these rumors. The production of such an eternal cold light source is beyond our current level of
technology and still remains a puzzle to modern science.
Fig.62 Fig.63
Colonel Fawcett had first heard these strange stories some time after he had accepted his first
survey contract. Until he had known of them, his South American expeditions were completely
oriented toward civil and engineering work though even while performing his daily tasks he
continued to nurture a keen interest in the forest. During his surveys he also made copious
amounts of notes containing detailed observations about everything he saw, especially the ways
of the white settlers, the Indians of the forest, and the forest wildlife all of which are recorded in
detail in his book. However after Fawcett became familiar with the story of Francisco Raposo his
attentions and interests began to shift away from just pure engineering and more toward ventures
of exploration and discovery.
In one place in his diaries he records a remarkable conversation with another explorer
concerning an unusual forest bird that nests in perfect round holes in rock cliffs. The man had
actually spent 25 years living in the forests with the local natives and he had this to say:
“They make the holes themselves. I've seen how they do it, many a time. I've watched, I have,
and seen the birds come to the cliff with leaves of some sort in their beaks, and cling to the rock
like woodpeckers to a tree while they rubbed the leaves in a circular motion over the surface.
Then they would fly off, and come back with more leaves, and carry on with the rubbing process.
After three or four repetitions they dropped the leaves and started pecking at the place with their
sharp beaks, and—here's the marvelous part—they would soon open out a round hole in the
stone...”
"'Do you mean to say that the bird's beak can penetrate solid rock?'
“...No, I don't think the bird can get through solid rock. I believe, as everyone who has watched
them believes, that those birds know of a leaf with juice that can soften up rock till it's like wet
clay.’'