The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-03-27
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In the current number Of the Century
Magazine. George Byron Gordon writes
OF bis discoveries on the site OF an an
Client buried city In Honduras. From
this interesting article We quote:
From the valley Of Mexico. the center
of Us power and influence. the Aztec
civilization az the time OF the conquest
had spread itself 10 the Gulf Of Mexico
and to the Pacific ocean. TO the river
PanucO ON the north and to the Gulf
OF Tehuantepec on she south. with
small outlying colonies stlll farther
south
The broad plains Of Yucatan and the
fertile valleys Of Central America com
prise the theater whore the much older
Maya civilization had rs rise, culmina-
fion and decline-the unrecorded acts
In very imposing drama played long
ago by actors whose names have been
forgotten. Yes: long before the dream
Of western empire began 20 oil the
minds Of Europeans. firing the ambi-
ton Of kings. and melting the adyentur-
Gus spirits OF the time. full Of the ro-
mantle daring Of the age Of chivalry.
and thirsting for conquest. 20 seek for
tune and fame az all hazards In the
golden regions OF the west-centuries
before the kingdom % the Montezu-
mas. whose evil destiny Il was 10 fall
a prey 20 these avarlci0us and unprin-
cIpled men. had risen 10 power and
glory ln the beautiful valley u Mexico
the curtain had already fallen on the
last sad scene that closed another em-
pire's career On the arrival nf the
spanlards the scep'er OF the Mayas had
already passed away. and their ruined
cities were the conquerurs spoil.
II u true that az the time Of the con-
cgst there was a remnant Of a pop
ulltlon on the peninsula Of Yucatan-
a number OF tribes who still hunted the
vicinity Of the deserted cties-and
these are generally believed 10 have
been the defendants Of the builders
though this Is by no means certain.
They called themselves Maya people,
their language. they said. was Maya
than. the Mayatioa means the Maya
capital
Not only ana traditions exist IA the
minds o. the people. but many % ihe
old Indian families sim preserved their
books the remnants of once extensive
libraries ln which the history tadi.
lions and customs OF the people were
recorded. Ail these books that thl
Spanish priests could lay their hands
upon were burned -Four only have
come down 90 us priceless relies that
10 some unknown manner found theii
way into European libraries. where
they lay hidden until unearihcd By
scholars of recent years Tho books
of the Mayaa consisted ~ long strips Of
paper made from maggoy hbcr. ant
folded after the manner NJ screen st
o. 90 form pages about nine hy dy'
inches. these we're covered with hero
glyphic characters. very neatly draw
b. hand. iu brilliant c1i0rE Board.
~ completed book looked like a neal
voiurre ~ large octave size The char
aeters ln which they are written ar,
M sane as those found upon the stuu,
tablets and monuments 10 the ruined
eltles Of Palenque and Copan. This sys
TEN o. writing. which b entirely dis
tlnct from the picture writing OF m,
Astecs. was the exclusive possession OF
the Mayas. Il was a highly developed
system. and. az Investigations have
= shown. embraced a number % phon
etlc elemcsts Although nothing has
yet been found that will enable any liy'
ing man % decipher a single inscription
the results obtained boy the labor Of Z
number o, eminent scholars here and
abroad give ground for the hope that
future Investigations viii bear NOR.
fruitful reiults
Hidden tway among the mountains
OF Honduras. ia a beautiful valley
which. even IN that little travelled coun
try. whore wmoteness is Characters.
tic attribute Of places. Is unusually se
Guided is copan. one 0f ths greatest
mysterics Of NE ages Whatever The
oririn a. .is people. this old city Is ais
uneny AncHcan-,ho growth of Am
orloan soilNnd environment The area
complied Sithln the limits OF the old
city conslsit OF level plain seven OF