The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-09

Toltecs. Nov We have the remains OF the
Mayas ~ Yucatan. who were evidently
Toltec. and what DO we fndg
Remarkable Evidence.
In the National Museum at Madrid there
Is preserved one of the books OF the Mayas
which escaped the general auto da fc OF
the Bishop L.anda who burned these books
whenever found. The paper resembles
very much the paper manufactured by
the Chinese. and IL consists of a long
stlip doubled 20 fold between two boards
like their early books The text consists
Of hierOglyphics and picture writing which
IL the only thing about Il not resembling
the Chinese. II IS, Indeed. beautiful
piece Of aboriginal book making.
In Mexico there existed traditions OF
the visit OF a strange people 10 the coun-
try who taught many things, and Alex
ander Won Humboldt, in his Views OF
the Cordilleras," mentions a number OF
surprising condolences between che Mex
lean ana Aslafic civilizations. Recent
travellers In Mexico and Central America
must have noted the fondness displayed
by the native races for fireworks, which
they manufacture themselves and set on
In honor OF their Catholic saints, which
were substituted for their idols by the
apaniards. Now. whore did they obtain
their knowledge OF fireworks. II not from
them from the spaniards. who care moth
ing for fireworks. and. like ourselves, II
they ever had any goa them from the Chi
nese. Another thing which the modern
Mexican Indian INDUCED In which Is pc
cullar to the Chinese Is the stray, or rush
mat They use a In one form or an
other as an umbrella. an awning, a cur
tain. a rug. and. finally, cover 70 their
couch 10 sleep on. And what Is more,
japanese or Chinese than the suyacal OF
the Central American Indiani This is a
form OF waterproof cloak, made by
stitching long blades OF the palm leaf.
one over the other. like the Stats OF a
Persian blind. or the shingles on a house.
When not IN use Il Is conveniently rolled
and carried by the Indian on his jour
news. and upon the appearance OF rain
ne unrolls H. holds one end NJ over his
head. and letting the rest OF II hang down
his back. It sheds water completely
The Mayas of Yucntan, and Chinese
same People.
M course n old Hwui shan's account
Of Fusang Is correct. and that country is
really Mexico. his hve Buddhist mission
aries left there could not be expected to
change the physiological characteristics
OF tho people, though the effect OF reli-
eion. education and training Is evident
In a single generation OF our own people.
Nevertheless the ,Mayas OF fueatan close
Ia resemble the Chinese Some years ago
an English company. endeavoring TO start
a sugar plantation In the colony OF Brit
ism Honduras. imported several hundred
Cinnamon. indenturcd for a number OF
years. 20 work their plantations. II was
NOT long before these Cinnamon disappear
ed They had seen some OF the Maya In
dians. and discovering some similarity be-
tween them and themselves. had taken 70
the bush with them Among 'he people
inhabi,ing the lake city Of Peien on the
southern borders OF Yucatan. the writer
81 this article discovered q Chlnaman
whom he did not distinguish from any OF
the natives. although ne was generally
called the "chinaman." He was one Of
the survivors Of the coolie traffic 60 Brit
ian Honduras. and when questioned talk
"a freely OF the little he could remember
OF his past He did not seem 20 be spec
ufatIve enough 90 discuss any affinity be-
tween hh own race ana the Mayas, though
he smoke their language. probably better
han he ala spanish. He showed me the
woodeu outside door OF house which one
Of his countrymen had artistically paint
- with pigments and brushes OF bis own
discovery and invention.
Testimony of the Temple.
when NE come 10 search the remains
~ The Totecs. or whoever the builders
81 those cities were. now scatterea In
r,,,ns throuRhotA Lower Mexico ande Yu-
ratan. We md IN many places the conn
,eroart OF such Buddhist temples as ere
ronia in lava and many other Asiatic
Countries. 20 which the Buddhist religion
u,as carried. II. Desire Charnay. In MS
sAncieut cities Of the New World gives
4, drawing from a photograph OF the
Temple Of the sun" Of Paienqus, and