2012-08-12 21:15:40 UTC

4fe22f33edadb

189.202.0.27

Mexico
 ^ / ^7
"J^

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL

YUCATAN.

BY JOHN
L-^TEPHENS,
OP "INCIDENTS OP TRAVEL IN BOTPT, PETEAA, AND '
AUTHOR ARABIA

UGLY LAND," "INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL IN CENTRAL AMERICA," ETC.

%, ILLUSTRATED BY 120 ENGRAVINGS.

IN TWO VOLUMES.
^

VOL. I.

NEW YORK:

PUBLISHED BY HARPER " BROTHERS

FOR HENRY BILL.

1848.
Entered, to Act o. Congress, in the ltil3. by
according year

Harpbb Brothers,
"k

In the Clerk's Office the ^Southern District New-Yorl.

of of
 PREFACE.

In his " Incidents Travel in Central America,

of

Chiapas, Yucatan," the intimated his tention

in-
and author

to a more thorough the

make exploration of

the latter That intention has

ruins of country.

been into the following

since carried effect, and

are the They describe, the

pages result. as au-
thor

has reason to believe, the most ney

jour-
extensive

ever by a in that
made stranger peninsula,

the to forty-four
and contain account of visits ruin-
ed

or in or
cities, places which remains vestiges

were found. The

of ancient population existence

of most these was to

of ruins entirely unknown

the the but few had ever

residents of capital ; "

been by inhabitants; olate,

des-
visited white "
they were

trees. For a brief

ancl overgrown with space

the that them was

broken,
stillness reigned around

they were left to

and again solitude and silence.

Time the are hastening them to

and elements utter

destruction. In a
few
generations, great edifices,
iV PREFACE.

their facades ornaments,

covered with sculptured al-
ready

must
fall, become
cracked and yawning, and

It has been the fortune

mere shapeless mounds.

the to between them the

of author step and entire

destruction to they are

destined it is his
which ; and

hope to from these but

snatch oblivion perishing,

memorials of a mysterious people.

still gigantic

The descriptions are by full tions

illustra-
accompanied

from Daguerreotype drawings taken

views and

on the by Mr. Catherwood, the

spot and engravings

were his
executed under personal superintendence.
 CONTENTS

OF

THE FIRST VOLUME.

CHAPTER I.

Embarcation. "
Fellow-passengers. "
A Gale at Sea. "
at
^Arrival

Sisal. Ornithological Specimens. Merida. F6te San Cris-

" " "
of

toval. The Lottery. Scene Confusion. Principle the

" "

^A of "
of

Game. "
Passion for Gambling. "
A deformed Indian Page 9
.

CHAPTER 11.

Housekeeping. ^Description a Bull-ring. A Bull-fight. tators.

Spec-
"
of " "

"
Brutal Torments inflicted on the Bulls. "
Serious dents.
Acci-

Beast. Scene. Victims to fighting.

Bull-
"
noble "
exciting "

^A ^An
Danger Ferocity Bull-fights. Effects on
"
and of "
moral

Character. Grand Mass. Procession. The Alameda,

" "

^A grand "

Calesas. Concert, its Arrangements. F6te Todos

" "
and "
of
^A
Santos." A Custom. Incident
singular "

^An . .

.25

CHAPTER ni.

An old Friend. Brief Account Yucatan. Early Voyages

"
of "
of

Discovery. Columbus. De Solis Pinzon. Expedition

" "
and "
of

Cordova. Voyages Grijalva. Expedition Cortez. sion

Mis-
"
of "
of "

Montejo, a Grant from Charles V. Dis-

coveries,
of who receives "

Conquests, Sufferings Montejo his panions.

Com-
and of and

"
Efforts to convert the Natives. "
Contreras. "
Farther

Particulars to the Conquest Yucatan 47

relating of . .

"

CHAPTER IV.

Political State Yucatan." Alliance Texas." Presentation

of with

to the Governor. His Character Personal Appearance.

"
and "

A Cordial Reception. An Arrival Strangers. A Citizen

"
of "

of

the World. Acquaintance. Population da.

Meri-
"
old "
of
^Another
Climate. General Aspect Merida. An interesting Ed-
" "
of "
 VI CONTENTS.

ifice. Mode Streets." Sculptured Fig^ures." es.

Church-
"
of naming

Franciscan Convent. A Memorial the Past. Ruined

" "
of "

Cities America. Former Conclusions Page 80

of "
confirmed

CHAPTER V.

Daguerreotype Apparatus. Set as Ladies' Daguerreotype Por

"
up

trait Takers. Preparations. A

young Lady to begin
" "
pretty

Preliminaries. A Chapter Contingencies. Success

with. " "
of "

the first Experiment. Other Experiments. A

of "
successful "

Change Fortune. Give up this Business. An Incident.

of " " "

Take the Practice Surgery. Operation for Strabismus.

up of "

Details. First Subject. A Gathering Squint Eyes.

" " "
great of

"
A troublesome Patient. "
A little Hero. "
Extraordinary stance
In-

Fortitude. A Military Patient. A Female Patient.

of " "

Practice Surgery Instability Fame 100

"
of abandoned. "
of .

CHAPTER VI.

Departure from Merida. Map Yucatan. Timucui. Tekoh.

"
of " " "

Human Skulls Bones. Church Tekoh. Convent-

and "
of "
a

Spectacle. View from the Top the Church. Cura

revolting "
of "

Tekoh. Journey Basin. Telchaquil-

of "
continued. "

^A curious "

lo. A subterraneous Well. Cave. Hacien-

da
" "

^An extraordinary "

Joaquin. Ruins Mayapan. A Mound.

of "
of "
remarkable "

Curious Remains. Another Cave. A

sculptured "
extraordinary "

Edifice. double Row Columns. Ranges

circular "

^A of "
of

Mounds. " "

of the Word Yucatan. "
Ancient
^Arches. ^Derivation
City Mayapan 119
of

CHAPTER Vn.

