woefully distorted these sketches. This same effect is to be
noticed in all the descriptions of the ruins. Where one party sees the
ruins of imperial cities, another can detect but the ruins of imposing
pueblos, with their temples and pyramids. It can be truthfully stated,
that this is a land of ruins. Every few leagues, as far as it has been
explored, are the remains of structures that excite astonishment.

The meager reports given us raise our curiosity, but fail to satisfy it.
Almost all explorers relate stories of the existence of an aboriginal
city. The location of this city shifts from place to place; always,
however, in a section of country where no white men are allowed
to intrude. The Cure of Santa Cruz, in whom Mr. Stephens expressed
confidence, declared that he had, years before, climbed to the summit of
a lofty sierra, and then "he looked over an immense plain, extending to
Yucatan and the Gulf of Mexico, and saw, at a great distance, a large
city, spread over a great space, with turrets white and glittering
in the sun." We are afraid a search for this mythical city would be
attended with much the same results as rewards the child's pursuit of a
golden treasure at the end of the rainbow.

As a sample of known ruins, we might cite two in the immediate
neighborhood of Quirigua. At the distance of a few leagues, both above
and below this latter place, are the remains of former settlements. The
accounts are very brief. Of the ruins below, we are informed that they
consist of the remains of a quadrilateral pyramid, with traced sides,
up which steps lead to the summit platform, where _debris_ of hewn stone
are enveloped in dense vegetation." Of the ruins located above Quirigua,
we are simply told "of a large area covered with aboriginal relics--in
the form of ruined stone structures, vases and idols of burned clay, and
monoliths, buried for the most part in the earth."

These descriptions will serve as samples of many others, and, though
they are interesting in their way, we are afraid they would grow
tiresome by repetition. We will, therefore, only make mention of one or
two important points; premising, however, that, beyond a doubt,
similar ruins are scattered up and down the river valleys of the entire
country.<7>

Two cities of ancient Guatemala especially mentioned by Spanish writers
are Utatlan and Patinamit. Here, if we may believe their recitals, were
the capitals of two powerful monarchies. The picture