Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-10

10 the disappearance of the one conti-
nent, it Is curious fact that another
land has risen from its watery bed. We
are able to clearly show by the aid of
geology that large part Of the great
dock OF terra flrma now known as
Yucatan Is a newborn realm. The
massive beds Of limestone, of which the
peninsula is formed, contains and are
largely made up OF the remains of the
marine forms Of life now fiourishing
along It's shores. Fossil shells obtained
from the rocks in various parts of the
country are all of living species. and
represent late Pliocene' or Pleistocene
times, thus possibly bringing the date of
the elevation of Yucatan down some
what near that of the reputed sinking
OF Atlantis. some eleven or twelve thou.
sand years ago. or not far from the
period that witnessed the oscillations
attending the close of the glacial
period
While DR.. Holmes wrote this disser-
tatlon on the geology of Yucatan, some
81 years ago, 1t seems freshly con-
tilnleo oy the more recently accepted
theorles OF isostasy Chiefly promul-
gated by DR.. Bowie of the United States
coast and Geodetic Survey based upon
the idea that every section of the sur
race OF the earth, while in equilibrium.
must exactly balance in weight every
other section of equal area; hence If
the continent of Atlantis sank, it must
result In the rising of other adjoining
areas-and so came the rising of Yucca
tan out OF the sea, or above its former
ievel, being pushed upward by the
now OF rock, 60 or IS miles below the
surface, when Atlantis sank.
-
DR.. Holmes continues:
lie cites the fact that there are few
surface streams in Yucatan, but MANY
underground streams, and he adds:
But strange thing has happened
10 mt this land for habitation. AS
time passed by, the roofs of the UNDER
ground streams were per- grated in
places by the processes of ,lisintegra-
ton and caving In, and yaW ling SINKS
were formed. in the bottoms of which
could be seen pools of darkl.ng water,
In the midst of the forest the traveller
comes suddenly upon these great els
tern-like pits leading down into the
bowels OF the earth. Many are irregu-
lar In outline and section, taking the
character OF caverns, but others are so
round and even-walled as to be taken
for works of art. They are often 100
or more feet in depth and 200 or 800
feet in diameter, and in some cases the
water cannot be reached save by ropes
or ladders, while in others, portions of
the walls have fallen in, giving steep
pathways down to the waters edge.
From these unique reservoirs the water
supply of the ancient nations was al
most exclusively obtained.
Into this strange new land, some
thousand or more years ago. pioneers
of the red race gradually found their
way, and. taking possession of the great
wells, built themselves habitationS."
y ~
One of the most famous of the ruins
of Yucatan Is called Chlchenitza. The
Maya word for we'll is "chichen," so
Chichenitza means the well of the tribe
of Itza-one of the several Maya tribes.
The too general impression is that
the Mayas are today an extinct race.
DR.. Holmes records:
Eat the period Of conquest, the
Maya tribes, occupying the Peninsula
Of neighboring territory to the south
and west. are said to have comprised
in the neighborhood of 1000 900 souls.
Today, they are distributed over nearly
the same area, but are reduced in num-
bers, 1t Is estimated, to less than 500, 900,
half at least of whom continue to speak
the Maya tongue in its purity"
/ What makes the Maya race so In
! teresting Is the evidence of its ancient
very high development In architecture