Willis's Current Notes, No. 14, February 1852

G. Willis gratefully acknowledges the various interesting documents and letters he has received. He is anxious that it should be perfectly understood that he is not the author of any statement, representation, or opinion, that may appear in his Current Notes, which are merely selections from communications made to him in the course of his business, and which appear to him to merit attention. Every statement therefore is open to correction or discussion, and the writers of the several paragraphs should be considered as alone responsible for their assertions. Although many notes have hitherto appeared anonymously, or with initial letters, yet wherever a serious contradiction is involved, G. Willis trusts that his Correspondents will feel the necessity of allowing him to make use of their names when properly required.
Ethnology.—The marvellous pamphlet published in New York, with reference to the Aztec Children exhibiting there, has reached G. W., with the copy to be presented to a distinguished traveller, which has been delivered to him; and he seems not inclined to disbelieve in the accuracy of any of its statements, whatever may be the opinion of G. W.'s New York Special Reporter. (See Current Notes for January, p. 4.)
The pamphlet purposes to give an account of the discovery of an idolatrous city called Iximaya , in Central America, with 85,000 inhabitants, situate somewhere about 16° 42' N. and 91° 35' W., whose priests seem to consider the flesh of Scotchmen to be a peculiar culinary luxury—when they can catch them. The information given to the discoverers of the ideal or real city of Iximaya , was that a man of the same race as Senor Hammond, who was of a bright-florid complexion, with light hair and red whiskers, had been sacrificed and eaten by the Macbenachs or priests of Iximaya, the great city among the hills, about thirty moons ago, (previous to May, 1849).
It has been asserted that Mr. Wheelwright, an American gentleman of the highest respectability, well known and much respected both in London and Liverpool as the originator of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, is (or was) well acquainted with the author of this very extraordinary pamphlet. And although it must be confessed, that if considered as a piece of mere invention, for in marvellous incident it is a formidable rival to the voyage and travels of one Lemuel Gulliver, or the life and adventures of the well known Mr. Robinson Crusoe,—yet the fact should not be forgotten, that Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.