Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-02-17

USExPLoRED REGIONS OF CENTRAL AMERI-
CA. Mr.. E. G. Squier, former minister to
Nicaragua, read a paper before the New
York Historical society, few evenings since.
on the unexplored regions of Central Ameri-
ca, which contained matters of great interest.
He said there were two notable instances on
tural wealth, traversed BY navigable rivers
and occupied by strange peoples, which re-
manned in as complete isolation and mystery
as when the continent was first discovered.
First, the Bolson of the Guatusos, fall
ing partly in Nicaragua and partly in Costa
Rica. and comprising the entire valley OF
the Rio Frio, one of the principal streams
falling into the Lake of Nicaragua. This
valley lies between the true COrdilleras of
the continent and the volcanic Pacific coast
range of mountains, and is estimated ut one
hundred and fifty miles long by from eighty
to ninety broad. 1t has never been penetrat
ed by civilized man. Various attempts
were made by the church and the civil and
military authorities of the crown to COM
municate with its inhabitants, and bring
them under the Spanish AUTHORITY; bit all
were effectually repealed, as have been also
the few feeble efforts to explore the region
made since the independence. OF the IndI-
ans, called GuatusOs, ihhaCiting this dis
trict, of whom nothing is positively known,
the most extraordinary notions are entertain
ed by the people of the adjacent states. They
are reputed to be above the ordinary stature,
with comparatively light compilations and
red hair; and tales are told of some of their
women having been seen by hunters and
others. as fair and beautiful as the fairest
Europeans. Such stories. however, are en-
titled to no credit; but the fact remains of
the existence here of large, unexplored dis
trrct inhabited by considerable popula-
ton, with character, habits, language, re-
ligon and modes of life, probably in no
degree changed from what they were before
the conquest, and that, too, so near one OF
the great American lines of transit across
the continent that the 50 nd O. ~ letting
paddles OF our steamers 01 the river San
JUAN and in lake Nicaragua, must often be
echoed back from the mountains that shut
them in. / ut there is hitherto unexplor-
ed district further to the nOrthward, much
larger and more interesting than the Bolson
Of the GuatusoS This is the vast region ly
ing between Chiapa, Tabasco. Yucatan and
the republic of Guatemala, which appears in
our maps either as blank or is only con-
jecturally filled up with mountains, lakes
and streams. All that has been known of 1T
is, that it is traversed by nameless ranges of
mountains, among which the great river
Usumasiata gathers its waters from a thou
sand tributaries before pouring them in a
mighty food iIto the Gulf of Mexico, and
that it is still occupied by a considerable
body Of Indians, the Lacandones and others,
who have successfully resisted the force OF
the Spanish arms, who still maintain their
independence, and preserve and practice the
rites and habits of their ancestors, as they
existed before the era of Columbus and Cor
tez. 1t is in the depths of this region, on
some far off tributary Of the Usumasiata,
that the popular tradition Of Guatemala and |
Chiapa places that great aboriginal city, !
with its white walls gliStening in the su e,
which the care of Quiche affirmed to Mr.. |
Stephens he had seen, with his own eyes,
from the tops of the mountains Of Quesalden- !
ango. Cortez spent two years in traversing |
this region, in his famous march from Mexico
into Honduras; but since his day the greater !
part of it has remained untracked and un-
described. -