An Accident. Journey Hacienda Xcanchakan.

"
continued. "
of "

An Indian Dance. "

Whipping an Indian! "
Hacienda of Mucuy-

A Bath in a Senote. Hacienda San Jose. Arrival at

ch6. " "
of "

Uxmal. First Sight the Ruins. Changes last Visit.

"
of "
since "

House the Dwarf. House the Nuns." Casa del Gobema-

of "
of

dor. "
Residence at the Ruins. "
Unpromising Appearances. "

How to Fire. Instance Perseverance. Arrival of

make a "
of "

Luggage on the Backs Indians. First Night at Uxmal 142

of "
.
 VII
CONTSNTS.

CHAPTER VIIL

Perplexities." Household \Vants." Indian Mode boiling Eggs.

of

Addition. ^Description the Ruins.

"
valuable "
of
-"Clearings. ^A

Casa del Gobemador. "

Hieroglyphics. "
Ornaments over the
"

Ground Plan." Doorways."Apartments. Great

Doorways. "
"

Thickness back Wall." A Breach in the Wall."

of the made

Prints Red Hand. Sculptured Beam Hieroglyphics.

of a " of "

Wooden Lintels." Loss Antiquities by the Burning Mr.

of of

Catherwood's Panorama. Terraces. Stone. cular

Cir-
"
"

^A curious "

Mound. Discovery Sculptured Monument. Square

"
of a "

Stone Structure. Sculptured Heads. "

Staircase." House of
"

the Turtles Page 161

CHAPTER IX.

Journey to J Execrable Road. Sight Ruins at Sen-

alacho." "
of

A Multitude." Village Becal." The Cura.

uisacal.- motley of

Breakfast. Ruins. Arrival Jalacho. A Fair."

" " "
at "
great

F^te of Santiago. Miracles. Figure St. James. Bull-fight

"
"
of "

Bull-fighters. Horse-market. in the Plaza. bling."

Gam-
and "

"Scenes
"

Primitive Circulating Medium. A Memorial Home.

"
of

Ball. Search for Ruins. Hacienda Sijoh. Mounds

" " "
of "
of
^A

Ruins. "
Remarkable Stones. "
A long Edifice. "
Hacienda of

Tankuch6. More Ruins. A

plastered Wall
" "
covered with

Paintings. "
Annoyance from Garrapatas." Return to the Vil-

lege. Ball. Fireworks. Condition the Indians 187

" "
"
of .

CHAPTER X.

Sunday. "
^Mass. "
grand Procession. "
^Intoxicated Indians. "
Set
^A

for Maxcanu. Caricoch^. Scenery. Arrival at

Maxca-
out " " "

^A

nu. Cave Maxcanu. Threading a Labyrinth. An Alarm.

"
of " " "

An Termination. Important Discovery. Labyrinth not

abrupt " "

More Mounds. Journey Grand

subterraneous. " "
continued. "

View. Another Mound. An Accident. ^Village Opoche-

" " "
of

^View from the Sierra. ^More Ruins. Return to Uxmal.

que. " " "

Change Quarters. An Addition to the Household.

"
of " "

^Bean-

tiful Scene d09

Vm CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XL

Superintending Indians." The Storm El Norte." Arrival Don

of

Simon. Subterraneous Chambers. Discovery broken tery

Pot-
"
"
of

and a Terra Cotta Vase. Great Number these bers.

Cham-
"
of

^Their probable Uses. Harvest the Maize Crop.

" "
of "

Practical Views. System Agriculture in Yucatan. Planting

"
of "

Com. Threshing Machine. News from Home.

of "

^A primitive "

More Practice in Surgery. Bedstead. A Leg tient.

Pa-
"
"

^A rude "

"
An Arm Patient. "
Increasing Sickness on the da.
Hacien-

"
Death of an Indian Woman. "
A Campo Santo. "
Digging

a Grave. "
Indian Funeral Page 225
^An

CHAPTER XII.

Means by the City Water." Aguadas."

which was supplied with
A delightful Bathing-place. Manner Living at the Ruins
"
of

How to roast a Pig. Nameless Mound. Excavations

"
" "

made

in it. "
Great Exertions." A bitter Disappointment." An Attack

of Fever. Visit from the Cura Ticul. Departure for Ticul.

"
of "

Journey. Arrival the Convent. Arrival Dr.

"

^A painful "
at "

of

Cabot, ill Fever. Gloomy Prospects. A Remedy

with " "
simple

for Fever. Aspect Ticul. The Church. Funeral Urn.

"
of " "
"

Monument Inscription. Convent. Character the Cura

and " "
of

Carillo." The Date the Construction the Convent

of of un-
known.

Probably built the Materials furnished by the

"
with

Ruins former Cities. Archives of the Convent

of "

.248

CHAPTER XIIL

Another City. Relics. Ruins San Francisco. Proved

ruined "
"
of "

to be those the Aboriginal City of the name Ticul. A beau-

tiful
of "

Vase. "
Search for a Sepulchre. "
Discovery of a Skeleton

Vase. Indian Needle. These Cities not built by scendants

De-
and "

^An
"

Egyptians. Their Antiquity not Ex-

amination
of "
very great. "

the Skeleton by Doctor Morton, his Opinion.

of and

" ^Mummies from Peru. "

These Cities built by the Ancestors

of the Race Indians. The Seybo Tree. The Campo

present of " "

Santo." A Village 271

quiet .
 CONTENTS. IX

CHAPTER XIV.

