HISTORY OF THE SPANISH CONQUEST OF YUCATAN AND OF THE ITZAS

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                  ENTRADA FROM THAT COUNTRY, 1694-1695


Hitherto all our attention has been absorbed by the Maya-speaking
peoples of Yucatan and northern Guatemala and with the entradas made
from Yucatan into the Peten region and to Tayasal. Now, however, we are
to consider, first, the early history of the Maya-speaking peoples of
southern Guatemala and the entradas made from that region into the
northern parts of the country in search of Lake Peten and Tayasal.


The Indian Tribes of Guatemala. The two chief tribes were the highly
cultured Cakchiquel and Quiche. They lived in what may be described as
the central portion of modern Guatemala. To the north of them dwelt the
Choles, Lacandones, Mopanes, and Itzas; to the south, along the Pacific
coast, were the Pipiles. With the exception of the latter, all these
people spoke dialects of Maya. It is well to note, however, that both