#4 — The following letter appeared in Feb. 1948 issue of AMAZING STORIES magazine, on pages 164-165.
This letter by Mr. Rhoden appeared right after Mr. (L. Taylor) Hansen’s:
“My dear Mr. Star: In answer to your letter published in the December issue of AMAZING STORIES, I wish to answer the statements you make concerning my facts. You seem to think that I am not telling the truth, even though you graciously admit that I tell ‘lies with ability.’
“First as to Pizarro’s name. I doubt if I misspelled it. However, I have always thought it should be spelled with two z’s as that would hiss so much better. I have never admired the swineherd turned conqueror. Living so much closer to the territory of his misdeeds, do you?
Honestly? However, as the wish is so often the father of to the deed, it is possible I did misspell Pizarro. I do know better.
“Next, and the most important fact. You state:
‘There are no tunnels in Peru and never has the government looked for them. The legend about Atahualpa’s treasures is not as Mr. Gaddis relates it… The treasure, the most important being a golden chair, was hidden in some lake in the mountains and not in secret tunnels’.
“I believe that a part of this statement refers to what I said and not to Mr. Gaddis. I admit of course, that parts of the treasures were hidden in lakes. However, a part may have been hidden in secret tunnels for such tunnels do exist in Peru. For this statement, I quote to you from no less authority than Dr, Wm. M. McGovern.
“Dr. McGovern, the author of ‘Jungle Trails and Inca Ruins,’ has the following qualifications: He is a Ph.D. from the University of London. Also Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Assistant Curator of South American Ethnology in the Field Museum of Natural History, University of London, and the respected author of many books.
“Concerning the tunnels in Peru, he has the following to say on page 438 of his entertaining ‘Jungle Trails’ while describing the ancient fortress Saksawaiman (or ‘Sachsahuaman’ – Branton):
“’ Near the fortress is several strange caverns reaching far into the earth. Here alters to the gods of the deep were carved out of the living rock, and the many bones scattered about to tell of the sacrifices which were offered up. The end of one of these caverns, Chicana, has never been found. It is supposed to communicate by a long underground passage with the Temple of the Sun in the heart of Cuzco. In the cavern is supposed to be hidden a large part of the golden treasure if the Inca Emperors, which was stored away lest it falls into the hands of the Spaniards. But the cavern is so large and so complicated, and so manifold are its passages that its secret has never been uncovered.
“‘One man indeed is said to have found his way underground to the Sun Temple, and when he emerged, to have two gold bars in his hand. But his mind had been affected by days of blind wandering in the subterranean caves, and he died almost immediately afterward.
“’ Since that time many have gone into the cavern never to return again. Only a month or two before my arrival the disappearance of three prominent people in the Inca cave caused the Prefect of the Province of Cuzco, to wall in the mouth of the cavern, so the secrets and treasures of the Incas seem likely to remain undiscovered for the present.’
“By his use of the words ‘said’ and ‘supposed’, McGovern here keeps his facts separated from his theories, as the scientific mind should.
“As Mr. Palmer so ably pointed out, in his answer to your letter, I try to be specific in my articles, and draw a sharp line between fact and theory, no matter how plausible the later maybe. I envy you your residence in this land of Peru, which is apparently the site of man’s first great civilizations.”
— L. Taylor Hansen
(Well, there’s one answer to Mr. Star, and the next letter is another! – Ed.) – [Note: The ‘editor’ of AMAZING STORIES at the time was Raymond A. Palmer, or ‘RAP’ – Branton]
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