Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-10-17

though have small hopes that way. Still
let him look for me In the forests Of Yuca-
tan"
Now, when Otomie heard Of this prom
Ise Of mine she was vexed, for sho said
that 1t was foolish and would only end in
my losing my life Still, having given it,
she held with me that 1t must be carried
out and the end Of 1t was that raised 500
men, and with them set out upon my long
and tuilsome march, which I timed so as
to meet Cortes In the passes Of Yucatan.
At the last moment Otomie wished to &C.
company me, but forbade 1t, pointing
out that she could leave neither Of her chill
dren, and We parted with bitter grief for
the first time
OF all the hardships that underwent I
will not write. For 2H months we strug-
gled on across mountains and rivers and
through swamps and forests till at last
we reached o mighty deserted city that is
called Palenque by the Indians Of those
parts, which has been uninhabited for
many generations This city is the most
marvellous place that havo seen in all my
travels, though much Of it Is hidden In
bush, for wherever the traveller wanders
there he finds vast palaces Of marble, car
ven within and without, and sculptured
teocallis and the huge images of grinning
gods. Often have I wondered what ma
tion was strong enough to build such
capital, and who were the kings that dwelt
In 1t. But these arc secrets belonging to
the past, and they cannot bo answered till
some learned man has found the koy to
the stone symbols and writings with
which the walls Of the buildings are COW
cred over.
In this city hid with my men, though
1t was no easy task to persuade them to
take up their habitation among so many
ghosts Of the departed, not to speak of the
hoisome fevers and tho wild beasts and
snakes that haunted 1t, for had informa-
ton that the Spaniards would pass through
the swamp that lies between the ruins and
the river, and there hoped to ambush
them. But on the eighth day of my hid
Ing I learned from spies that Cortcs had
crossed the great river higher up and was
cutting his way through tho forest, for of
swamps he had passed moro than enough.
SO hurried also to the river, intending to
Cross It, But ull that day and oil that
night It rained as 1t can rain nowhere else
In the world that have seen, till ut last
We waded on our road kneo deep In water,
and when We camo to the ford Of tho river
1t was to find wide, roaring flood that
no man could pass in anything less frail
than Yarmouth herring boat So there
on the bank we must stay In misery, suf-
fering many ills from fever, lack of food
and plentitude Of water till ut longth the
stream ran down.
Three days and nights wo waited there,
and on the fourth morning made shift
to cross, losing four men by drowning In
the passage. Onco over, 7 hid my force IN
the bush and reeds and crept forward with
SIX men only to SEQ If I could discover
anything of the whereabouts OF the Span
iards. Within an hour I struck tho trail
that they had cut through tho forest and
followed it cautiously. Presently we came
TO spot whero tho forest was thin, and
here Cortcs had campctl. for there was heat
left In tho ashes of his firrs, ,,:nd among
them lay tho body of al Indian who had
died from sickness. Not 80 yards from
this camp stood hugo criba, II tree that
has habit of growth not unlike that OF
our Engl.sh SR. SR :s..iioo%sh s.ioa;h it Is soft wooded