STEVEXs' TRAVELS. 101 



STEVENS' TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AMERICA. 



Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan. By John L. Ste- 

 vens. 2 vols. Harpers, 1S4L 



This expedition of our countryman, was undertaken under the aus- 

 pices of the general government. To the importance which this cir- 

 cumstance gave the traveller, he was indebted for much of the success 

 which crowned his labors. Under all circumstances, one would sup- 

 pose that an official character, endorsed by his government as worthy 

 of confidence, would necessarily secure for himself, in a foreign coun- 

 try, the highest degree of consideration. 



The style of this work, like that of his travels in the East, is sprighly 

 and unaffected •, sometimes, when under the influence of deep feeling, 

 awakened by the contemplation of the wondrous works of art, vt^hich 

 are concealed in the forests of Central America, his manner becomes 

 serious, and his style rises into the region of the sublime. Solemn, in- 

 deed, must have been his feelings when standing on the ruins of Copan, 

 with the monuments of a powerful and civilized people strewed around 

 for many miles and under his feet. He would naturally look with an 

 inquiring glance into the past, and ask, where are now the people pow- 

 erful and wise, who once occupied these palaces, and erected to their 

 gods these monuments of art which rival in magnitude and finish the 

 glory of Egypt .'' Who were they .-' Whence did they come, and whither 

 have they gone } Surely the fashion of this world passeth away and its 

 glory is but dust ! 



It is not our purpose to moralize for Sir. Stevens, nor to follow him 

 through his laborious travels. Suflice it to say, that whoever will un- 

 dertake the journey through two pretty thick royal-octavos will be am- 

 ply rewarded for his labors. I know not how it has happened that our 

 traveller met with so many trying and dangerous accidents by the way, 

 and contrived to extricate himself unhurt out of them all. He certainly 

 possesses diplomatic tact, and withal as deep a vein of good nature as 

 ordinarily belongs to bachelors. 



The work is illustrated by numerous and well-executed engravings, 

 which give evidence of patient and minute investigation. These must 

 certainly be regarded as indispensably necessary to the elucidation of 

 tiie work. They constitute in fact the work, and the narrative is but 

 the history of the labor and pains employed to procure them, and some 

 little insiglit into their character derived from their relative location and 

 a few apposite conjectures. Here we have the written language of the 

 pei)|tle. But will) will interpret lor us ? Who will read lor us the dark 

 hieruglyphic^, the death's headt-, and strange fantastic figures, which 



