New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-21
INTERESTING DISCOVERIES IN GUATEMALA
RUINS OF UNKNOWN ANCIENT CITIES.
Traces Of Early MigrasiOns from the North


IT, lhhe de Bourbeurg q Catholic plis.t aud
n.,ned ,ptiousry, who IL now in Central America,
A.. made many inters sting discoveries relating TO
the early history Of this country, and gi7e you
eo,ks Of some letters from him, which tell of the
extrsordin mary results at which be hs. arrived.
He Is exploring that unkp sn land north Of this
city ard the southern part Of Yucstan, which your
traveller, Stevens wrote Of, bat could not explore
As he fp eks al The Indian dialects Of that region
We NAY * ,ect great additions 10 our knowledge
of the early history Of these regions. The otio"-
ing are the letter.:
"Op the 18th May last, arrived at Rsbinal,
situated some twenty-five or twenty-three leagues
from Guatemala 10 a right line, and nearly north
~ayd I crossed the Mctasus river which is here
called the Rio Grsnde and which is neatly twelve
leagues from the capital it flows with rapidity on
bottom of little depth, and it's banks consist OF
two lines of elevats rock. This pass Is very dan
perous in the rsny season, bat thanks TO the tai
ented snd energetic zeal Of Senior Camonigo Ocanon,
we ,bsll soon be able TO cross this ftrean upon
solid bridge.
"On leaving the banks of the river the traveller
rapidly ssceDds a continuation OF scraqgy noun
taips, or cuestss, until he reaches Chol, to IN
situated in a picturesque valley sx leagues 10 the
northward Of the Motagua river; the ascent con
tInues among rocks and groves OF large pines,
until YOU reach tie submit Of The woods which
the rsbinaleros call Belebe QHiche. | may not be
able 20 express TO you the grandeur OF the spec
tscle which from those high submits is present ed
10 the view Of the traveller.
"A united mass OF the regions which extend az
far az the Pacific ocean. lightly eOvelOoed In
yaporous prism unfolded itself to my view, the
eoors of which heightened the msjestc be,uty OF
the landscape.
ellie the ca; lie that hovers in the distance, 80
did command view OF the volcanoes OF Guate
nsla; and when the white clouds which in this
season frequently float above the great plains,
moved further from me saw the Guatemalisn cap
it seated ON the distant plain, with its white edi-
fees and high dOnes, as queen IN her richly
adorned ornaments The aspect OF the city was
truly grand, il being surrounded by volcanoes,
which made il appear in the distance as if it we're
suspended in the air. babe adeu TO the capital
and entered the grove but had hardly proceeded
fifty PAGES when another view presented itself AT
my feet saw an immense valley OF considerable
depth surrounded entirely by high mountains
crowned by eve greens and pines In the center
appears a sma village, with its church and q
Moorish dome il is RabiDal, the place to which
through the confidence ard benevolent sOlictude
Of his reverence the archbishop, was sent to con-
tipue NY studies on the ancient American language
and e,hnograpby This place is quite picturesque,
but has in il that know not WHAT which lncllnes
Us to alier alton and contemplation Its the reason
why 10 reality every thing here invites and his
tOrsns to mediate On past greatness. aud the vain
elory Of this earth VIII you think it strange that
this should happen in this solitude | experienced
this after my arrival at Rabnal and it's envirOns.
Many civilizations have passed by here and the
l.st, the Spanish civilization, brought by the re-
hgous DOmincans, in pursuit Of the missions Of
the Las Casss and the Los Caneeres, and who
struggled even against ruin in consequence of the
revolutions and in the tuality OF me unaln diff
IL L = IL II Oh
NAL saw, apparently near, the remains OF TWO an
Gent cities, which from the scrsggy summit upon
which they are situated like eaglene.ts, they be-
fore governed the whole of the surrounding plain.
1.-The nearest one Of these ancient cities is about
one lesgue from Rabinsl and on the north side of
tire church the creOles give it the name OF Cakyu
Tee distant Of these two cities Is two leagues
to the north Of the church, which ia called in
the country Tzak Pokoma city of the Performances.
They sre situated in the manner of the ancient
Castilian cities of Europe of the middle ages, on
SUBMITS extremely cragSy which project from
ebsin Of mountains covered with pines, and which
have been informed are called the Sierra de
Tkirsm. This mountain separates Lower from Up
per Vera Paz. At he bottom -arly northwest,
perc. iyed mOuBt.in more elevated than the rest,
which on that side forms the second ter9iG US Of
the square, and is about ten leagues from Rabinal
On one occasion ass ed how il was called, and was
informed by the Indians that il was the mountain
tory OF the Clutches preserved by Father Ximenes,
and which fixes an important geographical poiat
IN the sncient bstor, Of Guatemala. The noun
tain Of Meavan il at the confluence of the streams
of the plain of R,biDal and of the Rio Negro, (or
Black riyer) which also eDlarges the Lancondon
river. The Judge of Rsbnsl, Don BOnitsciO Fri
castillo, has assured me that at this point are
found other vestges of ancient edihces, and much
more noble although less in extent, than those OF
Cakyu and Tzak Pokoma, the first Of which Wis.
ited shortly after my arrival az Rabnal.
The hight upon which the ancient city of the
Pokomsmes 10 situated il nearly one thousand feet
above the level of the plain, and is on the grounds
Of the hacienda Of Buena Vista, belonging to one
Of the confratt mites of the church
"On the 2lst May last l directed my course
tbitber accompanied BY the principal people Of
the place. The first hills which assembled are
sloying, and the ground is composed generally of
species OF slate, which is here called la g. The
soil has no fertility and vegetation is consequent
H sparse When approached the ruins l saw
nothing more than the remains of the masonry
work, which scarcely shows above the ground
bu: as continued 10 ascend they became more
rerceptble and perfect We finally arrived at
point where everything lie better preserved. There
10 palace Of one hundred and ninety feet in
length, the walls OF which are elevated about two
yaTds, on q mass Of steps which form a terrace
similar TO that Of Pslsnque. In front there
- an oratory Of pyrsmidsl shape and nearly Eve
yards in hight, with stairs it's four sides to of
which are larger than the others, and have base
Of forty feet in length
This edihce resembles those OF the Quiehes,
judging from the designs that l have lad before
me I'm the platform OF the pyramid are preserved
even TIE remains OF the walls which enclrslod the
ssctIum be whole, SIS msss, is in admirable
condition, and in macy pisces saw even the lime
which cO.ers the NSlis We'll preseryed ssid walls