Morris tribune., 1886-06-02
Dwarfs Sin Central America.

Stories about diminutiyc people are
found in many countries, not as OF real
beings, but shadows that come 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 of Central America,
notably in British Honduras and Yucca
tan. where people little more than four
feet high are very numerous even at the
present time Whenever the natives are
questioned about the ancient temples
found in their country they say The
pigmics built them" and although no
Importance is generally attached to that
answer it is strange fact that on the
east coast of Yucat;n. as well as on ad-
jacent islands, there are whole cities, in
ruinous condition, Of houses that could
not possibly have served for people more
than three feet high. | have measured
many of these houses, which are strong
ly constructed of heWn stone, writes q
correspondent to the New \ York Tribune,
and found the doorways not more than
three feet high and eighteen inches wide,
while my head nearly touched the cell
ings of the largest rooms. No one can
dissuade the natives from the idea that
the ghosts of these diminutive people
roam about at night. They say: but
we do see them; they are no bigger than
q child years old, and they wear big
hats. They throw stones at us, shake
our hammocks. and hammer on the
bench where we grind corn.''
1t is affirmed that very diminutiye
people still dwell among the hills in
Honduras and Guatemala, but no one
seems able to put his fingers upon them,
which would lead to the belief that if
there are any still living, as so many
assert, they must be very few, and sue
cesstul in hiding. Nevertheless, it is
credibly related that one day in the year
1926 some Woodcutters, wandering
along the banks Of the Moho river in
British Honduras, in search Of mahoga
ny trees, we're startled upon reaching q
place called Meditation Fall by strange
little being that suddenly emerged from
the bush, stared wildly at them, then
turned to flee. The men pursued, over
took, and brought the odd creature to
their camp. 1t was dark-skinned girl,
not quite three feet tall, and with no
other covering than her hair, which fell
in thick black masses to her feet, COM
pletely covering her. She was very
wild, but not stupid and, finding that
no harm was done to her, she talked to
the woodcutters in the Maya tongue,
that they also spoke, that being the
language of the Indians in those parts.
AS the weather was cool, one of the
men gave her red flannel shirt, which
clothed her from head to foot. For a
day or two she refused to eat, but after
ward seemed contented, She said her
people were all the same size as herself,
and that they were then living near
Meditation Fall, where they had planted
a corn-field, but that they generally
dwelt three or four miles away in a deep
valley. After she had been in the camp
about ten days some of the men pro-
posed to go and see her people. She
manifested delight and offered to guide
them to the spot. Reaching the place
where they first met her she led them
into the forest, then made a sign for
them to stop and be silent. A hubbub
of voices, as of many people talking,
reached their ears. and the girl whis-
pered to them that she Eould go and
announce their coming, as otherwise her
people would run away and hide on
hearing footsteps. Away she went, and
soon not sound was heard. The men
waited patiently, but their diminutive
guide did not return, Convinced that
She had very -cunningly elnded them,
they went forward, and in two minutes
found themselves in corn-feld. There
Iuepn enhops in two or three Dlaces and
small piles of corn, as if prepared for
transportation. The ground was much
trodden, but no living creature was in
sight. They searched in vain, and re-
NAMED some time in the field, hoping
that the owners would return for the
corn, but they never saw the girl again,
nor any of her people. One of those
very woodmen gave me this account,
and similar stories have been told by
others.