The Lost Steps

After Yannes leaves the group to search for gold, leaving the narrator his copy of The Odyssey as a parting gift, the Adelantado shares his ambitious secret: He’s founded a city named Santa Monica de los Venados. Upon arriving at Santa Monica de los Venados, the narrator is disillusioned; instead of a grand city, he finds a modest settlement comprising a few structures and surrounded by huts. The Adelantado is proud of his “city” and has plans for its future, including building a cathedral.

The narrator actively participates in the communal feast at Santa Monica de los Venados. As the feast winds down, the Adelantado tells the story of his life. Beginning as a disillusioned youth in a provincial town, he rose to become an adventurous miner and eventual founder of a city. Driven by tales of treasure, he ventured into the wilderness, enduring hardships and drawing closer to the Indigenous people who saved his life. Instead of returning to civilization with his findings, he chose to build a life in the wilderness, founding a city as a sanctuary from the greed of the outside world. Over time he built a thriving settlement, prioritizing the well-being of his community over gold.