Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan, Vol. 1
John Lloyd Stephens
Read by Sue Anderson
The year is 1838. The scene is the dense Honduran forest along the Copán River. Two men, John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood, are about to rediscover Mayan civilization. Their guide, slashing through the rampant growth with his machete, leads them to a structure with steps up the side, shaped like a pyramid. Next they see a stone column, fourteen feet high, sculptured on the front with a portrait of a man, “solemn, stern and well fitted to excite terror,” covered on the sides with hieroglyphics, and with workmanship “equal to the finest monuments of the Egyptians.” Stephens records these discoveries and also his travels in Central America, where he had been sent by President Van Buren as special ambassador to the ill-fated Republic of Central America. The republic being engulfed in civil war when Stephens arrives in Guatemala, he finds himself dodging revolutionary armies while he hunts for a “legitimate government” to which to present his credentials. Catherwood, meanwhile, directs his immense artistic talent to illustrating views of Mayan architecture. Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan was a best seller in its day and has been called an “Indiana Jones” saga by modern reviewers. (Summary by Sue Anderson) (15 hr 11 min)
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Reviews
incidents of travel in central America volume 1
David Tweeddale
Fabulous true adventure story. Thank you Sue Anderson for your wonderful read. Librivox is wonderful.
MinaWQ
Extremely interesting narrative of travels and the state of the political situation in mid 19th century Central America.
nice glimpse at south America at the turn.of the century
A LibriVox Listener
Frank Karwatowicz
It’s better than an actual vacation trip Very enjoyable
lots of fun and interesting history of Central America
M Hall
eat your heart out - Indiana
BRW