Departure from Ticul. "

^The Sierra. "
Nohcacab. "
Ruins of Noh-

Return to Uxmal. The Campo Santo. Work of Mr. Wal-

pat. " " "

deck. "
General Description of the Ruins. "
Two ruined Edifices.

"
Great Stone Rings. "
House of the Nuns." "c. "

-Dimensions,
"
Courtyard. "
Fa"jades. "
A lofty Edifice. "
Complicated ment.
Orna-

Painted Facades. Sculptured Doorways." House

" "
of

the Birds. Remains of Painting. An Arch. House the

" " "

of

Dwarf. "
Building loaded with Ornaments. "
Long and narrow

Structure. "
Tasteful Arrangement of Ornaments. "
Human rifices."
Sac-

House of the Pigeons."Range of Terraces called the

Campo Santo. "

House of the Old Woman. "
Circular Mound

Ruins." Wall the City." Close Description.- Title pers

Pa-
of of of

Uxmal. Of the Antiquity of Uxmal Page 289

of "
. .

CHAPTER XV.

Attacks from Fever and Ague. "

Final Departure from Uxmal. "

Newycar's Day. "

Fate of Chaipa Chi. "
Painful Journey. "

Chetulish. " Arrival at Nohcacab. "

Concourse of Indians. "
A

Casa Real. "

Plaza. "
Improvements. "
The Church. "
A Noria,

or Well. "
Municipal Elections. "
The Democratic Principle. "

Installation Alcaldes." Illness of the Cura of Ticul." Set out

of

for Ticul. "

Intoxicated Carriers. "
Accident. "
Arrival at Ticul.

Physician. Changed Appearance the Cura,

"

^A wandering "
of

"
Return to Nohcacab. "
Take up Quarters in the Convent. "

Ancient Town of Nohcacab. "

Ruined Mounds. "
Ruins of Xcoch.

"
A Mysterious Well. "
Fine Grove. "
Circular Cavity. "
Mouth

of the Well. "

Exploration of its Passages. "
Uses of the Well.

"
Return to the Village. "
Fatal Accident. "
A House of Mourn-
ing.

"
Ceremony of El Velorio 326

CHAPTER XVI.

Ruins Nohpat. lofty Mound." Grand View. Sculptured

of "

^A
"

Human Figure. Terraces. Huge Figure." Other

" "
sculptured

Figures. Skull Cross-bones. Situation of Ruins. ney

Jour-
"

and " "

to Kabah. "
Thatched Huts. "
Arrival at the Ruins. "
Return

to the Village. "

Astonishment of the Indians. "
Valuable vant.
Ser-

Festival Corpus Alma." A of Saints. How

"
of plurality "

to a Saint Patronage. Procession. Fireworks.

put under "

^A
" "

A Ball.- of Female Population." A Dance 364

-Excess . .
X C0NTKMT8.

CHAPTER XVIL

Ruins Kabah. General Description. Plan the Ruins.

of " "
of "

Great Teocalis." Ruined Apartments. "

Grand View. "
Terrace

Buildings. Ranges of Buildings. Hieroglyphics. A

and "
" "

rich

Fagade. "
^Wooden Lintels. "
Singular Structures." Apartments,

Ac. Rankness of Tropical Vegetation." Edifice the Co-

"
called

cina. " Majestic pile of Buildings. Apartments, "c.

" "

^A soli-
tary

Arch. A Succession of Buildings. Apartments,

"
ruined "

"c. Prints the Red Hand. Sculptured Lintel. ments

Instru-
"
of " "

used by the Aboriginals for Carving Wood. "

Ruined

Structure. Ornament in Stucco. Great Building. rious

Cu-
" "
ruined "

Chamber, "c. "

Sculptured Jambs. "
Witness for
^Another

these Cities. Last Visit to Kabah. ^Its ery.

Discov-
ruined " "
recent

Chamel House. Funeral Procession. Ball by

"

^A
great " "

^A
Daylight." The Procession of the Candles. "
Closing Scene

Page 383
 ENGRAVINGS. VOL.1.

1. Fbontispikcb.
rk"i^

2. A Mound 139
ruined .."""....

3. Sculptured Figures 134

4. Circular Edifice 136

5. Hacienda Xcanchakan 148

of

6. Gateway at
Mucuyche 147

7. A Senote 149

8. PlanofUxmal 165

9. Ornament over a Doorway 168

10. Ornament the Elephant's Tronk 170

called ....

11. Elephant's Trunk in Profile 171

. . . ...

12. Southern End Casa del Gobemador 174

of

13. Ground Plan Casa del Gobemador 175

of

14. Double-headed Lynx 183

15. House the Turtles 184

of

16. Aguada at Uxmal 249

17. Ticul Vase 276

18. SeyboTree 286

19. Plan 301

oftheMonjas
20. PartoftheFa9adeoftbeMonjas 302

21. Entwined Serpents over a Doorway 303

22. View from the Nuns 305

23. East Side of the Courtyard

of the Monjas ....
306

24. Southeast Comer of the Monjas 307

26. Interior an Apartment 309

of

26. House the Birds 311

of

27. West Front the House

of the Dwarf
of . . .

.312

28. East Front the House the Dwarf 316

of of

29. Front the Casa de Palamos 318

of

30. A Noria, or Well 331

31. Mound at
Xcoch 360

32. Mound at
Nohpat 362

33. Colossal Stone Figure 364

34. Sculptured Stone Figuie

. " " " " "
.866
Xll ENGRAVINGS.

