazon jungle,
214
00:11:18,803 --> 00:11:21,813
{\an1}but they are not
remotely ready for it.
215
00:11:21,890 --> 00:11:26,890
{\an1}It’s hot, it’s humid,
and the growth is so dense
216
00:11:27,020 --> 00:11:28,690
{\an1}that they have
to use their swords
217
00:11:28,771 --> 00:11:30,521
{\an1}to hack their way through it.
218
00:11:30,607 --> 00:11:33,567
{\an1}They have natives with them
that they’ve brought,
219
00:11:33,693 --> 00:11:35,403
{\an1}but the natives are
from the mountain region,
220
00:11:35,486 --> 00:11:39,566
{\an1}so they are also unprepared
for this sort of climate.
221
00:11:39,699 --> 00:11:43,739
{\an1}And as time goes on
and they struggle more and more,
222
00:11:43,828 --> 00:11:45,538
{\an1}they begin to be hungry.
223
00:11:45,622 --> 00:11:48,042
{\an1}People begin to get sick,
some of them begin to die.
224
00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,130
{\an1}LAURENCE:
But Pizarro remains undeterred.
225
00:11:52,253 --> 00:11:55,093
{\an1}It’s almost like
the harder the trek becomes,
226
00:11:55,215 --> 00:11:57,805
{\an1}the more convinced
Pizarro is that El Dorado
227
00:11:57,926 --> 00:11:59,586
{\an1}is just around the corner.
228
00:11:59,719 --> 00:12:02,389
{\an1}He becomes consumed
with finding this city.
229
00:12:02,472 --> 00:12:04,102
{\an1}Nothing else seems to matter.
230
00:12:04,182 --> 00:12:07,392
{\an1}He drives these suffering men
further southeast,
231
00:12:07,477 --> 00:12:11,267
{\an1}looking for this river that’ll
ultimately lead him to gold.
232
00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:14,940
{\an1}Every time the Spanish encounter
any indigenous in the jungle,
233
00:12:15,026 --> 00:12:17,446
{\an1}Pizarro questions them
where this city of gold is,
234
00:12:17,528 --> 00:12:18,988
{\an1}and they always tell him,
235
00:12:19,113 --> 00:12:20,743
{\an1}"Keep going,
you’ll encounter it eventually."
236
00:12:21,824 --> 00:12:24,624
{\an1}LAURENCE: After eleven months,
the crew has traveled
237
00:12:24,702 --> 00:12:29,372
{\an1}nearly 200 miles
with nothing to show for it.
238
00:12:29,457 --> 00:12:31,207
{\an1}By the time Pizarro’s company
gets to the banks
239
00:12:31,292 --> 00:12:33,292
{\an1}of the Coca River,
most of his men
240
00:12:33,419 --> 00:12:37,209
{\an1}are either dead,
dying or very sick.
241
00:12:37,298 --> 00:12:42,088
{\an1}They’ve lost 3,000 natives
and 140 conquistadors.
242
00:12:42,178 --> 00:12:46,058
{\an1}They’ve run out of food, eating
their horses to stay alive.
243
00:12:46,140 --> 00:12:50,640
{\an1}It’s less a quest for gold
and more a fight for survival.
244
00:12:50,770 --> 00:12:53,230
{\an1}The expedition is
on the verge of mutiny,
245
00:12:53,314 --> 00:12:56,444
{\an1}and so they make
a plan to build a boat
246
00:12:56,526 --> 00:12:58,486
{\an1}to travel down the river.
247
00:12:59,112 --> 00:13:03,492
{\an1}On December 26th, 1541, Pizarro
tells his partner, Orellana,
248
00:13:03,574 --> 00:13:06,414
{\an1}to take 50 men in the boat
down the river
249
00:13:06,494 --> 00:13:09,374
{\an1}to find food and bring it back
to the rest of the team.
250
00:13:09,497 --> 00:13:11,287
{\an1}The current of the river
is strong,
251
00:13:11,374 --> 00:13:13,794
{\an1}so Orellana
makes very good time.
252
00:13:13,876 --> 00:13:16,996
{\an1}Unfortunately, it’s 14 days
before they find any food,
253
00:13:17,130 --> 00:13:19,510
{\an1}and because of the current,
they realize
254
00:13:19,590 --> 00:13:22,180
{\an1}there’s no way to turn around
and go back,
255
00:13:22,302 --> 00:13:24,682
{\an1}so they decide
to just keep going forward.
256
00:13:25,638 --> 00:13:28,848
{\an1}Orellana has all the men
sign a document
257
00:13:28,975 --> 00:13:30,685
{\an1}saying that they understand
258
00:13:30,768 --> 00:13:33,098
{\an1}what they’re doing,
but they had no other choice.
259
00:13:33,187 --> 00:13:36,977
{\an1}Orellana knows this may end up
being useful later
260
00:13:37,066 --> 00:13:40,356
{\an1}because they may be
considered traitors
261
00:13:40,445 --> 00:13:42,285
{\an1}and sentenced to be executed.
262
00:13:43,531 --> 00:13:46,621
{\an1}LAURENCE: After one month,
Pizarro realizes
263
00:13:46,701 --> 00:13:50,371
{\an1}his old friend
is not coming back.
264
00:13:50,455 --> 00:13:53,965
{\an1}Pizarro thinks maybe they were
attacked by a hostile tribe.
265
00:13:54,042 --> 00:13:55,382
{\an1}But he also starts to wonder
266
00:13:55,460 --> 00:13:57,340
{\an1}if maybe his cousin
had betrayed him.
267
00:13:57,420 --> 00:14:02,970
{\an1}He thinks, "If I had found
El Dorado, would I come back?"
268
00:14:03,051 --> 00:14:06,101
{\an1}Gonzalo Pizarro takes
the remnant men who were
269
00:14:06,220 --> 00:14:09,060
{\an1}stranded on the side
of the river and arrives back
270
00:14:09,140 --> 00:14:12,810
{\an1}in Quito literally shoeless
and in rags,
271
00:14:12,894 --> 00:14:16,064
{\an1}and he vows that
if he ever sees Orellana again,
272
00:14:16,189 --> 00:14:18,019
{\an1}he’s going to kill him.
273
00:14:18,566 --> 00:14:22,066
{\an1}LAURENCE: Meanwhile, Orellana
continues his journey.
274
00:14:22,153 --> 00:14:25,203
{\an1}The swift current has carried
Orellana’s team even farther,
275
00:14:25,281 --> 00:14:28,121
{\an1}and they still haven’t seen
any trace of a city of gold.
276
00:14:28,242 --> 00:14:31,452
{\an1}Eventually, they meet up with
the much larger Amazon River.
277
00:14:31,579 --> 00:14:33,829
{\an1}He figures this is
the sacred body of water
278
00:14:33,915 --> 00:14:36,335
{\an1}that will eventually lead
to El Dorado.
279
00:14:36,417 --> 00:14:38,787
{\an1}At first,
it seems he might be right.
280
00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,590
{\an1}As they get further
into the Amazon basin,
281
00:14:41,672 --> 00:14:43,882
{\an1}they start to see
these great settlements,
282
00:14:43,966 --> 00:14:47,596
{\an1}thriving cities with people
all adorned in gold.
283
00:14:47,678 --> 00:14:49,758
{\an1}These locals feed the Spanish,
284
00:14:49,889 --> 00:14:51,679
{\an1}and even teach them
some of their language.
285
00:14:51,766 --> 00:14:53,476
{\an1}As the Spanish keep going,
286
00:14:53,601 --> 00:14:56,521
{\an1}they hear stories of even
bigger, more opulent cities
287
00:14:56,604 --> 00:14:57,944
{\an1}deeper in the jungle.
288
00:14:58,940 --> 00:15:01,530
{\an1}But the farther they travel,
289
00:15:01,609 --> 00:15:04,239
{\an1}the less friendly
those encounters get.
