The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-11-05
Ruined Palaces.

! Mr.. Francis r. Fast, secretary Of thI
Central American Syndicate company
expressed himself to q reporter OF til,
P.ttsbUrg D.spatch upon Central Amer
lea as follows; Most, or / might SAY
| all. OF my travelling was done on tht
back of mule. with only a servant
would travel all day. aud ut night, at
| ter swinging my hammock under tret
in the public square OF the little vii
iage where intended TO rest, crowd
! of the principal mon would gather
/ around aud ask iunumerablo question.
i about ms country In queer, ,innocont
fashion. After ] had told them all,
they in turn would relate the traditions
OF their ancestors; Of the fabulous
mines of gold and silver; Of the Span
ish conquest, aud the glory of their de-
parted greatness. Travelled from the
British colony of Belize to the Incas'
ruins in the province of Copan, in tho
republic of Honduras
What do you know of the reported
discovery by priest of key to the
Mexican and Central American hero
glvphics7"
81 know nothing beyond what Ihave
read since returned to New York. |
heard nothing of 1t down there. In
fact. l think there is very little in it. l
don't see how any key can be obtained
that would unlock the Incas' nyster-
les. There is no vestige of the old
language left. and there was no con-
temporaneous language that was re-
duced to writing that know Or over
heard Of. But of these Incas' ruins,
they are wonderful You come upon
them in the midst Of morass and
swamp. Miles of magnificent columns
the wreck of the palaces Of the emper-
ors who ruled before Cortez came.
Next TO the beauty of their ruins comes
the beauty of their pottery. remains of
which are to be found within the walls
of every temple and palace. ~
''What is the most striking thing In
the way of ruins that you encountcrcda"
"a wonderful road, Tho Appian
way has been tho boast of antiquarians
for ages, but what do you think of a
road sixty miles long in the heart of
Central America, constructed over
mountain and through morass and
jungle, and exquisiteIy paved with
square blocks of stone, rs compactly
as our Belgian blocks of to-dayP One
OF the Inca emperors had the road
built expressly for his bride. SO that
when she came on her bridal trip to
his palace her mule train would have
tit road upon which to travel The
tradition says that this raler. whose
name has been forgotten. had one
thousand men for nearly year work
ing upon this enterprise. Tho ruins
are there TO show for the work yet, and
| travelled on that strange thorough
fare over whose stones, still firmly set,
the tangled vines and branches of the
giant trees formed a canopy that al
most excluded the sunlight
And The people arc lazy aud dis
honest, Ipresume, suggested the re-
porter.
Lazy? Yes" replied the gentle
man. but not dishonest. On the other
hand they are strictly honest. Once
4 month peon is sent from the mines
down to the colony for coin to pay the
hands. He has no guard and receives
50 cents day for his services. He re-
turns regularly with from $4,000 to |
s., 600 in gold in tho net on the mules |
pack. The village is sixty miles from
he mine, The native women are the
)rettiest On the continent. but they are
he most slovenly, too. l may add"
dr. Fast will return to Central Ameri- !
- the coming fall in all probability.