The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-07-20
Ibarreta Seeks the Mystery.

Ibarreta Seeks the Mystery.
Rumors of Lista's loss had not more
than begun to reach Europe, and North
America, and already another expedition
was preparing to hew its way into the
place OF DOOM
Colonel Enrique de Ibarreta OF Spain
was the man to lead It, He made his start
from San Antonio In Bolivar with party
singu?arly well equipped-equipped, in
deed as II for conquest rather than for
exploration. He had a fotilla Of Indian
canoes, each holding twelve men, and with
him were six Argentine, two Bolivian and
one Spanish companions, all well fitted
by knowledge and experience for the work
OF carrytn govt the task of forcing the
passage through the River of Death The
canoes were covered with heavy sails and
skins. which were pierced with loop holes
for rifles
At Fort Creveaux, named in honor Of
DR.. Creveaux. he got additional force in
the form Of two friendly Pilagas Indians
and an Indian boy, who proved Invaluable
through his knowledge of the many Ian
guages and dialects of the unknown
tribes that were encountered during the
voyage. Colonel Suarezs acting in COM
mand at the fort. provided this escort un-
der orders from the Bolivian government.
but personally begged Colonel Ibarreta
to desist
His arguments were vain. and early in
June the party started down the Pilco-
mayo. And scarcely had they passed
from the sight of the soldiers in the
frontier fort before the forest was alive
with dangers all around them. Men dared
not leave, their covered canoes, even in
the daytime Game vanished strangely
before them. At first It seemed unac-
eountable, until they found that the In
dams. invisible but ever present. were
driving it away to starve the explorers
out, so that they should venture into the
forests to hunt, when they could be
killed easily.
When the expedition reached Laguna
Pitano, less than 300 miles from the place
where they had started, it was Septem-
Der. 1t had taken them more than three
months to 60 here. and yet the mystic
rious land had scarcely been entered.
And the men were then in such extremi-
ties that Ibarrata saw that they could not
hope to get out alive unless help reached
them They were eneompassed by savages
Food was reduced to a minimum. In this
crisis, Colonel Ibarreta called for volun-
teers to break through the silent, hidden
Gordon of foes and try 10 reach Formosa.
on the Paraguayan boundary, to get help.
Devils of the Weeds.
OF those eight men nothing has been
learned to this day, with the exception of
two, who we're found wandering in the
thickets with barely strength enough left
TO tell even the briefest story. They had
been hunted headlong from mile to mile.
The forests were instinct with death
wherever thy turned. Six of the fugi-
tives were killed before day had passed.
The two survivors said that they had
left the Ibarreta party in dire need, Just
before passing c.. an great waterfalls
of the Pilcomaro GiSe.. the hitherto de-
serted banks of the gloomy stream sud
denly were lined with all men. hideously
painted and armed with huge knotted
clubs and with spears Their faces, paint
ed coal black, with circles of light blue
over the cheek bones and three blue
streaks radiating from the corners of
their mouths, made them look. said the
fugitives, like devils Indeed, the Pilagas
Indians-a friendly tribe living near the
horders-afirm that these are devils and
not men that haunt the dark, impene-
trable forests of the River of Death.
The Indians made an attack in force on
the expedition and were beaten of only
after desperate efforts They withdrew
then into the cover of the overhanging
vegetation on the banks. but they never
ceased harassing the explorers. To go
ashore for food was out OF the question.
The only hope that was left when the men
started for relief was to press on slowly
10 find a landing place In the open coun-
~, 1xhe-e the Indians might be at dis
advantaaSe The two men did not live to
reach civilization. but died near where the
friendly Indian hunters had found them.
These carried the news to lionel Carme-
10 Uriarte. who quickly ed relief
Marty and advanced tot. d the Pilco-
mayo. For twenty days he marched and
padded, and for all those twenty days
he had to fight the savages who attacked
him from every hiding place along the
line. His Indian guides found friends VINO
toId them that the Tbarreta party was to-
tally annfhiiated and they led Uriarte
and his men to the spot where Colonel
Iba. eta. the last man TO yield. had made
his final fight.