290
00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:07,110
{\an1}They start running
into native groups
291
00:15:07,198 --> 00:15:10,118
{\an1}that are defensive
and then native groups
292
00:15:10,201 --> 00:15:12,451
{\an1}that are attacking them
and keeping them
293
00:15:12,578 --> 00:15:14,708
{\an1}from being able
to land anywhere on shore.
294
00:15:14,789 --> 00:15:17,079
{\an1}One of these attacks
actually leads
295
00:15:17,166 --> 00:15:18,746
{\an1}to the naming
of the Amazon River.
296
00:15:18,835 --> 00:15:22,555
{\an1}It doesn’t have a name
until June 24th, 1542,
297
00:15:22,630 --> 00:15:25,380
{\an1}when Orellana and his men
are attacked by a local tribe
298
00:15:25,466 --> 00:15:27,716
{\an1}where the women fight
right alongside the men.
299
00:15:27,802 --> 00:15:30,642
{\an1}He refers to these women
as Amazonas,
300
00:15:30,763 --> 00:15:32,683
{\an1}based on the mythical
Greek women warriors
301
00:15:32,807 --> 00:15:34,427
{\an1}described by Herodotus.
302
00:15:34,517 --> 00:15:36,097
{\an1}Orellana starts calling the area
303
00:15:36,185 --> 00:15:40,145
{\an1}The River of the Amazons,
and the name sticks.
304
00:15:40,231 --> 00:15:41,611
{\an1}♪ ♪
305
00:15:41,691 --> 00:15:42,981
{\an1}LAURENCE:
Finally, after eight months
306
00:15:43,067 --> 00:15:45,277
{\an1}and over 3,000 miles,
307
00:15:45,361 --> 00:15:49,701
{\an1}Orellana and his crew
reach the Atlantic Ocean.
308
00:15:49,824 --> 00:15:52,414
{\an1}Even though he doesn’t
know it yet, Orellana has just
309
00:15:52,493 --> 00:15:55,503
{\an1}successfully traveled
the entire length of the world’s
310
00:15:55,580 --> 00:15:59,250
{\an1}longest river, and he’s
the first European to do so.
311
00:15:59,333 --> 00:16:03,593
{\an1}But, unfortunately, he does it
without reaching El Dorado.
312
00:16:03,671 --> 00:16:05,671
{\an1}LAURENCE:
Word of Orellana’s voyage
313
00:16:05,756 --> 00:16:08,466
{\an1}reaches Quito
and eventually Spain.
314
00:16:08,551 --> 00:16:11,471
{\an1}Pizarro hears the news,
and he accuses his cousin
315
00:16:11,554 --> 00:16:13,854
{\an1}of treason,
hoping to get him hanged.
316
00:16:13,931 --> 00:16:16,231
{\an1}But, in the end,
because of the document
317
00:16:16,350 --> 00:16:19,100
{\an1}that the entire crew signed
and that detailed log
318
00:16:19,187 --> 00:16:22,107
{\an1}that they kept, Orellana is
found not guilty
319
00:16:22,190 --> 00:16:24,820
{\an1}and he returns safely to Spain,
where he’s welcomed
320
00:16:24,901 --> 00:16:27,901
{\an1}by King Charles I
as sort of a celebrity.
321
00:16:29,113 --> 00:16:33,033
{\an1}Once Orellana is back in Spain,
he has pretty much one goal,
322
00:16:33,117 --> 00:16:35,827
{\an1}and that is to get back
to South America.
323
00:16:35,912 --> 00:16:41,292
{\an1}He is convinced
that he came so close
324
00:16:41,375 --> 00:16:43,665
{\an1}to finding the real El Dorado,
325
00:16:43,753 --> 00:16:49,133
{\an1}he basically makes the pitch
to everyone that he can do this,
326
00:16:49,217 --> 00:16:51,677
{\an1}that he will find the city
of gold, that if he gets
327
00:16:51,761 --> 00:16:55,391
{\an1}the supplies and the funding
and the crew that he needs,
328
00:16:55,473 --> 00:16:59,643
{\an1}he will be able to go straight
to El Dorado itself.
329
00:16:59,727 --> 00:17:02,057
{\an1}LAURENCE:
His pitch works.
330
00:17:02,146 --> 00:17:06,026
{\an1}In May of 1545,
Francisco de Orellana
331
00:17:06,108 --> 00:17:08,738
{\an1}heads back into the Amazon.
332
00:17:08,861 --> 00:17:11,411
{\an1}It’s his second expedition
to find El Dorado,
333
00:17:11,489 --> 00:17:14,868
{\an1}but this time, he knows
exactly where he needs to go
334
00:17:14,951 --> 00:17:17,411
{\an1}and he’s completely confident
that he’s gonna get there.
335
00:17:23,501 --> 00:17:26,840
{\an1}LAURENCE: Spanish explorer
Francisco de Orellana’s
336
00:17:26,921 --> 00:17:30,261
{\an1}first attempt to find
El Dorado has failed.
337
00:17:30,341 --> 00:17:35,681
{\an1}But, in 1545,
he’s ready to try again.
338
00:17:35,763 --> 00:17:38,473
{\an1}His previous expedition
operated under the assumption
339
00:17:38,599 --> 00:17:40,769
{\an1}that El Dorado is
in the far western region
340
00:17:40,851 --> 00:17:44,351
{\an1}of the Amazon rainforest,
in what’s now Ecuador.
341
00:17:44,438 --> 00:17:47,268
{\an1}After a disastrous attempt,
they couldn’t find it there.
342
00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,190
{\an1}But as Orellana traveled east
along the Amazon River
343
00:17:50,278 --> 00:17:53,278
{\an1}in what’s now Brazil,
he saw larger cities
344
00:17:53,364 --> 00:17:55,664
{\an1}with indigenous there
adorned in gold.
345
00:17:55,783 --> 00:17:57,953
{\an1}And it’s in that area
in which he believes
346
00:17:58,035 --> 00:17:59,945
{\an1}he will find El Dorado.
347
00:18:00,037 --> 00:18:02,407
{\an1}♪ ♪
348
00:18:02,498 --> 00:18:05,378
{\an1}Last time, after attacks
by native peoples,
349
00:18:05,459 --> 00:18:08,299
{\an1}Orellana wasn’t really
able to get very far from shore
350
00:18:08,379 --> 00:18:11,469
{\an1}and really explore these cities
or what lies beyond.
351
00:18:11,549 --> 00:18:13,799
{\an1}So that’s what he’s going to do
this time.
352
00:18:13,884 --> 00:18:18,934
{\an1}LAURENCE: On May 11th, 1545
Orellana departs from Spain.
353
00:18:19,015 --> 00:18:22,235
{\an1}The disaster
of his previous expedition
354
00:18:22,310 --> 00:18:26,610
{\an1}is fresh in his mind,
so he is attempting to be
355
00:18:26,689 --> 00:18:29,649
{\an1}more than prepared
this time around.
356
00:18:29,734 --> 00:18:33,784
{\an1}He brings four ships,
more than 300 men and supplies
357
00:18:33,863 --> 00:18:36,123
{\an1}to build an additional two ships
when they get to the mouth
358
00:18:36,198 --> 00:18:38,948
{\an1}of the Amazon to help them
navigate up the river.
359
00:18:39,035 --> 00:18:40,665
{\an1}He has everything he needs.
360
00:18:40,745 --> 00:18:45,545
{\an1}He knows the way.
This time, he can’t fail.
361
00:18:45,666 --> 00:18:47,456
{\an1}They sail first
to the Spanish-controlled
362
00:18:47,543 --> 00:18:50,673
{\an1}Canary Islands, where they spend
the first couple of months
363
00:18:50,755 --> 00:18:52,805
{\an1}loading supplies,
getting the ships ready
364
00:18:52,882 --> 00:18:55,262
{\an1}for the open seas,
and recruiting more men.
