loads. Twice we had to cross the rapids of the river on primitive
bridges which consisted only of a few little logs lashed together
and resting on slippery boulders.

By one o'clock we found ourselves on a small plain (ele. 4500 ft.) in
dense woods surrounded by tree ferns, vines, and tangled thickets,
through which it was impossible to see for more than a few feet. Here
Guzman told us we must stop and rest a while, as we were now in the
territory of los salvajes, the savage Indians who acknowledged only the
rule of Saavedra and resented all intrusion. Guzman did not seem to be
particularly afraid, but said that we ought to send ahead one of our
carriers, to warn the savages that we were coming on a friendly mission
and were not in search of rubber gatherers; otherwise they might attack
us, or run away and disappear into the jungle. He said we should never
be able to find the ruins without their help. The carrier who was
selected to go ahead did not relish his task. Leaving his pack behind,
he proceeded very quietly and cautiously along the trail and was lost
to view almost immediately. There followed an exciting half-hour while
we waited, wondering what attitude the savages would take toward us,
and trying to picture to ourselves the mighty potentate, Saavedra,
who had been described as sitting in the midst of savage luxury,
"surrounded by fifty servants," and directing his myrmidons to
checkmate our desires to visit the Inca city on the "pampa of ghosts."

Suddenly, we were startled by the crackling of twigs and the sound
of a man running. We instinctively held our rifles a little tighter
in readiness for whatever might befall--when there burst out of the
woods a pleasant-faced young Peruvian, quite conventionally clad,
who had come in haste from Saavedra, his father, to extend to us
a most cordial welcome! It seemed scarcely credible, but a glance
at his face showed that there was no ambush in store for us. It was
with a sigh of relief that we realized there was to be no shower of
poisoned arrows from the impenetrable thickets. Gathering up our packs,
we continued along the jungle trail, through woods which gradually
became higher, deeper, and darker, until presently we saw sunlight
ahead and, to our intense astonishment, the bright green of waving
sugar cane. A few moments of walking through the cane fields found
us at a large comfortable hut, welcomed very simply and modestly by
Saavedra himself. A more pleasant