Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier

“ Of this most important book, several translations have appeared, embodying either the whole or only a part.—Thus a French translation of the "Descripcion de las Indias Occidentales," appeared at Amsterdam in 1622 twice, and a French translation of the 1st, 2d and 3d Decades, at Paris, 1671.—A Latin version of the "Descripcion" was also published in 1622, by Colin, at Amsterdam, and a very unreliable English rendering by John Stephens, in 6 vols. 8o, appeared at London in 1725. Herrera is one of the most important authorities on every subject of which he treats. ”

“ It was published by the Abbé Brasseur de Bourbourg, in 1860, with a French translation opposite to the Spanish text, and under the title of "Relation des choses de Yucatan."—Republished again in 1864, with some other matter.
The merits of Landa are certainly very great, but the real import of his so-called "A. B. C." ("De sus letras forme aqui un a. b. c." pp. 316-319) , has been misunderstood and correspondingly misrepresented. The picture which Landa gives us of the customs and organization of the Mayas is completely at variance with some of his other statements. ”

“ Dr. Scherzer certainly deserves credit for having published a Spanish text rendering approximatively the "Popol Vuh," in 1857, and there is no doubt but that it is as correct a rendering of the original Quiché as the French translation of Brasseur de Bourbourg. ”

“ Paris, 1864. (See Landa and Lizana) .
"Quatre Lettres sur le Méxique." Paris, 1868.
"Manuscrit Troano." Paris, 1869-1870.
The late Abbé Brasseur was certainly the greatest of all modern travellers in Mexico and Central America, as far as extent of travel and long duration of stay are concerned. He knew those countries better, and had easier access to the natives, than any other similar traveller of this 14 century. His works are therefore, actual mines of wealth so far as old documents are concerned: he has collected and brought to light more manuscripts than any other student. ”

“ II. of "Coleccion de Documentos Inéditos relativos al Descubrimiento, Conquista y Colonizacion de las Posesiones Españolas en América y Oceanía," 1865.—The text is, however, imperfect.—A better original had been used by Ternaux-Compans for his French translation: "Rapport sur les diffirentes classes de la Nouvelle-Espagne."—Zurita is very important on the organization of the Quiché tribes of Guatemala, and he has been almost verbally copied by Herrera. ”

“ The closest criticism possible is absolutely required.
Gil Gonzalez Dávila. "Teatro ecclesiástico de la primitiva Iglesia de los Indios Occidentales." Madrid, 1649.
Juan Diaz de la Calle. "Memorial y Resûmen breve de Noticias de las Indias Occidentales." Madrid, 1654.
These constitute the most important sources on Yucatan written during the 17th century. Nearly all of them are of special value, and we would call particular attention to Cogolludo, Lizana, Torquemada, Herrera, and Remesal. ”

“ Now it is a fact very easily proven, that the aborigines of Guatemala had no phonetic alphabet whatever, consequently that they did not write.—Therefore the "Popol Vuh" must have been composed, as an instrument in writing, since the conquest ”

“ Original in MS. French translation by H. Ternaux-Compans in "1er Recueil de Piéces concernant le Méxique," Vol. X. 1838, of his collection of "Mémoires et documents Originaux, &c., &c."
Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo y Valdés. "Historia General y natural de las Indias," composed of 50 books.—The first 19 books, and part of the 50th, were published by the author as early as 1535,—and the first 20 books as early as 1557,—but the entire work has only been printed in 1851, at Madrid, 4 Vols. folio.—It is full of details concerning Yucatan. ”

“ Purposely I omit also Antonio de Solis, whose history of the conquest of Mexico has a great literary, but hardly any scientific, value.
Writers of the Eighteenth Century.
Juan de Villagutierre Y Sotomayor. "Historia de la Conquista y Reducciones de los Itzaes y Lacandones en la América Septentrional." Madrid, 1701. The first part only, composed of 10 books,—the second part may not have been completed,—at least it has remained unknown till now. The work is of the highest importance, especially for that part of Yucatan which has since hardly been explored. 11
Abbate Francesco Saverio Clavigero. ”

“ Besides, many of the authors are so well known that a mere mention of their names and the titles of their works will suffice. Periodicals containing papers on Yucatan, will be mentioned generally, but detailed reference to special articles can be given only in a few exceptional instances. The latest works will only be alluded to.
Alexander von Humboldt. "Essai politique sur le royaume de la Nouvelle-Espagne." Paris, 1811, 2 vols. 4o.—Id. Paris, 1811, 5 vols. 8o.—Paris, 1825-27, 4 vols. 8o. Spanish translation: Madrid, 1818. English translation by John Black. ”