35. Skull Crossbones 367

and

36. Street in the Village Nohcacab 369

of

87. PlanofKabah 385

88. Building (Casa No. 1) 387

89. Portion of a ricbly-ecalptared Facade 388

40. Interior of an Apartment 391

41. Ranknesa of
Tropical Vegetatkm 393

43. Building (Casa No. 2) 397

48. Building (Caaa No. 8) 398

44. Triumphal Arch 400

46. Carved Wooden Beam 405

46. Stucco Ornament 410

47. Sculptured Stone Jamb 412

48. Sculptured Stone Jamb 412

49. Chamel Houae CoQTent 416

and

60. Skull 418

61. Triangular Arch 430

62. Gothic Arch 432

63. Cyclopean Arch 432

64. Arch by the ancient American Buildera 433

uaed
.
 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL

YUCATAN.

CHAPTER I.

Embarcation. "
Fellow-passengers. "
Gale at Sea. "
at
^A ^Arrival
Sisal. Ornithological Specimens. Merida. F6te San Cris-
" " "
of

toval. ^The Lottery. Scene Confusion. Principle the

" "
of "

of
^A
Game. "
Passion for Gambling. "
A deformed Indian.

The " Incidents Travel in tral

Cen-
reader of my of

America, Chiapas, Yucatan," remem-

and may ber

that the Mr. Catherwood

researches of and self
my-

in the last-mentioned were

country abruptly

terminated by the illness the former. During our

of

in Yucatan, we but, at
short sojourn received vague,

the same time, intelligence the

reliable of existence

numerous
desolate in
of and extensive cities, and

incaced to believe that the

ruins, which us country

a field for
presented greater antiquarian research

discoveries than we had der

Un-
and any yet visited.

these it was a severe

hardship
circumstances,

that we were to leave it, our

compelled and only

in doing the hope being

consolation so was
of able

to return, to thorough
prepared make a exploration

of this In
unknown and mysterious region. about

a we found in to do
year ourselves a condition so ;

on Monday, the October,. to

and ninth of we put

T B
10 INCIDENTJS OF TRAVEL.

sea on board the bark Tennessee, Scholefield mas-

ter,

for Sisal, the' from had

port which we
sailed on

our return to the United States.

The Tennessee was a down-Easter two hun-

dred
of

tons burden, turned

and sixty out apparently

from one those factories

of great where ships are

built by the to but

mile and chopped off order, stout,

strong, well manned and equipped.

Her was for the Yucatan

cargo assorted market,

a heavy stratum iron the tom

bot-
and consisted of of at

were miscellanies, among which were

; midway

two hundred barrels tine

turpen-
cotton, muskets, and of

on top, the hatches,

; and within reach of were

hundred kegs
six of gunpowder.

We had a to our in Dr.

valuable addition party

Cabot, Boston, us as
of who accompanied an ama-
teur,

particularly as an Besides him,

ornithologist.

our
fellow-passenger was Mr. Camerden,
only who

went out as supercargo.

The first out we

morning woke with an extraor-
dinary

odour of turpentine, giving us apprehensions

that a barrel had a leak, by means

sprung which, of

the cotton, use our before it

might up gunpowder

came to the hands its This

of consignee. odour,

however, to
was traced a marking-pot, which quiet-
ed

our
apprehensions.

On the fourth day had

evening of the we a severe

thunder-storm. This was an old acquaintance of

ours in the tropics, but one which at that time we

were not disposed to Peals

welcome very cordially.
 THE VOYAGE. A GALE AT SEA. 11

thunder broke over our heads,

of and crashed close

lightning flashed across the dark the ens,

heav-
vault of

lighting the the water,

up surface of and making

fearfully little tossing

visible our vessel, and pitching,

a mere in immensity at times an

speck ; and angry ray

darted toward the horizon, as if to ignite

expressly

We discussed, though dis-

our
gunpowder. rather

jointedly, the doctrine non-con-

of conductors and ductors,

the to a few links

and advised captain put

of a chain cable round the mainmast, and carry the

it over the We had some in

end of side. consolation

thinking that hundred kegs were no worse than

six

that do our business but, in

sixty, and six would ;

fact, at the moment, we were very much of opinion

that lightning gers

dan-
and gunpowder were the only

the sea.
The however, wore through,
of night,

brought it the
and morning with usual, and, pily,
unhap-

the in those down

almost only change who go

to the sea in forgetfulness danger.

ships "
of past

On the the we
evening of seventeenth passed, with

a breeze, the narrow known as the

gentle passage

Hole in the Wall, before we ing

ly-
and morning were

broadside to the flying before

wind, and almost

it. The was terrific

gale ; nothing could stand right
up-

to the was
windward, and sea portentous.

The sat the

captain under quarter rail, watching

the turning to the misty

compass, and anxiously

the heavens from the seem-

quarter of which winds ed

let loose. At breakfast large drops sweat

of

on his forehead though at

first
stood ; and unwiUing
 12 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

to it even to himself, we discovered that we

admit

were in danger. We were driving, as fast as

really

the wind could send us, upon the range of sunken

known as Abaco Directly our lee

rocks reef under

was the worst part of the whole reef, marked on the

"Dangerous Unless the

chart rocky shore." gale

or the hauled, in or ten hours

abated wind eight we

must I must I saw but little hope

strike. confess of

a this was but a few feet un-

change, and rocky reef

der water, twenty distant from terra firma.

and miles

If the must to
vessel struck, she go pieces ; nothing

by man's hands the fury

made could stand against

of the sea, moment we Avere nearer struction.

de-
and every

We sat the before us, ing

look-
with chart

at
it as a look
sentenced convict might at an

the time fixed for his

advertisement of execution.

