The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-18
OFF INTO AN UNKNOWN LAND.
HARVARD EXPEDITION TO HEAD
WATERS OF THE AMAZON.
Expect TO Find indian Tribes Uncata-
& In n Country No white Man
Has Reported on and Ma GeOgraphsr
Has Chartcd-Letters From Roosevelt.

NoaeNN
Mas reported on and No Ge0Eraphsr
Has Chartcd-Letters From Roosevelt.
Three scientists from Harvard and a
nhysician, who are going TO spend three
wears in the only part Of the South American
continent still marked UNEMPLOYED on
the maps, sailed for Colon yesterday after
noon on the steamship Panama. DR.. W. G.
Farabee, instructor in a~nthropology at
Harvard, heads the expedition. and the
Peabody Museum in Boston sponsors the
undertaking.
With DIR. Farabee there sailed two assist
ants, L. j.. De Milhau and J. W. Hastings,
both recent graduates OF Harvard n
connected with the anthropological depart
nlent Of the university. DIR. Edward +.
Horr, who is t. act as the attending ply
sician Of the party, and Mrs. Farabee also
wen along. Mrs. Farabee will not venture
far into the interior, but intends to stay
a, Areouipa, a Peruvian interior town, while
her husband is absent on the other side Of
the Andes.
The party of Harvard scientists hopes to
penetrate from the west the unexplored
country lying about the headwaters OF
the Amazon and Parana rivers, gathering
chronological data from the Indian tribes
which inhabit this wilderness Of jungle
and mountain. Over a territory roughly
1000 miles long and from 300 to 500 miles
in width, which lies just at the conjunction Of
the boundaries of Peru, Bolivia and Brazil,
no white man, so far as Is known, has ever
nassed. Thers are no maps OF this terri
tory and nothing Of its nature is known TO
the geographers. 1t Is into this mo mans
land" that the Harvard expedition hopes to
make its way.
Before they cross the boundaries OF
the unknown land DIR. Farabee's party
will have to climb the Andes with guides
and a pack train. Then they will descend
10 the great plain on the east. Here the
last trail TO civilization will be lost, and to
canoes the four men will trust themselves
10 penetrate the strange land and return
safely with knowledge of its secrets.
The trip will begin in earnest when the
party leaves Arequipa in the interior Of
Peru and with guides makes the ascent
of the Andes over the trail charted by the
Inca Mining Company, whose properties
lie far up on the SUBMITS OF the mountains.
The lowest pass is 1880 feet high and the
Journey over this road is one Of extreme
difficulty. DR.. Farabee said yesterday
that when he goes over the pass it will
not be a three years stay on the other side.
He hopes to make several trips into the
UNEMPLOYED land, returning each time with
specimens and 70 get fresh supplies.
Practically a new field of chronological
and meteorological investigation will lie
open beyond the Andean trail. There
is a race Of Indians whose presence has
only been limited at heretofore by the re-
-z..1ska Da-.rson naTixvAa 80 Nha -a.to-n
side of the mountains. To collect war
implements, domestic utensils and data
on the tribal and individual ives of the
natives and TO gather information about
the land they live in will be the object OF
the several trips across the mountains.
DR.. Farabee carries with him two letters
which will be OF value as long as he is within
the zone of civilization. He said yester-
day that President Roosevelt had written
him TO give his hearty Endorsement Of the
object Of the expedition and to wish him
success. He also bears with him a letter
from Secretary Root to all the United States
representatives in the region through
which the expedition may pass.
Il hardly count on President Roosev elt's
letter beyond the Andes" said Mr., Farabee
laughingly, while he was gathering together
the baggage OF his expedition on the pier
Of the Panama Railroad Company. 1T
would b too much to credit that the natives
who live at the head Of the Amazon had
ever heard Of the President OF the United
States. But I believe that while I am
under the domain Of real government the
letter I carry will be Of great value.
We are making this trip under the aus
graduate Of Harvard, who wishes his name
withheld, has supplied the money. All
the specimens We gather will be turned
over to the museum.
After we leave civilization I CUES we
will have to shape our course according to
: conditions as we find them. OF course we
can make provision TO cover only the most
general contingencies and must wait to
see what special difficulties will present
themselves in a strange land. We have
DR.. Horr and a well stocked medicine chest
as prime necessities and a wise provision
against inevitable sickness"
DR.. Farabee said that one OF the o hief
difficulties he expected to encounter was
the securing OF competent guides. II was
hard, he said, to find men who could speak
Spanish and the native tongues and who
would also be reliable. This he knew
from previous experience in South America.
mo, we will not ask for a guard Of sol
diers," DR.. Farabee replied, in answe to
query as to whether he anticipated trouble
in passing through a country so little known
10 the white man. Il know thai conveys
Of soldiers are usually the greatest trouble
breeders in an expedition u as ours will
be. and | don't care TO ave to settle quar-
rels with the natives that any soldier COM
panions might start. l hardly anticipate
trouble with the natives. will leave
civilization well equipped with presents
and junk that will buy the friendship OF
the Indians, and there should be no reason
for any show Of resentment against our
intrusion. But, Of course, we have a few
guns to shoot game, and we could defend
ourselves In case of a pinch.
Yes, II il a venture that we are making.
We all realize that. But we arc perfectly
confident that We will achieve the objects
Of our mission and that we will see New
York again in about three years with more
knowledge to our credit ban We possess