“ Joseph de Acosta. "Historia natural y moral de Indias," Sevilla, 1590. I merely mention this author, without entering into further bibliographical 7 details about his work. It has been translated into many languages, and—in part or wholly—incorporated in many general collections of "Americana." He says but little about Yucatan, still his book is indispensable to any one studying Yucatecan antiquities. I also advert here to his former publication, which is but little known: "De promulgatione Evangelii apud Barbaros, sive de procuranda Indorum salute," Libros 6 ”

“ México, 1870.—Treats of Yucatan incidentally, speaking of Cortés, &c.
The work consists properly of three books: the "Teatro," the "Crónica de la provincia del Santo Evangelio de México," and the "Menologio franciscano."
Antonio de Remesal. "Historia general de las Indias Occidentales, y particular de la gobernacion de Chiapas y Guatemala."—This book has 9 also another title: "Historia de la Provincia de San Vicente de Chyapa y Guatemala de la Orden de San Domingo."—Madrid, 1619 and 1620.—Treats of Yucatan also, following Las Casas generally. An important work. ”

“ X. of his "Voyages, Relations et Mémoires originaux pour servir à l' histoire de la découverte de l' Amérique,") and the latest and best reprint, together with a splendid Spanish translation, is contained in Vol. I. of "Coleccion de Documentos para la Historia de México," 1858, by Sr J. G. Icazbalceta, of México.
Petrus Martyr ab Angleria. "Enchiridion de insulis nuper repertis simulatque incolarum moribus," Basel, 1521. (Separate print of the 4th Decade, which contains the first items about Yucatan ever published in Europe after Diaz's report) . ”

“ Herrera made extensive use of Palacio's writings, but he omitted that part which referred to Copan because it was not confirmed (at his time) by any other testimony. The first publication of Palacio was by Ternaux-Compans, in 1840, "Recueil de Documents et mémoires originaux sur l'histoire des possessions espagnoles, &c."—French translation: fluent, but not always reliable. A Spanish copy appeared in 1866, in Vol. ”

“ J. L. Stephens, in "Incidents of travels in Yucatan," and by Brasseur de Bourbourg, in "Rel. d. ch. de Y."
Writers of the Seventeenth Century.
Antonio de Herrera. "Historia general de los hechos de los Castellanos en las Islas y la Tierra firme del mar Océano," Madrid, 1601, 1615, 4 vols. folio. There are two other editions in the original language: Madrid, 1726 and 1730, and Antwerp, 1728. ”

“ Leipzig.—English translation: "Seven years travel in Central America." London, 1861.
Carl Bartholomâus Heller. "Reisen in Mexico." Leipzig, 1853.—Rather fair and moderate.
Désiré Charnay, and Viollet le Duc. "Cités et Ruines américaines." Paris, 1863.—Invaluable for its photographs.
Arthur Morelet. "Voyage dans l'Amérique centrale, l'Ile de Cuba, et la Yucatan." Paris, 1857. English translation by Mrs. E. G. Squier. "Itza, or the unexplored regions of Central America." London, 1871.—A very attractive and valuable work.
Charles Etienne Brasseur de Bourbourg. ”

“ José de Estacheria. "Expediente sobre el descubrimiento de una gran Ciudad en la provincia de Chiapas, distrito de Guatemala." 28 Nov. 1784. (Archives of the royal Academy, at Madrid) .—It is directed to the lieutenant "Alcalde mayor" of Chiapas, at Sto Domingo del Palenque, directing him to survey the ruins.
Josef Antonio Calderon. "Informe, fecho en 15 de Diciembre de 1784." Description of the ruins. MSS. translated and published by Brasseur in "Ruines de Palenque," 1866. 20
Antonio Bernasconi. ”

“ The book is very scarce. Mr. Squier owned the first volume only.
Anonymous. "Relacion de la Sublevacion de los Zendales, en el año de 1712." MS. Perhaps still at the city of Guatemala.
Ramon de Ordoñez y Aguiar. "Historia de la Creacion del Cielo y de la Tierra, conforme al sistema de la gentilidad americana." MS. at the "Museo Nacional" of the city of Mexico.—Very important for the traditions of Chiapas.
"Memoria relativa á las ruinas de Nachán, en las inmediaciones del pueblo de Santo Domingo del Palenque." MS. formerly belonged to Brasseur de Bourbourg. ”

“ Commenced in 1864, and still continued.
(These collections contain chiefly documents from the "Real Archivo de Indias," and although they are of recent date, the papers are all from the earlier times of Spanish conquest and settlement.)
The library of the "Museo Nacional" at the City of Guatemala (la Nueva) , contains the following:
Rafael Arévalo. "Libro de Actas del Ayuntamiento de la Ciudad de Guatemala." (Town book or record, from 1524 to 1530.) ”

