Gilpin observer., 1913-05-01

0 ruvian canyon, came four
members of the scientific ex
pedition sent out under the joint aus
pices of Yale university and the Ma
tional Geographical society to develop
the discoveries made by Prof. Hiram
Bingham, head archaeolog'st at Yale.
and his expedition of year ago.
The scientist arrived on the liner
Santa Maria from Colon. At the
time of his discovery of the fairy city,
with its edifices of chiseled marble
and skeletons of prehistoric periods,
Professor Bingham had little time to
uncover more of the ruins. This
years expedition spent four and one
half months on the grounds and made
a complete investigation of the most
important archaeological point on the
South American continent
Endure Great Hardships.
Those returning were Professor
Bingham. Prof. Herbert E Gregory.
head of the department of geology at
Yale: DR. George F. Eaton of the Pea
body institute. and Prof. Osgood
Hardy. All of them reported tremend-
Gus hardships, including the deter
mined opposition of the Peruvian gov
ernment to their research, a plague
of smallpox and typhus fever, and the
desertion of their Indian guides. In
spite of these obstacles, however, the
trip was eminently satisfactory. Pro
fessor Bingham brought back fifty
human skulls of a pre-Incan period
and many skeletons, as well as thirty
cases of wonderfully wrought bronze
tablets and pieces of pottery. Doctor
Eaton collected fifty cases of bones.
which are to be sent on later.
Doctor Eaton was i'll in camp with
malaria for a long time, and Profes-
sor Gregory was also incapitated for
several weeks.
Professor Bingham nearly lost his
life on one occasion. when his mules
stampeded and his Indian guides for
sock him.
Il was exploring the heights OF Pal
col In southern Peru, 1600 feet above
the sea level Professor Bingham
said, when my mules refused to ad
vance farther on account Of the deep
snow. Shortly afterward they STAN
peded down the mountain. but de-
cided to push on with my six Indian
guides. found. however. that my
nardships had just begun. When I
woke up in the morning my guides
had fed, and l was left alone in
spot where no white man had ever
before set foot.
81 struck out in the direction I
thought would most likely bring me
to an inhabited section, and after
wandering for some time saw an In
dian lad lodging about among the
crags. When ! called to him he fed
like the wind. continued my wan
derings and was getting fearful that
would find no other inhabitants.
when came across native who
volunteered to pilot me back to my
starting point.
Eight Glaciers In Sight.
"On my way down I saw the most
wonderful sight that it has ever been
my lot to witness-eight ghciers ris-
Ing to a height of 1000 feet in the
air, their pure white sides sparkling
like beds of crystal, Finally was
able to rejoin my party"
When the party reached Peru II
was learned that the government had
changed hands. President Lefuia. an
old friend of Professor Bingham. hav-
ing been succeeded by President
Billinghurst a descendant of an old.
time British settler. President Bill.
inghurst blocked all the efforts OF the
expedition for seven weeks. and 1t
was only after powerful pressure had
been brought to bear by the Ameri
can consul and other persons OF in
fiuence that the explorers were al
lowed to remove their baggage.
Even then" said Professor Bing-
ham. "our explorations were limited
by an insulting decree, which was
printed in heavy type in all the news
papers. stating that we could not do
even exploration work after Dec /.
and that we were not to mutilate and
deface in the least any part OF the
city Of Machu Picchu. All officers
were ordered to see that this mandate
was obeyed to the letter"
Among the fossils found by the ex.
paorers we're the bones Of mastodons