tions since then. In 1909, owing 

 to the existence of a small tempo- 

 rary bridge, I was able to reach 

 them from the south, but had not 

 found it possible to spend more 

 than four days there. 



That bridge disappeared some 

 time ago, and as it was now deemed 

 advisable to attempt a further re- 

 connaissance of those celel.-iated 

 ruins, I asked Mr. Heald to see 

 whether he could not reach them 

 from the n.::rt.'- across the Cordil- 

 lera of Vilcabamba. Ai. enthusi- 

 astic young German merchant in 

 Cuzco had attempted this feat two 

 years before, but failed to get more 

 than half way from Yanama, the 

 nearest settlement. 



Knowing Mr. Heald's pluck, I 

 felt sure that he could get there if 

 anybody could, but that if he failed 

 the only alternative must be to re- 

 construct the bridge over the Apuri- 

 mac. The latter would have been 

 a serious undertaking, as the river 

 is over 200 feet wide and the rapids 

 are strong and very dangerous. 



Mr. Heald not only succeeded in 

 reaching Choqquequirau, but visited 

 the place three times, made a passa- 

 ble trail, and was able to conduct 

 thither Dr. Eaton and Dr. Nelson. 

 Their stay was limited by the very 

 great difficulties which they encoun- 

 tered in securing laborers to accom- 

 pany them, and in carrying suffi- 

 cient food for themselves and the 

 laborers over the extremely rough 

 country. 



A HARD day's WORK 



As a sample of the difficulties en- 

 countered, let me quote the follow- 

 ing from Mr. Heald's account of 

 his first day out from Yanama :_ 



". . . After a three hours' climb 

 we reached a spot well above 14,000 

 feet and had a splendid view of the 

 country. From here I could get an 

 idea of the kind of traveling I 

 would encounter, and it did not look 

 very inviting. Where the jungle 

 was not thick the mountain-sides 

 were steep and rocky. I could see 

 the course of the Apurimac, some- 

 where near which was Choqque- 



548 



