The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1842-12-03
TIE UNKNOWN NATION of Central A.

TIE UNKNOWN NATION of Central A.
merica, Of which Mr.. Stephens received
some limitations during his frs. visit to
the &c LIBERATED iuins Of our Continent, is
also spoken Of by li!e French traveller
Waldeck. Mr.. Norman thus speaks Of
the reports concerning it in his recent
work on Yuca'sn and the ancient ruins:
"There is a districts of country situa,
ed between Guatamala, Yucatan, and
Chlapas that has never yet been subducL
This section is surrounded by mountains.
and is said TO be inaccessible, except b.
one way, and that not generally known
no one yet, who has had the boldness tn
follow The inhabitants to their wild re-
treat, has ever returned to render nm ac.
count of his journey. The inhabitants
are represented as speaking The MAYA and
Ichofe qangGagrs, and many of them As
conversng well IN Spanich. From the
latter circumstance, they are enabled l.,
visit the nearest cities, sell their tobacco,
the principal article they cultivate, and
afterwards TO return to their RETREATS
They ale constituted of the Lacardrons &
other savage trbes;are exper, warriors,
remarkably athletic and very cruel. They
are worshppers of idols, and their reIi.
glous ceremonies ere said to irave under
gone little or no change.
"Palenque is in the neighborhord Of
this settlement; and Wadeck. who saws
he has conversed with 81 me of these peo-
pie, understood that they had white per-
sons among them-but whether they STAY
voluntarily, or are deiained as prisoners,
ne has not mentioned. The same nation
is spoken of by Mr.. Stephens. their mum,
her is estimated at thirty thousand; their
secluded mode of life makes it almost inn
possible TO arrive al any Thing like correct
impressions respecting them.-Ihe Ipdi-
ans OF Yucatan and the nelghboring pro-
vlnces have been seen m conversation
with persons from this distr CT. thew how
evFr appear TO know as ltrle of the peop,e
OF whom speak as others. ould Il
friendly intercourse. by any possibility,
be established with this surprising conn
try. there is scarcely doubt that a CON-
plele knowledge of the former inhabitants
oil the immense ruins scattered throughrut
the provinces would be revealed. Tha,
their temples and records rcr,aiu in sgte.
'y, and are capable of speaking to nosteri.
'y, there can be question:
~ doubt If the above lie n .yue ,s,.n,,tt
OF their numbers. since they have be ~
enabled to sustain themselves for ac..
ono one knows how long, against enc.
mics and intestine wars and f,xsoln,,o,,
IL would be more reasonable to suppose
that they are the ont Cast Pr Iasgi of some
invading nation, and the remnants Of u
power that once de ENDED lhuse wasted
towns that now lie a huge mass of scat,
tered runs. The gathered fragments o.
ralenque, and other conquered places of
equal importance, may have concentrated
Their broken strength within the bounda
rles OF these hills, and, under the strong
impulse OF desperation, they may have
preserved their nationality in defiance of
all the force that surrounded them. 1t
may well excite universal establishment.
when the TACT becomes known, that there
actually exists, within territory Of five
hundred miles, distinct ,eople, that have
governed themselves for ages, and Thai
they continue to do so without assistance
or protection. 1t would be lesson to
mankind TO ascertain how they have man,
aged their seli-governing principles, end
how they have preserved the national in
dlvlduallty. Three centuries have trans
plred since the conquest; and, if neither
Yankee nor lrishman have found his
way among the Lacadronos before this, it
deserves the careful consideration both of
, the psychologist and the sta,esmau.'