pendicular depth of which from the level of the city, was more than 100 fathoms. The only entrance to the city was by a narrow causeway, terminating at two gates, one beyond the other, constructed of the chay stone. The dimensions of these works are not given, but the gigantic nature of the fortress bears some analogy to that of Xochicalco in Mexico.* The city of Mixco in Xilotepec was, in like manner, built on the summit of a steep rock, accessible only by a narrow path that would not admit two persons abreast, and intersected by deep ravines. It is said to have been founded by the Pocomam Indians, and is about nine leagues from the modern town of Mixco. The Vale of Tenochtitlan is not richer in ancient monuments, than that of Guatimala and the adjacent provinces. Yet, Pompeii itself was not more effectually shrowded from observation, previously to its disinterment, than these regions have hitherto been from the eye of science or of taste, through the incurious spirit and jealous policy of the Spanish Americans.

*See vol. i. p. 320. The hill of Xochicalco, which Humboldt describes as a mass of rocks to which the hand of man has given a regular conical form, is surrounded, in like manner, by a deep and very broad ditch: the whole entrenchment is above 12,000 feet in circumference. "The magnitude of these dimensions," adds the learned Traveller, "ought not to surprise us on the ridge of the Cordilleras of Peru, and on heights almost equal to that of the Peak of Teneriffe, M. Bonpland and myself have seen monuments still more considerable. Lines of defence and entrenchments of extraordinary length, are found in the plains of Canada. The whole of these American works resemble those which are daily discovered in the eastern part of Asia. Nations of the Mongol race, those especially that are most advanced in civilisation, have built walls that separate whole provinces...... Among the hieroglyphical ornaments of the pyramid of Xochicalco, wo distinguish heads of crocodiles spouting water, and figures of men sitting cross-legged, according to the custom of several nations of Asia."-HUMBOLDT's Researches, vol. i. pp. 109 -11,

The most remarkable object which this district presents to the naturalist, is "the bat-winged squirrel," found on the mountains and in the woods of Quezaltenango, Totonicapan, and Solola. Its figure and size, Juarros says, are those of the common squirrel, but it has two small wings resembling those of the bat, without hair or other covering: it can fly, however, but a short distance. In point of fact, we apprehend, it cannot be said to fly at all, but only to leap. Such at least is the account generally given by naturalists of the American flying squirrel. The supposed wing is only a loose skin attached to the bending of the hinder feet, and connected by a bony articulation with the fore feet, which the animal has the power of extending like a sail; and it then holds so much air as to buoy him up, and enable him to jump from tree to tree at a prodigious distance.

We must now proceed to give some account of the

PROVINCES ON THE ATLANTIC COAST.

To the south of the peninsula of Yucatan, between Chiapa and Totonicapan on the east, and the Bay of Honduras on the west, and bounded by Solola on the south, lies the province (alcaldia-mayor) of Vera Paz, called by the Indians Tuzulutlan. The Spaniards at first gave it the name of Tierra de Guerra (land of war), from the warlike spirit of the natives, by whom they were three several times repulsed in their attempts to conquer it. Charles the Fifth bestowed on it the name of Vera Paz, because the Indians embraced Christianity merely from the preaching of the missionaries. The account which Juarros gives of this prodigious phenomenon (for such it appeared to the armed apostles and crusading religionists of those times) is as follows: "In the year 1536, Bartolome Las Casas, Pedro de Angulo, Luis de Cancer, and

Rodrigo de Ladrada, of the Dominican order, settled in the city of Guatimala. Las Casas, who was vicar of a convent, had, some years before, written a treatise, which he called "De unico vocationis modo;' in which he attempted to prove, and with great erudition, that Divine Providence had instituted the preaching of the gospel as the only means of conversion to the Christian faith; for by those means alone can the understanding be persuaded, and the inclination be led, to embrace its tenets; consequently, harassing by wars those whose conversion is sought for, is the means of preventing, rather than accomplishing, the desired object. Hence it results, that, to obtain this end, war cannot, in justice, be made upon those who have never been subject to a Christian authority, or have never committed any act of aggression against Christians. This reasoning was generally believed fallacious; and when the author promulgated and endeavoured to prove it from the pulpit, as well as in private assemblies, instead of producing conviction among his auditors, he was laughed at, treated with ridicule, and advised to put in practice what he had preached in theory; as he would then be with certainty undeceived by the bad success of his rash enterprise.

