Page:Science vol. 5.djvu/315

 ApriI. 10, 1S65.1

��291

��(the only materia! v tturteen aew species a

��□cd) comprising iDd two new sub-species. On the 24th the jiliolographer, Mr. N. B. Hiller, was sent in Die sli'aro- launch to visit Hie plantation of Mr. J. B. Andiizo, in the soatbern part of the island, some twelve miles xwaj-. Mr. Millet's report, which is forwarded with Capt. Tanner's (noticed in No, 113) de- scribee the shores as generally low, with a Dotable exception occurring at the month of a creek. Sve miles from Kan Mignel. ^A^horw are bold enough to allow vessels of

��The niitives were liriglil niiilatlo in com- plexion, with long, straight, coarse black hair; neater and more intelligent than those of the village of San Miguel. The men were short, not over live feet four inches in height, and wore scanty black beards: the women were neatlj- dressed in loose white gowns. This til- lage differed from others visited, in its unusu- al clennli-

��nd

���lie alongside to load, llispartv was landed through' the surf on the backs of Indiana, and rode to Mr. Aii- ^uze's plantation upon ponii'S. through a dense forest dosed in by interladng vines so as to ftktit out the snn, and agreeably remarkable for the absence of buzzing insects. The planta- tion was ntvont a mile and a half square, en- closed by a high stone wall. It abounded in bananas, planlaina, pine-apples, corn, ginger, oranges, and lemons, but seemed to be cire- l«ssly or inelUciently cultivatefl. The main bous»' was stone, with a thatched roof, sur- roniided by five large sheds arranged in a square.

Near by was a small Indian village of some fifty huts", but only thirty families. The huts were of the ordinary single-room type, with hammocks triced up against the roof in the day- time; the floor of cement, raised about a foot froin the ground, and kept scrupulously clean.

��up with- in high stone- walled en- closures. Some of the older Indians knew no Span- ish, and all were acquainted with 'tvMl"' ""■*'"' the native dialect.

The small Roman - Catholic church of the village had fallen into ruin be- cause of a cnrious circnmslninie. Some re- markable spiritualistic manifestations had taken place there several years ago, and as quence the whole village had liecome a nity of spiritualists. It would he interesting to know whether this remarkable conversion was the result of missionary effort, if there be any such among spiritualists, or arose from indigenous ' manifestations.'

On the edge of the village are the ruius of a lat^e structure, aup]x)sed to have been a tem- ple, which both Indians and nhites declare to date beyond the Spanish conquest. Nothing definite could Iw lenined, beyond the legend that Cortes had landed there and destroyed the building before going to the mainland. The ruins could be traced over about half an aci'c, now covered by large trees. Only a cen- tral tower, or part of it. ia now standing. Into this there is but one entrance, opening into a narrow, vaulted room. Markings were noticed on the plaster covering the walls, and atone hooks cemented to the same. Witliin a radius of half a mile are the ruins of many atone arches.

�� �