DESCRIPTION OF COPAN BY GALINDO. 601 
formerly they were living beings who, because of their heathenism and sins, became 
stones by divine wrath. 
The Copan River rises in the mountain to the east, runs through La Brea and 
beneath the windows. Farther on the Sesesmil Canyon joins the river on the north, 
this canyon rising also in the said mountain, passes near the famous Cave of Cutilca. 
It used to divide the western suburbs of Copan from the rest of the city, and flows 
into the river within the limits of the city, as may be seen on map No. t. 
The Copan River runs to the west, receives the Jupilingo River, runs through 
the village of Xupa and the villages of Camotan and Jocotan; and 7 leagues below 
the Chiquimula River empties into it. It passes between Sacapa and Estansuela, 
and empties into the Motagua, its course extending 20 leagues, counting from this 
place [Copan] to its mouth. Thence to the sea, through the Motagua River, is a 
distance of 65 leagues, following the course of the river. The Copan River con- 
tains a great quantity of fish and in no place is navigable, although in the winter 
season logs are floated down it. 
Comparing these ruins with those of Palenque, it can be seen immediately 
that their similarity suggests a common origin, in spite of the fact that they differ 
in essential points. 
Palenque was ruined and forgotten before the conquest, while the Spaniards 
found Copan in all its splendor, and yet the buildings and other works in Palenque 
are in a better condition than in Copan, owing to their superior architecture. Here 
in Copan there are no houses standing, as there are many in Palenque. Its build- 
ing-stones are of diverse character, while those of Palenque are not more than 2 
inches thick. The roofs in Copan were made of inclined stones, while those of 
Palenque are always horizontally placed. In Palenque they are cemented with 
mortar, while in Copan they are not. 
In ancient times, with the exception of Palenque, Copan was undoubtedly the 
most remarkable city of Central America, since, if the capitals of the Quichés and 
Cachiqueles equaled it, there would have been left some signs of their superiority. 
There is more fineness and perfection in the human figures there [Palenque], 
and they are nearly always placed in profile, while these on the contrary are most 
commonly found with front views. I did not see obelisks nor carved tables at 
Palenque. 
The circular stones of both places are very similar, and also I find their writings 
always placed in almost square blocks containing faces and hands and other identi- 
cal characters. This similarity may come from the similarity of the Maya and 
Chorti languages, or perhaps because the inscriptions are in a dead language, the 
common mother of the two languages mentioned. In the same manner modern 
nations frequently use Latin under the same circumstances. ‘The following is a 
short vocabulary of the Chorti language: 
Quin Sun. Unen Son, Daughter. 
Uj Moon (a month). Sacun Elder brother. 
Ek Star. Uitsin Younger brother. 
Kak Fire. Jor Head. 
Ja Water. Sutsernijor Hair, 
Tokar Cloud. Unacaut Eye. 
Uinik Man. Chiquin Ears. 
Ixik Woman. Ti Mouth. 
Tegerom Boy. Caab Hand. 
Ikchok Gurl. Tigere Tapir. 
Tata Father. Masa Deer. 
Tu Mother. Mut Bird. 

1This is the Spanish 7, and equals the English h; x equals English sh. 
