New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-02
iSENOTE.S IN YUCATAN.
THE NATURAL WELLS OF THE COUNTRY.
HOW AN INDIAN WOMAN TRIED TO HIDE HER
PEOPLES SECRET.

HOW AN INDIAN WOMAN TRIED TO HIDE HER
PEOPLES SECRET.
Among the thousands Of persons who have vislteo
Florida have been Interested in the subterranean
currents and basins Of water inhabited by blind fish
OF the genus slurus. They live in darkness and the
inaction Of the visual organ II it existed, has
ended in its suppression. Dame Nature Is great
economist generally Withholding or withdrawing WHAT
Is not strictly necessary to her subjects.
As Florida stretches ont forming one Jaw OF the
Mexican Gulf which VIE venture to hken TO Dig
mouth, the southern or lower Jaw IL FORMED ny
another peninsula famous for It's ruins. Here, too,
we find those same suberranean currents and basins,
much numerous; also enormous natural wells
open TO the surface Of the earth. such sources OF
water greatly increase the value Of land, there being
rivers worth meniionlng In any part Of the country
In land where hospitality is an unwritten law
inns regarded unnecessary. strangers are rare
objects in the Interior, and friends eyer welcome
among their acquantanccs. The convent doors stand
open to all strangers wrthy Of consideration az these
buildings are now the dwelling place Of only the
priest and his servants. Nexico's Indian President,
Beni,o Juarez, enacted Laws in 1861 fOrbidding any
religious body dwell In community.
1t was while enjoying the hospitality Of the Rev.
Father Pablo Ancona that learned the story OF a
famous senOte (thc name given to all subterrinean
water sources) his plantation; for the Father was
erty Had he not done something OF the sort to
repensh his everopen purse. hs generous hospitality
must soon have come 10 ar end most OF his parish
toner's being poor, and he seldom insisting on his
fees. Don Pablo showed us his plantation with lis
gardens of flowers, fruits and vegetables, IL which
he took pride. lie pointed out for our particular
admiration some truly enormous cabbages We pre-
ferred the oranges. which for our benefit he pulled
from the richly laden trees. They were warmed
Itch, 81 md tha
eyer tasted. The greater part OF the ground was
monopozsd by hemp pa1t. About $50 bales were
piled up in one room. representing some $1,000 Don
Pablo took us through the engine-house. and then
asked II We would Ike 70 know the story Of his scnoe,
which had been the making Of the estate. We
en- loved hearing him tell II in his own way
Near this engine house stood mound built by
the ancients. From II | drew supply OF nicely
hewn stones. II appeared TO that there had bee.
rooms connected With 1t, AID this made me believe
there must be water not far of. declared my
Intention % having the whole pile ~ masonry removed
to what could find OTe Of my Indians. a
vouug man. became quite excited. implorlng mo TO
d. nothing Of the sort because the mound had spirit
keepers. dwnrt,h creatures that were often seen
laughed at him. vov'tng that II his dwarfs lived
nnder the mould we would take good look AT them.
% ! had the mound destroyed but III" fellow who
had tried 10 dis.uade me- would not help in the work.
He ,aid I could have him whipped If liked. but as
for ,aldng part In The destruction lie would not. This
made mo suspect that he knew something about tue
,pot and that ne mu, have learned 1t from his aged
ERA imothor. with whom he lived. I went 10 her
pretending 70 know that hidden senote existed
simply asking her 10 tell me it, exact whereabouts
81. woud say nothing. | Insisted. threatening 10
donc her ahsaluiio~ when her last hour should
% thu, she would no, enter heaven. The poor old
thing cried. begging for pity. Finally. between
threats and coaXing | wrung the truth from her
She aid: NJ father was the only o'c Of our
family to survive a general mnssacre. was his
only CHILD All the family secret. were conided 20
mo- TIL; part OF The land which You call yours and
much moro besides. really belongs to ne ana nine
II divugc secrets concerning II | forfeit the
right and when we come live here again they be-
ove in reincarna'lon shall not be able to obtain
the land because you my cOnfessor tell you,
though Won must not repeat it, She stopped there.
and had to do more coaxlng and talking about the
next world I'll at last. being very inrn, She grew
fired and consented 10 indicate the spot on condition
that three aged women should be presented To the
splrit OF the Senote. they were 10 b" the hrNt 10
on+.r | ns,ontpd. She declared that the water was
rnd.r c.lha tree Clinging to last hope OF
l..pInc her secret she pretended not to know just
which ON. Tn. criba was sacred in Central America
Il. tho bo tree Is I'm CeylOn Looking M them at
t,ntively found tree more beautiful and vigorous
than the others. This led mo TO suppose that the
u,,er WAS beneath II. Sure enough, when the tree
WINS filled and removed came upon hewn stones
s,d mortar In their thirst for the life giving fluid
tb. roots had penetrated deep. twlnng about the
stones and holding 10 them like wise We separated
hewn from unhewn stones, using some of the former
ia buld n stairway down to the wnter, thirty feet
hollow the surface. The stones in the senote and
mound showed that the people had demolished their
own dwelling place TO oil mp the cave. thus de-
urlying their enemies of water and shelter. In the
mound W. found very small dwarfs inde'd-dl-
minnIve clay figures that I regarded toys. 50
eayc them away to- the children of the workm"n The
poor old dame who boldly laid claim TO- Jay
psiatr T. dead her hidden scnut" ms Facilitated th'
work here to such an extent that II IS v'ritabe fonnt
w. followed Don Pablo down the stairs made OF
those stones that had Wtt,-od 'uI'f 'r',S 10 "o
water In which largo pump hnI been placed TO
feed ia" engine employed u preparing the hemp Tor
the market The wate: WAS n transparent ~ ar.
sighllcss bacreS Of III" genus >inruS, WERE urln n
Various passages led off I'm several directions. y
lad into of them. Walking In III" water Tor
distance of about two blocks. y far rs the IGh oil
his torch could reach h" S"w only water before MN,
The pure c,ld air OF ia, cave was delShtlul
contrast the heated air above. rs walls con
sisted Of billions If beautiful fossil shells 80 moS'
mems. on u rock which ov"rhung IN" plncli water
nature had curOuslv formed III" perfect trunk oil
strong mans body. the uIp"r part oi me thighs anu
half cf one arm bling also clearly DE- lined. The
muscles Of the chest were faithfully d'incated This
freak If MIXTURE reminded uS 0l the beautiful rock
carvings In India. To playful ;ugg',tion nat Il
might De pctrlh"d Giant Iml tio Replied ,h"t mr
had seen enormous human thgi bones uh"irthru near
slim ON the cas-, coast and that number Of
gigantic human skulls hnd been dslncrrcd IN ne
ALICE ID. LIZ PLONGEON.
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