New-York daily tribune., 1843-03-30
THE TRIBUNE.
Reb:ew.

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL IN YUCATAN. BY JOHN
Arabia Petr@a, and the Holy Land 'Inedents Irav.
eli ces!ral An America. chapas and Yucalan etc. H.
lus!raied By l2o Engravings. In two volumes New.
York HARPER l. BROTHERS, 80 Cliff St
None of our readers need be told that Mr.. STE.
rHENs is the most celebrated traveller, and one of
the most popular writer's, of the present day
His Travels in the East introduced him most "a
vorably to the public, and every subsequent work
has increased the circle of his readers and his
fame, His researches into the antiquities of the
American Continent comprise the result of his la
test and most successful labors and the two mag
nifcent works upon this subject which he has given
to the world, not only form an enduring monument
of his own enterprise and ability, but contribute
vast amount of original inforu,ation which will
one day be wrought into theory, upon one of the
most interesting subjects of antiquarian zeal. The
two hne volumes just published are in fact only
the completion of the work commenced by the
others. His lebors there were Interrupted mid
s,ey, will be remembered by his readers, BY the
sudden and serious illness of Mr.. CATHERwooD.
whose labors in these Explorations merit no less
praise as they are of no less value than those of
Mr. STEPHENS himself What had then been ac-
cSmpshed was contained in the former volumes
and as soon as possible the examination was re.
sumed and prosecuted with unabated energy and
zeal to its completion. The results are embodied
in the splendid volumes before ra.
In the glory of the Mexican and Peruvian Con-
quests the peninsula Of Yucatan seems to have
been almost entirely unnotccd SO that its history
Is only imperfectly known from the ill-digested re-
cord of Cogo,ludo, Native historian, of whose
work Mr.. STEPHENS gives brief account. The
peninsula was first discovered in 1906 Ghough
40 attempt was maze to prosecute the oiscoy-
cry until 1917, when Francisco Fernandez de Cor
dova rich hidalgo of Cuba with three vessels
and hundred and ten men sailed along the
western coast end made several attempts to land
which were however thwarted by tie enlaity Of
the native Indians, with whom they had several
severe and desperate contests. In these bat
ties great number of the adventurers were killed
and disabled and the rest suffered the extremes of
hunger and thirst, being unable to procure water
on the shore, from the hostile natives. This expe
don was thus entirely broken up; but in the
same year large force, consisting Of four vessels
and two hundred and forty men, under Juan de
GGiialva, sailed from Matanzas to Yucatan. They
had several battles with the Indians, and proved
successful in them all. They accordingly returned
and fitted up still stronger force. which under the
celebrated Fernando Cortez effected the conquest
oe Mexico, which from its superior wealth drew
away the attention of the inyaders from the less
lurscijys region Of 4uostaa. Of this island as
ii was then called, Don Francisco Montejo, one of
the bravest Captains of Cortez, obtained grant
from the King of Spain, making him and his
heirs rulers Of tae province forever. and giving
hin mower 10 reduce all rebeous Indians to
state of slavery Tn 1927 he sailed from Seville,
with four vessels and fouf hundred men, and cem.
,srocea the attempt to subdae the province lie
cnnteatsu himself with sailing along the coast,
aud met l;lle opposition until he reached the town
named Axe, when great multitude OF Indians,
who had lain in ambush, armed with arrows, flint
poiDted lances and lwo-handed swords rushed
Upon i..er.. a bloody battle etisued, In wnlch al
night tho Indians, after. loss OF twelve hunarcd
men, remained masters of the field: but they were
driven from the ground the mex, day by the Span
ierds who thus ct great exrenoe OF lie and
stieng,n gained doubtful victory. In 1879 the
adelsntado resolved to push his conquest; and at
Chchen liza divided his force. Both detacE-
meu,s suffered terrible defeats, and were driven
back with the loss of nearly their entire torce. SeV
ersl other attempts Of q similar character were
made to srbdue the peninsula, but ell had sinl'
lar result; The Indians were too numerous, too
wariikc, and too hostile for all their efforts.
The project of their sabugation by force of arms
was therefore abandonea and the iceroy Of siex-
~ determined to effect it by the conversion c: the
ladians to Christianity. The franciscan friar,
Jacobo dc Festera, with four companies OF the
same order and some friendly Mexicans who ma d
ban cGnge,ted to Christianity, Ignorant OF the
language, and relying solely for favorable receP
,ion upon the peaceful of their enterprise,
entered the province, and very soon had the salts
faction of receiving from the hands of the natives
their idols to be burned, and their children to be
taught. Tbs Indians built them houses and gave
then. lands and twelve or fifteen lords with great
territories and many vsssals, with the consent OF
their people voluntarily acknowledged the dom'n'
ion of the King Of CASTLE. They were interrupt
ed in their peaceful and promising labors by the
arrival of band of soldiers from New SPAN,
wko, by their crueties, excited the natives a'fesh
against the Spanards, and forced the priests TO
leave the Indians in the darkness and Ignorance IN
which they found them. Tho adelantado again
resolved upon the coneues, of Yucetan by force OF
arms and in 1887 the Spaniards again plated
the royal standard there. The Indians combined
against them and thew were again driven back