The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-22
Captain Besy the Daring Explorer Describes His Discovery of n
known Titanic Buried South American Ruins and the Almost
Unsurmountabe Obstacles Of Savage Men and Even More
Savage Nature His Expedition Was Forced to Overcome

THE discovery of three prehistoric cities.
probably $4,000 years old. within sixty
= miles of Cuzco. Peru, was one OF the
principal achievements. from a scientific stand
point OF a recent important expedition OF ex
ploration which trayersed the South American
continent from, Lima TO the mouth of the ANA
en The cities are buried. have been hitherto
unknown, and SHOW evidences CT being hileo
no, ONLY with archaeological treasure. but actual
treasure as we'll.
Tha expedition was headed b. Captain j.
Campbell Besley, who fought as a scout in tho
Boer War and has since gained wide reputa-
ton explorer and hunter. With him we're
Franklin -. Coates. formerly professor OF atn-
le.ics al Yale; j. *. Holbrook. moving pic
ture expert; J. W. Dunno. an English botanst;
i. Eugene Farnsworth, OF Boston, artist,
and y. GalaiG..
Captain Besleys principal object was TO
make thorough study OF the deadly Uta fly.
which is found at its worst In the Chencha.
mayo Valley IN Peru. The object of the NOV.
ing picture men was 10 a series OF NOV.
ing pictures ot life in the dcnsest jungle in the
World, and In the course OF their adventures
the? succeeded in obtaining IL 900 feet of finn
portraying life in tho South American flores,
pEiineva" which. it Is claimed. is unique
The expedition not accomplished with.
OUT great :ardships In fact, the escapes which
the explorers had in their conflict with canni.
balls and other hostile natives, and in overcorn.
Ing Tie natural hazards OF their journey, were
Of the most thrilling character.
In the course OF Journey" said Captain
5es!"y III narrating the adventures of the
p..t! We frequently encountered Indians who
d.sD.a5 Cd specimens OF minerals and offered
10 cad Us to the formations from which they
Fad been obtained. From time 10 time We met
ot-e: indians who showed us objects plainly
antique, made OF precious metals These
offered 10 take Us to ruins where. ,hey said,
tic! had obtained them.
These offers we were at first not inclined to
reject. but time and again We found them TO be
quite oaseless. Very often these trips took Us
several days Journey of the way. and their
fGt.iity made Us look with suspicion on mos.
Of the information We obtained from the
natives.
IL was, accordingly. with very little expecta
ton OF results tina. one day We received
Quicha Indians offer to conduct us to "a mine"
which he said lay some twenty leagues north
east OF Cuzco. but We decided to investigate It
The thing he showed MS was bowl made
OF champi. 1. IS called down there Champl
is a substance made OF two.thirds silver and
one-third gold. We had visions Of fabulous
wealth if the Indians story were true
After two days Journey through the worst
KIND OF jungle We came TO an which the
Indian indicated was the spot where he had
found the specimen In question We used orr
machetes and dug away the soil, which was O:
Il more or less sandy nature. For space O,
some three miles square. thicky overgrown
with bush and jungle. but without any large
trees. the topography suggested TO US that here
might be the site OF one OF the prencan cities
Sucn superficial excavation as were able TO
make with our inadequate implements soon
convinced us that theory was correct.
"A few hours work revealed granite blocks
OF the kind which form the fortresses nouu
n.ents and buildings found at Machu Pijchu.
and We realized that we had indeed come upon
the site OF an unknown ancient city. We made
our native guides prospect all over the area re.
ferrcd TO, and wherever their machetes dug
more than ten or twelve feet We came upon
additional specimens CT these prehistoric build
iags.
We estimated that this particular city mus,
have been at least three miles square. bp.
owing to our lack OF implements we were un.
able to do more than merely scratch the sur.
face OF this important archaeological find Wa
made Il number OF photographs Of the region
which are now at the Custom House, and we
shall visit this section again, perhaps in the
Spring, with a full equipment to conduct er.
tcnsive excavations.
1T was return trip that our nativa
guide suggested that there were at least two
other regions where the topography was OF
exactly the same character as the one we had
Just observed We arranged to visit them the
following day.
Within half days journey OF each other
ana PROBABLY not more than twenty miles from
the hrst site, we came upon what we haye
every reason 10 believe are the remains of two
other buried cities even larger than the first
Here again our digging revealed granite blocks
OF the character have referred to- and in adj
ditlon we came upon a number OF specimons
o. gold and silver vases and ornaments. richly
oFhamehted rs well as cfisels and semi-c,rc,,.
'a' hh''cs ana other implements. We gathered
'hese prizes and made number of photo.
eiaphs OF the section. but, unfortunately. all