365
00:18:55,885 --> 00:18:59,725
{\an1}LAURENCE: The next planned stop
is the Cape Verde Islands,
366
00:18:59,847 --> 00:19:04,687
{\an1}off the west coast of Africa,
which the Spanish also control.
367
00:19:04,769 --> 00:19:07,019
{\an1}It’s here where
Orellana’s expedition
368
00:19:07,146 --> 00:19:09,016
{\an1}starts to really unravel.
369
00:19:09,148 --> 00:19:11,728
{\an1}There’s an epidemic
that kills 98 of his men
370
00:19:11,859 --> 00:19:14,029
{\an1}and then another
60 of them desert.
371
00:19:14,153 --> 00:19:16,163
{\an1}He’s downed so many sailors
that he decides
372
00:19:16,238 --> 00:19:18,568
{\an1}to abandon one
of his ships entirely
373
00:19:18,699 --> 00:19:21,739
{\an1}and cross the Atlantic with
just the remaining three ships.
374
00:19:22,662 --> 00:19:26,042
{\an1}The Atlantic crossing is
a disaster from the outset.
375
00:19:27,208 --> 00:19:28,628
{\an1}One of his ships
is blown off course
376
00:19:28,709 --> 00:19:30,539
{\an1}and he never sees it again.
377
00:19:30,628 --> 00:19:34,298
{\an1}This costs Orellana
an additional 77 men,
378
00:19:34,382 --> 00:19:36,972
{\an1}more supplies
and all of the material
379
00:19:37,051 --> 00:19:39,011
{\an1}that they were gonna use
to build those additional
380
00:19:39,095 --> 00:19:41,565
{\an1}two ships to navigate
up the Amazon.
381
00:19:42,348 --> 00:19:47,268
{\an1}LAURENCE: In spite of that,
on December 20th, 1545,
382
00:19:47,395 --> 00:19:51,195
{\an1}Orellana arrives
on the east coast of Brazil.
383
00:19:51,273 --> 00:19:54,363
{\an1}When he arrives,
he has only two ships
384
00:19:54,443 --> 00:19:56,993
{\an1}and fewer than 100 men.
385
00:19:57,071 --> 00:20:01,871
{\an1}This is not a promising start
to what he knows
386
00:20:01,951 --> 00:20:05,251
{\an1}is going to be
a difficult expedition.
387
00:20:05,871 --> 00:20:08,581
{\an1}Thankfully, there’s a lot
of food where they land,
388
00:20:08,666 --> 00:20:10,416
{\an1}and the natives are friendly.
389
00:20:10,501 --> 00:20:12,751
{\an1}So Orellana’s men
suggest that they just
390
00:20:12,837 --> 00:20:15,877
{\an1}make camp and regroup
for a little while.
391
00:20:15,965 --> 00:20:20,645
{\an1}But Orellana is so eager to find
El Dorado that he says,
392
00:20:20,761 --> 00:20:23,261
{\an1}"No. On we go."
393
00:20:23,389 --> 00:20:25,599
{\an1}Orellana may have
been here before,
394
00:20:25,725 --> 00:20:27,565
{\an1}but this time he gets lost.
395
00:20:27,643 --> 00:20:31,613
{\an1}The mouth of the Amazon is
a wild tangle of tributaries.
396
00:20:31,731 --> 00:20:33,941
{\an1}The group travels
over 300 miles,
397
00:20:34,024 --> 00:20:36,744
{\an1}trying to find the entrance
of the Amazon River.
398
00:20:36,819 --> 00:20:38,779
{\an1}The journey
is over before it’s begun.
399
00:20:38,904 --> 00:20:41,624
{\an1}They never even got
anywhere near El Dorado.
400
00:20:41,741 --> 00:20:43,121
{\an1}In fact, they never even got
401
00:20:43,242 --> 00:20:45,492
{\an1}into the main
Amazon River itself.
402
00:20:45,619 --> 00:20:49,369
{\an1}And if El Dorado is hiding deep
in Brazil, they’ll never know.
403
00:20:49,457 --> 00:20:53,747
{\an1}In the end, less than 40
of the original 300 men survive
404
00:20:53,836 --> 00:20:56,416
{\an1}by making it back to the island
of Margarita,
405
00:20:56,505 --> 00:20:58,625
{\an1}just west of Trinidad.
406
00:20:59,633 --> 00:21:01,933
{\an1}After the collapse
of Orellana’s expedition,
407
00:21:02,011 --> 00:21:04,141
{\an1}he’s basically branded a liar.
408
00:21:04,221 --> 00:21:07,561
{\an1}People begin to suspect
that he made the whole thing up
409
00:21:07,641 --> 00:21:10,271
{\an1}or maybe that he
was just covering up
410
00:21:10,352 --> 00:21:13,652
{\an1}for having abandoned Pizarro
or that he just wanted
411
00:21:13,731 --> 00:21:16,571
{\an1}to secure funding
for his next expedition.
412
00:21:16,650 --> 00:21:19,150
{\an1}But the rumors of El Dorado
sitting somewhere along
413
00:21:19,236 --> 00:21:23,316
{\an1}the Amazon persist,
and over the next hundred years,
414
00:21:23,449 --> 00:21:26,449
{\an1}a handful of other expeditions
to Brazil are launched,
415
00:21:26,535 --> 00:21:28,865
{\an1}all of which turn up nothing.
416
00:21:28,996 --> 00:21:30,496
{\an1}♪ ♪
417
00:21:30,623 --> 00:21:33,423
{\an1}LAURENCE: Eventually,
the search for El Dorado
418
00:21:33,501 --> 00:21:37,421
{\an1}in the Amazon appears
to die out.
419
00:21:37,505 --> 00:21:39,385
{\an1}Then, in December, 2020,
420
00:21:39,507 --> 00:21:42,427
{\an1}astronauts on board
the International Space Station
421
00:21:42,510 --> 00:21:46,260
{\an1}spot something peculiar
near Bolivia.
422
00:21:46,347 --> 00:21:49,137
{\an1}Pictures from space
show what appears to be
423
00:21:49,225 --> 00:21:51,895
{\an1}rivers of gold
weaving through the area.
424
00:21:52,019 --> 00:21:54,769
{\an1}They turn out to be
illegal gold mining operations
425
00:21:54,855 --> 00:21:57,315
{\an1}and they are huge,
which is obvious,
426
00:21:57,399 --> 00:21:59,279
{\an1}if you can see them from space.
427
00:21:59,819 --> 00:22:03,029
{\an1}LAURENCE: This evidence
reignites a modern-day hunt
428
00:22:03,113 --> 00:22:07,373
{\an1}for El Dorado, this time
in a whole new area.
429
00:22:07,451 --> 00:22:10,871
{\an1}♪ ♪
430
00:22:10,996 --> 00:22:14,496
{\an1}In 2022,
a team of researchers led
431
00:22:14,583 --> 00:22:16,003
{\an1}by Heiko Prumers
432
00:22:16,085 --> 00:22:18,385
{\an1}from the German
Archaeological Institute
433
00:22:18,462 --> 00:22:21,012
{\an1}head to the Bolivian rainforest
434
00:22:21,090 --> 00:22:26,600
{\an1}to do 3D scanning
of the landscape from the air.
435
00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:28,470
{\an1}MARTIN: And what
these researchers discover
436
00:22:28,556 --> 00:22:31,216
{\an1}is absolutely amazing.
437
00:22:31,308 --> 00:22:33,058
{\an1}It appears to be
an ancient civilization
438
00:22:33,143 --> 00:22:35,233
{\an1}that’s been lost for centuries.
439
00:22:35,354 --> 00:22:37,904
{\an1}There are pyramids,
60 feet high,
440
00:22:37,982 --> 00:22:40,982
{\an1}rectangular structures,
paths and roads.
