THE AZTEC LILLIPUTIANS. [From the Times.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 861, 2 November 1853, Page 4

THE AZTEC LILLIPUTIANS. [From the Times.]

The scientific portion of the pnblic lias lately been much interested by the arrival of two children, of » race hitherto strange to London, from a mysterious region of Central America, These children will not be exhibited in public till Monday next, but, in the meanwhile they are visited at their own residence by person* who can obtain the privilege of a private introdaction. That* they were introduced to the Queen on Monday last is one of tbe facts of the Court Circular. Profeaaor Anderson, by whom the children are accompanied, has arrived at tb* conclusion that the boy is 17 years of age, and the girl 11 ; but tbe smgulariiy of the "Lilliputians" by no means depends on the correctness of that surmise. Other peculiarities beyond that of diminutive stature — peculiarities which could not be accounted for by the supposition of earlier youth — address themselves distinctly to the attention of tbe ethnologist. The boy is the type of tbe pair. His forehead is retreating; and this, with the size of his { nose, which is a strongly marked aquiline, givesthe Uce a birdlike appearance. The upper jaw projects, while the lower jaw recedes, so that when the mouth is closed the under teeth do not touch the upper, lvi approach tbe middle of the palate. Tbe countenance prodaced by this strange combination of features is at the first glance id'otic, but the impression of idiocy is soon removed by the bright intelligence which iparkles in the large eyes, and by a restless curiosity, which is visible in every gesture of the little creatures. No sooner does a visitor enter the room than the boy rushes up to him with a piece of paper, in the hope that he will draw something on it with a pencil, and it is said that an equal interest is shown for music. Tbe hair is black and glossy, and falls in small ringlets. The girl has the same characteristics less strongly marked, and her aspect is more JewisU than that of her companion. Tbe sight of a new type of humanity only three feet high, without tbe deformities of ordinary dwarfs, is of itself highly curious, but these children are rendered still more remarkable by an historical theory which is connected with them. The region whence they are brought is said to have been tbe place of refuge chosen by the Aztecs when driven from Mexico by the conquering sword of Cortes, and it is supposed that tbe/ are among tbe last surymng relics of that ill-starred race, with whom we bave recently been made familiar by tbe researches of Mr. Prescott and Mr. Sieveni. This supposition is founded partly on a statement, which we shall give presently, and partly on certain marks of internal evidence. The children bear the strongest resemblance to sculptured figures which are unquestionably of Aztec origin, ami on one occasion, when an ancient Mexican idol was brought to them, they recognued it, and embraced it at once. It seems that while they weTe at New York (where they created a great sensation) this idol was accidentally broken, and that the boy burst into an agony of grief at the calamity. The smallness of the children'sstature is accounted for by a well-known cause of degeneracy — namely, a prohibition against marri ge with strangers or members of inferior caste. It is to the sacerdotal caste, which would rank like that of the Brabmins in India, that tbe children are as igned ; and so rare have the individuals of this race become, that it is said they have advanced from the position of priesti to that of gods,— -no very difficult advance under a system of theocracy. The fact that when the children sit down they fall into a posture which is general among Mexican idols, and which, would be extremely difficult, if it were not the result of early training, is in favor of this supposition. . Having given the chief particulars of inter na evidence that tbe children are really Azteci, we now subjoin the external evidence in the shape of a statement furnished by the exhibitors : In 1848 Mr. Huertis, of Baltimore, and Mr. Hammond, of Canada, attempted to explore Central America. They had read Stephens'* account, in his Central America, of a conversation between himself and a priest of Santa Cruz | dei -Quiche, relative to an unexplored city on the otoer side of the Great Sierra range, the glittering domes and minarets of wbich tbe priest averred having seen from the summit of th» Sierra. The people, manners, and customs of the city were supposed to be precisely the same as in the days of Montezuma. Messrs. Huertis and Hammoud artived at Belize in the autumn of 1848, and turning southwest arrived at Cobanon Christmas Day. They were the:e joined by Pedro Velasquez, of San Salvador, a Spaniard. From Coban they proceeded in search of the mysterious city. From Velasquez alone is any account of their travels to be obtained. Huertis and Hammond have never returned to tell their tale. According to tbe statement of Velasquez, on the 19th of May they reached the summit of the Sierra, at an altitude of 9500 feet, in lat. 15° 48' N., and beheld in the distance the domes and minarets of a large city, apparently of an Egyptian character, and about 25 leagues from Ocosmgo, in tbe same latitude, and in ibe direct course of the River Lugartos. This city they eventually reached. Velasquez describei it to be of vast proportions, with heavy walls and battlements, full of temples, gigantic statues, and pagan paraphernalia ; the people having Peruvian manners combined with Assyrian magnificence, and bound to remain within the walls, seeking no intercourse wih the world around. The name of the city is Iximaya. The travellers were informed that white men bad previously entered it, but that no white man had ever returned. Hammond and Huertii were both slain— tbe former in entering the city, the latter in endeavouring to make bis escape. Velasquez being more wary, lulled his captors into security, and not only escaped himself, but brought with him two children belonging to the priests, — the two now in England.