A Golden Legend

Chapter 13

McPherson, talking in Spanish with a slight American accent, began a laborious explanation of the objectives of the enterprise. Taking advantage of the removal and expulsion of the guerrillas in certain areas of South America, Yale University was organizing a long delayed expedition in search of the Great Paititi. When he mentioned the name of the target, a whisper toured the room.

The Paititi or Gran Paititi is one of the most persistent myths that date back to the time of the Spanish conquest and colonization of South America, along with those of the City of the Caesars and Eldorado. They all refer to fabulous cities, full of gold and riches, whose track would have been lost in the mists of time, more or less contemporarily with said Spanish conquest.

There seems to be an irresistible romantic impulse in the human soul that leads it to finding lost cities and times, invariably idealized through the prism of the legend. All of them have caused countless expeditions, in general of adventurers eager of treasures, many of whom have succumbed in the attempts. The location of each of these lost cities has always been very diffuse, with large distances between the different alleged locations according to the sources in which each version originated.

In particular  the Gran Paititi has been pictured as lost to the East of the Andes Mountain Range, either in valleys hidden in the cold high jungle of Central Peru, or in tropical rainforests within a wide area ranging from the eastern part of that country, Bolivia, and either North or West of Brazil. Also regarding the origins there are different versions, from some who attribute it to Ikarri, sort of mythical founder of cities at the beginning of the Inca era, who would have built it in the jungles of Pantiacolla, up to to the status of sanctuary of Incas exiled in later times.

 Throughout history, the Paititi legend has attracted expeditions of scientific nature as well as moves caused by greed, among which the most renowned was the one led by Percy Harrison Fawcett in 1925, in the Mato Grosso, in Brazil, with a sad end.

It is this city Magnus McPherson referred to in our narrative.

“Today, I think the more likely hypotheses is that relates to a temporary source of Gran Paititi in the early days of the Inca Empire, not long after the Foundation of Cusco by the hero Inkarri “McPherson leisurely voice glided on the issues, in a perfect Spanish that betrayed to the regular lecturer “Other theories describe it a haven of the Inca royalty after the collapse of the Empire and the Spanish conquest. The latter, although very much in vogue since the discovery of Machu Picchu, leaves many aspects without clarifying.

The dissertation continued long, rambling about the reasons that supported this hypothesis, written and oral sources making reference to Paititi, comparison with the legend of El Dorado in Colombia, the power in the Inca Empire and the role that the city would have played in the management of the Tawantisuyu. Finally, he addressed the subject that everyone was waiting for, the location of the ruins.

“I disagree with the classical location of Paititi in southeastern Peru, in the area of Pantiacolla and the Manu National Park or elsewhere in the Peruvian Department Madre de Dios. My research points more to the North, the Valley of the Marañón River, on the border between Brazil and Peru, on the eastern slopes of the Andes, in the yungas area.

McPherson then tried to change the subject, giving instructions of logistics type for the expedition and camps, but a voice arose among the public silent hitherto.

“Professor, could you not give more details about the alleged location of Paititi?”

The American smiled and replied with candor.

“That is the true one million dollars secret, in fact much more than one million. As you can imagine, many researchers have spent fortunes to find it, and some have lost their lives in the attempt. Those who choose to join me will learn more at the right time.”

As open questions session, another student asked:

“What's true in the version that the Vatican possesses the exact location of Paititi, and jealously guards the secret?”

“Well, given that as you say they keep it zealously, I do not know what to answer you. You would have to ask them, but don't expect many answers.”

At the end of the meeting, some of the students packed around McPherson to score in the Group of collaborators that would accompany him. They were six people, all of them young, including Teresa and Lupita. As he saw Teresa the man momentarily hesitated and blushed. She looked sideways at the new mistress of McPherson, who was by his side; reluctantly she should recognize that it was a true beauty within its type; the professor was known for his tendency to exoticism and has had the most diverse races girl lovers. Teresa pretended not to notice his embarrassment or the eyes of fire of the Balinese, and simply proceeded to sign up on the list.