Several days later, while Professor Foote and I were studying the ruins near Rosaspata, Senor Pancorbo, returning from his rubber estate in the San Miguel Valley and learning at Lucma of our presence near by, took great pains to find us and see how we were progressing.  When he learned of our intention to search for the ruins of Conservidayoc, he asked us to desist from the attempt.  He said Saavedra was “a very powerful man having many Indians under his control and living in grand state, with fifty servants, and not at all desirous of being visited by anybody.”  The Indians were “of the Campa tribe, very wild and extremely savage.  They use poisoned arrows and are very hostile to strangers.”  Admitting that he had heard there were Inca ruins near Saavedra’s station, Senor Pancorbo still begged us not to risk our lives by going to look for them.

By this time our curiosity was thoroughly aroused.  We were familiar with the current stories regarding the habits of savage tribes who lived in the montana and whose services were in great demand as rubber gatherers.  We had even heard that Indians did not particularly like to work for Senor Pancorbo, who was an energetic, ambitious man, anxious to achieve many things, results which required more laborers than could easily be obtained.  We could readily believe there might possibly be Indians at Conservidayoc who had escaped from the rubber estate of San Miguel.  Undoubtedly, Senor Pancorbo’s own life would have been at the mercy of their poisoned arrows.  All over the Amazon Basin the exigencies of rubber gatherers had caused tribes visited with impunity by the explorers of the nineteenth century to become so savage and revengeful as to lead them to kill all white men at sight.

Professor Foote and I considered the matter in all its aspects.  We finally came to the conclusion that in view of the specific reports regarding the presence of Inca ruins at Conservidayoc we could not afford to follow the advice of the friendly planter.  We must at least make an effort to reach them, meanwhile taking every precaution to avoid arousing the enmity of the powerful Saavedra and his savage retainers.

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Figure

Quispi Cusi Testifying about Inca Ruins
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Figure

One of our Bearers Crossing the Pampaconas River
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On the day following our arrival at the town of Vilcabamba, the gobernador, Condore, taking counsel with his chief assistant, had summoned the wisest Indians living in the vicinity, including a very picturesque old fellow whose name, Quispi Cusi, was strongly reminiscent of the days of Titu Cusi.  It was explained to him that this was a very solemn occasion and that an official inquiry was in progress.  He took off his hat—­but not his knitted cap—­and endeavored to the best of his ability to answer our questions about the surrounding country.  It was he who said that the Inca Tupac Amaru once lived at