The San Francisco call., 1897-07-31
FIVE HUNDRED MEN MAY GO. ON
THE LANCING. : =. *"=. . KIRK. "
Captain Hatfield Says Rich Men Have Faith
IN Peru and They Want to Charter
His Ship for a Voyage If ".."= +
Of Exploration, .""=. .... "."... +.

There is strong prospect that it will
not be long until adventurous capitalists
will seek gold In the land of the Incas.
For several ye ars there have been en-
couraging reports of vast wealth in the
cart of Peru. The hospitality of the
climate is such, compared with the rigors
OF the boreal north, that the odds are all
in favor of the famous Peruvian mines.
The treasures for which the old bucca-
neers struggled in the land of lost arts,
the land made fam Gus by the researches
of Prescott and the scholars who have
studied the lore of the ancient SURVIVOR
shippers, are believed to be within reach
to-day.
reported great gold discoveries in the land
invaded by Cortez in the long ago. Sew
eral Americans and q number of English
men are said to have taken out hundred s
Of pounds of gold from the mines that
were worked in primitive and superb
cial way ages ago. 1t is said to be the
belief OF many mining engineers and geol-
ogists that theEs are great goldhelds in
Peru. They sa : the country is com para
lively unknown Ind unexplored, ana that
it gives promise OF great productiveness if.
worked by modern methods.
The most direct Information on the
subject OF proposed adventures in Peru
come from Captain G. A. Hatfield, one Of
the owners of the English ship Lancing,
formerly the French steamer Periere.
This four m asted vessel is to be taken to
Oakland to-day for the discharge of her
cargo, so that she may be used for trip
to Peru, provided capitalists now inter-
ested in the gold fields desire to charter
the vessel for the trip.
Captain Hatfield believes in the reports
concerning the wealth OF Peru, and he is
anxious TO make the charter with the
capitalists who are about to undertake the
exploration. The ship will carry 1000
men, but it is not thought that more than
500 will be carried on the first expedition.
While the sturdy skipper would not di-
vulge the names of the capitalists contem-
plating the trip he talked freely on the
subject of the venture.
In mining circles the trip has been
heard of and it is said that large num-
Der of men stand ready to offer their
services ana put a reasonable amou Mt
of money in the pool. 1t is believed tha
the projectors have had mining experts
on the ground and that he proposed tripis
being outlined from definite Informa alton.
Captain Hatfield was visited on board OF
his vessel last night and admitted that
negotiations are pending for the charter
ing of his ship for trip to the Peruvian
coast. He disavowed, however, any knowl-
edge regarding the gold diggings which it
was proposed to exploit. On being asked
the names of the gentlemen who were
back of the enterprise, he said he regretted
that he was not in position to give them,
as they had particularly requested him
not to divulge them. When the negotia-
tions and preliminaries were in proper
shape, he remarked that he had no doubt
but the entire scheme in all its details
would be given to the public by the pro-
jectors.
There seems to be an idea in the minds
Of many people," said Captain Hatfield,
that the old goldhelds of the Incas of
Peru are still extant, and that it requires
but persistent and systemati search to
discover them. Recent reports of rich
finds in that country have strengthened
this idea, evidently. in the minds of the
gentlemen who are now negotiating for
the charter of the Lancing.
Another fact that has probably sug-
gested this enterprise is the Klondyke ex-
element. There is no reason why people
should go into the northern region OF ex-
treme cold and take chances of freezing to
death, and, perhaps, also suffering the
hardships brought on by lack OF pro-
visions, when they can go to a warmer
climate and be entirely exempt from both
these dangers.
''All that 1 am at liberty to say in re-
gard to this matter is that the men who
have been negotiating with me are we'll
known capitalists of San Francisco, who
are responsible in every way. They have
not yet come to any determination. They
are waiting for some further information.
They 20 not care 10 have their names con-
nected with tne project until they are
ready to announce the fact that the expe-
dition will be undertaken. We have been
talking the scheme over for the past
week.
at is proposed to take a large party
down there. There are many who have
been disappointed in not being able to gel
to the Klondyke country. Many of these
are well-to-do people who are anxious to
go north, but do not care to take chances
of leaving here anv later than the 1st of
keAugust for fear of being frozen in before
they get to their destination.