The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1866-06-30

ffHfi# NJ tifF hiFlaNipIH ftfff ~ WW
#mpam wlih Three he fHad N M
NaifliaiYutH aHnify either g. HHl
effiufo ~ lmpHfimllliif, ntaHanily
NJ pry noi isiar ablo ~ eaho
mHfo than hyf hundred yfm. u uf
yeys pef day
nfHhirffHs ~ fHf ffft,
Ahcr dangerous aud wafIsome
vufb NE luai Hiy eHa finally nfthel
and ff The hft time iho bm n lhe
Analo sasu pressed Ne Hftdt with
ave md wonder The latiy ga,el uiuh
The works " distinct mfc fwrq
hundreds ~ years old wetr gfueinR
among The ruins, showing that The
ciiy had been abandoned hciufe ihe
days N torioS, and The architecture
NJ the buildings ls " M order before
unknown upon this continent Some
few houses nfc IN y tolcfablc state ~
preservation, and dill hahitahlc,
while their walls are adorned with
paintings of rare beauty aud merit.
Carved doorwaya aud images abound
In every street, cyincing In their
former inhabitants knowledge of
the Rnc arts not found among the
most civilized aboriginal races. Most
remarkable of all u, some Of the
sculpture indicates among the people
the existence Of the Christian religion.
Places of WORSHIP p are said Ia he nu-
mcrous, aud upon the reverse Of u
statucttc Of a man is carefully carved
that emblem Of Christianity, the
cross.
Whence this race or whit their fate
is mystery, The existence of this
city was unknown to the Aztccs, and
not tradition concerning them is cx-
tant among the Indians, who, when
spoken to respecting them, reply,
antique" Antique The doors
Of the houses were generally closed
with rocks, showing the abandonment
of the city to have been a precon-
certcd movement; but whether this
was caused by civil wars, fears of
savage foes or earthquakes, Is mere
con lecture.
General Lyon will make a thor
ough exploration of the Mctaltaloyu-
ca country, and his report will be
received with rare interest. II the
few letters received at the capital
} from the party state facts, the lost
city will cause n commotion in the
literary world, as its development
must throw light upon the history Of
the lost races of America. The Span
: ish party who visited it in October
: say the ruins bear little resemblance
to those OF Yucatan, or any other
, portion Of Spanish America; and
, |. their paintings and sculpture show
them TO have been fully as far adj
(, vanced in the arts and sciences Of
q the most enlightened European ma.
i ton Of their own day.
The statements of the Spanish
G party must be received with man,
: grains of allowance. Americans wht
c have travelled through Yucatan, anC
9 other old settled States Of Mexico
q concur in the opinion that every ac
J, is greatly exaggerated, and that tn,
. lost city is but the ruins of SOM
c Spanish city, deserted by its inhabi
e tants during the slave insurrectioI
d early in the present century. N
!, record of such a city is to be foun'
ii in the Mexican archives, and If
;, was ever under Spanish rule its ex
d istencc had faded from the publ
l. mind. The country is filed wit
le ruins of most remarkable character
t. and which u casual observer woul
Is pronounce to be four or five centuriC
2 old, but which are known to hay
i been the abodcs of elegance an
Is ; luxury within eighty years.
Dl