"Firm in his opinion and possessing too much courage to be intimidated by taunts, Las Casas unhesitatingly accepted the proposal. The province of Tuzulutlán, which the Spaniards called Tierra de Guerra (the land of war), as they had been three several times driven back in their attempts to conquér it, but which the Emperor Charles the Fifth afterward called Verapaz, because the natives were brought within the pale of Christianity by the exertion of the missionaries only, was pitched upon by him as the scene of his first endeavours; and this region, that the Spaniards were unable to subdue by their arms, yielded to the mild persuasion of a few zealous eccle

siastics. The Dominicans, previously to commencing their undertaking, entered into an agreement with the governor, Alonzo de Maldonado, that such provinces as might be reduced to the obedience of the crown of Spain by their efforts, were not to be put under the charge of any individual; and that no Spaniards should be permitted to reside in them during a period of five years. The governor assented to these terms, and signed an agreement of that purport on the 2d of May, 1537; which was confirmed by the king on the 17th of October, 1540, and again on the 1st of May, 1543.

"This arrangement being concluded, the Dominicans composed some hymns in the Quiché language ; in which they described the creation of the world, the fall of Adam, the redemption of mankind, and the principal mysteries of the life, passion, and death of the Saviour. These were learned by some of the converted Indians, who traded with those of Sacapulas and Quiché, where the chief cacique of that country, who was afterwards called Don Juan, having heard them sung, asked those who had repeated them to explain more in detail the meaning of things so new to him. The Indians excused themselves from so doing, on account of their inability to perform it correctly, saying, they could be explained only by the fathers who had taught them; and these were so kind that, if he would send for them, they would gladly come and instruct him in every thing. The cacique was pleased with the information, and sent one of his brothers, with many presents, to entreat that they would come to make him acquainted with every thing contained in the songs of the Indian merchants. fathers received this ambassador with great kindness, and much satisfaction to themselves, and determined that one of their number, Luis Cancer, should return with him to the cacique. The chief went to the entrance of the village to meet the missionary, treated

The

him with great veneration, and after having been made to comprehend the mysteries of the new faith, he fervently adopted it, burnt his idols, and became a preacher of the gospel to his own subjects.

"Cancer returned to Guatimala, and the favourable reports he made, so much rejoiced Las Casas and Angulo, that, in December 1537, they set out for the residence of the cacique Don Juan. They visited the whole district of Tuzulutlán, where they were well received; and having reconnoitred a part of it, they returned to the cacique Juan. At this time the fathers endeavoured to assemble the Indians in villages; for, as they were then living dispersed, there was greater labour in civilising and instructing them. With this object in view, they undertook to form villages; and, by the assistance of the chief, they soon succeeded, but not without much labour, and some opposition, in establishing the village of Rabinal. This object having been satisfactorily accomplished, they penetrated further into the province, and reached Coban, being every where well received by the natives.* Las Casas affirms, in his "Apologetical History," that in no part of the Indies did he find governments better ordered, or ruled by better laws, than those he met with in this district. Thus, the Indians of Verapaz, brought to live in societies under

"It may at first sight appear inconsistent and contradictory to say that the missionaries arrived at Coban and other places, and afterward, that they persuaded the natives to live in villages; but it must be observed,that, in the time of their paganism, these Indians had villages similar to some still existing, that are called Pajuyues, in which the houses are so far distant from each other, that a place containing five hundred inhabitants, will extend a league or more. These fathers, and some of the first conquerors, placed them in villages formed after the Spanish manner, with the church in the centre, before it the square, with the cabildo or town-house, prison, and other offices, the houses connected in squares, the streets straight and crossing each other at right angles."