Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-16

ccttTs, Vi WHICH cast was taken ana sent
to New York. The inscription on it rep
resents the King, Cocoon, who was tribu-
tary to the great Chaacmol, monarch of
Chichen-ltza, whose grotesque portrait ap-
pears full-length upon his castle wall.
According to Maya genesis, the Creator
formed the first man from handful of
sacate grass mixed with earth. From
the latter came his flesh and bones, and
from the grass his beauty and vigor.
Dwarfs and giants were the first people
of the land, and, as usual in traditions, the
former always yanquished the latter.
There seem to have been two distinct i'm
migrations into the peninsula, but it is
generally conceded that in ages past the
great and potent thsocratic empire existed
in that part of Central America where
Yucatan, Guatemala and Southern Mexico
come together. Successive immigrations
sweeping over it from the north and from
the south, finally obliterated all distinct
i've race-individuality of the first inhabit-
ants. The capital city of the early EN-
pire was Aibalba, believed to be the Pa
lenqueoi the present day. Nahuatls tribes,
coming down from thenorth, built another
city which they called Tulha, in what is
now the State of Chiapas. In Ah-Izu, the
mythical "Sacred Book of the Clutches.
we are told that the present inhabitants of
Peten are lineal descendants of those
dwellers in Xibalba.
When the Spaniards came the three
distinct immigra;ions into Yucatan-the
ltzaes Mayas, and Caribs-all spoke one
tongue, the Maya language The Itzaes
founded cities in the northeastern portion
of the peninsula-Tho (now Merida),
1tzamal and Chiohen-Itza. The Mayas
arrived in the fifth and sixth centuries,
followed by the Titul-Nius. The former
founded Mayapan, and the latter settled in
the region of Uxmal In the wars that
ensued between the Itzaes and Mayas, the
latter came out ahead, and ruled the coun-
try, while the ltzaes retired to Chichen.
The head of this ruling fimily was Ceom,
from whom descended the Princes of
Mayapan. Under King Cpom were many
lords and caciqueS, who were bound to paw
him tribute Of cotton clothes, eocao, fowls.
and gum for incense; to fight for him in
wars, and to serve him day and night in
the temples Of the idols, at festivals and
ceremonies. These lords. in turn, had
under them many cities and serf Becom-
ing proud and ambitious, and unwilling to
brook a superior, they rebelled against
Coon, and uniting their forces, besieged
and destroyed the city Of Mayapan. Ac-
cording to Herrera, this destruction oc-
CURED in the year 1920, and King Ceom
with all his sons but one. was murdered by
the mobiles.
OF this old-time monarch DIR. lie
him in the reception-room of Queen
kinich-kalmo, the wife and sister of
the great King Chaacmol. That King,
Cocoon, is the parsonage represented on
the anita of the castle, in the bas-reliefS
of the Quecu'S chamber at Chichen. and
on the slab found in Mayapan by the
Able Brasseur de Bourbourg. One has
only to look at his unique, unmistalable
nose, his short stature aud towering hat
to become satisfied of his identity. And
then his name is symboized by little
yellow Hover, in some cases closed, in
Others open. In the Maya dictionary
cocoon is plant with yellow flowers from
the leaves Of which during the feast of
st. John people make kind of cigar
Cocoon was the name of an ancient MAYA
dynasty, and is still preserved as an
ancient family name among the natives
of Yucatan. The number of feathers in
the cap of the King indicates his exalted
rank. The man before him holds a scroll
and this is proven by Landa that they
had scrolls, written on large leaves folded
and inclosed between two boards"
When any of the ancient family of
Cocoon died, the principal lords cut off
their heads and cooked them, in order to
clean the meat from the bones after
which they sawed off the hind part Of the
skull, preserving the front with its jaws
and teeth. They then replaced the flesh
on the half skull with certain putty,
giving them much the same appearance
they had when alive; and then placed
them among their idols and cinerary
statues in the Oratorios, and looked upon
them with great reverence and love- At
least, so say the historians.
FANNIE B. WARD.