The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1842-12-08
CENTRAL AMERICA.

The uAknown Est on II Cenirsl AneTi-
e.. Of which Mr. Stephens received soae
inlmailons daring his Ersl ylsn 10 Ihr
eelsbra,ed ruins Of oar sentiment. - also
spoken 6f By the French travelled Nal-
deck. Dir. NoEmaa thus speaks Of The re-.
ports concerning il. in his recent Mosks
on Yuessah and The sneisni rains:
!. There Is district Of county situated
between GRssemala. Yucalan. and Chap
as that has never yel been subdaed: This
section 10 surrounded By mountains, and
Is said 10 be inaccessible except " one
cay. and that not generally known. No
one vet, who has had he boldness 70 81
low lhe inhsbilanls q their Wild rrtreai,
has ever returned 10 render an account oil
kis journey. The inhabitants are repre-
senIsd - speaking The Maya and Tehole
languages. and many ofthem Is ennyerss
ing well in Spanish. From the latter
cifcumsis0ce. they are ensbied TO visit
the nearest cities. s,ll their tobacco. the
principal article they culli' ate, aud Alter
wards 10 return 10 their retreats. They
are constituted Of The I.acsndruns. and
other savage tribes, are expert warriors.
remarkably athletic, and very cruel. They
are worshlppers Of idols; aud their rtligi
Gus ceremonies are said 10 have uader-
gone iillls or no change.
"Pslsngue 10 In the neighborhood Of
this settlement: and Nsldrck. ~ho says
he has conversed with some OF lhrse
people. understood that they had white
persons among them; bur whether they
stayed Voluut ,rIly or are detained as pIi.
soners, he has not mentioned. Tie same
halion is spoken Of by Me-. Stephens.
Their number u estimated II thirty lhou
sand; their secluded mode Of life makes
II almost impossible To arrive al anything
like cofreci impressions respecting lhen.
The Indians OF Yucalan and the neigh
boring provinces have been seen in con
versation with persons from this district;
they, however, appear 10 know a. lilIle
Of The people Of whom ! speak az Others.
Gould friendly intercourse, by any pos
sibiliiy. be established with this surprising
country, there is scarcely a doubl that .
complete knowledge OF ihe former in
habllanis OF the immense ruins scattered
throughout The provinces would be re
Sealsd. That their temples and record,
remainin safety, and are capable Of speak
ing to posletily, there can scarcely be .
question.
al doubt II tie above be a trne estimate
OF their numbers. since they have been
enabled 10 sustain Them selses for ages
mo one knows how long, sgains, enemies
and intestine wars and dissolution. II
would be more reasonable To suppose tha,
they are The ouicasi Pelssgi Of some in
yading nation. and the remnants Of q
power that once defended those wasted
towns that now lie huge mass Of scat
tered ruins. The gathered fragments Of
Pslenque, and other conquered places Of
e equal importance. may have concentrated
their bruken strength within The bounja
ries 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.
I,msy well excite universal establishment,
when the fact becomes known. that there
actually exists, within territory Of five
hundred miles. distinct people, Tia. have
governed themselves Tor age; and thai
they continue to do go without assistance
or protection. Il would be lesson "a
mankind 10 ascertain how they have man
aged their Safeguarding principles. and
how they have preserved the national
individuality. Three centuries have irans.
pred since the conquest; and, II neither
Yankee nor lrishmsn have found his way
among The L.cadrones before this. i,
deserves The careful consideration balh oil
the psychologist aud the statesman"