The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1849-11-08
Cpp,raj America

An extract from letter was read from
.le Hon. E. George Squier, Minister of
me tinted States TO Central America Civ
;rr brief account of some antiquarian re-
r. rehes in which he has been engaged
Although have been much occupied
-ih Official business sats Mr.. Squer,
- ave, n the intervals which Offered dl-
:~- the -~oIress Of m negotiations, ani
sI.ce the termination. been able 10 pay
s7uc a,tel,2a 10 the altloritIe5 oi ;he
country.
i have succeeded TO an eminent degree
in obtaining the confidence of the Indians,
and have secured some of their vocahula-
ries. In fact the Indian Pueblo of Sub
tiaya has presented me formal address,
written in the aboriginal tongue and would
rise in arms 10 morrow at my call. In
presenting it, the spokesman exclaimed
with startling emphasis, the Spanlards
have had their feet on our necks very long;
we hope the sons of Washington will
overwhelm them as they have us; we hate
them! 1t sounded strange to hear the In
dian talk of Washington; but his name is
familiar in every rancho, and Hail! sons
OF Washington is common salutation
from the barefooted nlosOs on the road
The Indians of Subtiava have dug up for
me a number of their buried idols, and are
now exhuming more. They impose but
one condition, that shall have no Span
lard with me when | go 10 see them, and
shall keep the localities secret. These
idols, though much smaller, closely re-
ssmble those of Copan in workmanship,
and were no doubt dedicated to the same
or very similar purposes. | have eight in
nv possession, ranging from five and a
half TO eight feet in height, and from four
20 five in circumference.
The faces of most are mutilated-an ev-
idence Of the fanatical zeal of the early
Sp nards, who waged a war of extermi-
nation upon the supe ,stitons of the abo-
rignes. Thev did not, however, succeed
in eradicating them; for they are blended
Ia a siu.ular manner, and no inconsidera-
bic proportion, with the Catholic rites
imposed by the conqueroes. Many an
Inii N, with the sound of the bells of the
Cathedral, offers his Hbation of tiste
ground parched corn and sugar mixed
with water) TO the gods of the fields, for
the success of his crops: and secretly burns
gums from the forests before an earthen
idol or carved stone, carefully hidden
from the scrutiny of the priests, in some
obscure corner of his hut. Upon these
matters they, however, maintain all the
reserve Of the Indians the north, strength
ened by fear of exposure to the rigors OF
the priesthood. Some of the statues to
which | have referred, have the same
elaborate heal-dresses with others of Co
pan; one bears shield upon his arm, an
other has girdle TO which is suspended d
head; and still another has rising above lis
head the scuptured jaws of an alligator.
All are very ancient, and the places oi
their deposite have been handed down
from one generation to another. The
fragments of many are to be found within
few miles of Leon, and there must origi-
nally have been a great number scattered
over the country Perhaps the most re-
markable locality, with the exception OF
the island OF Ometepe in Lake Nicaragus
is the island Of Momotomblta, in the Lake
Of Mongua. | paid visit to this island
early in July. Ii is a beautiful volcanic
cone. rising with all the symmetry of d
sugar-loaf from the midst of the lake. Be
fore it towers the giant volcano of Mono
tombo, from the bare and blackened sum
nit of which still rises the smoke of inter
nal fires. Momotombita is indeed re
markable island, and the traveller who ga
GcS upOH II HUH t'iC vi tiiO toNO iH
not surprised to learn that, under the shad
ows and amidst the gloom of its dense for
ests, fringed by the stems of ages. stanC
the rude and frowning statues Of the gods
Of aboriginal superstition. Many Of these
have been removed, and are scattered owe
the country, and some, believe, have beer
sent abroad,
ga number still remain; but the larges
of all drought away with me, at the cos
of days hard labor, and at great risl
in passing fifteen miles upon the lake, in
gusty night and boat scarce able to sus
tain the great weight This had resiste'
the exertion of twelve men on one occa
sion; after moving it few rods, they ha'
abandoned 1t in despair. The boatmel
thought me mad, and crossed themselve
devoutly when l proposed to carry
away. They offered, pray ers on the lake
and made vows. After breaking dow
one or two carts, l finally got to this cit,
in safety, and shall ship it with ten or
dozen more via Rialejo and Cape Hor
for Washington. But to return. 1t seem
that there were originally some thirty o
forty of these statues, of various sizes, AM
more or less elaborately carved, arrange
in one place, in the form of square, al
looking inward. The dimensions of tn
square cannot now be ascertained, but tn
few remaining figures and fragments shov
tha Cfata lS II ISo cIo