June 10, 2001
Inca Pampa

Some of us have now left the Rio Tulani site and joined the party at the Fort. Before leaving we found what appears to be an ancient gold sluice construction, approximately an hour's climb up a difficult track north of the river. The site at Tulani has been mapped and studied but no artefacts were found.

The mysterious pools and watercourses found at the site may have been used for ritual purposes. The Indians fear the Tulani site, believing it is haunted and was used for satanic worship. They say the city had a golden bell with a huge poisonous viper wrapped around it. We found a carving of a bell on the rock next to the figures 1750.

The spectacular waterfalls at the site and the awe-inspiring chasms give the site an air of mystery. Strange sounds, probably caused by boulders moving in the river, can give rise to fears.

We have, however, achieved our aim by finding, exploring and mapping the site. Perhaps future research can determine who lived here and when.

Excavations at the Fort at Inca Pampa have revealed Inca pottery. Bolivian archaeologists believe it was an "inn" on a trade route leading down to the river system, which we will be sailing on shortly. The area abounds with terraced walls indicating that extensive agriculture was practiced here over 500 years ago.

The Indians are now leading Mike How, Craig Churcher and Elizabeth Dix to ruins lying west of Inca Pampa - a 7 hour trek by foot. The ruins are thought to be the remains of an Inca temple.

Engineers will complete a timber footbridge over the fast flowing Rio Chinijo tomorrow. This will enable us to withdraw to the Advanced Base more easily. The tracks have deteriorated since the start of the expedition and are now more an army assault course than a trail. Greg Alonso fell 18 feet when a section of the track collapsed, but he managed to climb back unhurt.

At the fort the bees and bugs are back with a vengeance. We plan to return to Guanay from Quilapituni across the River Mapiri on 11 June. We may undertake further archaeological research in the Guanay area before we start out on the second stage of the expedition.