The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-13
LAND OF DEAD CITIES


 quered are the Tzendils, Tzotzils. One lers, Chols, Chontals and Lancadone. The last named tribe occupies the upper basin of the Usumacinta River in both Mexican and GIatemaIan territory, and probably is the most numerous and the most powerful of the aboriginal peoples remaining in North America.
 The peninsular of Yucatan is nothing but a vast coral reef that. in ages past, was raised above the level of the sea. This bald. bare rock is incapable of sup porting the luxuriant vegetation found in the deeper soil of the adjacent countries Often the palms take on curious dwdrfed and stunted forms. Strangely enough, however, the very poverty of the soil causes the mahogany. rosewood. cedar and other cabinet woods of Yucatan to be more valuable than those found any, where else in tropical America. Their growth Is necessarily very slow, giving them a hneness of grain and a closeness of texture elsewhere unknown.
 The forests of palms and hardwoods are confined to the eastern coast and the low lying country bordering on Guatemala and British Honduras. The remainder of the territory, although elevated only A few hundred feet above the level of the sea, supports no vegetation except the
 
 is excessive. often being as high as 14O inches in year in places, but notwith- standing this there are no running streams of water. In the course of untold ages the water have dissolved the chan nels and galleries in the coralline lime stone strata and find their way to the sea through underground channels. Far out in the bay of Campeachy are a score or more places many miles apart, where arfW 1f
 through the brine, and at these vessels engaged in the lumber and dyewood trade secure their supply.
 From these subterranean streams the people of Yucatan obtain water for do- nestle use. Here and there are descend ing caves leading down to the waters Some of these caves evidently are the work of man, stairways being cut in the solid limestone to give access to the wa. ter. The caverns through which it flows are called cenotes, and at all hours ot the day a constant procession of womer may be seen entering and emerging witt earthen vessels. in which they carry coo water from the depths below.
 The famous cenote of Calonchen is 41C feet below the surface and Is reached by a series of gently sloping galleries and spiral stairways, requiring a journey of nearly 1,7OO feet each way. At Merida, on the north coast, the chief emporium of trade in sisal hemp. the cenotes are only twenty-ive feet below the surface, and nearly every dwelling has a we'll to the waters below
 Many, and perhaps all, of the cenotes are connected by a series of caverns which must be hundreds of miles in ex- tent. These galleries are inhabited by Q peculiar eyeless crocodile. of a sickly gray color. and by bird called the "teh,'' nay ing soft silky plumage and a tail of bui two feathers. The teh is he'd in super stitious reverence by every native of Yu- catan. Tribal legends say the souls oi departed chiefs dwell in the bodies ot these birds, and that some day they will once more return to their human forms and restore tho lost greatness of the Mayas.
 Every one of the great groups of ruir which have made Yucatan famous ii found in the immediate vicinity of ce, note. This proves that however remote may have been the period in which thu civilization of the Mayas ficurished, tn same physit al conditions prevailed ther as now. More than sixty extensive group: of these ruins have been visited and part ly explored. How many more are to b' . found in the unvisitcd regions occupied