The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-06-26
PROF, BINGHAM
AS EXPLORER
He Gives an Account OF the
Notable Trip to South
America.

much interest in Hawaii:
Professor Hiram Bingham, of the de.
apartment of history, politics and econ
iomics in Princeton University, has
returned to Princeton from a six
months exploring expedition into the
interior of Colombia and Venezuela
When seen by a Herald reporter he
WAS enthroned in his library in the
midst of his exploring outfit, which had
lust arrived and which smelled strong
Ily of the salt water and South Amer
Jean jungles. The steamer trunks were
Iall thoroughly battered and looked like
veterans. The trip has been successful
both in practical results and in adven-
lures, and Professor Bingham has COL
lected, in addition to his stock of ex-
sperienees, a library of three thousand
choice books on the history and geo.
graphy of the two countries he visited.
Professor Bingham began making a
specially of South America seven years
lago, considering that as few scholars
have interested themselves in that con-
tinent it should prove a splendid field
for his line of work.
He decided then that as soon as he
could find suitable companion for the
ESouth American armies in their wars
lof independence.
His interest centered in a famous
march made by Bolivar, the Washing
ton of South America.
This general began Professor
Bingham, ''in 1919 made march across
Venezuela and Colombia to the interior,
which may be compared for difficulty
with the marches of Napoleon and
Hannibal across the Alps. I wanted to
see for myself the actual difficulties
and go over the same route. So last
fall when I found that DR.. Hamilton
Rice, of Boston, who is a fellow of the
Royal Geographical Society, was will
ing to go with me I jumped at the
chance.
I'VE met in Caracas in December, or
ganized the expedition there and start
ed about New Years. We expected to
reach Bogota in sixty days, distance
of about 1000 miles, but owing to the
difficulties of the route it took US twice
as long and we didn't reach Bogota
till the end of April.
MAP OF THE BATTLEFIELDS.
Our first big piece of work was to
make a map of the battlefield of Cara
bobo. Although two battles, and one
of them the most important ever fought
in Venezuela, occurred on the plains of
Carabobo there has never, SO far as I
made of that region.
lone of the most annoying features
of travel in Western Venezuela are the
biting insects.
Near the city of Barinas I took oc-
4I1o 1aft
arm and found that I had sixty-eight.
They included every variety-ants.
aeas, flies, midges and mosquitoes. Of
these the river fly is the most annoy
ing; it leaves a black spot on the hand.
1--WE We're prepared for snakes, and
Dr. Rice spent d week in Caracas stud
ying the different kinds of snakes in
that country and remedies for their
bites. But in my six months in Vene-
zuela and Colombia I only saw one live
snake long enough to describe it ac-
Zone hears a great deal Of the dam
gers from pumas and jaguars in the |
interior. We saw three in captivity, |
md none in a wild state, though we oc- |
casionaily saw their tracks.
I'VE were not told that there was |
smallpox in the interior and didn't
know of it's existence in the town of |
Chire until we had spent the night |
1t a house where a man had died of |
smallpox and been buried the previous |
lay and one was dying of it in the adj |
dining room.
I'm the village of Socha, in Colombia, |
he Alcalde asked US to examine some |
Door people who needed a physicians |
certificate to be sent to the government |
hospital, he said.
'It was not until they had been driv-
n into our room that we were told
hat they were lepers. Fortunately for
is it turned out that none of them
eally had 1eprosy.
ITO one looking at the map it seems
Is though the most difficult part of
his trip would be the mountains, for
here is nothing to indicate the great
lie and frequency of the swamps in
he plains. The difficulty of getting
oaded beasts through these treacherous
wamps has to be seen to be appre-
dated.
cone of our mules disappeared en-
irely in swamp, saddle bags and all,
md was only kept alive by the pres
nee of mind of his rider, who, stand
ng up to his armpits in the swamp,
Kept the mules nose above water.
After the excitement of that partic-
liar moment there were twenty wild
indians standing on the edge of the
wamp, quite devoid of any civilized
lothing or Christian charity Bat the
nan who composed the rear guard, a
solitary rider. had two Winchesters and
wo Colt automatics, while the Indians
,nly had bows and arrows and spears,
which they choose to hide in the
pushes,
NOT ATTACKED BY INDIANS.
I'm general, the wild Indians that we
found on the banks of the River Ele
md the River Lipe, although much
feared by the Colombians. who warned |
is Of their savage character, showed |
is nothing but kindness. To be sure
we We're six men in the party and all |
1rmed-which may have something to /
DO with their friendship. The most |
difficult spot in the journey was near
the River Cravo, in Northeast Colom-
oia. Here We were detained for four
days by a stream which was ordibar- |
ily only thirty yards wide, but which |