through the young ones being tapped as well as the full-grown ones. The tree grows very quickly, and plantations of it might easily be made, which would in the course of ten or twelve years become highly remunerative."*

*Belt, The Naturalist in Nicaragua."

CHAPTER VIII.

ARCHEOLOGY.

THE birthplace and origin of the people who created the wonderful civilization the Spaniards found in Central and South America are shrouded in mystery. They differed radically from the aborigines of America and were evidently not related to any of the peoples of Europe, Africa, or Asia. Their own traditions show that they came from the northward, but are silent both as to the name or location of the land of their nativity.

On the eastern coast of Nicaragua was another, more warlike and far less civilized, people who were not to the country born. Those were the Caribs who peopled the islands of the Caribbean Sea and many of the Antilles. Some of their characteristics correspond with the meager hints tradition has handed down to us concerning the inhabitants of the lost Atlan

tis. Recent examinations of the bed of the Atlantic have revealed the existence of a vast submerged plateau, about midway between Europe and America, answering to the position assigned by tradition to the vanished island. Tradition usually conceals a crystal of fact under an efflorescence of fable, and thus the story of Atlantis seems to have substantial basis. Belt ingeniously, and plausibly, accounts for the submersion of the island by calculating that at the end of the glacial period, the sudden release of the water held in confinement by the ice on the uplands, raised the level of the oceans many feet and thus engulfed vast areas that had hitherto been dry land' and the seat of populous communities. Cuba, and possibly other of the West Indian islands, which up to that time had been a part of the American continent, were then cut off, and Atlantis and probably also unheard of islands in the Pacific Ocean, disappeared beneath the surface of the sea. He assigns the origin of the Caribs to Atlantis and of the Aztecs to one of the lost islands of the Pacific.

Whencesoever they may have originated, the

traditions of the Aztecs, and such of their ideographic paintings as have survived the ignorant vandalism of the Spaniards, leave no room to doubt that they came from the north, after wanderings covering long distances and embracing many years; were driven back, almost if not quite to their native land, and, in the course of centuries, returned and secured a foothold in the valley of Anahuac (Mexico), from which point they overran the surrounding country. It is probable that their ideographic paintings, of which they possessed a great number, contained a complete history of their second migration and perhaps also some account of their origin and native land; but unfortunately the Spaniards, with unreasoning fanaticism, regarded these paintings a sconcomitants of pagan idolatry, and destroyed them with a zeal more fervid than intelligent. From the principal university, which contained thousands of them, they took the paintings and made huge bonfires in the market place. And so they signalized the triumph of civilization over barbarism.

According to the traditions of the Aztecs, the first inhabitants of that part of Central America

now covered by Mexico, were a race of giants, whose name has not been preserved. The giants were destroyed by the Olmecs, of whom little else has been transmitted. The Olmecs were overrun in turn by the Xicalncs, the Otomites, the Toltecs, the Chichimecs and the Aztecs. The 'Mayas of Yucatan were a different people from the Aztecs, though nearly related, and possibly were descendants of the Toltecs. The Chichimecs, who are supposed to have driven out the Toltecs, and whom the Aztecs found in possession of the valley of Mexico, were probably one of the indigenous tribes that had gained temporary ascendency.

Quetzacoatl, who led the Aztecs into Anahuac, gave them their laws and went away without dying, leaving a revered memory, was a white man. He promised to return after a great many years at the head of gods with pale faces from the East. Thus the Aztecs were not surprised at the advent of the Spaniards and were disposed to receive them as welcome guests. So confidently did that faithful people rely on the promise of Quetzacoatl that Monte

zuma had great difficulty in persuading them