The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-03-17
BY STEPHEN RATTIN

Copyright. 1892. by United Press
SAC PAULO, Brazil, March IL
Englishman!
That one word, whispered falter-
ingly by white man CARRIED in
animal skins and held captive by
Indians in an inland jungle village
gave me the first hope that had
found Colonel H. P. Fawcett.
Colonel Fawcett had been missing
for seven years since he entered the
iungles with several others to seek
lost civilization.
And that one word, coming as it
did, was enough to hold me in that
village ten more days to get another
chance to talk to the white captive
whose face had been darkened by
long experience in the jungle. An
Indian headman prevented more
talk at our first meeting.
Found in Remote Village
I went into the northern jungles
of the state of Matte Crosse Great
JUNGLE last October to secure IN
dams for a hunting and trapping
expedition and reached the settle
ment of Cacique (Headman Mac
miameque of the Murciegalos tribe,
whose village is between the Xingu
and Madeira rivers close to the
frontier Of AmaZonas state.
When I was talking with the
cacique I noticed a white man, tall
in stature, but rather heavy, with
white hair and a beard, apparently
about SIS years old.
He did not approach me although
he scrutinized me closely Later 1
asked him if he spoke Portuguese
and he whispered the one word fall
teringly:
'Englishman."
Conversation Is Halted
The headman INTERVIEWED and
ended the conversation Immediately,
ordering the white man away. But
my curiosity was aroused.
I remained at the village for ten
days, determined to solve the mys-
terry if possible and win the conf
dence of the Indians so they would
allow me to talk with the white
man.
got an opportunity to talk with
him after four days. He told me he
was Colonel Fawcett and asked me
to communicate with any British
consulate and with farmer named
Paget."
This was all the information I
could get except that he had been
held a prisoner for over five years
and that the last of his companions
had died the year before. His COM
panions were his son Jack and an
Obviously White Man
When he told me this he became
so emotional he could not continue
speaking. He said nothing concern
ing the treatment given him by the
Indians. He wore Indian garb HIS
skin was almost as dark as an In
dams. 1t was obvious that he was
white man.
He did not appear to be suffering
from hunger or sickness. But obvi-
ously he was dominated completely
by the native chief
I promised him I would deliver
his message and set off for Barre
tos, believing there was a British
consulate there. I reached Barre
tos after many days slow trave,
through the jungle but found no
British officials.
then started for Sac Paulo, and
after six weeks difficult Journey
made my report to the British con-
sui general, Arthur Abbott. He
considered my report the most ded-
mite clew yet found to Colonel Faw-
cett's fate.
believe the man 1 saw in the
jungle was the missing explorer.
Rattin speaks several Brazilian
dialects as well as the difficult Qua
rany language and believes that this
knowledge prevented him from be-
ing held captive at the Indian WILL
age. He said, however, he never
had been bothered by the natives
during his fourteen years expert
ence in the jungles.
DR.. WEBB SEEKS POST