Fawcett’s’ Tale
Colonel Percy Fawcett (fig.60) had been a retired official of the British Army, a veteran fighter
of the Boar Wars in India during the late 1800’s, an explorer of outstanding reputation and
considered by his peers to be an expert bushman in any class of forests or other rugged terrains.
In 1906 he was requested by the British government to survey the borders between the countries
of Bolivia and Brazil.
At the time both the Brazilian and Bolivian Governments had wanted their borders properly
defined once and for all in order to quell the constantly erupting border disputes they were
experiencing, disputes they were afraid would soon lead to open war between their two countries.
Of course, and in true political fashion, neither country had trusted the other to do the job fairly so
eventually both countries agreed that only a neutral party could suffice for the task. The Royal
Geographic Society of Britain had then recommended Fawcett for the job. Fawcett had agreed
and traveling by canoe and foot over roughly an 18 month period in 1906-07, he surveyed and
mapped the borders of the two countries using a compass and a sexton, a staggering feat given the
conditions he faced and the terrain he covered.
Fig.59aDuring the four year period from 1908 to 1912 he had then continued further, also successfully
surveying the boundary of Paraguay and the border between Peru and Brazil. Then Fawcett’s
mind began to turn toward the undertaking of various explorations in the region. Finally, when
embarking upon a new expedition from a place deep in the Brazilian Jungle that he had named
"Dead Horse Camp", he wrote his last letter to his wife on May 29th 1925.
In the letter he said this to her:
"Our route will be from Dead Horse Camp, 11° 43' south and 54° 35' west, where my horse
died in 1921, roughly northeast to the Xingu, visiting on the way an ancient stone tower which is
the terror of the surrounding Indians, as at night it is lighted from door and windows. If we do
not return, I desire not that you organize any rescue game... It is too dangerous. For if I, with all
my experience, fail, then not much hope is left in the triumph of others and I would not encourage
such an attempt. That is one of the reasons of why I do not say exactly where we go... one thing is
doubtless: the answer to this enigma and perhaps to the prehistoric world... it will be found when