“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.”
— Mark Twain

Percy Fawcett, Lost in the Amazon and Peter Fleming

Posted: July 16th, 2009 | No Comments »

If you haven’t read it then I heartily recommend David Grann’s book The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon, which began life as a New Yorker article and it seems is now to become a film. It’s the story of the British explorer Percy Fawcett who in 1925 ventured into the Amazon in search of a lost city and civilisation he dubbed ‘Z’. He and his expedition vanished and left no trace – what became of them remains a mystery. It’s a ripping yarn. Slightly worrying though is that the film is being produced by Brad Pitt’s production company so quite possibly (and alarmingly) Fawcett will metamophose into an American with great teeth.

So where’s the China angle you say?

fawcett Well, before he became fascinated by China one of my great heros Peter Fleming of One’s Company and News From Tartary fame had gone n search of Fawcett (pictured left). In April 1932 Fleming replied to an advertisement in the personal columns of The Times: “Exploring and sporting expedition, under experienced guidance, leaving England June to explore rivers central Brazil, if possible ascertain fate Colonel Percy Fawcett; abundant game, big and small; exceptional fishing; ROOM TWO MORE GUNS; highest references expected and given.”

Fleming (left) couldn’t resist and joined the expedition, organised by Richard Churchyard and a certain Major Pingle. They travelled to São Paulo, then overland to the rivers Araguaia and Tapirapé, heading towards Fawcett’s last-known position. It was a bumbling effort – they all argued and eventually Fleming and Roger Pettiward (his school and university friend recruited onto the expedition as a result of a chance street encounter with Fleming) led a breakaway party to look for Fawcett on their own. The expedition’s return journey was made down the river Araguaia to Para Belém; it became a closely-fought race between Fleming’s party and Major Pingle, the prize being to be the first to report home and to gain the upper hand in the battles over blame and finances that were to come. Fleming’s party narrowly won.

braz Fleming also won in the publicity stakes – getting back he quickly wrote a book Brazilian Adventure which was a hit, turned him into a pin up idol for girls in English public schools and began his reputation as an adventurer that ended up with him travelling to China.