441
00:22:41,068 --> 00:22:44,738
{\an1}It’s like a city
hidden inside the rainforest.
442
00:22:45,573 --> 00:22:47,573
{\an1}LAURENCE:
The team estimates
443
00:22:47,658 --> 00:22:51,908
{\an1}this settlement was abandoned
nearly 500 years ago,
444
00:22:51,996 --> 00:22:55,416
{\an1}around the same time
the conquistadors arrived.
445
00:22:55,499 --> 00:22:58,669
{\an1}Prumers estimates
that it might have taken
446
00:22:58,752 --> 00:23:03,672
{\an1}researchers centuries to find
these cities in the jungle,
447
00:23:03,757 --> 00:23:05,837
{\an1}but the LIDAR technology
allowed them
448
00:23:05,926 --> 00:23:08,676
{\an1}to find it in a matter of days.
449
00:23:08,762 --> 00:23:10,682
{\an1}So the media seizes
on this story.
450
00:23:10,764 --> 00:23:12,564
{\an1}I mean, who doesn’t love
a treasure hunt?
451
00:23:12,641 --> 00:23:14,811
{\an1}And the myth of El Dorado
has been going on
452
00:23:14,935 --> 00:23:17,055
{\an1}for hundreds of years,
and now we have these images
453
00:23:17,146 --> 00:23:20,856
{\an1}that suggest there could be
a lost golden city
454
00:23:20,941 --> 00:23:23,031
{\an1}right there under
the rainforest canopy.
455
00:23:23,527 --> 00:23:25,197
{\an1}MARTIN:
Further aerial investigations
456
00:23:25,279 --> 00:23:27,779
{\an1}have turned up geoglyphs
and massive roads
457
00:23:27,865 --> 00:23:29,325
{\an1}the size of highways.
458
00:23:29,450 --> 00:23:31,160
{\an1}All of this leads us
to believe that Orellana
459
00:23:31,285 --> 00:23:34,005
{\an1}was telling the truth
about the cities that he saw.
460
00:23:34,121 --> 00:23:38,581
{\an1}LAURENCE: Unfortunately, a full
expedition proves too difficult.
461
00:23:38,667 --> 00:23:41,287
{\an1}The Amazon basin itself
is enormous.
462
00:23:41,420 --> 00:23:44,920
{\an1}It’s more than 2.7 million
square miles,
463
00:23:45,007 --> 00:23:47,377
{\an1}and about two million
of those square miles
464
00:23:47,468 --> 00:23:49,638
{\an1}have never really been
explored or studied.
465
00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:52,600
{\an1}It’s an area the size of India.
466
00:23:52,681 --> 00:23:54,311
{\an1}There’s a lot
we still don’t know
467
00:23:54,433 --> 00:23:56,983
{\an1}about the interior
of the Amazon.
468
00:23:57,061 --> 00:23:59,601
{\an1}It’s just so overgrown
and impenetrable.
469
00:23:59,688 --> 00:24:01,188
{\an1}The access is difficult.
470
00:24:01,315 --> 00:24:03,285
{\an1}The terrain is difficult.
471
00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:04,779
{\an1}The weather conditions
are difficult.
472
00:24:04,860 --> 00:24:07,240
{\an1}There’s no way
to get in equipment.
473
00:24:07,321 --> 00:24:10,491
{\an1}For now, aerial studies
are our best bet
474
00:24:10,574 --> 00:24:12,034
{\an1}for finding any answers.
475
00:24:12,159 --> 00:24:15,329
{\an1}So it seems
that Orellana wasn’t lying,
476
00:24:15,412 --> 00:24:18,832
{\an1}that he was telling the truth,
at least about the cities.
477
00:24:18,916 --> 00:24:21,746
{\an1}We can’t be totally sure
about the gold.
478
00:24:21,835 --> 00:24:23,335
{\an1}♪ ♪
479
00:24:27,216 --> 00:24:28,926
{\an1}The lure of El Dorado,
480
00:24:29,009 --> 00:24:30,719
{\an1}the lost city of gold,
has captured the imagination
481
00:24:30,844 --> 00:24:33,854
{\an1}of generations
of treasure-seekers.
482
00:24:33,931 --> 00:24:37,891
{\an1}But perhaps none are
more renowned or more determined
483
00:24:38,018 --> 00:24:40,808
{\an1}than a world famous
British explorer
484
00:24:40,896 --> 00:24:44,476
{\an1}who takes on the search
in the late 1500s.
485
00:24:46,527 --> 00:24:50,567
{\an1}In 1585,
England and Spain are engaged
486
00:24:50,698 --> 00:24:52,908
{\an1}in a long running conflict.
487
00:24:53,033 --> 00:24:56,703
{\an1}So you’ve probably heard
of the Spanish Armada.
488
00:24:56,787 --> 00:25:01,117
{\an1}That’s just a part
of a 19-year long war
489
00:25:01,208 --> 00:25:03,538
{\an1}called the Anglo-Spanish War.
490
00:25:03,669 --> 00:25:06,129
{\an1}While that war was fought
officially between
491
00:25:06,213 --> 00:25:08,013
{\an1}these two countries,
there was also
492
00:25:08,090 --> 00:25:11,380
{\an1}a very large amount
of guerrilla warfare.
493
00:25:11,468 --> 00:25:14,598
{\an1}The English were
sponsoring piracy,
494
00:25:14,722 --> 00:25:18,982
{\an1}what they called privateers,
sending ships out
495
00:25:19,059 --> 00:25:22,149
{\an1}to basically attack
the Spanish ships
496
00:25:22,229 --> 00:25:25,609
{\an1}that were attempting
the conquest of the New World.
497
00:25:25,733 --> 00:25:27,573
{\an1}One of the top
English privateers
498
00:25:27,693 --> 00:25:30,113
{\an1}is Sir Walter Raleigh,
who’s already famous
499
00:25:30,237 --> 00:25:32,107
{\an1}as an explorer and a statesman.
500
00:25:32,239 --> 00:25:34,659
{\an1}And he’s a favorite
of Queen Elizabeth I.
501
00:25:34,742 --> 00:25:37,792
{\an1}While he’s off
raiding Spanish ships,
502
00:25:37,911 --> 00:25:39,451
{\an1}he hears a lot
about what they’ve been up to
503
00:25:39,580 --> 00:25:41,620
{\an1}in South America.
504
00:25:41,749 --> 00:25:46,379
{\an1}LAURENCE: Including their search
for El Dorado.
505
00:25:46,462 --> 00:25:51,012
{\an1}At some point in the 1590s,
Raleigh hears the story
506
00:25:51,091 --> 00:25:53,641
{\an1}of Juan Martinez,
a conquistador who had explored
507
00:25:53,761 --> 00:25:59,061
{\an1}the Orinoco river area
20 years earlier in the 1570s.
508
00:25:59,141 --> 00:26:02,231
{\an1}According to Martinez,
when his expedition fails,
509
00:26:02,311 --> 00:26:06,111
{\an1}he’s blindfolded by the natives
and taken to a city of gold.
510
00:26:07,107 --> 00:26:10,647
{\an1}Raleigh speaks to other Spanish
conquistadors, and they tell him
511
00:26:10,778 --> 00:26:13,858
{\an1}that the golden city he’s
looking for is called Manoa.
512
00:26:13,947 --> 00:26:16,907
{\an1}And they tell him
that it is the imperial city
513
00:26:16,992 --> 00:26:20,292
{\an1}of this region, which
at the time is called Guyana.
514
00:26:20,370 --> 00:26:24,080
{\an1}♪ ♪
515
00:26:24,166 --> 00:26:27,166
{\an1}It’s located near
a lake called Parime.
516
00:26:27,294 --> 00:26:30,214
{\an1}It’s supposedly
a saltwater lake that’s massive.
