the Christianized Indians. The first point to which they were removed was on the Aquespala, where they were entirely content, and built their houses and a church. But, for some unexplained reason, they were again removed to a place called San Ramon, and afterward to Santa Catarina de Retaluleu.* These changes caused great suffering and discontent; some died, others scattered themselves among the neighboring towns, but a greater part returned to their native mountains.

From this time forward we find no special reference to the Lacandones. It would appear that in some of the later "sublevaciones," or risings of the Indians, they expelled the Spaniards, and relapsed into their original habits and practices. It is doubtful if, as the leaders of the expedition into Lacandon represented, and the Spaniards themselves supposed, the few towns which were reduced by Barrios and his captains comprised the entire population of Lacandon. Dolores seems not to have contained more than four hundred people, and the aggregations from the other towns did not probably exceed a thousand-a number wholly inadequate to make these sudden and severe incursions on Vera Paz and Chiapa, which had kept these provinces in a state of constant alarm for nearly two centuries, and had almost led to their abandonment. According to Pinelo, the Lacandones and Manches were estimated in 1637, subsequently to the invasion of their territories by Quiñones, at 100,000.

The Santa Catarina, or “Ixtlavican," of which two German writers (Scherzer and Von Tempsky) have given somewhat marvelous accounts, is probably the same here alluded to. The inhabitants of this town are described by these authors as now living quite isolated, rendering no service to the State of Guatemala, and practicing a religion strangely made up of heathen and Christian rites. The only whites or Ladinos resident in Santa Catarina are a priest and his attendants, who, after long and dangerous exertions, have acquired a great influence over the still half-barbarous inhabitants.

As has already been observed, the government of Central America, both in 1831 and 1837, made efforts to bring the Lacandones under its authority, but without success. They still retain their independence, and their country is now no better known than it was in the time of Quiñones and Barrios. They seem, however, to have abandoned their predatory habits, and to have contented themselves with rigidly preserving their isolation and independence. A few occasionally enter the Spanish towns of Chiapa, Tabasco, and Campeachy, bringing down tobacco and a few other articles for sale or exchange. But, according to Waldeck, no sooner have they effected a sale, or procured what they wish, than they suddenly disappear by obscure and unknown paths. This author saw some of the Lacandones near Palenque. They possessed all the savage energy and independence of their fathers. "Their dress coincided with the garbs represented on the monTheir actual worship is unknown, although it is well understood that they have their hidden temples, where they practice their peculiar rites." Their asseverations are made by Ballam or Vallam, a name held in profound reverence by all the nations of the same stock. Waldeck considers that the Lacandones were anciently nomads, but there is no good ground for this supposition. From the earliest historical period they have occupied the same strongholds; and although it may be true that, with the Itzæs, they had left Yucatan after their migration, and had returned toward their native seats, yet these migrations were probably the results of political conditions, and in no way indicative of nomadic habits.

uments.

The language of the Lacandones is perhaps as little removed from the radical Tzendal as any of the numer

ous dialects spoken in Yucatan and Guatemala. Waldeck assures us that the Lacandones speak the Maya with greater purity than the people of Yucatan, and have preserved unimpaired, in their seclusion, their primitive language and customs. The few words of their language preserved in the Spanish chronicles are identical with the Maya.