The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-11
PLOD THROUGH
LAST 20 MILES
OF WILDERNESS
Expedition Slowly Moves
Over Old Sonora in Final
Stage of Quest.
EIGHT-F00T SKELETONS
Coronado'S Party Passed
Over Region Four Centu-
rieS Ago Hunting Gold.
BY CHARLES HOLLOWAY
United Press stan Correspondent

Ouitcu FTcsS btdH Correspondent
SOYOPA, Sonora, Mexico, Dec. II.
"A wilderness through which Coro-
nado and his Spanish conquista-
dores toiled four centuries ago was
entered today by band of modern
scientists on an international quest
for traces Of a prehistoric race of
supermen.
Coronado led his men northward
TO discover one of the seven mod
ern wonders of the world-the
Grand canyon of the Colorado-but
this modern expedition believed it
was within reach of discoveries no
less important to the world of sci
ence.
The old world conquerors of the
sixteenth century travelled afoot and
on horseback, and these men of to-
day, for all their twentieth century
knowledge, could command no bet
ter transportation.
Guided by Indian descendants of
the bands that have roamed this
region for generations, burro train
was organized by the psychologists
today for the last twenty miles of
their journey.
Three Skeletons Discovered
At the end of that twenty-mile
stretch lay the skeleton remains of
what may prove to be the long
sought race of giants.
The three skeletons already dis
covered, along with others the sci
entists are confident will be found
in the vicinity, will form the basis
of their strange research.
Existing heretofore only as myth
handed down from generation to
generation by superstitious natives,
these giants may be established as
a scientific fact by the anticipated
discoveries, the scientists said.
The land through which the ex-
petition travelled is rich in prehis-
toric lore, and it also bears the
reputation of hiding the richest
store of gold ore in the world.
Yaquis Foil Gold Seekers
But the war-like Yaqui tribes that
dwell in the district always have
driven gold seekers back-at least,
none ever returned the richer for
his experience.
1t was just such hunt that
brought j. L. Coker, veteran Sonora
mining operator and guide of the
present expedition, to the banks Of
the Yaqui river, where he found
the three huge skeletons. His men
we're digging near the stream when
they came upon a number of fos-
SLICED bones.
Forgetting the gold, the miners
turned their spades to the business
of uncovering their newest find.
They worked through four feet of
the soft earth and found the re-
mains of what had been man and
two women.
More Than Feet Tall
we were almost struck dumb by
the discovery" said Coker. These
we're not the bones of humans such
as we had expected. They were
the bones of giants.
THE man was eight feet three
inches tall The women were al
most as large.
1t may have been a prehistoric
family, placed there in death and
remaining to give the world a key
to their existence"
They were not alone giants in
stature, according to Coker. Adorn-
ing the bones were costly trinketS
of an intricate mold, and around
them we're examples of pottery such
as he had never seen before.
May Reach Scene Today
Dean Byron H. Cummings of the
University of Arizona archaeology
staff and leader of the expedition,
believes these highly developed
potteries may be the means of es-
tablishing the mentality of the
giants and thus give important new
knowledge to science.
1t was hoped that excavation
work would start late today, when
the party expected to reach the
burial ground. The scientists were
not sure of this.
The tortuous trails, the stubborn
hurros and the heavy rains may
delay them until nightfan.
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