The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-03-12
owARFs in CENTRAL AMERICA
Ruined Cities That Testify OF rhei,
Former Existence.

Former Existence.
Stories about diminutivc people are
found in many countries, not as real
beings, but shadows that come and 90
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 Central America and Yucca.
tan, where people little more than four
feet high are very numerous even at
the present time. Whenever the
natives ore questioned about the
ancient temples found in their country
they say, 1.-The pigmies built thcm,"
and although no Importance is pener.
ally attached to that answer Il is a
strange fact that on the east coast Of
lucatan, as we'll as on adjacent islands.
there are whole cities. in ruinous con-
dition. of houses that could not possibly
have served for people more than three
feet high. l have measured many Of
these houses. which, are strongly con-
structcd of hewn stone, writes Il CORE.
spondent to The NcW York Tribune,
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 dissuadc 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 big
ger than child years old, and they
wear big hats. Thcy throw stones at
us. shake our hammocks. and hammer
on the bench wl,crs we grind corn
1t is affirmed that very diminutive
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 successful in hiding. Nevertheless,
it is cre,l.bly related that one day in the
year 1925 some woodcatters, wander.
ing along the banks of the Moho rivcl
in British Honduras, in search of ma.
hogany trees, were startled upon reach.
ing Il place called Med tation Fall
by Il strange littl. being that sudden
ly emerged from the bush, stared
wildly at them, then turne.: to
flee. The men pursued, overlook, and
brought the odd creature to their
camp. 1t was a tiark-skinncd girl, not
quite three feet tall, and with no other
covering than her hair, which fell in
thick black masses to her feet, CON-
plctcly covering her. She was very
wild, but not stupid, and. finding that
no harm was done to her. she talked
to the woodcnttcrs 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 Il rcd flannel shirt, which
clothed her from head to foot. For .
day or two she refused to cat, but
aftcrward 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 cornfirld. hut that they gem
orally dwelt three or four miles away
in deep valley. After she had bccn
in the camp about tn days some of the
men proposed to go aud see her peo-
pie. She manifested delight and offer
cd to guide them to the spot. Reach
ing the plac,. where they first met her
she led them into the forest, then made
sign lOr thcm TO Stop anu be silent.
A hubLub of voices, as of many people
talking. reached their ears. and tho
girl whispered to them that she would
go and announce their coming, as 9th
crwisc her proll: would run away and
hide on hearing footsteps. Away she
went, and soon not IL sound was heard.
The men waited patiently, but their
diminutivc guide did not return. Con-
vinc"d that she had very cunninglv
cluded them, they went forward,
and in two minutes found themselves
in u cornfcld. There were embcrs in
two or three places, and small piles of
corn. as if prepared for transportation.
The ground was much troddrn, but no
living creature was in sight. They
searched in vain, and remained some
time in the field, hoping that the own
crs would return for the corn, but they
never saw the girl again, nor any Of
her people. One of those very wood
men gave me this account, and,
similar stories have been told by 9th
crs: but all such stories might be doubt
ell were ii not for the cities of diminu-
tive houses, which any traveller may
examine for himself.