The to out horribly on

sunken rocks seemed stand

the paper ; and though every glance at the sea told

us that daylight no human

with strength could vail
pre-

it, it to our ings

feel-
against added uncomfortable

to know that it be
would nearly night when

the We had but one

crisis arrived. consolation "

there were no women or children on board. All

doing
were able-bodied men, capable of all that men

do in a
for life. But, fortunately for
could struggle

the these to the re-

reader of pages, say nothing of lief

to
ourselves, at one o'clock the wind veered ;

we on a little canvass the

got ; good ship struggled

for her life by degrees turned her back

; she upon

danger, at we were on our re-

and night again way joicing.
 ARRIVAL AT SISAL. 13

On the twenty-seventh we furled the

sails off port

Sisal. Five were at anchor, an extraor-

of vessels dinary

for Sisal, fortunate for us,

circumstance and

because as our had never been

otherwise, captain

there before, though looking for it,

carefully we

not have been to find it. Our

might able anchorage

was on the coast, two or three

ground open miles

from land, at distance it was to

which necessary

keep, lest we be driven in case a

should ashore of

Captain Scholefield, in fact, before he had

norther.

discharged his was to his

cargo, obliged slip cables

to sea, did back to his

and put and not get anchor-
age

in days.
ground nine

It was four in the but, by

only o'clock afternoon,

the the no land

regulations of port, passenger could

the hstd been by the health

until vessel visited and

We looked out till dark,

custom-house officers. and

long the moon rose, but no

after notice whatever

was taken us, no amiable

feelings
of and, with very

toward the lazy we turned in on

officials, again

board.

In the we went on deck, we saw

morning, when

our stern the brig Lucinda, in

which
anchored under

we had thought taking she

had
of passage ; sailed

from New- York four days we did,

after and arrived

during the night

Very soon we toward us the

saw coming off arate
sep-

canoas the health

of and custom-house cers.
offi-

We were boarded by a little man

very with

a very big mustache, who was seasick before he

2
14 INCIDENTS OP TRAVEL.

the deck, in a
few betook self
him-
mounted and minutes

to a berth. The however, were

preliminaries,

soon we went All disposition

settled, and ashore.

we have had to the before

might complain night

on landing. Our former was for-

gotten.
ceased visit not

The account it had been translated

of and

published, and, as soon as the of our return

object
was known, facility was us, our
every given and all

trunks, boxes, luggage were

and multifarious passed

by the
without examination custom-house officers.

The little town Sisal had not

increased
of either

houses or inhabitants, did not

m and present any

inducements to in it The same

additional remain

we sent our luggage in a carreta

for
afternoon off

Merida, the in
and next morning started calezas

ourselves.

From the the town the was in-

undated,
suburbs of plain

for more than a our horses were

and mile

their knees in water.

When we be-
fore,
above passed

this was dry,

ground parched, and cracking

It was now the last the season,

open. of rainy and

the ^ body water, stream by

great of without any

to was drying a
which pass off, up under scorching

to leave the infected with

sun, earth malaria.

We had in the fulness tropical

arrived of tion
vegeta-

the trees the were in their

; stunted along road

deepest Dr. Cabot to us a new

green, and opened

source interest beauty. In to begin

of and order

business at he in the first

once, rode caleza alone,

before he had far, the barrel his

and gone we saw of
 MERIDA. 15

on a bird fall. He had

gun protrude one side, and

Sisal, dacks
seen at egretes, pelicans, and which

in at home, an
were rare collections and oscillated

turkej, he thought the

wild which alone worth voy-

to that now, our attention

being
tig3 place ; and ticularly
par-

directed to the in some the

subject, places

bushes brilliant the

shrubs and seemed with plumage

the birds. On the he

and vocal with notes of road

four different which are entirely un-

known
saw species

in the United States, others which

and six

found in Louisiana Florida, most

are only and of of

he
which procured specimens.

We Huncuma during the heat the

stopped at of

day dark Merida, once more

; at reached and rode

to the house of Dona Micaela. Coming rectly

di-
up

from home, we were not so as

much excited

we
it a toilsome
when reached after and comfortless

journey in Central America but even now it

; would

ill become me to depreciate it, for the donna had

the former to Merida,

read account of my visit and

she said, with an emphasis that covered all the rest,

that the dates departure therein

of arrival and as

mentioned corresponded exactly with the in

entries
her book.

We had Merida
arrived at at an opportune mo-
ment

As on the our first it wa9

occasion of visit,

a season fiesta. The lete San Cristoval,

again of of

an observance
days, was then drawing to
of nine

its that a function to

close, and evening grand was

be in the dedicated to
performed church that saint
16 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

We had no time to lose, hasty

and, after a
supper,

the an Indian lad belonging to

nnder guidance of

the house, we set out for the Very

church. soon

we were in the street leading to it,

main along which,

as it the Merida
seemed, whole population of was

to the fete. In house lantern hung

moving every a

from the balconied or a long

windows, candle stood

a to light them on their

nnder glass shade, way.

At the head the street was a large on one

of plaza,

the its front

side of which stood church, with great

brilliantly illuminated, on the

and platform and steps,

the before it, was a

and all open square great mo-
ving

mass men, women, dians,

In-
of and children, mostly

dressed in white.

