The true Democrat., 1855-12-18
Curious Discoveries in Guatemala Remains of Antique Cities.

covered in Guatamala the remains of various antique cities of great magnitude and solidity- also some most precious monuments of the lan- guages and history of the aboriginal people long anterior to the arrival of the Spanards.- What will be the most surprising to scholars and will, doubtless, be received with some in- credulity, is the assertion of M. de Bourbourg that these languages contained undeniable relics of various Scandinavian and Teutonic tongues; Danish, Swedish, English, and even some ori- ental words are said to be found in great dis tinctness and purity, mingled in the early dia- ects of the country, while Indian traditions de- clare that their ancestors migrated from the northeast by sea through mist and snow. From these pathological remains and these traditions M de Bourbourg concludes that there was migration into the country from the settlement of the northmen in Massachusetts. If true this IS a most interesting contribution to the history of the American continent, and the public will wait with impatience for that more complete account of it which M. de Bourbourg intends to lay before the world, with the docu- mentary evidence sustaining his conclusion.
 After giving some account of his departure from Rabna he says that he ascended height and discovered the remains of two ancient ci- ties:
 The neare st one of these ancient cities is about one league from Rabinal, and on the north side of the church, the Creoles give it the name of Cakyu. The more distant of these two cities is two leagues to the northwest of the church, which is called in the country Yak Pokoma, city of the Pokomes. They are s;tua- ted in the manner of the ancient Castillan cities of Europe of the middle ages, on sum- mits extremely craggy, which project from a train of mountains covered with pines, and which 1 have been informed are called the Sierra de Tikiram. This mountain separates Lower from Upper Vera Paz. At the bottom nearly northwest, 1 perceived mountain more elevated than the rest, which on that side forms the second terminus of the square, and is about ten leagues from Rabinal. On one occasion asked how 1t was called, and was informed by the Indians that 1t was the mountain of Mea- ven, name which is well known in the hsto- ry ot the Clutches preserved by Father Ximmes and which fixes an important geographical point In the ancient history of Guatamala.- The mountain of Meanvan is at the confluence of the streams of the plain of Rabinal and of the Rio Negro, or Black river, which also enlarses the Lancondor river. The Judge of Rbina Don Bonifacio EricastiIla, has assured me that at this point are found other vestiges of ancient edhces, and much more noble, although less in extent, than those of Cakyu and Tzak Poko- ma, the first of which 1 visited shortly after my arrival in Rabinal.
 The height upon which the ancient city of the Powomages is situated is nearly one thou sand feet above the level of the plain, and is on the grounds of the hacienda of Buena Wis ta, belonging to one of the confraternites of the church.
 On ths 21st May last I directed my course thther, accompanied by the principal people of the place. The first hills which 1 ascended are slopng, and the ground is composed generally of species of slate, which is here called {" la Ija." The soil has no fertility, and vegalation Is consequently sparse. When 1 approached the ruins saw nothing more than the remains of the masonary work, which scarcely shows above the ground; but as l continued to ascend they become more perceptible and perfect.- We iinanally arrived at a point where every thing IS better preserved There is palace of one hundred and ninety feet i9 length, the walls of which are elevated about two yards on a mass of steps which form a terrace similar to that of Palanlue. In front there is an oraorv of pyramidal shape and nearly five yards in height, with stairs on its four sides, two of which are larger than the others, and have a base of forty feet in length
 The edfce resembles those of the quiches. judging from the designs that I have had be- fore me. On the platform of the pyramids are preserved even the remains of the walls which encircled the sacellum. The whole as a mass IS III admirable condition, and in many places saw even the lime which covers the walls we'll preserved, said walls being composed of the same material Qajas) above stated placed one on top of the other and united with mortar, in the same manner as our brick walls. l con- tlnued ascending, and on my right and left the remains of temples increased in number all being Of the same construction. These ruins occupy considerable space. I observed among other things that each temple was situated in plaza, and in the centre of very large house which was elevated on a terrace and appears to have been the habiaton of the ancient monks-a palace which must have been the residence of Ahan Quamahay, the presiding chlef of the ward. In the considerable space which measured between the temple and the palace, there IS high square pedstal preserved winch appears to have served in other times as the base of the statue of some hero or god. have remarked the similarity of the construc- tlons of this city with those of the neighborirg city of Cakyu. l ascended to the most elevated Hat of this mountain, and found myself sur rounded by ruins, the extent and multitude of which surprised me- Each eminence is occu- pied by one or more palaces. with tempels and pedestals, and the intermediate portions cover- ed with the remains of humble cottages
 The second is thus noticed:-
 The other ruined city is in front of Rabinal from the porch of the church, and even from the yard Of my house, lean see the walls which protected the principal palace on the south side; l also see the steps of double escaade and the remains of two temples of pyramdal form, covered at present by moss, and which rise at the two extremes like two advanced sen. tinels
 " It was on the 28th May last that visited the heights of Cakyu accompanied by an intel ligent Indian servant, who is we'll acquainted with all the neighboring places
 ."l had more labor in reaching this summit than l had in going to Tzak Pokoma, on ac- count of the foliage overhanging the path more than on the former route; was, consequently. obliged to leave my mule under the shade of some sarse- -bushes We then pursued our course on serpentine foot path which followed along the declivity, and which had probably been the road of the ancient warriors of Cakyu, for H is cut in rock. We soon passed the wall and found ourselves in the yard of a double palace with many escalades, and the base of which measur- ed more than five hundred feet front I had then arrived at the citadel, the residence of the ancient princess of Rabinal The principal part Of the habitations are greater than that of Tzak Pokoma, but in still more ruined state l haro hot bo Rob IL. power, after having inhabited the regions of the Performances, undoubtedly because from this point they had the entire control of the road of Upper Vera Paz, and by which their enemies had fled. According to manuscript which have just translated from the Cakchiqu que dialect, and most interesting for the history of Guate- mala, the summit of Cakyu had in the time of the Performances, the name of Zemancle. This lOYerlQQkS nernen ndicu v tho Ettlo of Ro