Evening star., 1925-08-30

of several present day National
Geographic Society's eXpedi-
tions, is the latest of a series
by which that society has
added notably to the Worids hnoWl-
edge.
The Biographies flag that flies on
the Bowdoin'S forenaast has been car
ried by intrepid explorers who cruised
the seas, scaled mountain peaks,
delved into volcanic craters and ranged
from the Arctic to the tropics to spread
new facts upon the pages of geog-
raphy.
''Of all the sciences" said Joseph
Conrad, geography finds its origin in
action, and, what is more, IN adVen-
turous action"
That statement gives clue to
unique aspect of the National Geo
graphic Society's eXpeditions-thelr
sponsorship by a million members in
stead of their endowment By one or
more wealthy individuals.
1t took Columbus many disfearten-
ing years to find a queen who would
stake her jewels on his New World
adventure. AS Macmillan left Sydney,
Nova Scotia. he radioed back: we
are conscious of a high responsibility
when the Government gives US its
support and when we set out under
the auspices of the National Geo
gra phic Society, with its worldwide
membership of n million enthusiasts
for geogra ply and exploration"
The members Macmillan referred to
feel that they not only have a part in
giving mankind the results of the
Biographies explorations but are in
terested partners in the enterprises,
following the daily drama of human
endeavor that marks each expeditions
work.
Joseph Rock, gathering strange. new
plants while bandits nightly lombard
his sleeping quarters; Robert Grisgs,
following a pillar of smoke and pio-
neering into an inferno valley Of hiss
ing fumaroles and cauldron assures;
Willis Lee, plunging into the abysmal
darkness of cavern never before
pierced by ray of light-these are a
few of the strange, heroic, epic ad-
ventures which give Seogra phic eX-
ploration a universal Zesr and grip
ping human appeal.
Sometimes amazing ingenuity, at
other times an astounding patience
marks the search for new geographic
facts. DR.. Charles CT. Abbot is about
to leave on a joint Geographic Smith
sonian expedition to measure q sun
beams heat every day for four years.
1t took DR.. Abbot many years to COM
pute the basic figures and invent the
instruments with which to do this
work. Adventures probably lurk in
the remote area he will choose to per-
form it. But the result, if solar radia-
tion can be linked to weather forecast
ing. will benefit every farmer, fisher
man and navigator.
x + Y
THE question, Who lived here be-
fore we came?" has universal
lure. Out at Chaco Canyon, New Mex
leo, a National Geographic Society
expedition is revealing new wonders
of the most densely populated area of
Indian America-the New York of pre-
Columbian times.
The societY's explorers built a little
railroad and put a tiny, putting en-
gine to hauling away the debris from
Pueblo Bonito-the Beautiful Village
and out of that haystack of the Gen.
turies they are finding minute evil
dences of the daily life of long-lost
people.
They are really exploring great
communal apartment house-an apart
ment that sheltered 200 people, and
is estimated to have been the largest
permanent domicile on this continent
until a certain commodious family
apartment was erected in New York
lily WlJnln our own tlme.
Today they may unearth evidence of
the love story of some preColumbian
Pocahontas, told in the trinkets an
Indian swain made for her adornment
Tomorrow they may delve into the
home life of centuries ago, betokened
by hunting weapons and the house
hold utensils they find.
A red-letter day in the tedious, in
gentous work of DR.. Neil NJ. Judd. the
leader of the expedition, was when he
came upon a beautiful turquoise In
dian necklace of 800 pieces and four
superb pendants-the only complete
specimen of such a necklace known.
The way the pueblo dwellers ground
down each tiny piece and bored it to
be strung on sinewS challenges the
admiration of modern jewelers..
Who wore it? How long ago? A
steam shovel, directed by an explorers
keen eye and deductive mind, is at
work to help find out. And the prog
ress of the work itself is a true de
tective story that the society's mem
bers follow as it unfolds.
At Chaco Canyon the National Geo
graphic Society is exploring the major
settlement of the North American
ancients. An earlier expedition, spon-
sored by the society, discovered the
most important South American ruins
Ut 4hdCIlu ana d LflrQ 0SpeOl-
tion now is at work in Mexico Valley,
exploring the ruins of the oldest
known civilization on either of the
Americas.
x x X
THE scene of the Mexican expedi-
tion's work is Cuicuilco, south of
Mexico City, at a mighty mound, some
400 feet thick and more than so feet
high, which some ancient monarch
forced his subjects to erect centuries
before Tut-ankh-Amen was buried be-
side the Nile.
Recently Dr.. Byron Cummings, in
charge of this project. reported star
Ting evidences of a civilization there
whose history was venerable when the
Pharaohs started their slaves to work
building the pyramids.
Already there have been found
skeleton remains of Americans of 4 900
years or more ago, specimens of their