We our to the door, found

worked way up and

the a blaze light Two rows

church within of of

high wax or ten feet

candlesticks, with candles eight

high, the length from the door to

extended whole

the On hung innumerable lamps,

altar. each side
dotting the from the floor to the
whole space ing
ceil-

back the extreme on an

; and at end, standing

thirty feet high,

elevated platform, was an altar rich

vases flowers,
with silver ornaments and of and

hung innumerable lamps brilliantly burning.

with

Priests in vestments were be-

fore
glittering officiating

it, was through the

music swelling corridor and

the floor the immense was

arches, and of church

women on their knees, dressed in

covered with

their heads. Through

white, with white shawls over

the body the was to be

entire of church not a man
 A FESTIVAL OF THE CHURCH. 17

Near us was a bevy beauti-

fully
seen. of young girls,

dressed, dark their hair

with eyes, and adorned
flowers, though I was
with sustaining, now a year

my previous impressions the

older and colder, of

beauty the ladies M

of of erida.

The died as the women

chant away, and rose

from their knees, their was like the ing

lift-
appearance

of a white cloud, or
spirits of air rising to a

but, as they turned toward the door,

purer world ;

the horizon became dusky Indian faces,

with and

half a rose above the rest, black as a

way up spot

thunder-cloud. The front were In-

dians,
whole ranks

a towering African, whose

face, in the
except

like the last touch

cloud of white around, shone of

Day Martin's best

and

We till the last out, leaving

waited passed and,

the blazing light,

empty church with with rockets,

fireworks, drums, to-

gether
and violins all working away

on the we followed the

steps, crowd.

Turning the left the we en-

along side of plaza, tered

an illuminated street, at the foot

of which, and

across it, hung a cross, brilliantly minated,

illu-
gigantic also

stopping the Coming

and apparently way.

as we did directly from the it to

church, seemed

have some immediate with the ceremo-

connexion nies

we had just beheld but the short

; crowd stopped

the cross, a large house, also brilliantly

of opposite

illuminated. The door this house, like that

of of

the to to enter, or
church, was open all who chose

that to force their

rather, at moment, all who could

Vol. I." C
18 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

through. Waiting the the mass fore

be-
way motion of

us, by those behind,

and pressed slowly, and

labour, we our into the

with great worked way sala.

This was a large room the

extending along whole

front the house, hot to

of suffocation, and crowded,

or rather jammed, with men

and women, or
men
gentle-

ladies, or by they
and whatever other names

be to be
may pleased called, clamorous and noisy as

Bedlam let loose. For some time it was impossible

for us to form idea was on. By

any of what going

degrees we were lengthwise through the

carried

sala, at every step getting elbowed, stamped upon,

the a straw hat across the

and occasionally rim of

or the a in the Very

nose, puff of paper cigar eyes.

soon our
faces were trickling tears,
with which

there was no friendly hand to our own

wipe away,

being down to our

pinned sides.

On side of the sala was a rude table, occu-

each pying

its length, boards,

whole made of rough
^two

in little tin
and supporting candles stuck receivers,

two feet Along the tables were benches

about apart.

of the same rough materials, with men

and women,

Mestizoes, Indians, together,

whites. and all sitting

as the human
as close solidity and resistance of

flesh permit, and seemingly closer than was

would

Every at the table had before him

sufferable. person

her a foot
or a paper about square, covered with

figures in a corn,
rows, and small pile of grains of

and by its a thumping some eighteen

side stick

inches long, in diameter

and one ; while, amid all
 AlfODERNBABEL. 19

the hubbab, the eyes of all at

noise, and confusion,

the tables bent the be-

fore
were constantly upon papers

In that hot they like

them. place, seemed a

host some the ter

lat-
of necromancers and witches, of

the black
young and extremely pretty, practising

art.

By degrees into the

we were passed out corridor,

here brought to a dead Within

and we were stand.

length imp a boy, the

arm's was an of apparently

in this orgy, who stood on a

ringleader nocturnal

bag balls,
platform, rattling a of and whose uninter-

had throughout
mitted screeching, singsong cries

distinct
risen shrill and above every other sound.

At that moment the noise and uproar were

carried

to highest The house rising

the whole seemed

the boy, he, or

against and single-handed, rather

was doing battle the

single-tongued, with whole,

forth a stream
sending clear of vocal power, which

for bore its triumphantly through the

a while way

troubled waters, till, finding himself over-

whole powered

by the immense a tone that

majority, with

set the mass in a roar, his ocratic

dem-
whole and showed

he out, "Vox
principles, cried populi est

vox Dei !"

and sabmitted.

Along the in the the

corridor, and whole area of

patio, or courtyard, were tables, benches,

and and

papers, and grains of corn, ponderous

and sticks,

the same as in the men women

sala, and and sitting

as together. The were

close passages choked up,

over the heads those at the tables,

and of sitting all
20 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

were bending their eyes earnestly upon

within reach

the They were

mysterious papers. grayheads,

boys little fathers

and girls, and children ; and ers
moth-

husbands and masters servants ; men

; wives ; and

high in bull-fighters senoras

ofiSice, muleteers, and ;

and senoritas, with jewels around their necks and

in their hair, Indian women,

roses and worth only

the covering they had on beauty ity

deform-
slight ; and

the best the in Merida in

; and vilest ; perhaps,

two thousand persons ; and this great multitude,

all,

we had seen but a few before

many of whom minutes

their knees in the them

on church, and among the

fair bevy had stood

by us on the
of girls who steps,

in a !
were now assembled public gambling-house a

beautiful for a the first

spectacle stranger night of

his in the !
arrival capital

But the devil is not so black as he is I

painted.

do to for in
not mean offer any apology gambling,

Yucatan, in the rest

Mexico, the bane
as all of and

but Merida is, in a

scourge of all ranks of society ;

love, I fain
small way, a city of my and would raise

this mass
from the into which I
great of people gulf

have just them at

least, I lift their
plunged : would

heads a little above water.

