The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1860-02-11
THE DAY BOOK.
[ rom the Neao York Herald Of Wednesday.
interesting Discourse of Hon. f.
G.aSquieRon the 5nnexplored re-
gfOns of Central America.

. gfons OfCentral America.
zse A. paper OF more THAI usual interest was
read before the Historical Society, at its,
monthly. meeting, last evening, by Hon. 3.
e. Squier, on "The .Unexploredg Regions of
Central America" The audience was large
and appreciatige, and listened with marked
sttention The lecturer commenced by say
ing, that notwithstanding the zeal and
energy with which geographical inquiry
had been pushed forward during the last
quarter OF a century, solving the mysteries
OF the polar regions and many of the enigmas
OF Africa, yet that there were considerable
portions of,our own continent, almost at our
own doors, rich in natural wealth, traversed
by avigabieirivHrs and occupied BY strange
peoples, which remained in as complete
isolation and enveloped 10 as profound a
mystery asgat the time Of the discovery
There were twolnotable instances in Central
America First, the b olson OF the Guatus0s,
falling party in Nicaragua and partly in
Costa Rica, and comprising the entire valley
of the Rio Ffio,sone Of the principal streams
falling into the Lake of Nicaragua. This
valley has between the Cordlleras of the
continent and the volcanic Pacific coast
range OF mountains, and is estimated by Mr..
Squier at one hundred AM fifty miles long
By from eighty to ninety broad. 1t has
never been penetrated by civilized man.
Various attempts were made by the church
and the civil and military authorities of the
crown to communicate with its inhabitants,
and being then under the Spanish authority
blu. all were etfeetually repealed, as have
been also the few feeble efforts to explore the
region made since the independence. OF the
Indians, called Guatusos, inhabiting this dis
trct, OF whom nothing is positively known,
the most. extraordinary notions. and enter
tanned by the people of the adjacent States.
They are repated to be above the ordinary
stature, with comparatively light complex
ions and red hair; and tales are told of some
of their women having been seen by hunters
anu others, as fair and beautiful as the fair
est Europeans. Such stories, however,
are entitled to no credit; but the fact
remains of the existence here of large
unexp lored district, Inhabited by aconsi-
derable population, with character, habits,
Ian guage, religion and modes of life,
probably in no degree changed from what
they were before the conquest, and that, too,
50 near one of the great American lines to
transit across the continent that the sound OF
the beating paddles of our steamers on the
river San, nan, and In Lake Nicaragua, must
often be echoed back from mountains that
81 ut them in But the bulk OF Mr.. Ssuier's
discourse was taken up with an account, based
upon recent explorations, ot hitherto u lex
larger and more interesting than the Bolsou
OF the Guatusos his is the vast region lying
between Chiapa, Tabasco, Yucatan and the
republic OF Guatemalay which appears in our
maps either as blank or is only lconjectura-
lytilled up with mountains, lakes and streams.
All that has been known OF it is, that it is
traversed by nameless ranges of mountains,
among, which the great river Usumasinta
gathers its waters from q thousand tributors
before pouring them, in a mighty food into
the Gulf of Mexico, and that it is still occu
pied by a considerable body of Indians, the
Z Lacandones and others, who have success
fully resisted the force OF heSpsnish arms,
who still maintain their independence, and
preserve and practise the rites and habits of
their ancestors, as they existed before the
era of Columbus and Cortez.
J, 1t is in the depths of this region, on ssme
far off tributary OF the Usumacinta, that the
popular tradition of Guatemala and Chiapa
places, that great, aboriginal city, with its
white walls glistening in the sun, which the
cure of .Quiche affirmed to Mr.. Stephens he
had seen, with hiSown eyes, from the tops
of the moantainso of Quesaltenango. Cartez
spent two years in traversing this region, in
his famous march from Mexico to Honduras;
bat sineeshis day thegreater part of it has
remainedsuntrackedian undescribed. Mr..
Squier described this. 3reyion, which alto
gether equals New England in area, as ma,
urally divided into three districts: the
Great Upper valley of Usumasinta, as yet
wholly unexplored; the territorial basin OF
Peten, destitute of an outlet, and having in !:
its centre the large lake Of Itza,and the pro-
vince of Vera Paz, the ancient land of war
of the Spaniards. Peteny was formerly oc-
cupied by the warlike Itzacs q branch OF
the people of Yucatan, who retained their
kas..
fashions Of their ancestors, and retained
their primitive forms of government and
religion up to 1893, little more than a hum
bred aud Fifty years ago. They were then
reduced and most of their temples and pub
lie edifces destroyed; but as their country
was shut in by high and almost impossible
mountains and vast forests, and was moreover
destitute of the precious metals, it was al
lowed to relapse into something of its origi.
nal condition, with strange, and, in some
respects, comical notifications, through tn 9
influence Of the Catholic faith and European
arts and modes of life. Secluded from the
world, its people now live in state of al
most Arcadian simplicity, of which Mr.
Squier drew graphic and pleasing picture, 4
giving also an outline of their history, and
an account of the ancient monuments found
in their territory, which bear a great resem-
blance to those of Palenque and Yucataa.-
The geography ana topography OF Feten,
however, are perhaps more interesting than
its people. The district, as already said, is a.
terrestrial basin, ele vated 1000 feet above the
sea, to which it.has noioutlet. 3 In its centre
nevertheless, is the large lake OF liza, up
wards OF titty miles long, which has hither-
to been a puzzle to geographers. The natives
call it by name which signifies Drink much
from the circumstance that it receives but
gives out no water. 1t is deep and studded
had their strongholds, and moreover abounds
in fishes OF new and undescribed varieties.
1t is also inhabited by a novel species of ali
gator, or rather by true crocodile; the only
congener of the African variety, probably,
which has yet been found on tais continent
There are also large mum Der OF other lakes,
extending nearly iongitudinally through the
district, with intervening low grounds,
which during the rainy season are over
flowed permitting of nearly uninterrupted