eral hundred children, from among the recipients of this bounty, gathered in front of the legation, and after prayers and the singing of hymns, sent up messages of gratitude to be forwarded in their behalf to the United States. After this affecting scene they departed, with cheers for America ringing in the air. On another day the minister was waited on by the metropolitan Archbishop, the highest ecclesiastic in Greece, who, wearing his robe and insignia of office, and accompanied by a body of priests, delivered an address of some length, overflowing, as did his eyes, with emotion as he alluded to his own personal participation "in the great struggle which commenced in 1821, and still continues," and returned thanks for the moral and substantial aid extended by our countrymen at that period and during the efforts of the Cretan Greeks to establish their independence. "I pray you, Mr. Minister," he concluded, "to transmit the expression of our deep thankfulness to the whole nation, and, if it be possible, to every American citizen."* The words of the Archbishop in italics-" and still continues "-furnish the key-note to the existing political condition of Greece, and afford an apology, if one be needed, for reminding our countrymen that the Greeks are as alive to-day as they were during the seven years' war of independence to the impelling necessity for the recovery of the entire portion of their ancient domain, populated by millions of their countrymen, Greek by nationality, language, religion, and the love of country. The struggle "still continues;" not by intrigue or activity in arms, but by that restless hope which keeps alive the national patriotism, and by that irrepressible determination which awaits only a favorable opportunity to press the claims of Greece upon the world at large. But for the jealousy of the great Powers with respect to the ultimate possession of that portion of the empire of Turkey which encroaches upon the Christian provinces in Europe, Greece might long ago have come to her own again. As it is, the Eastern Question" is never revived in any shape that Greece does not attempt, by diplomacy or hostility, to obtain an increase of territory which she believes to be legitimately and religiously her own. In vain is the little kingdom told by the governments of Europe to "rest and be *The Greeks of To-day. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. Greece has scarcely recovered her political equanimity since the imposition of the hands of the great Powers to prevent her recent attempt at territorial acquisition than news reaches us of a fresh insurrection in the neighboring island of Crete against the Turkish authorities. The Porte has dispatched troops and a vessel of war to restore order, which will doubtless lead to a fresh temporizing policy; but these outbreaks may be expected to continue whenever an opportunity presents itself, until the independence of the island is accomplished. thankful." She can neither do one nor the other. When she comes to that paralysis she will cease to be Hellenic, and will shrivel up into a degenerate race unworthy of her ancient grandeur or of her modern claims upon the sympathy and respect of the free people of the earth. It is to be hopeda hope shared by Greece herself that diplomacy, and not warfare, will finally obtain for her that full recognition of territorial claims to which her history, her valor, and her remarkable progress as a free state entitle the kingdom. No people would more sincerely rejoice in such a result than the people of the United States-they who gave her their sympathy and aid during her heroic conflicts for liberty, and who will again lift up their voices and extend their hands in her behalf should she look to us for encouragement and support in the hour of peril. Charles H. Juckerman. FLORENCE, ITALY, 1887. THE MAYAS THEIR CUSTOMS, LAWS, AND RELIGION A careful and prolonged study of those vestiges yet remaining of their civilization induces one to believe that the Mayas were the most enlighten of all the ancient Americans, and their dominion at one time extended over the greater part of Central America. The Maya language, and its dialects, is still spoken more than the Spanish-many know not a word of that tongue-by the natives of Yucatan, Peten, the north part of Guatemala, and the Lacandon country, on the shores of the Uumacinta, and in the valleys between those mountains-that region where the mysterious "Tierra de Guerra" is, and into which a few intrepid travelers have vainly endeavored to penetrate. It is a most interesting language, complete, mellifluous, wonderfully expressive; in fact, one that could have been developed only among highly cultivated people, needing all the various forms of speech used by us. There is a tendency on the part of some writers to class all the ancient nations of Central America, Mexico, and surrounding countries as one people. This is an error that serves as a stumbling-block in their investigations, because a variety of race and language existed no less there than in other parts of the world; indeed, if geologists insist that America is the oldest continent, we may suppose that even a greater diversity of peoples have come and gone. Not a few confound the Nahuatls and Aztecs with the Mayas. This mistake is partly due to the fact that in the sixth century of the Christian era Mexican tribes invaded the Maya empire, conquered, and established themselves there, introducing rites and customs of their own. Some of these were very barbarous, as, for instance, cruel human sacrifices, cannibalism, and deformation of the skull, which was never in vogue among the ancient Mayas; not in a single instance have we seen a misshapen head in the paintings and sculptures found among the ruined palaces and temples of Yucatan. In one bas-relief, however, there is a warrior running a lance through a decapitated deformed head lying at his feet, apparently that of a vanquished foe; this head culminates in a point like those of the people of Palenque. 