Brinton.] ^ [JanuaiT 15, 



hard, and situated in the Susquehanna Kiver about three miles below the 

 Pennsylvania State-line and twelve or fourteen above Havre de Grace. 

 During high freshets they are entirely submerged. 



The inscriptions are numerous and in a fine state of preservation when 

 not directly exposed to the abrading force of ice and drift-wood. They 

 occur on the sides and tops of some half dozen rocks. Although at first 

 sight they might seem to have no connection with each other, I have 

 been able to trace an arrangement in horizontal and vertical lines. The 

 grooves are semi-cylindric, and in some cases have a depth of half an inch 

 or more. 



My copies were taken by placing sheets of paper on the figures and 

 coloring the jDortions lying immediately over the grooves. Thus, the out- 

 lines, if rude, are faithful and of full size. 



Owing to the limited time at my command, I did not copy them all, 

 but confined myself to the more curious. 



The people of the neighborhood, although many of them are descended 

 from early settlers who came into contact with the Indians then living 

 there, seem to know nothing as to the origin or meaning of these figures. 



I regret that the information I send you is so scanty, but, should the 

 Philosophical Society desire it, it will give me great pleasure to make a 

 thorough exploration of the rocks and their inscriptions, next July, when 

 I expect to spend several weeks not far from the locality." 



Dr. Brinton, present on invitation, addressed tlie Society 

 upon the natnre of tlie Maya gronp of languages, and, in his 

 opinion, the great value of several manuscript grammars and 

 vocabularies in tlie Society's Library. On motion of Mr. 

 Fraley, the thanks of the Society were tendered to Dr. Brin- 

 ton, and he was requested to furnish the Secretaries with an ■ 

 abstract of his remarks. 



The Maya group of languages comprises those spoken in the old 

 departments of Yucatan, Vera Paz, Chiapas, Guatemala, and Soconusco. 

 The Huasteca also belongs to it, which was current in the province of 

 Tamaulipas, about Tampico. The Natchez of Louisiana, and the Chahta- 

 Muskoki family display some affinities with it, which have not yet been 

 fully investigated. On the ethnological maps of Pritchard, Waitz, Bas- 

 tian and Kiepert, and others, the Mayas are located on the Greater An- 

 tilles also, and it is the opinion of the Abbe Brasseur de Bourbourg, as 

 well as some other writers, both ancient and modern, that the Mayas and 

 Aztecs both look to the former inhabitants of Haiti— the so called Taini 

 — as their common progenitors. For this opinion there is no sound 

 foundation, as there can be brought abundant evidence to prove that both 