The they were in

game which engaged playing

is La Loteria, or the Lottery. It is a favoir-

called

ite throughout the Mexican

amusement all provin-

ces, to in Yucatan. It i%
and extends every village

by the as was former-

ly
authorized government, and,

the case to a extent with the lotteries

pernicious
 THBLOTTEET. 21

our owa is as an instrument to

m cQontry, used raise

for the use the itself,

money, either of government or

for are deserving.

other purposes which considered

The of the game, or the scheme,

principle consists of

different from one to

combinations of numbers, ty,
nine-

which are written on papers, nine rows on each

five figures in row. As ures

fig-
side, with each ninety

admit of combinations to an almost indefinite

extent, can be issued,

any number of papers each

a different These
containing series of combinations.

are by the
papers stamped government, and sold at

a or twelve a half cents Every

real, and each. er
play-

one these fastens it to

purchases of papers, and

the table before him a A is then,

with wafer. purse

in a
made up, each player putting certain sum, which

is by a boy in a hat The boy the

collected with

bag balls then announces, or rather out, the

of sings

the his bag balls,

amount of purse, and rattling of

draws out one, the drawn. ry

Eve-
and sings number

his a com
player marks on paper with grain of

the the one is first to

number called off, and who able

five in a row the This

mark numbers wins purse.

he announces by on the table the stick,

rapping with

in his The boy over

and standing up place. sings

the drawn, if,

again numbers and on comparison, all

is found delivers the The is then

right, purse. game

begins. Sometimes
ended, and another mistakes

it that led to the extraor-

occur, and was a mistake dinary

we had found on
clamour and confusion

the the boy*

reaching neighbourhood of
22 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

The amount
for some idea the
played will give of

the Before the

character of game. commencing,

boy out that the in no case ex*

called stake should

two This, however, was too

ceed reals. considered

high, it was fixed by consent at a me-

and general dio,

or a cents. The largest amount

six and quarter

by the boy was twenty-seven dollars

proclaimed

three divided four hundred

and reals, which, among

thirty-eight did heavy

and players, not make very

In fact, an near 1
gambling. old gentleman whom

was told me it was a not

standing small affair, and

learning; but he that there was a

worth added place

in the they monte for

neighbourhood where played

doubloons. The amount

during
whole circulated

the fell far is

evening short of what often exchanged

at a in a drawing-room at
home,
small party private

those not the tion

imputa-
and among who would relish

being In fact, it is
of accounted gamblers. haps
per-

but just to that this concourse

say great of peo-
ple

was brought together by the

not spirit of gam-
bling.

The Merida are fond amuse-

ments,
people of of

in the theatres
and absence of and other lic
pub-

the loteria is a
entertainments, great gathering-

to
place, where persons of all ages and classes go

Rich
meet acquaintances. and poor, great and

the same on a footing

small, meet under roof of fect
per-

feeling is
equality ; good cultivated among all

forgetting their Whole families

without any place.

go thither together; young people procure seats

near each at more desperate games

other, and play
 PASSION FOR GAMBLING. 23

than the loteria, hearts, or at

least hands,
where are

at that some bold

stake, and perhaps night player,

in losing his drew a than the

medios, richer prize

large twentj-seven dollars three

purse of and reals.

In fact, the loteria is an acces-

considered merely sory

to the intercourse stead

in-
pleasures of social ; and,

it be a
of gaming, might called grand conver-

but at
least was
sacione^ not very select ; such our

and there was something to make ud

conclusion;

for the was hot

rather uncharitable, place enough

to justify an to it the name bestowed

application of

in common on the
parlance gambling-houses of

London Paris.
and

At we left. On our
about eleven o'clock way

down the street we the door a house

passed open of

in were tables
which piled with gold and silver, and

men in the
around playing what, opinion of my old

the loteria, was a learning.

adviser of game worth

We to the house, found, in our

returned and what

haste to be at the fiesta we had no

paid attention

to, that Do"a M icaela us but one room,

could give

that a one, near the door. As we ex-

and small and pected

to some days in Merida, we mined

deter-
remain

the next to take a house to

morning and go

housekeeping. While for the

arranging ourselves

we heard loud, the door,

night, a
unnatural noise at

and, out, found over the the

going roUing pavement

Cerberus the an Indian

of mansion, old miserably

deformed, his legs drawn his back down,

with up,

his head thrust forward, his

neck and and eyes start-
24 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

ing from their he was himself

sockets ; eDtertaiDing

an
in the Maya tongue,
with outrageous soliloquy

at our he his higher

and appearance pitched voice

than before. Signs threats had no cure

Se-
and effect

in his deformity, he to feel a

seemed malicious

that he had it in his to

pleasure power annoy us.

We he out
gave up, and while continued rolling

tremendous Maya, fell So our

we asleep. passed

first in Merida.
night
 HOUSEKEBPING. 25

CHAPTER n.

Housekeeping. "
^Description of a Bull-ring. "
Bull-fight. "
tators.
Spec-
^A

"
Brutal Torments inflicted on the Bulls. "
Serious Accir

dents. Beast. exciting Scene. ^Victims to fighting.

Bull-
"

^A noble "

^An
"

^Danger Ferocity Bull-fights. Efifects

"
and of "
on moral

Character. Grand Mass. Procession. ^The Alameda.

