APPENDIX. 73 



relating to the place and to the causes which led at one time to its abandon- 

 ment* 



The preceding exti-acts from Landa's work, some of which certainly betoken 

 great simplicity,-)- hardly need be commented upon. Though he evidently 

 considers the buildings seen by him as old, he gives to understand that their 

 constructors belonged to a race identical with, or not much differing ft-om, the 

 Indians among whom he lived. The conquest of Yucatan, under Don Francisco 

 Montejo, began in 1527, and there is historical evidence that Landa (born 1524 

 at Cifuentes de I'Alcarria, in Spain) was elected in 1553 guardian of the convent 

 at Izamal, a distinction doubtless bestowed on him for his zeal in convertins the 

 natives ; for it is stated by Brasseur that he was among the first missionaries of 

 the order of St. Francis who went to Yucatan. He consequently lived in the 

 country at a time when all available information was at his command ; and being 

 an instructor among the Mayas, he doubtless was conversant with their language, 

 and able to interrogate them concerning the origin of the buildings. Consid- 

 ering these circumstances, the want of explicitness in his statements is really 

 surprising and difficult of explanation, unless by supposing that the Indians 

 themselves could give no account of the founders of the buildings. If Landa's 

 opinions are expressive -of those prevailing at his time, it would follow that even 

 then some of the structures of the country formed subjects for speculation. Yet, 

 Izamal, Tihoo and Chichen-Itza were well-known places at the period of the 

 conquest, and they are also mentioned in the traditional history of Yucatan. 

 From data furnished by Father Lizana (to Avhom I shall i3resently refer) 

 Stephens argues that Izamal was still occupied at the time of the conquest,| and, 

 relying on the statements of Cogolludo, he claims the same condition for Tihoo. § 

 As for Chichen-Itza, he says : " We do not even learn whether these buildings 

 were inhabited or desolate." || 



The Abbe Brasseur has added to Landa's account of Yucatan from Father 

 Lizana's work, entitled " Devocionario de Nuestra Seiiora de Itzmal, etc., 1663," 

 a series of curious extracts taken from the first book, and relating to the country 

 in general and to the foundation of the buildings at Izamal. As some of these 

 extracts have a bearing on the subject here treated, I will insert their substance 

 in this place. 



During the period of heathendom, Lizana says, Yucatan was called " the 

 country of turkeys and deer" {u laumil ciitz, u luumil ceb), on account of the 

 abundance of these species of game. The territory was subject to Montezuma,T[ 



* Landa: Kelation etc. ; § xlii, p. 323 etc. 

 f Une ignorance tiaive, as Brasseur expresses it. 

 J Stephens: Yucatan; vol. ii, p. 435. 

 §Ibid., vol. i, p. 97. 

 II Ibid., vol. ii, p. 321. 

 % Probably not correct. 

 10 