517
00:26:30,297 --> 00:26:32,007
{\an1}It’s 600 miles across.
518
00:26:32,132 --> 00:26:35,592
{\an1}Raleigh is told that the natives
get all their gold
519
00:26:35,677 --> 00:26:39,307
{\an1}from the lake itself,
that it flows down the river
520
00:26:39,389 --> 00:26:43,019
{\an1}and tumbles into the lake,
where they can find it.
521
00:26:43,143 --> 00:26:49,023
{\an1}LAURENCE: In April, 1595,
Raleigh arrives in South America
522
00:26:49,149 --> 00:26:51,279
{\an1}with four ships and 100 men.
523
00:26:51,360 --> 00:26:54,780
{\an1}So after landing
near present-day Guyana,
524
00:26:54,863 --> 00:26:57,573
{\an1}Raleigh and his men
take five small boats
525
00:26:57,658 --> 00:26:58,868
{\an1}up the Orinoco River.
526
00:26:58,992 --> 00:27:01,332
{\an1}It’s a long and arduous process
527
00:27:01,411 --> 00:27:03,291
{\an1}because they’re going
against the current,
528
00:27:03,372 --> 00:27:06,672
{\an1}and his men are not used
to all this heat and humidity.
529
00:27:06,750 --> 00:27:09,040
{\an1}After a month, they’ve gone
a little over 200 miles,
530
00:27:09,169 --> 00:27:10,549
{\an1}and they’re exhausted.
531
00:27:10,671 --> 00:27:12,381
{\an1}So they decide
to pull off the river,
532
00:27:12,506 --> 00:27:14,796
{\an1}take a break, and recover.
533
00:27:14,883 --> 00:27:17,683
{\an1}When they come ashore,
Raleigh and his compatriots
534
00:27:17,803 --> 00:27:20,393
{\an1}make contact
with a native tribe
535
00:27:20,514 --> 00:27:25,024
{\an1}who’s friendly to them
and who’s also adorned in gold.
536
00:27:25,102 --> 00:27:27,522
{\an1}At this point,
there are literally
537
00:27:27,646 --> 00:27:31,436
{\an1}just nuggets of gold lying
on the banks of the river.
538
00:27:31,525 --> 00:27:34,325
{\an1}Raleigh ends up befriending
the chief of this tribe.
539
00:27:34,403 --> 00:27:37,823
{\an1}His name is Topiawari,
and he tells Raleigh
540
00:27:37,906 --> 00:27:42,196
{\an1}of a giant lake
full of gold just nearby,
541
00:27:42,327 --> 00:27:45,787
{\an1}and Raleigh, of course,
assumes this must be Parime.
542
00:27:45,873 --> 00:27:48,083
{\an1}This is the lake
he’s looking for.
543
00:27:48,208 --> 00:27:51,088
{\an1}LAURENCE: Raleigh spends
the next three months
544
00:27:51,211 --> 00:27:53,671
{\an1}desperately searching
for El Dorado.
545
00:27:53,755 --> 00:27:56,335
{\an1}All of his men are exhausted.
546
00:27:56,425 --> 00:27:58,595
{\an1}They’re in no condition
to keep going,
547
00:27:58,719 --> 00:28:01,969
{\an1}so he decides
that he’s going to turn back,
548
00:28:02,055 --> 00:28:05,095
{\an1}and when everyone is refreshed
again, they will start over,
549
00:28:05,225 --> 00:28:07,975
{\an1}and they’ll come back
and find it.
550
00:28:09,021 --> 00:28:11,151
{\an1}LAURENCE: When he arrives
back in England
551
00:28:11,231 --> 00:28:13,611
{\an1}at the end of August, 1595,
552
00:28:13,734 --> 00:28:17,904
{\an1}Raleigh expects
a hero’s welcome.
553
00:28:17,988 --> 00:28:19,988
{\an1}He’s certain he’ll be
celebrated and will have
554
00:28:20,073 --> 00:28:22,663
{\an1}no issues raising funds
for a new expedition,
555
00:28:22,743 --> 00:28:24,913
{\an1}but that’s not what happens,
because he doesn’t bring back
556
00:28:24,995 --> 00:28:27,375
{\an1}any gold, there’s no
return on investments,
557
00:28:27,456 --> 00:28:31,126
{\an1}and so nobody wants
to fund another expedition.
558
00:28:31,251 --> 00:28:36,591
{\an1}LAURENCE: Ultimately,
Raleigh waits another 22 years.
559
00:28:36,715 --> 00:28:40,135
{\an1}Queen Elizabeth I
dies on March, 24th, 1603,
560
00:28:40,260 --> 00:28:41,850
{\an1}and she was his main patron.
561
00:28:41,929 --> 00:28:44,599
{\an1}So after her death,
Raleigh decides to support
562
00:28:44,681 --> 00:28:48,771
{\an1}a rival for the Crown instead
of the rightful heir, James I.
563
00:28:48,894 --> 00:28:51,194
{\an1}LAURENCE:
But James becomes King,
564
00:28:51,271 --> 00:28:53,151
{\an1}and Raleigh is
immediately imprisoned
565
00:28:53,273 --> 00:28:58,783
{\an1}in the Tower of London,
where he remains until 1616.
566
00:28:58,862 --> 00:29:01,872
{\an1}Even languishing in prison,
Raleigh never gives up
567
00:29:01,949 --> 00:29:03,909
{\an1}on his dream
of finding El Dorado.
568
00:29:03,992 --> 00:29:07,792
{\an1}And in 1617,
he’s pardoned by King James
569
00:29:07,871 --> 00:29:10,621
{\an1}and finally given permission
for a second expedition
570
00:29:10,707 --> 00:29:13,247
{\an1}to South America
under one condition.
571
00:29:13,335 --> 00:29:15,965
{\an1}The King knows how much
Raleigh hates the Spanish,
572
00:29:16,046 --> 00:29:18,876
{\an1}but there’s finally peace
between the two countries.
573
00:29:18,966 --> 00:29:21,796
{\an1}So he makes Raleigh promise
that he’s not gonna do
574
00:29:21,927 --> 00:29:24,427
{\an1}anything to disrupt
this delicate truce
575
00:29:24,513 --> 00:29:26,013
{\an1}that the countries have.
576
00:29:26,139 --> 00:29:28,599
{\an1}Reluctantly, Raleigh agrees.
577
00:29:29,977 --> 00:29:32,097
{\an1}LAURENCE: Raleigh departs
England for a second attempt
578
00:29:32,187 --> 00:29:34,397
{\an1}in 1617.
579
00:29:34,481 --> 00:29:38,441
{\an1}This time,
he brings along his son Wat.
580
00:29:38,527 --> 00:29:41,067
{\an1}When they reach the mouth
of the Orinoco River this time,
581
00:29:41,154 --> 00:29:44,574
{\an1}Raleigh, who’s now an old man,
sends his son Wat
582
00:29:44,658 --> 00:29:46,578
{\an1}to lead a search party,
while he stays
583
00:29:46,660 --> 00:29:48,500
{\an1}back on board the ship.
584
00:29:48,620 --> 00:29:52,460
{\an1}Within days, his men did exactly
what they were told not to do.
585
00:29:52,541 --> 00:29:56,211
{\an1}They went into Spanish territory
and started a fight.
586
00:29:57,170 --> 00:30:00,760
{\an1}Wat Raleigh is shot through
the neck with a musket and dies.
587
00:30:00,841 --> 00:30:02,881
{\an1}When the rest of the party
returns to the ship,
588
00:30:03,010 --> 00:30:05,220
{\an1}the second in command
commits suicide.
589
00:30:06,138 --> 00:30:08,888
{\an1}Raleigh is distraught.
Their mission is over.
590
00:30:09,016 --> 00:30:10,306
{\an1}He’s lost his son.
