The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Search for the Silver City, by James Otis

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Title: The Search for the Silver City
A Tale of Adventure in Yucatan

Author: James Otis

Release Date: May 2, 2007 [EBook #21268]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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[Illustration: Instead of releasing his hold on Neal the reptile
held firm, etc. See Page 193.]

THE SEARCH FOR THE SILVER CITY.

A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN YUCATAN.

By JAMES OTIS.
Author of "The Castaways," "A Runaway Brig," "The
Treasure Finders," etc., etc.

ILLUSTRATED.

NEW YORK:
A. L. BURT, PUBLISHER.

Copyright, 1893, by A. L. BURT.

INTRODUCTION.

In Mr. E. G. Squier's preface to the translation of the Chevalier Arthur
Morelet's "Travels in Central America" the following paragraph can be
found:

"Whoever glances at the map of Central America will observe a vast
region, lying between Chiapas, Tabasco, Yucatan, and the republic of
Guatemala, and comprising a considerable part of each of those states,
which, if not entirely a blank, is only conjecturally filled up with
mountains, lakes and rivers. It is almost as unknown as the interior of
Africa itself. We only know that it is traversed by nameless ranges of
mountains, among which the great river Usumasinta gathers its waters
from a thousand tributaries, before pouring them, in a mighty flood,
into the Lagoon of Terminos, and the Gulf of Mexico. We know that it has
vast plains alternating with forests and savannas; deep valleys where
tropical nature takes her most luxuriant forms, and high plateaus dark
with pines, or covered with the delicate tracery of arborescent ferns.
We know that it conceals broad and beautiful lakes, peopled with fishes
of new varieties, and studded with islands which supports the crumbling
yet still imposing remains of aboriginal architecture and superstition.
And we know, also, that the remnants of the ancient Itzaes, Lacandones,
Choles, and Manches, those indomitable Indian families w