Evening star., 1914-04-22
GOING BACK TO PERU
TO STUDY INCA RUINS
Prof. Bingham to Head Expedition
That Will Remain
Two Years.
Under Joint Auspices of Yale Uni
versity and the National
Geographic Society.


ssy. who in 1872 uncovered the ancient
fortress city of Macchu Pichu. tine most
remarkable group of buildings discovered
In Peru since its conquest. is to head
a second expedition. which starts next
week still further to explore the ancient
home of the Incas This new undertaking
IS to be under the joint auspices of Yale
University and the National Geographic
Society, and is expected to cover a pc
riod Of two years.
A geographical reconnaissance of por-
tion o. southern Peru. inclading the Cor
diilera Nicabamoa and portions OF the
Apurimac and I-rabama watersheds is
the object of the trip. according to Gil
bert Fl. Grosvenor director. of the society
and editor of its magazine.
This region is a part of the eastern
edge of the great Andean plateau. The
Cordillera Eilcab bamba is a chain of dis
sected mountains rising 1900 to 1900
feet above sea level. situated between
south Iatitades /. and u. Their bases
are clothed with tropical iu:tgles. while
their submits are InaIitled with snow and
Slaciers- In the main they are uney
plored. As one of the most inaccessible
parts OF the Andes. they nave been oc-
eupied from time to time by the ancient
peoples ot Peru. In this recioa, are the
ruins of Macchu Pich3. faSay and
Choqquequirau
Region an Attractive One.
The reported presence of other ruins
ard the actual existence of some that
have been seen. but not studied or
mapped. make the region a particularly
attractive area. in whicn to stady the
problem of mans origin and distribution
in South America
,A-,
in The neishborhood OF the runs should
en3 ole something to be said IN regard TO
the number of people formerly occupying
the region, the causes of the location of
the cities. buildings and forts and the
reasons for their final aba nd onment. ac-
co-ding to Prof. Bingham
An examination of the ruins. studies
of the styles Of architecture. and Of the
artifacts and other remains that may be
found fairly near the surface of the
ground should eventually enable classi-
dcation to be made. which in connection
with biological photographic. linguistic
and historical studies. ought to result
finally in .unraveling the puzzle of the
ancient civilization OF South America.
he says. from the standpoint OF biology.
this area is believed to contain large
number OF species new to science. From
the standpoint of anthropolosy. it is one
Of the least. known and most fruitful
areas in the Andes.
Extensive Work Planned.
The plan Or work will include the max
ing of a ~topographical map of the re-
sion northwest of Cuzco between the
Apurimac and Crubamba rivers; a de-
tailed geographical reconnaissance of the
more lofty portions OF the mountains. |
including a study of the large undescrib-
ed glaciated region: the establishment
of two meteorological stations at DIFF
ferent elevations for the taking of sys-
temat.c records for two years; a study
OF the distribution and history Of food ,
plants of this region: the collection OF
data respecting the forms of distribution
q vertebrates, particularly mammals and
reptiles: n survey of the present Indians
study OF their dialects, the collection of
anthroponetric data. and the collection
and study of the skeletal remains; an
archaeological reconnaissance of the en-
tire area. and continuation of the !
studies begun by the first expedition. |
tation Of the Spanish chronicles OF the I
era of discovery and exploration. with !
reference to the Identification |
Of ancient place names. the story of |!
Macchu Pichu and its connection with |
the history of the lncas
Director Bingham is regarded as the
foremost South American explorer today. |
He has made four expeditions to the !
continent, his first. In 1JCsi being for the |
purpose OF exploring Boliyar's route |
across Venezuela and Colombia Two
years later he explored the Spanish trade |
route from Buenos Aires to Lima. He |
represented the United States at the first
Pan-American Scientific Congress in San |
tiago de Chile, in 1908.
Other Members of Expedition.
The other members OF the new expedi-
ton are Chief Engineer Ellwood C. Erdis.
Geologist Herbert E. Gregory. Silliman
professor OF geology in Yale University;
Osteologist George F. Eaton. curator of
osteology in the Peabody museum OF Yale
University: Albert II. Bumstead. topo-
graphical engineer; Osgood Hardy. chief
assistant: c. F. Westerbe-g. assistant
topogra pher: II. s. Arnold. NJ D.. medi-
cal adviser: Philip A. Means. assistant in
archeoiogy; l. NJ. Kirkpatrick. secretary,
and a surgeon not yet named Some of
the. members of the expedition. particu-
larly the topographers. viii leave next
week, in order to reach the field as soon
as the dry season commences. They hope
TO complete the Typographical work and
have the maps ready for the use of the
moi nf he ~ hy