"El Dorado! El Dorado!"
At least that is what the ignorant convict sailors thought they said. The words "El Dorado" in Spanish, which was their mother tongue, meant "The Golden," or "The Gilded One." We know they were eager and greedy to find gold and that they had been told to help themselves freely to all they could get, so they immediately began to question the simple natives.
"Yes, yes; we have plenty of gold," the natives said, in surprise, because they did not value it at all, except for ornaments, and they ran to fetch some for their visitors. When they saw how glad it made the sailors, they were happy and content as a lot of children, and they not only brought all they had, but told where there was plenty more to be found.
"Bimini, the Fountain of Youth"
WHEN Columbus sailed back to Spain and told the story of his wonderful discoveries the people did not believe him at first, but when he showed them the gold and silver ornaments, and the strange red men, they were so amazed that they forgot even to ask questions.
The news was so startling that it simply took their breath away and they stared at each other stupidly. Then they said in awe-stricken whispers:
"How can such things be? Is the world coming to an end? Are we going to die? Or are we crazy? Maybe our ears and eyes are fooling us."