66 As for eating human flesh, the Mayas expressed loathing for the custom : The people of Yucatan did not eat human flesh; formerly they hated the VOL. XVIII.-No. 3.-16 Mexican Indians because they did eat it" (J. de Villagutierre y Sotomayor. Hist. de la Conquista. Lib. VIII., Cap. XII.) Nor is there any proof that they made cruel sacrifices of human beings. Nevertheless, some did voluntarily throw themselves into a large senote (natural well), considered sacred, firmly believing that such an act would gratify the deity, and that on the third day they would rise again. As the descendants of various peoples were living in Yucatan when the Spaniards arrived, the writings of the Christian fathers, concerning what they saw there, appear in some instances contradictory, because the customs and manners are recorded as if they were those of one nation. For example, while Landa, who was made Bishop of Yucatan in 1571, declares that "The people of Yucatan never took more than one wife,"* another asserts that they were polygamists; these were probably Nahuatls, though no doubt some of the Mayas fell into their ways. According to Father Cogolludo, whose work was first published in Madrid in 1688, long after his death, Yucatan was divided into small provinces, each bearing the name of its feudal lord, and all at war with one another. But the natives declared that formerly the entire country had been ruled over by one king, and was then called Maya or Mayapan (banner of Maya). In very ancient times, according to the Troano Manuscript, the peninsula was known as Mayax, or "the first land." The discord existing between the provinces brought about their ruin ; their division made them weak. The Nahuatls, thinking to have the white men for allies, were the first to lay down their arms, thus betraying their own cause, and enabling the Spaniards, after a war of several years, to reduce the entire population to serfdom. Those Nahuatls had been a turbulent set for centuries, always seeking, and generally obtaining, mastery over neighboring tribes and countries. Cultured in some respects, in others they were savage, their horrible religious rites and sacrifices being extremely revolting. About many things they had peculiar notions. The practice of flattening the helpless babe's head between two hard boards has been widespread; but the idea of fastening a ball of wax to the child's forelock to dangle over the bridge of its nose! And for what? That the poor little creature might be afflicted with a permanent squint, strabism being considered a mark of beauty! It would seem that at some time or other bearded men had made themselves very obnoxious in that part of the world, for Bishop Landa says that the mothers were careful to scorch their little boys' chins with *Las Cosas de Yucatan. very hot cloths, so that they might "never have a beard." Whether this was customary among Nahuatls or Mayas, or both, we have now no means of ascertaining. As regards tattooing, judging by the paintings and sculptures, we are inclined to believe that it was not fashionable among the ancient Mayas, but it was a common thing in the fifteenth century; they even made game of those who had no fancy designs cut in their skin. Some of the men kept the top of their head bald by burning the scalp,. had the hair short at the sides and very long behind, so that they could plait it and coil it around their head, the ends being left unbraided and hanging like tassels. Among the natives of Peru there are, at the present time, some medicine-men residing in the high Andes who wear their hair in the same way, so the queue is by no means confined to the Mongolians. The Mayas were of a lighter color than the generality of the American Indians; good-looking, strong, athletic; in stature tall and finely formed, having remarkably small hands and feet. They were long-lived-many reached the age of one hundred, some, like Thomas Parr, of England, a hundred and fifty years. In the early part of the conquest, a Franciscan friar, very trustworthy, said that in his wanderings among these natives he had met one who was, according to what he himself and many others said, three hundred years old. He was so bent that his chin almost touched his knees. As he was very childish, no information could be obtained from him about his forefathers or the country; the only thing that he kept count of was his own age (A. de Herrera, Decada IV., Lib. III. Cap. 4). Dignified and grave in deportment, they were rather inclined to melancholy, yet very witty and clever jesters. "They would frequently," says Cogolludo, "charge their superiors with some weakness or failing, sometimes conveying a reproof or criticism in a single word, but in such a manner that no one could rebuke them." The same writer, in speaking of their capacity as workmen, affirms that while a Spaniard was confined to one trade, a native would master three or four, and do excellent work with the poorest kind of tools. 66 The women were pretty, and lighter in color than the men, of a nicer disposition than those of Spain, besides being bigger and better shaped," says Landa, adding, “Those who are beautiful are well aware of it, and in truth they are not bad-looking." They were loving and lovable, but exceedingly modest, and always industrious, as they are at the present time. The manners of both men and women were refined and courteous; nor have they changed in this respect-no Yucatecan Indian is ever rough |