Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-09-11

was peering into the black water forward
with my eyes just about skinned to see the
snags, when Segur suddintly whispered
"Great Heaven, Jem, look here ="
turned aside. We were passing break
in the canyon, where the hills smoothed
down into little praira of three or foul
acres maybe. Two lines O. jicara" grew
through it, forming cross in the middle
but all other trees had been cut down or
the hills. An on the crown of the hill.
an down the sides were great piles an
squares of stone, an over them were long
lines Of statues-hundreds an thousands
shining like white marble in the moonlight
Right III our 'front.' in the middle of the
praira, were two small pyramids of adobe
on either side of the jicara line, an about
them was a dozen tall stone figures on pc
destals-some squatted on hands an knees
| others crouched with heads betwixt theil
shoulders like tigers, others had great
mouths that seemed to cape for blood
like living devils For we saw in a mo-
ment what this was-the burying place Of
the Guatuso chiefs, an their big temple
We caught hold of the branches by the
bank, an looked with all our eyes, for it's
a sight as has been given to few men to
behold-those mysterious places where
Indians still worship their devilish old
gods. An grand sight it were-a grand
sight, sir. Under the hill-shadows were
teocallis, taller an broader than in the CEN
tire, an at the furthest side was big
building, low an black There was ban
ners waving on tall slaves, an ribbons and
colored cloths on the jicara-trees, that
futtered gently in the night-wind. Other
things, too, was there on the trees-shape-
less Jumps tied to the branches, an round
white balls that gistened brighter than
ivory. Easy we guessed what those were,
for faint sickly smell came in breaths
across the water The Indian religion
was taught them by devils, the padres say,
and, true it is, they ought TO recognize all
such handiwork.
We sat in our places staring for quar-
ter of an hour, until suddintly great
drum was beaten in the temple, an the
war whistles screamed out. That woke us
up, an we dropped down stream under the
shadow of the trees Six days later, San
Carlos was reached we divided the plum
der, an / returned to the States for spree
while the dollars lasted. Segur went to
Realejo, an thence to San Francisco,
where he's done WELL [ hear-a good fell
low he was
An that's all | can tell you of the Qua
tusos, boys, for | never saw but one, an
he weren't white at all. There's fortune
waiting in that land for the men as has
spunk to 90 seek it, an maybe we'll shake
a cradle there yet, sir, in spite of Greaser
governments The golfred fools, Neither
Nicaragua nor Costa Rica dare go near the
river, an yet they're just gay to fight for
its possession.
Only you call agin for volunteers in
Greytown, sir, an never weat for one gov
ernment or another we'll put the matter
through ,-Chan16ers' Journal
The jicdrd, wild calab ash tree l. stlll rever
enced by the Christian Indians Of Central America
but the excuse given for this superstition i the
shape OF the leaves, which grow IN foure, forTnng
always perfect cross. The iicara has been gencr
ally noticed by the auth company with remains
OF the Indian religions on the mountains Of Central
America.