Dec. 28, 1871] 



NATURE 



159 



account that we have seen in the EngHsh language, and 

 we should be glad to see it still further extended by the 

 author. 



On the whole Sutton's " Volumetric Analysis" has cer- 

 tainly improved on the first edition, but with more care 

 its value would have been much increased. 



i\ TO RE LET'S 



TRAVELS LV 

 AMERICA 



CENTRAL 



Travels in Central Atnerka, including Accounts of some 

 Regions unexplored since the Conquest; from the French 

 of the Chevalier Arthur Morelct. By Mrs. M. F. Squier. 

 Introduction and Notes by E. G. Squier. (London : 

 Triibner and Co., 1871.) 



T N that portion of Central America which lies between 

 Yucatan on the north and the city of Guatemala to 

 the south, and bounded on the east by British Honduras, 

 is a considerable tract of country which has remained 

 almost unknown to Europeans since the Spanish conquest, 

 and in which the traditions of the neighbouring States 

 place vast aboriginal cities and wonderful enchanted lakes. 

 To explore this legion was the object of the adventurous 

 expedition of M. Arthur Morelet, a French gentleman of 

 leisure and extensive scientific acquirements. M. JNIore- 

 let's natural history collections were deposited in the 

 Museum of Paris, and described in the Cotnptes Rendiis of 

 the Institute ; a new crocodile was named after him (which 

 he pathetically declares to be the only result of the journey 

 as far as fame to himself is concerned), and an account 

 of his travels was printed for private circulation in his own 

 country. In the volume before us a portion of this is now 

 translated for the benefit of the American and English 

 public. Although the work records no important or 

 striking discoveries, it is a valuable and interesting contri- 

 bution to the geography and natural history of an almost 

 unknown district. 



M. Morelet's journey was divided into two portions. 

 The first was devoted to a visit to the ruins of the ancient 

 city of Palenque, near the great river Usumasinta, in the 

 western portion of the district. The existence of these 

 ruins was not known till 1750, but they have been suffi- 

 ciently described in the works of Dupaix, Stephens, and 

 others. Notwithstanding the traditions of immemorial 

 antiquity which hang around them, the author attributes 

 their origin to the Toltecs, who, in the middle of the 

 7th century were in possession of Anahuac, where 

 civilisation peaceably developed itself. Later, about the 

 year 1052, they abandoned this region, and emigrated in 

 a south-easterly direction, that is to say, into the provinces 

 of Oaxaca and Chiapa. It is easy enough, therefore, he 

 thinks, to arrive at the conclusion that Palenque was 

 founded at this time, and was consequently contempora- 

 neous with Mitla. 



The second and more important portion of M. Morelet's 

 expedition had for its special object a visit to the great 

 lake of Itza, situated in the province of Peten. Although 

 nominally within the territory of the Republic of Guatemala, 

 and but a comparatively short distance from the British 

 settlement of Belize, he was unable to obtain at any of 

 the seaport towns of Yucatan any exact information as to 

 the exact locality of, or the means of access to, this 



mysterious region. Proceeding from Palenque up the 

 Usumasinta River, his route then lay eastwards for up- 

 wards of a fortnight through virgin forests of great mag- 

 nificence, abounding in insects of all kinds, and in many 

 rare and curious birds, and with a floral vegetation of 

 great interest and beauty. The author describes in par- 

 ticular the Aristolochia grandiflora, with a flower often 

 not less than twelve to fifteen inches in diameter, the 

 calyx resembling the figure of a swan suspended by its 

 bill, but when full-blown assuming the form of the con- 

 ventional cap of liberty, turned up with a violet velvet 

 lining, and worn by the Indian children as a helmet. 



The great lake variously referred to by chroniclers as 

 that of Itza, of the Lacandones, and of Peten, is described 

 by M. Morelet as having a circumference of upwards of 

 twenty-six leagues, and a depth in most cases exceeding 

 thirty fathoms. It is not fed by any river, or even brook, 

 of importance, and has no outlet ; how its waters are kept 

 fresh is not described. Its shores are defined by a girdle 

 of broken calcareous hills, which are more or less silicious. 

 On an island situated near its south-western shore is the 

 Indian town of Flores, the only one of importance in this 

 vast, almost uninhabited, district. Its description, and 

 the illustration, convey an idea of great beauty: — 



" I was impressed v/ith the magnificence of the land- 

 scape which presented itself from the eminence where the 

 modern church is situated, and which was once occupied 

 by the ancient temples of the Itzaes. The sky was clear, 

 the waters of the lake of the loveliest azure, and the islands 

 and bluff shores, indented with little bays, hemmed in by 

 silvery belts of sand, were green and refreshing to the 

 sight. The island of Peten itself is oval in shape, rising 

 by a gentle slope from the water, and terminating in a 

 platform of calcareous rocks. It is not large ; one may 

 make the circuit of it in a quarter of an hour. Its surface 

 is covered with small stones, which are doubtless the re- 

 mains of ancient edifices." 



The necessaries of life, both as to food and clothing, 

 being very few in number, the inhabitants of Flores have 

 little inducement to labour, and pass their days in 

 luxurious idleness or nocturnal festivities, and their 

 character is what might be expected from their habits of 

 voluptuous ease, though without any strongly developed 

 vices. As to the natural history of the district, the author 

 describes as the most abundant mammalia three species 

 of deer, the tapir, the peccary, a species of rabbit, an 

 armadillo, the agouti, which commits great ravages on the 

 crops, and several rodents. Among the birds he mentions 

 particularly a small heron {Ardea exilis), two swallows, 

 and a humming bird. Among the reptiles are a number 

 of species hitherto undescribed, including a new turtle 

 {Emys areolatd) and the Crocodilus Morcleti, the capture 

 of which nearly cost him his life. There are fifteen 

 different kinds of fish in the Lake of Itza, which are 

 almost v.'ithout exception peculiar to it. Considering the 

 isolation of the lake from all other water systems, this 

 fact is of great interest to the student of the geographical 

 distribution of animals, and of the origin of species. 

 The flora is not described in detail, indeed throughout the 

 book few plants are specifically named, unless of striking 

 beauty or producing edible fruits. A suspicion of the 

 accuracy of the author's knowledge of natural history is 

 excited by the occurrence of such phrases, unless they be 

 due to incorrect translation, as "invertebras {sic) and 



