showed no hospitality to strangers—it
was punishable with death by their laws.
The peace and independence of his nation
depended on these restrictions; but if they
would enter it with the intention of never
leaving, he would promise them dwellings,
wives, and honours. Huertis informed him,
by signs and other expedients, that he would
enter the city on his own terms.

Accordingly they all marched towards it,
carrying Hammond, who had been
desperately wounded. They found that it was
surrounded by a wall sixty feet high, enclosing an
area of twelve miles; a moat one hundred
feet wide encompassed the wall, which was
crossed by a drawbridge, raised over the
gate. At a signal from the chief, the bridge
descended, and the cavalcade passed over.
At another signal the ponderous gates
unfolded, and a vista of solemn magnificence
presented itself—an avenue of colossal statues
and trees, extending to the opposite side, or
western gate; a similar avenue crossed the
city from north to south. Arrived at the
point where the avenues intersect each other,
they were led into a large and lofty hall,
surrounded by columns, and displaying three
raised seats. These were covered with
canopies of rich drapery, on one of which sat
the monarch, a person of grave and benignant
aspect, of about sixty years' old, who was
arrayed in scarlet and gold, having a golden
image of the rising sun on the back of his
throne.

The interview resulted in giving the
strangers their freedom within the limits of
the city; and permission for them, under
indispensable obligations, to become citizens.
In the meantime, they were to be maintained
as prisoners of state. With this they were
satisfied. The residence assigned them was
the wing of a spacious structure, which had
been appropriated to the surviving remnant
of an ancient order of priesthood called
Kaanas. Forbidden by inviolably sacred laws
from intermarrying with any persons but those
of their own caste, these Kaanas had dwindled
down to a few individuals, diminutive in
stature, and imbecile in intellect. They were
nevertheless held in high veneration and
affection by the Iximayan community—
perhaps as specimens of an antique race nearly
extinct. Their ancient residence was chiefly
occupied by a higher order of priests, called
Wabaqoons, who were their legal and sacerdotal
guardians. With one of these, Vaalpeor,
Velasquez became very intimate, and while
Huertis was devoting himself to the
antiquities, hieroglyphics, and pantheism of this
unknown city, the young pagan was eagerly
imbibing a knowledge of the world at large
from Velasquez, which proved to him equally
enchanting; so that when the Spaniard
proposed the escape of the expedition, with
Vaalpeor as their companion, he agreed to it.
At this time Hammond died of his wounds,
and after the funeral they prepared for escape.

When they were ready, Huertis could not
be found; two days and nights elapsed; still
he did not appear. On searching his rooms,
neither his papers nor drawing instruments
were to be seen. It was afterwards discovered
that Huertis had taken into his confidence
one whom he hoped would accompany him,
and she had betrayed him. His offence, after
his voluntary vows, and his initiation into
the sacred mysteries, was unpardonable; his
fate could not be doubted. Vaalpeor
afterwards admitted that Huertis had been
sacrificed in due form on the high altar of the Sun,
and that he (Vaalpeor) had beheld the fatal
ceremony. As Huertis had not implicated
his associates, there was yet a chance for
them. After some difficulties, they contrived
to escape with Vaalpeor, and the two Aztec
or Kaana children of which he was the
guardian. In fourteen days, after much
suffering, they reached Ocosingo, where
Vaalpeor died from the unaccustomed toils
and deprivations of the journey. Velasquez,
with the two children, reached San Salvador
in February. He was advised to send
them to the United States, and thence to
Europe.

Thus far the story reads more or less glibly;
although here and there a suspicion obtrudes
itself to cast a hazy shadow of doubt across
its authenticity. Against unqualified credence,
comes the fact that the two children of the
mysterious city have been made a show; and
that the account of their origin is derived
from their present keeper, who has translated
enough of the narrative to explain the
children's appearance at Boston: he says
the remainder will be published as soon as
Velasquez can place the manuscript in proper
hands, and inquiries have been made among
those who accompanied him.

In a country which boasts of a Barnum, we
may be forgiven, therefore, for accompanying
the above account of the mysterious city,
and the equally mysterious children, with a
caution. The friends of Mr. Huertis of
Baltimore, and those of Mr. Hammond "of
Canada," will, doubtless, be applied to by the
curious in the States; and from them could
at least be gleaned some materials for
authenticating the exhibitor's statements. The
existence of such a city is too curious and
important to be allowed to remain long in
doubt.

The children are described as having a
tottering and feeble gait, and idiotic look.
Their ages are respectively eight and ten.

It is said that the "Exhibition" is on its
way from the United States to rival Madame
Tussaud's, and the thousand wonders
preparing for the coming Fair of the World.
Let us hope that among the first visitors will
be a categorical Committee from the
Ethnographical Society; and that a deputation from
the Royal Geographical Society will exact
from the showman a strict account of Don
Pedro Velasquez's latitudes and longitudes.