Legend of The Cave of the Seven Knights

In the department of Cesar, Colombia, there is a peculiar legend known as La Cueva de los Siete Caballeros (The Cave of the Seven Knights). This story recounts a tragic event that led to the fatal end of seven men hiding inside a cave.

The legend states that Francisco Mejía used to say his father, José Encarnación Mejía, told him a story. While returning from his finca (farm) El Ático—now known as “El Chorro”—José tried to hide from a group of men on horseback. They asked him why he was hiding from them. He replied that he thought they were government soldiers stationed in the town of El Molino.

(Read also: Legend of the Ghost of Dr. José Raimundo Russi)

It is said that these men were Luis Vargas Tejada, his servant, and six of his companions. Everything indicates that these individuals were looking for a path that existed at the time to reach Venezuela. The seven men asked him if he knew of any hidden place where they could camp. José Encarnación guided them to the headwaters of the large spring, today known as the Mocho River, which was adjacent to his farm.

In that spot, they were discovered by a hunter named Simón Ramírez. He told his companions, Reyes Durán and Reyes Villero, about the gentlemen. These two then went to the campsite and told the men that they doubted the location was safe. Furthermore, they mentioned knowing a nearby cave where they would be better accommodated.

When Mr. José Encarnación returned to bring them provisions, he did not find any of them in the cave. Several days later, a slave named Higinio was searching for some lost cattle while guarding the herd of his master, the priest of Valledupar. Suddenly, he saw a flock of buzzards devouring something in the distance. Initially, he thought it was a dead cow. However, as he approached, he was horrified by the gruesome scene of seven corpses being devoured.

(Read also: Legend of El Tunjo de Oro (The Golden Artifact Spirit of Colombia))

From that moment on, rumors began to circulate claiming that the seven knights of the cave, whom Mr. Mejía had hidden, had been murdered. According to these rumors, it was people from the very town of La Paz who had killed them, believing that the men were hiding treasures inside trunks at the location.