“ Minutoli's "Beschreibung einer alten Stadt in Guatemala." 1832.—A French translation, by D. B. Warden, in "Antiquités Méxicaines." Vol. II. and, finally, the Spanish original, in "Diccionario universal de Geografia, &c." Vol. VIII.—See also abstract in "Mosaico Mexicano." Vol. II.
Lorenzo de Zavala. Report on Uxmal, published in Vol. I. of "Antiquités Méxicaines."
John L. Stephens. "Travels in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan." N. York, 1841.
"Incidents of travel in Yucatan." N. York, 1843. 13
F. Catherwood. "Views of Ancient Monuments in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan." ”

“ México, 1747.
Ramon Ordoñez y Aguiar. (See Chiapas.) At Mexico.
(A number of the above works may be lost.)
Writers of the Nineteenth Century.
All general works, archæological, historical, and geographical, are left out. I even omit, as abundantly known, Kingsborough, Bancroft, Baldwin, Short, the "Antiquites Méxicaines," the "Cités et Ruines Méxicaines" of Waldeck,—Brasseur de Bourbourg, &c., &c.—Reference to these sources is self-understood.
Domingo Juarrez. "Compendio de la Historia de Guatemala." 1808-1818, Guatemala. (Relies too much on Fuentes.) English translation by Bailey. ”

“ Tratado sobre el cultivo y algunas noticias de esta planta. Mérida de Yucatan, 1871. (Ed. de la Revista de Mérida.)
Los Escritos de D. Joaquin Garcia Icazbalceta. Ed. de la Revista de Mérida. Tomo II., 1870.
"Articulo sobre El México," se halla en el "Deútsch Amerikanisches Conversations Lexicon, barbeitet von. Prof. Alex. I. Schem. Lieferung 64, Band VII., Seite 261, pp. 27. (N. Y. 1872.)
"Remarks on the Centres of Ancient Civilization in Central America, and their Geograpical Distribution." Address read before the Am. Geogr. Society, N. Y., July 10th, 1876, with map. ”

“ Discurso histórico, natural, material, militar, y político del reyno de Guatemala." MS. of 1690. Original in the municipal archives of the city of Guatemala. Copy at the "Museo Nacional."—Fuentes is like Ixtlilxochitl—both have the same tendency to extol their native tribes—still both must be carefully studied and critically examined.—A publication of Fuentes, well and judiciously annotated, would be highly useful. ”

“ N. York, 1855.—German translation, Leipzig, 1856.—French version, Paris, 1855.—Spanish, Paris, 1856, (two different translations.)
"Honduras, Descriptive, Historical and Statistical." London, 1870.
"Honduras and Guatemala." "The National Intelligencer." N. York, 1854.
"The Ruins of Tenampua." Although in Honduras, they appear traditionally connected with Copan. N. York, 1853, in "Proceedings of the Historical Society of New York."
"Monograph of Authors who have Written on the Languages of Central America." Albany, 1861.—A very valuable and important contribution to bibliography. ”

“ Lewis H. Morgan. "Systems of Consanguinity and Affinity of the Human Family." 1871.
(No. 218 of "Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge.")
"American aboriginal Architecture." Johnson's Encyclopedia, Vol. I.
"Ancient Society." New York, 1877.
Hubert Howe Bancroft. "The Native Races of the Pacific States." 5 vols. N. York, 1875. ”

“ Francisco Montero de Miranda. "Relacion dírigida al Ill'mo Señor Palacio, &c., &c., sobre la provincia de la Verapaz ó Tierra de Guerra." 1575. (MS. of E. G. Squier.)
Frayles: Francisco Viana, Lucas Gallego, and Guillermo Cadena. "Relacion de la provincia y tierra de la Vera Paz," 1574. (MS. of Squier.) ”

“ Guillermo Dupaix, and Castañeda. (In "Antiquités Méxicaines," also in Lord Kingsborough's "Antiquities of Mexico.")
Désiré Charnay. (Saw the ruins in 1859. His photographs are very important.)
José Maria Garcia. (Visited Mitla in 1855, according to "Boletin de la Sociedad Mexicana de Geografia y Estadistica." Vol. VII., pp. 271 and 272.) 38
Brantz-Mayer. "Mexico as it Was and as it Is." New York, 1844. Very fair.
"Mexico, Aztec, Spanish and Republican." Hartford, 1853. Very good. ”

“ Alexander von Frantzius. (See Palacio.)
"San Salvador and Honduras im Iahre, 1847."—Annotated also by Berendt.
Gustav Bernoulli. "Reisen in der Republik Guatemala."—In "Petermann's Mittheilungen," 1874-75.
Baron der Theil. "Le Guatemala." In "l'Explorateur," Vol. III. 1876.
J. Laferrier. "De Paris au Guatémala." Paris, 1877. 35
George Williamson. ”