"^l\ ygr ORRIS and Carson and \u25a0 I
I x B had keen Prospecting for
JL \u25bc^ JL sold on tne eastern slope
of the Cordillera range
of mountains in Peru and It was "while
thus engaged that we planned a trip
Into the wlldnerness of the South
American republic In fact, we had
been lured into the comparatively, un
known wilds by a legend? of a land of
gold. It had been told to us that when
the Incas ruled In Peru the last su
preme Inca led an expedition of treas
ure-seekers Into this golden land, where
the warriors fell upon.the natives, who,
concealed within the sheltering: Jungles,
fired poisoned darts from their blow
gruns. The supreme Inca, according to
the tale imparted to us, was captured
and beheaded, and the natives still pre
served his head as a trophy of their
great victory.
The Btosy pulled our nerves to .a
great tension. Carson, ever a dare
devil, wanted to start in quest of the
pickled head at once. He wouldn't take
no for an answer. The whole story
seemed too much like a dream of pri
mordial days to Inspire any fear in us.
So with light hearts we hastily pre
p'fitf ?* for the Journey. Our horses 'were
exeianged for good mules and all bag
page dispensed \u25a0with, save for the lit
tle that could be carried In saddle bags.
• • The first two days of the trip were
. uninteresting, being occupied In cross
ing the plateau and preparing for the
'lei'cent Into the wilderness beyond. On
. »he third day we began to drop down
«t**p elopes,- the trail winding around
.many knobs, crossing rough log bridges
that tested the animals' surefooted
ness to the extreme, along edges of
cliffs where streams could be seen
thousands of feet below, end here and
tfccre finding a valley . where perhaps
.half a mile of almost level country
was traversed. ~We were a week going
\u25a0 iown this slope, and during the entire,
time did not meetj*.. single* human : be
, ing. Our rood"« r ai i *Tfh"al J "wfiich we
brought down with our guns, a deer
tnd a small cinnamon bear having
fallen victims to our skill.
One day, however, when the descent
seemed to be over and the barometer
showed our altitude to be normal, we
rode suddenly into the midst of an en
campment Our first warning was a
. hut in the trees.**" Four tall trees of a
species which I did not recognize grew
closes together and in a manner suited
tc jf »r. r e as the corner posts for a plat
form. Between these long bamboo
canes were placed and the flooring laid
on- them.
. At our appearance about a hundred
mongrel flogs flew at us and began
barking at the heels of our animals.
"With a view of proving to the vil
lagers that we did not care to be dis
turbed, Carson unstrapped his rifle and
<juickly dispatched as many dogs as
there were shells In the repeater. It
seemed strange to us no one appeared
to greet or to oppose us, as we had ob
eerve'd several men on the far side of
the clearing as we rode in. We stopped
to water our animals In an acequia in
the middle of the clearing, and as w«
\u25a0 £id\ so an - old nan came out of th«
largest hut. and. speaking In Quitchua,
. Invited us to enter and remain over
night. This unexpected courtesy and
good will rrzs a welcome surprise, ar.C,
Continued on Page lv.
IN QUEST
OF THE
PICKLED
HEAD