El Condor de Los Andes

In the pages of Colombian history, where reality is intertwined with the breath of magical realism, we find stories that defy the everyday. One of these takes us to the heights of the Boyacense highlands, whereThe Pacific Ocean rests on top of the Colombian Andes. This is how Monsieur Lenoir described Lake Tota during his visit in 1868, leaving behind one of the most descriptive and charming testimonies about navigation, naval architecture of the time, and lake culture.

The illustration was created from the edition of one of the photographs that are part of the photographic collection of Gumersindo Cuéllar Jiménez (1891-1958).

It was an early morning, around seven o'clock, when Monsieur Lenoir, accompanied by Arturo, Roberto, Manuel, Luis, and Mr. Stuart's family, waited on the shore of the Tota Lagoon. Near the old port of La Reunion, between the beach of Bocachuelo and the Susaca Peninsula, they were waiting for not just any boat, but one that announced its arrival with shouts of anchor and bells ringing, announcing its early arrival to pick up the waiting passengers.

And as if written with the pen of magical realism, Monsieur Lenoir narrates:

“Beyond where the crystalline waters hid the sand, a ship emerged with a tall, painted hull, with tall rigging and airy sails. Although at that moment the sails were set, they revealed the rigging and the masts. A tricolor pennant fluttered in the northeast wind at the masthead. The ship, showing her stern to the shore, bore inscribed in black characters on the white transom the name: “El Condor de los Andes” (The Condor of the Andes)".

Incredible! A sloop was plying the waters of Lake Tota. Although it seemed improbable, it was surprising, especially to an archaeologist who had never imagined finding such a large vessel so far from the sea, let alone in a lake in the heart of Colombia.

The letters of Monsieur Lenoir, beyond relating his travel experiences and his notable interest in Miss Betty, daughter of Mr. Stuart, constitute a historical testimony of utmost importance about the boat and the navigation strategies on the lake. This picturesque French traveler describes “The Condor of the Andes” as a sloop suitable for lake navigation, with a capacity of about 20 tons and dimensions of 24 rods from stern to bow (approximately 20 meters) and 6 rods from port to starboard (approximately 5 meters). A vessel of considerable size, capable of accommodating about eighty passengers, in addition to the crew consisting of the captain, an accountant who also served as second mate, a doctor, six sailors, two cabin boys, two chamber and deck servants, and a cook. With the exception of the doctor, all the crew were foreigners, apparently of English nationality, as was Mr. Stuart.

El Cóndor” was joined by two boats, ‘El Boyacense’ and ‘El Tiburón’, each with a capacity of approximately 25 passengers and dimensions of 6 rods long by 2 wide. These boats were used to reach the shore of the port beaches, while “El Condor” anchored in the area closest to the beach, waiting to pick up passengers and merchandise being transported along the lake.

Monsieur Lenoir tells us that the navigation of the Condor is smooth and calm. At first, the boat is propelled by oars, as the currents and winds are not yet strong enough. Soon after, however, as it catches the current and feels the breath of the wind, the Condor unfurls its sails and, as if taking on a life of its own, picks up speed and glides gracefully over the waters of the lake.

I remember the first time I read these lines; I seemed to be immersed in a fantasy tale of the mid-nineteenth century, as if it were a story by García Márquez or Andrés Caicedo and his tropical gothic. I thought it was just the fantasy of a French traveler, captivated by the landscapes of Lake Tota. But no, reality confirmed the narrative when, in one of the letters of Joaquín Díaz Escobar -owner of the boat and of some properties on the islands, and of the islands themselves- and Temístocles Tejada, addressed to the national government, it is mentioned that the Condor was part of a naval school that Joaquín himself directed. In addition to this, there were other small boats and lake infrastructures.

This story is surprising, because it becomes a historical reference of possible archaeological evidence linked to the lake landscape of Lake Tota and to the communities that formed and today form part of this aquatic space. Multiple questions arise: Where was the Condor of the Andes built? Was it assembled in parts or built directly in the lake? Was there a shipyard for its construction and that of other vessels? What evidence remains of those events? And, more importantly, what became of the ship, is there a wreck of the Condor, was it seized by the government, sold, or does it still lie in the waters waiting to be found? These questions go round and round in my head, and as the Chapulín Colorado would say: “Don't get mad”, because maybe, in the not too distant future, we will be able to answer them. This excites me not only as an archaeologist, but also as a native of Aquitaine. The excitement is overwhelming, especially knowing that I will be able to be the one to answer these questions as an archaeologist.

P.S.: In future posts, we will talk more about the voyage of Monsieur Lenoir, Mr. Stuart and Betty's family. We will analyze in more detail their voyage aboard the Condor of the Andes on Lake Tota, the places they visited, the structures associated with this lake environment, and the possible terrestrial and aquatic archaeological evidence that these stories may reveal to us.

Referencias:

• Diaz Escobar, Joaquín., (1877). Contra la Oscuridad, la Luz. Colección de la biblioteca de la Academia de Historia de Colombia.

• Lenoir, M. (1868). El Lago de Tota Navegado: El Océano Pacifico en la cima de los Andes Colombianos. Colección Biblioteca Nacional.

By: TheArchaeologizt