591
00:30:10,392 --> 00:30:12,022
{\an1}He’s disobeyed the King,
592
00:30:12,102 --> 00:30:14,402
{\an1}and he has no gold
to show for it.
593
00:30:14,521 --> 00:30:16,821
{\an1}He decides to turn around
and head back home,
594
00:30:16,898 --> 00:30:19,818
{\an1}knowing full well the fate
that he’s about to face.
595
00:30:19,901 --> 00:30:23,701
{\an1}Upon his return to England,
Sir Walter Raleigh is beheaded
596
00:30:23,822 --> 00:30:25,822
{\an1}by order of King James I,
597
00:30:25,907 --> 00:30:29,367
{\an1}accused of deliberately
inciting war
598
00:30:29,453 --> 00:30:31,873
{\an1}between England and Spain.
599
00:30:31,997 --> 00:30:35,207
{\an1}It’s another tragic end
in the search for El Dorado.
600
00:30:35,292 --> 00:30:38,382
{\an1}It seems to be a curse
for anybody trying to find it.
601
00:30:38,503 --> 00:30:40,133
{\an1}♪ ♪
602
00:30:40,213 --> 00:30:42,133
{\an1}LAURENCE: And there’s
a further ironic twist.
603
00:30:42,215 --> 00:30:46,755
{\an1}Centuries later, in 1871,
a gold mine is opened
604
00:30:46,887 --> 00:30:48,637
{\an1}in El Callao, Venezuela,
605
00:30:48,722 --> 00:30:51,352
{\an1}very close to the location
where Raleigh stopped
606
00:30:51,433 --> 00:30:54,023
{\an1}with his men and met the natives
adorned with gold.
607
00:30:54,102 --> 00:30:56,192
{\an1}It turns into one
of the richest mines
608
00:30:56,271 --> 00:30:58,401
{\an1}in the world at the time,
exporting more
609
00:30:58,482 --> 00:31:01,482
{\an1}than a million ounces of gold
in a 20 year period.
610
00:31:01,568 --> 00:31:03,568
{\an1}The mine is still active today.
611
00:31:04,738 --> 00:31:09,908
{\an1}There is potentially $2 trillion
worth of materials
612
00:31:09,993 --> 00:31:12,043
{\an1}in the ground right beneath
613
00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:14,790
{\an1}where Raleigh and his company
had stopped.
614
00:31:14,915 --> 00:31:16,375
{\an1}He just missed it.
615
00:31:20,420 --> 00:31:22,420
{\an1}LAURENCE:
Conquistador Gonzalo De Quesada
616
00:31:22,506 --> 00:31:25,716
{\an1}spreads the story
of El Dorado in 1537,
617
00:31:25,801 --> 00:31:28,301
{\an1}but his is not
the first Spanish take
618
00:31:28,428 --> 00:31:30,678
{\an1}on this legendary city.
619
00:31:30,764 --> 00:31:34,064
{\an1}In fact, ten years earlier,
a group of Spanish explorers
620
00:31:34,142 --> 00:31:36,102
{\an1}have an incredible experience
of their own.
621
00:31:36,186 --> 00:31:37,936
{\an1}It’s a story so unbelievable,
622
00:31:38,021 --> 00:31:40,191
{\an1}it becomes famous
throughout Spain.
623
00:31:40,607 --> 00:31:46,107
{\an1}LAURENCE: In 1527, conquistador
Panfilo de Narvaez
624
00:31:46,196 --> 00:31:48,906
{\an1}departs for the New World
with 600 men.
625
00:31:48,990 --> 00:31:51,780
{\an1}His mission,
to explore and colonize
626
00:31:51,868 --> 00:31:54,908
{\an1}what is now the Gulf Coast
of America.
627
00:31:54,996 --> 00:31:59,036
{\an1}Narvaez visits and maps
what are now Hispaniola,
628
00:31:59,126 --> 00:32:00,536
{\an1}Cuba and Florida,
629
00:32:00,627 --> 00:32:03,207
{\an1}but like many expeditions
at the time,
630
00:32:03,296 --> 00:32:04,876
{\an1}it had its struggles.
631
00:32:04,965 --> 00:32:07,765
{\an1}Narvaez himself dies
within the first year,
632
00:32:07,843 --> 00:32:10,933
{\an1}and ships and supplies
are lost to hurricanes.
633
00:32:11,012 --> 00:32:16,682
{\an1}By 1532, only four
of the original 600 men remain.
634
00:32:16,810 --> 00:32:19,600
{\an1}Eventually, they cross
the Gulf of Mexico
635
00:32:19,688 --> 00:32:21,648
{\an1}and land in what is now Texas,
636
00:32:21,731 --> 00:32:25,151
{\an1}becoming the first Europeans
to cross the Gulf.
637
00:32:25,277 --> 00:32:27,237
{\an1}They need to get back
to a Spanish outpost,
638
00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:29,240
{\an1}the closest being in Mexico,
639
00:32:29,322 --> 00:32:33,332
{\an1}so they start walking through
today’s American Southwest.
640
00:32:33,452 --> 00:32:36,502
{\an1}After a few years,
in 1536, they’re able
641
00:32:36,621 --> 00:32:39,501
{\an1}to get back to Mexico City,
where they tell their tale
642
00:32:39,624 --> 00:32:42,214
{\an1}of survival, which is
incredible in its own right.
643
00:32:42,335 --> 00:32:45,335
{\an1}But even more incredible
is something they heard about
644
00:32:45,422 --> 00:32:49,012
{\an1}along the way,
seven different cities of gold.
645
00:32:49,926 --> 00:32:52,756
{\an1}And just as the Narvaez
crew comes back
646
00:32:52,846 --> 00:32:54,966
{\an1}with their stories
of cities of gold,
647
00:32:55,056 --> 00:32:59,096
{\an1}Quesada is hearing stories
of a golden city in Colombia.
648
00:32:59,186 --> 00:33:01,596
{\an1}At this point, many
of the Spanish begin to believe
649
00:33:01,688 --> 00:33:03,018
{\an1}it’s all connected.
650
00:33:03,148 --> 00:33:04,978
{\an1}There’s not
just one golden city.
651
00:33:05,066 --> 00:33:09,146
{\an1}There’s a gold-rich civilization
spread through the Americas
652
00:33:09,237 --> 00:33:11,107
{\an1}with multiple golden cities,
653
00:33:11,198 --> 00:33:12,948
{\an1}and El Dorado
is just one of them.
654
00:33:13,033 --> 00:33:16,873
{\an1}♪ ♪
655
00:33:16,995 --> 00:33:19,705
{\an1}LAURENCE: In 1539,
Mexican Governor
656
00:33:19,831 --> 00:33:24,341
{\an1}Vasquez de Coronado
decides to investigate.
657
00:33:24,419 --> 00:33:27,709
{\an1}Coronado sends up Franciscan
Friar Marcos De Niza, and one
658
00:33:27,797 --> 00:33:30,337
{\an1}of the original survivors
from the first expedition
659
00:33:30,425 --> 00:33:33,335
{\an1}to bring back evidence
of the seven cities of gold.
660
00:33:34,012 --> 00:33:37,312
{\an1}LAURENCE: When the friar returns
five months later, he shares
661
00:33:37,390 --> 00:33:42,310
{\an1}stories of a fantastical
pueblo he calls Cibola.
662
00:33:43,438 --> 00:33:47,648
{\an1}It is just full of wealth,
as though it is made of gold.
663
00:33:47,734 --> 00:33:50,194
{\an1}The area
that the friar describes
664
00:33:50,278 --> 00:33:51,698
{\an1}is in present-day New Mexico,
665
00:33:51,780 --> 00:33:54,490
{\an1}and the region
of the Zuni people.
