Incidents of Travel in Yucatan

"This republication of the first widely distributed European account of the Yucatan holds surprising relevance for folklorists, archaeologists, and readers interested in the current political conditions in Chiapas. John Stevens and F. Catherwood sojourned there in 1841, visiting haciendas, missions, and ruins. Catherwood's engravings provide excellent documentation of Yucatan before the tourists. I was fascinated by the striking contrast between Stevens' description of the majestic ruins and his attitude toward the native population. While Stevens marvels at the accomplishments of the Mayans, he blandly accepts their descendants' enslavement in the haciendas. The tragic potency of 'Incidents of Travel in Yucatan' lies in this respect for a civilization and concurrent disregard for its people."Stephens, John L. is the author of 'Incidents of Travel in Yucatan' with ISBN 9780486209272 and ISBN 048620927X.