Bisbee daily review., 1906-07-01
Government EthnoIogist Tells William E. CurtiS of
 Unexplored Ruins.
THE SKILL OF THE
 BUILDERS WAS GREAT
But Little information of These Prehistoric Builders Can Be Cleaned by the Scientists of the Present Day,

WASHINGTON June 3O.-When l asked Professor Holmes, chief of the bureau of ethnology, why he did not send an expedition to the isthmus Of Tehauntepec to explore the great ruined city which has been recently discovered in the jungieS of the State of Chiapas. he replied that he had neither the men nor the money.
 The entire force of the bureau" he said, lis occupied within the limits Of this country, and we are able to do only a small portion of what we would like to do in the line of our work. We cannot spare any men or money 10 carry on explorations in foreign countries, particularly in countries that will not permit us to bring away that we may find. Mexico has law, which is very strictly enforced, pro- bibiting the export of relics from the ruins in that republic and all other objects of archaeological interest. or course, We have no right to complain, because the Mexicans have museums of their own and they naturally pre- fer to keep all evidences of their pre- historic arts and industries. We would do that ourselves if we were in their place, but, at the same tune, such a law is rather discouragtng to foreign explorers.
 "You made an exploration of the ruins at Palenque in Yucatan?"
 "Yes. I went down in 1895 on Ali son Armour's yacht in the interest or the Field Museum of Chicago ana snant three months around Palenque. would like very much to go again and explore the newly discovered cities. for there is no field more fas- eiuatins to the archaeologist, but, as I have said, this bureau has all Il can attend to at home. The Smithsonian Institution could send party II II has the funds, and the Carnegle ln- stitute. Doubtless the Mexican gov crnment would be very glad to nave them do so.
 Professor Holmes has never heard of the ruins reported to nave recently beep discovered by a party or tie cutters from the Pan-American Rail- way. which I wrote about recently in , letter from the Isthmus of Tehuan- tepec. but he says that they are To- cated in a part of Mexico which is known 10 contain many ruins similar .o those described but has never been explored.
 who built those cities?" I asked.
 The people who built them have vanished replied Professor Holmes. Although their descendants undouot- edlv still occupy the country, the par ticular tribe or tribes cannot be lden- rified. They have lost the arts and the industries of their pTogenitors and their traditions go back only few generations. While that section of Mexico was undoubtedly more densely populated at that time than now, q do not believe the number Of lnhabl' tants was as great as IS popuiarlS supposed. The early estimates were based upon visits to centers o1 popu lation, without considering that the vast expanse of Chiapas was very tbinly settled. There are now about 50O, ,000 inhabitants in what IS kno"I among archaeologists as the Maya areaSthat is, the States of Yucatar and Chiapas, which were originally occupied by the Maya race. Of the present inhabitants, at least 3OO,OOt are said by Briton to speak the abor iginal language and that only. This proves that very little outside infu ence has ever been eXeTted upoT them. They have been very general Hlv converted to the Catholic religion by missionary priests, but they stll practice their ancient pagan rites ant undoubtedly retain something Of then ancient beliefs-much more thai would be suspected by casual travel CTS in that region.
 MT. TozZer of Harvard, under th' direction of Charles P. Bowditch. th' well known authority on the glyphit writings of the ancients, has spen several years in the Maya countr! with a view 10 learning whether there are left any traces Of the ancient GUS toms and beliefs and especially If tn present inhabitants have any knowl edge of the system of writing used b. their Eorefathers. Although no repoT las been published, it is understoo' that his researches have .I3J heen Fe warded with any great measure c < success. Among the living inhabi ->tants of the region the past is blank They can remember their grand fathers, but they know of nothing bac' of them. Their traditions are exceed inglv limited and unsatisfactory. Fol merly the records of the nation wer kept by the priesthood. They alon had a knowledge of the history of thei people. They alone were familia with the past, and unfortunately, the were the first objects of the wrath ( the SpaniaTds. Their heathenish rite immediately excited the indignation ( the monks and priests who accomp; nied the Conquistadores, and the were not only massacred, but ever yestige of their religion was wiped ou and the records were destroyed. The temples and altars were the fir points os attack. The invasion America by the Spaniards had man of the features of a religious crusad
 This is the chief reason why W know so little about the prehistor people of Spanish-America and the civilization. The only evidence
 found in the reports made by tf priests who accompanied the Conqui tadores to their superioTs at hom but they are exceedingly unsatisfact " and were naturally tainted vii pseiudice. .. -.