666
00:33:54,574 --> 00:33:57,914
{\an1}Coronado mounts
an even larger expedition,
667
00:33:58,036 --> 00:34:01,746
{\an1}convinced that
the Cibola described
668
00:34:01,831 --> 00:34:06,211
{\an1}by Marcos de Niza
is in fact El Dorado,
669
00:34:06,294 --> 00:34:08,714
{\an1}one of the famous golden cities.
670
00:34:08,797 --> 00:34:11,917
{\an1}LAURENCE: On April 22nd, 1540,
671
00:34:12,007 --> 00:34:15,217
{\an1}Coronado’s team departs
from Culiacan.
672
00:34:15,303 --> 00:34:18,063
{\an1}Coronado dispatches
400 conquistadors
673
00:34:18,139 --> 00:34:20,518
{\an1}and 2,000 indigenous peoples.
674
00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:23,600
{\an1}What they find is
small outposts dwellings
675
00:34:23,728 --> 00:34:25,688
{\an1}that looked like pueblos.
676
00:34:25,772 --> 00:34:28,782
{\an1}There are seven cities
in the area,
677
00:34:28,858 --> 00:34:31,398
{\an1}but they’re all
very similar to the first.
678
00:34:31,485 --> 00:34:34,815
{\an1}They’re very small,
no evidence of gold.
679
00:34:34,947 --> 00:34:37,277
{\an1}It seems, in fact,
that Coronado
680
00:34:37,367 --> 00:34:39,867
{\an1}had been duped
by the friar.
681
00:34:40,786 --> 00:34:42,706
{\an1}LAURENCE:
But Coronado is convinced
682
00:34:42,789 --> 00:34:46,379
{\an1}the stories of El Dorado
are still true.
683
00:34:46,458 --> 00:34:48,958
{\an1}The peoples of these pueblos
tell Coronado
684
00:34:49,045 --> 00:34:51,375
{\an1}that there are cities of gold,
but they’re farther
685
00:34:51,464 --> 00:34:53,174
{\an1}to the north,
and they should keep marching.
686
00:34:53,300 --> 00:34:56,800
{\an1}And Coronado and his men,
believing that they haven’t
687
00:34:56,928 --> 00:35:00,218
{\an1}reached it yet, keep marching
for months and months
688
00:35:00,307 --> 00:35:02,137
{\an1}and hundreds
and hundreds of miles.
689
00:35:02,684 --> 00:35:08,364
{\an1}By 1541, they’ve journeyed
as far north as modern Kansas.
690
00:35:08,481 --> 00:35:11,901
{\an1}They don’t discover El Dorado,
but they are the first Europeans
691
00:35:11,985 --> 00:35:15,535
{\an1}to see the Colorado River
in the Grand Canyon.
692
00:35:15,655 --> 00:35:20,155
{\an1}Coronado eventually returns
to Mexico City in 1542.
693
00:35:20,285 --> 00:35:23,125
{\an1}It was a long,
disastrous journey
694
00:35:23,204 --> 00:35:27,754
{\an1}that did not result in finding
a fantastic city of gold.
695
00:35:27,834 --> 00:35:31,844
{\an1}Coronado ends up bankrupt
and dies a few years later,
696
00:35:31,963 --> 00:35:37,393
{\an1}yet one more life ruined by
the search for unending wealth.
697
00:35:38,386 --> 00:35:40,806
{\an1}What’s ironic about all of this
is that years later,
698
00:35:40,889 --> 00:35:44,099
{\an1}those same small pueblos
would turn out to be rich
699
00:35:44,184 --> 00:35:47,774
{\an1}in ores like silver,
copper, and turquoise.
700
00:35:47,854 --> 00:35:51,194
{\an1}If the Spanish hadn’t been
so focused on finding
701
00:35:51,274 --> 00:35:54,284
{\an1}the golden city of El Dorado,
they might have discovered
702
00:35:54,361 --> 00:35:57,031
{\an1}the riches
that were there all along.
703
00:36:00,909 --> 00:36:02,989
{\an1}LAURENCE: Explorers have
searched for the famed city
704
00:36:03,078 --> 00:36:05,658
{\an1}of El Dorado for five centuries
705
00:36:05,747 --> 00:36:09,327
{\an1}across both
north and South America.
706
00:36:09,417 --> 00:36:11,627
{\an1}No one has found it.
707
00:36:11,711 --> 00:36:14,961
{\an1}There’s certainly been
no shortage of people looking
708
00:36:15,048 --> 00:36:18,468
{\an1}for El Dorado, especially
among the Spanish conquistadors.
709
00:36:18,551 --> 00:36:21,681
{\an1}And some theories suggest
that there might be
710
00:36:21,763 --> 00:36:23,513
{\an1}a pretty good reason for that,
711
00:36:23,598 --> 00:36:27,728
{\an1}which is that El Dorado
as a city was simply made up.
712
00:36:27,852 --> 00:36:31,562
{\an1}♪ ♪
713
00:36:31,648 --> 00:36:33,398
{\an1}Based on the artifacts
that we’ve found,
714
00:36:33,483 --> 00:36:36,033
{\an1}we know that some
indigenous communities
715
00:36:36,111 --> 00:36:37,861
{\an1}in Central and South America
716
00:36:37,946 --> 00:36:40,816
{\an1}used gold for decoration
and religious purposes.
717
00:36:40,907 --> 00:36:43,237
{\an1}But that’s it.
That’s all we know.
718
00:36:43,326 --> 00:36:46,246
{\an1}We have no proof
of an actual golden city,
719
00:36:46,371 --> 00:36:48,331
{\an1}apart from the fact
that the Spanish were
720
00:36:48,415 --> 00:36:50,215
{\an1}told stories about it
721
00:36:50,291 --> 00:36:52,171
{\an1}and were obsessed
with finding it.
722
00:36:52,252 --> 00:36:55,092
{\an1}So one school of thought
is that the natives were telling
723
00:36:55,213 --> 00:36:57,513
{\an1}the Spanish the truth,
that there was a city of gold,
724
00:36:57,590 --> 00:36:59,090
{\an1}but what if they lied?
725
00:36:59,634 --> 00:37:03,104
{\an1}The indigenous people
of the New World aren’t stupid.
726
00:37:03,221 --> 00:37:05,851
{\an1}They were
understandably confused
727
00:37:05,932 --> 00:37:09,062
{\an1}by the Spanish desire for gold.
728
00:37:09,144 --> 00:37:10,604
{\an1}They did not value it
729
00:37:10,687 --> 00:37:12,437
{\an1}in the same way
that the Spanish did.
730
00:37:12,522 --> 00:37:15,022
{\an1}They used it for decoration,
for religious purposes,
731
00:37:15,108 --> 00:37:17,238
{\an1}but not for monetary value.
732
00:37:17,318 --> 00:37:20,448
{\an1}But they could clearly see
the obsession
733
00:37:20,572 --> 00:37:25,912
{\an1}that the conquistadors
had with getting more gold.
734
00:37:25,994 --> 00:37:29,254
{\an1}The Spanish come in
with threats and attacks.
735
00:37:29,330 --> 00:37:33,630
{\an1}They’ll do anything to get
this gold, even kill for it.
736
00:37:33,710 --> 00:37:36,460
{\an1}LAURENCE: Many South American
historians believe
737
00:37:36,588 --> 00:37:39,878
{\an1}this inspires
the natives to lie.
738
00:37:39,966 --> 00:37:41,796
{\an1}When the Spanish
come looking for gold,
739
00:37:41,926 --> 00:37:44,346
{\an1}the indigenous people
just want to survive.
740
00:37:44,471 --> 00:37:48,141
{\an1}They want to get the Spanish out
of there as fast as possible.
741
00:37:48,224 --> 00:37:52,144
{\an1}So they tell them, "Yes, there
is the gold you’re looking for.
