The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1841-08-17

the field Of his operations the uncomfortable dis
trct called TERRA de Guerra, and made an ar.
rangement that no Spaniards should be permit
ted to visit the country In five years. This
agreed upon, the Dominicans composed some
hymns in the Quiche language. describing the
creation of the world, the fall of Adam, the re-
demplion Of mankind, the principal mysteries OF
the life, passion and death ofour Savior. These
were learned by some Indians who traded with
the Clutches, and a principal cacique Of the
country, afterwards called Don Juan, having
heard them sung, asked those who repeated them
to explain in detail the meaning of things so new
TO him. The Indians excused themselves. saw
ing that they could only be explained by the faith.
es who had taught them. The cacique sent one
OF his brothers with many presents, to entreat
that they would come and make him acquainted
with what was contained in the songs of the In
dian merchants. A single Dominican f1ar re-
turned with the ambassador. and the ~cacique,
having been made to comprehend the mysteries
OF the new faith, buried his idols and preached
Christianity to his own subjects. Las Casas and
another associate followed, and. like the apostles
OF old, without scrip or staff, effected what Span
Ish arms could not, bringing a portion of the
Land CT War to the Christian faith. The rest of
the TERRA de Guerra never was conquered and
at this day the northeastern section, bounded by
the range of Cordilleras and the State of Chispas
is occupied by Cadones or unbaptzed Indians,
VIZ w 40 tucl llltl ulu. dChUOWIeUglUS uO
submission to the Spaniards, and the Govern
ment of Central America does not pretend to eX~
erclse any control over them. But the thing that
reused US was the assertion by the padre that,
four days on the road to Mexico, on the other
side of the great Sierra, vas a living city, large
and populous, occupied by Indians, precisely in
the same slate as before the discovery of Ameri-
ca; He had heard Of it many years before at the
village Of Chajul, and was told by the villagers
that from the topmost Ridge ofthe Sierra this city
was distinctly visible. He was then young. and
with labor climbed to the neaked summit OF the
Sierra, from which, at the height of ten or twelve
thousand feet, he looked over an immense plain
extending TO Yuca!an and the Gulf of Mexico,
and at a great distance a large city spread over a
great space, and whit urrtts white and g%littering
in the sun. The tradiiionary account of the In
dians of Oh aJul is, that no white man has ever
reached this city that the inhabitants speak the
Maya language-are aware that a race Of stran-
gers has conquered the whole country around,
and murder any white man who attempts 10 enter
their territory. They have no coin or other cir
~culatine medium; no horses, mules, cattle, or
other domestic animals except fowls, and the
cocks they keep under ground, to prevent their
Growing being heard.
There was a wild Notwithstanding that
touched the imagination-in every step of our
journey IN that country the old padre, in the
deep Stiffness of the dimly-lighted convent, with
his long black coat like a rope, and his flashing
eye, called up an image of the bold and resolute
priests who accompanied the armies of the con-
querors and as he drew a map on the table, and
painted the Sierra to the Top of which he had
climbed, and the position Of the mysterious city,
Tie interest awakened in us was the most thrill
ing l ever experienced. One look at that city
was worth ten years of al everyday life. 1.-The
is right, a place is left where Indians and an In
dian city exist as Cortez and Alvarado found
them there are living men who can solve the
mystery that hangs over the ruined cities OF
America /; perhaps who can go to. Copan and
read the inscriptions on its No SUBJ
ject more exciting and attractive presents itself
to my mind, and the deep impressions Of that
night will never be effaced.
Can il be true ? Being now in my sober SEN
ses, | do verify believe there is much gIound to
suppose that what the padre told us is authentic.
That the region referred TO does not acknowl-
edge the government of Coutamala, mas never
been explored, and that no white man even pre-
tends to enter it, l am satisfied. From other
sources we heard that from Sierra a large ruin
ed city was visible, and we are told of another
person who had climed to the top of the Sierra,
but on account of the dense cloud resting upon it
had been unable to see any thing. AT all events
the belief at the village of Chajul is general, and
a curiosity is reused that burns to be satisfied.
We had a craving desire 10 reach the my steriOus
city. Nc man even if willing = 10 peril his life,
could undertake The enterprise with any hope of
success, without lowering for one or two years
on the borders ofthe country, studying the Ian
guage and character of the neighboring Indians.
and making acquaintance with some of the ma,
tives. Five hundred men could probably march
directly to the city, and the invasion would be
more Unsuitable than any ever made by the
Spaniards; but this Government Is too much
occupied with its own wars, and the knowledge
could not be procured except at the expense of
blood. Two young men of good constitution
who could afford 10 spend five years might sue
coed. If the object OF search prove a phantom,
in the wild scenes of a new and UNEMPLOYED
country there are other objects of interest but
if real, besides the glorious excitement oil such a
novelty, they will have something to look bach
upon through life. As to the dangers, these are
ALWAYS magnifed, and, in general, peril is dis
covered soon enough for escape. But in all
probability. if any discovery is ever made, it will
be BY the padres. As for ourselves. 10 attempt
it alone, ignorant of the language, and with
moZos who were a constant annoyance 10 US,
was out OF the question. The most we thought
of was a climb to the top of the Sierra, thence to
look down upon the mysterious city but we had
difficulty enough in the road before us il would
add ten days to a journey already almost ap-
palling in prospective for days the Sierra might
be covered with clouds in attempting too much
we might lose all Palenque was our great point,
and we determined not TO be diverted from the
course we had marked out.
A Matrimonial ViHain.-The Springfield
OILY Journal cautions the public against a man
calling himself A. D. Young, 25 or 26 years
old, a cabinet. maker, who says he learned his
trade in Buffalo, N. Y. who has just married
three or more wives by off-hand one in Ohio;
the second in Indiana, where he ran away six
months afterwards and the third near Spring
field, Illinois, after having been engaged to
and nearly married a girl at Danville in that
C...o bacoro bic cboractar follouad him thero