Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1886-07-24
DWARFS IN CENTRAL AMERICA.
Ruined Cities that Testify Of Their Former
Existence.

| Stories about diminutive people ar,
found IN many countries, not as O
real beings, but shadows that com,
and go, and are called by various
names, such as fairy, fay, elf, pixie
| etc.
Nowhere are such little people more
talked about than in some parts o.
Central America, notably in British
Honduras and Yucatan, where people
| little more than four feet high
are very numerous even at the present
timo.
Whenever the natives are questioned
about the ancient temples found in
their country, they say, 1.-THE pygmies
built them," and although no i'm.
portance is generally attached to that
answer, it is strange fact that on the
East Coast of Yucatan, as well as on
adjacent islands, there are whole
cities, in ruinous condition, of houses
that could not possibly have served
for people more than three feet
high.
l have measured many Of those
houses, which are strongly con-
structed of hewn stone, and found
the doorways not more than three
feet high, and eighteen inches wide,
while my head nearly touched the
ceilings Of the largest rooms;
No one can dissuade the natives
from the idea that the ghosts of
those diminutive people roam about
at night They say, 9" But we do
sec them; they are not bigger than a
child four years old, and they wear big
hats. They throw stones of us, shake
our hammocks, and hammer on the
bench where we grind corn"
1t Is affirmed that very diminu!ivr
people still dwell among the hills
in Hon luras and Guatemala, but no on,
seems able to put his fingers upon
them, which would lead to the belief
thai if there are any still living, as $,
many assert, they must be very few
and successful in hiding.
Nevertheless, it is credibly related
lat one day in the year 1925, som.
woodcutters, wandering along tn
banks of the Mo. River in Dritisl.
Honduras, in search of mahogany
trees, We're startled upon reaching (
place called Meditation Fall by E
strange littlc being that suddcnlv
emerged from the bush, stared wildly
at them, then turned to flee.
Tho men pursued, overlook, and
brought the odd creature to then
camp.
1t was dark skinned girl, not
quite three feet tall, and with n,
other covering than her hair, which
fell in thick black masses t.
her feet, completely covering her.
She was very wild, but not stupid
AMI finding that no harm was don
TO her, she talked to the wood -cutters
in the Maya tongue that they ais
spoke, that being the language of tn,
Indians i'll those parts.
As the weather was cool, one of then
gave Eer red flannel shirt, w!iic?
'lothcd her from head to foot.
For day or two she refus2
eat, but afterward seemed COZ
entcd
She said her people were all til,
anne size as herself, and that they
Tere then living near Meditation Fall,
where they had planted corn-icld,
'ut they generally dwelt three
II four miles away in o deep
alley.
After she had been in the camp
bout ten days, some of the men pro-
'osed to go and see her people. She
manifested delight, and offered to
,uide them to the spot
Reaching the place Where they first
net her, she led them into the forest,
hen made sign for them to stop and
'e silent.
A hub-bub Of voices, as of many
cople talking, reached their ears.
nd the girl whispered to them that
he would go and announce their
oming, as otherwise her people
'ould run away and hide on hear
1g footsteps. Away she went, and
non not sound was heard.
The men waited patiently, but
lcir diminutive guide did not
aturn. Convinced that she had very
eluded them, they went
'rward, and in two minutes found |
in cornfeld.
There were embers in two or three
laces, and small piles of corn, rs if
repaired for transportation. Tie
round was much trodden, but no
wing creature was in sight.
They searched in vain, and rem aimed
'mc time in the field, hoping that
ie owners would return for the corn,
ut they never saw the girl again, MOI
~ of her people.
Ono of those very woodmen gave me
ii account, and similar stories have
zen told by others; but all such
orics might be doubted were it
ot for the cities of diminutvic
buses, which any traveller may exam
&c for himself N. Y. Tribune.