742
00:37:52,228 --> 00:37:55,978
{\an1}"It’s just over those mountains,
just down that river,
743
00:37:56,065 --> 00:37:58,645
{\an1}just on the other side
of this forest."
744
00:37:58,735 --> 00:38:02,415
{\an1}And the Spanish
take the bait every time
745
00:38:02,489 --> 00:38:05,409
{\an1}and move on looking
for that gold.
746
00:38:06,618 --> 00:38:08,658
{\an1}So one of the best examples
of this is what happens
747
00:38:08,745 --> 00:38:10,795
{\an1}to Coronado
when he’s marching through
748
00:38:10,872 --> 00:38:13,502
{\an1}the Southwestern desert
looking for El Dorado.
749
00:38:13,583 --> 00:38:16,093
{\an1}Every pueblo he stops at
tells him that this city
750
00:38:16,169 --> 00:38:18,379
{\an1}is a little more north,
until he ends up
751
00:38:18,505 --> 00:38:20,975
{\an1}all the way up in Kansas.
752
00:38:21,049 --> 00:38:23,429
{\an1}LAURENCE: It’s not just
the natives who benefit.
753
00:38:23,510 --> 00:38:26,180
{\an1}The Europeans use it
to their own advantage.
754
00:38:26,304 --> 00:38:28,974
{\an1}They embellish claims
of El Dorado
755
00:38:29,057 --> 00:38:30,927
{\an1}and its riches
in order to attract crew
756
00:38:31,017 --> 00:38:33,517
{\an1}and financial backing
for their expeditions.
757
00:38:34,020 --> 00:38:37,820
{\an1}When Francisco de Orellana
goes back to Spain,
758
00:38:37,899 --> 00:38:40,689
{\an1}he has no gold to show
for his efforts,
759
00:38:40,819 --> 00:38:42,739
{\an1}but what he does have
is stories.
760
00:38:42,862 --> 00:38:47,202
{\an1}And when he tells the King
what he heard
761
00:38:47,283 --> 00:38:51,583
{\an1}about the golden city
of El Dorado, it works.
762
00:38:51,704 --> 00:38:54,174
{\an1}He gets his next
expedition funded.
763
00:38:55,208 --> 00:38:58,538
{\an1}There’s one more convenient use
for the El Dorado lie.
764
00:38:58,670 --> 00:39:01,710
{\an1}As the colonial conquest
of South America ends,
765
00:39:01,798 --> 00:39:03,548
{\an1}the Spanish have an issue.
766
00:39:03,675 --> 00:39:07,015
{\an1}They have hundreds, maybe
thousands of conquistadors
767
00:39:07,095 --> 00:39:09,065
{\an1}with nothing to do.
768
00:39:09,138 --> 00:39:12,308
{\an1}There’s no one left to conquer.
There’s no more gold to steal.
769
00:39:12,392 --> 00:39:15,812
{\an1}They’re sitting around
getting drunk, causing problems.
770
00:39:15,895 --> 00:39:19,435
{\an1}LAURENCE: Until they’re given
a new purpose.
771
00:39:19,566 --> 00:39:22,316
{\an1}The actual Spanish government
comes up with a plan
772
00:39:22,402 --> 00:39:24,572
{\an1}to send these idle soldiers off
773
00:39:24,696 --> 00:39:28,066
{\an1}on hunts to look for El Dorado,
which, by this point,
774
00:39:28,157 --> 00:39:30,577
{\an1}they assume
will be wild goose chases.
775
00:39:30,702 --> 00:39:32,122
{\an1}Not only does it
keep them occupied,
776
00:39:32,245 --> 00:39:34,085
{\an1}but it gets them
out of the cities
777
00:39:34,163 --> 00:39:38,423
{\an1}and into the jungles for weeks,
months, maybe even years,
778
00:39:38,501 --> 00:39:40,041
{\an1}with a chance
that they won’t come back.
779
00:39:40,128 --> 00:39:41,918
{\an1}At this point,
the search for El Dorado
780
00:39:42,046 --> 00:39:43,586
{\an1}isn’t about finding gold.
781
00:39:43,715 --> 00:39:45,515
{\an1}It’s actually
about getting rid of problems.
782
00:39:45,967 --> 00:39:51,097
{\an1}LAURENCE: One such documented
expedition takes place in 1560.
783
00:39:51,222 --> 00:39:55,602
{\an1}That year, the Spanish
send 300 conquistadors
784
00:39:55,685 --> 00:40:01,735
{\an1}on a search for El Dorado,
led by Pedro de Ursua.
785
00:40:01,816 --> 00:40:04,856
{\an1}Ursua is asked to bring along
a particularly troublesome group
786
00:40:04,944 --> 00:40:07,784
{\an1}of soldiers, led
by Lope de Aguirre,
787
00:40:07,864 --> 00:40:10,124
{\an1}to essentially get
rid of him for a while.
788
00:40:10,199 --> 00:40:13,409
{\an1}But Aguirre murders Ursua,
and he and his soldiers
789
00:40:13,494 --> 00:40:15,254
{\an1}go on a marauding expedition,
790
00:40:15,330 --> 00:40:18,040
{\an1}leaving a trail
of death and destruction.
791
00:40:18,124 --> 00:40:20,964
{\an1}Most of the 300 die
along the way.
792
00:40:21,044 --> 00:40:23,464
{\an1}It’s an awful scene,
but it also shows
793
00:40:23,588 --> 00:40:26,168
{\an1}that the Spanish government,
by 1560,
794
00:40:26,299 --> 00:40:29,299
{\an1}they no longer even believe
that El Dorado exists
795
00:40:29,385 --> 00:40:31,545
{\an1}or is worth looking for.
796
00:40:31,638 --> 00:40:34,768
{\an1}It’s just a convenient way
to get rid of troublemakers.
797
00:40:34,849 --> 00:40:37,769
{\an1}Ursua says so himself
in his letters.
798
00:40:37,852 --> 00:40:41,522
{\an1}He was just trying to occupy
Aguirre and these idle veterans,
799
00:40:41,648 --> 00:40:44,148
{\an1}and he got himself killed
in the process.
800
00:40:45,151 --> 00:40:47,451
{\an1}But thanks
to the Spanish explorers
801
00:40:47,528 --> 00:40:51,318
{\an1}and modern-day excavations,
we know that South America
802
00:40:51,407 --> 00:40:55,327
{\an1}had and still has tons of gold.
803
00:40:55,411 --> 00:40:59,081
{\an1}It’s just not all piled up
in one city,
804
00:40:59,165 --> 00:41:00,665
{\an1}like the story said.
805
00:41:00,750 --> 00:41:03,090
{\an1}And, in that sense,
the legend is real.
806
00:41:03,169 --> 00:41:05,129
{\an1}It’s not like these stories
807
00:41:05,213 --> 00:41:07,553
{\an1}are promising gold
where none exists.
808
00:41:07,674 --> 00:41:13,184
{\an1}It does, and man’s imagination
and greed filled in the rest.
809
00:41:15,431 --> 00:41:17,681
{\an1}Archaeologists continue
to search
810
00:41:17,850 --> 00:41:20,810
{\an1}for lost ancient cities
throughout South America,
811
00:41:20,937 --> 00:41:23,937
{\an1}and have found nearly a dozen
in the past decade alone.
812
00:41:24,023 --> 00:41:26,363
{\an1}But none matches the allure
813
00:41:26,526 --> 00:41:30,196
{\an1}of the tantalizing
lost city of gold.
814
00:41:30,363 --> 00:41:34,993
{\an1}Perhaps one day, El Dorado
will be finally uncovered.
815
00:41:35,118 --> 00:41:36,868
{\an1}I’m Laurence Fishburne.
816
00:41:36,995 --> 00:41:41,125
{\an1}Thank you for watching
"History’s Greatest Mysteries."
817
00:41:41,207 --> 00:41:44,377
{\an1}♪ ♪
91067
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