" "

^A grand "

"
Calezas. "
Concert, and its Arrangements. "
^F^te of Todos
^A
Santos. Custom. Incident.
"

^A singular "

^An

Early the next the carreta

morning arrived with

our luggage, to the trouble loading

and, avoid of

we directed it to at the door,

and unloading, remain

set out immediately to look for a house. We

and

had not time, but little

much and, consequently,

choice but, the help Dona Micaela, in

; with of

half an hour we found one that our

answered pur^

We
pose. returned and started the carreta; an

Indian followed, on his head a table,

carrying and

on the top it a
of washhand-basin ; another with

three Dona Micaela's, we

chairs, all and closed

the procession.

Our house was in the street the Flamingo.

of

Like most the houses in Merida, it was built

of of

stone, had one the front thir-

ty
and story ; was about

feet, had a the

and sala covering whole, about

twenty feet in depth. The was

ceiling perhaps

feet high, the had knobs

eighteen and walls wooden
for fastening hammocks. Behind the was a
sala

broad on a one
corridor, opening courtyard, at side
Vol. I." D 3
26 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

of which was a at the back

sleeping-room, and of

that a or The floors

comeder eating-room. were

hard The was thir-

ty
all of cement. courtyard aboat

feet high stone a in

square, with walls, and well

the centre.
Next, across the lot, was a
running

kitchen, a for back

with sleeping-room servants, and

that forty feet deep,

of another courtyard, with stone

fifteen feet high in that inquiring

walls ; and order my

fellow-citizens form idea the

may some of com-
parative

in Merida New-
value of real estate and

York, I that the was four dollars

mention rent per

for three did

month, which persons we not consider

We had our own travelling beds, the

extravagant.

table, set before

washhand-basin, and chairs up, and

breakfast our house was furnished.

In the mean time the fiesta San Cristoval was

of

on. Grand mass was over, the next cer-

going and emony

in was a de toros, or bull-fight,

order corrida

to commence at ten o'clock.

The Plaza de Toros, or, in English, the bull-ring,

was in the the San Cristoval.

square of church of

The or
for near-
enclosure place spectators occupied ly

the whole of the square, a strange and very ori-

ginal

in its as-
structure, which principles would tonish

European It was a
a architect. gigantic cular
cir-

fifteen hundred feet in

scaffold, perhaps cir-
cumference,

four or five sand

thou-
capable of containing

held together without the

persons, erected and

use
of a single nail,
being
made of rude poles, just as

they were cut

in the tied together
woods, and with
 DESCRIPTION OF A BULL-RING. 27

The interior was by long

withes. enclosed poles,

interlacing other,
leaving
crossing and each only an

for the door, was divided in like man-

ner
opening and

by into boxes. The formed a

poles whole gantic
gi-

frame lattice-work,
of rustic admirably ed
adapt-

for that hot as it a free

climate, admitted circu-
lation

The top was

of air. covered with an arbour

the leaves the American The

made of of palm.

whole structure was simple Every

and curious.

Indian in building it, the ta

fies-
could assist and when

was over it be torn down, the

could and materials

for firewood.
used

The had begun we the

corrida when arrived on

ground, and the place was thronged. There

already

was a as one
great choice of seats, side was exposed

to the fiiU blaze the sun. Over the doors

of were

Palco No. 1, Palco No. 2, "c., box

written and each

had a in the doorway,

separate proprietor, who stood

a little three or four

with rickety step-ladder of steps,

inviting One them to

customers. of undertook vide
pro-

for us,
for two we were
and reals apiece con-
ducted

to fi*ont seats. It was, if hotter than

possible,

at the loteria, in the movement

and and confusion

of passing us to our seats, the trem-

bled,
great scafibld

to fro
and seemed actually swaying and under

its living load.

The were
spectators of all classes, colours, and

from heads to in their

ages, gray children asleep

mother's arms; and next to me was a half-blooded

maternal head a family, the key her house

of with of
28 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

in her hand, her tacked in between the legs

children

her or their At the

of neighbours, under chairs.

feet those on the front seats was a row

of sitting of

boys their little heads through

and girls, with poked

the hung down a

railing, and all around variegated

fringe- black legs. Opposite,

work of and white and

the top the was a band music, the

on of scaffold, of

leader wore a black mask,

of which shining caturing
cari-

a negro.

A bull was in the two barbed darts trimmed

ring,

blue were hanging from his

with and yellow paper

flanks, his was from

and neck pierced with wounds,

ran down streams blood. The

which of picadores

bloody in their hapds a

stood aloof with spears ;

dragoon was master

mounted of ceremonies, and

there were, besides, or ten or

eight vaqueros, cattle*

tenders, from the haciendas, hard ders,

ri-
neighbouring

brought to deal that

and up with cattle run

in the These were dressed in

wild woods. pink-

coloured shirt and trousers, hats

and wore small of

straw thick, low

platted with round crowns, and

narrow brims turned at the Their

up side. saddles
had large leathern flaps, half body
covering the of

the horse, had lazo, in

and each a or coil of rope,
his hand, a enormous iron
and pair of spurs, perhaps
inches long, two
six and weighing or three pounds,

which, their horses,

contrasted with small gave a sort

Bombastes Furioso to
of character their appearance.
By the the dragoon, these
order of vaqueros, striking

their coils of rope against the large flaps their

of sad-
 " BULL-PIGHT. 29

dies, the boll, him the

started and, chasing round

few throws the lazo him by

ring, with a of caught

the horns dragged him to a post at one

and side of

the the they hauled

ring, where, riding off with rope,

his head down to the against the post.

ground close

Keeping it down in that some the

position, of ers
oth-

a twice his body just behind

passed rope round

the fore legs, it on the back, it

and, securing passed

his tail, it, it the

under and returning crossed with

his body. Two or three men on

coils around each

then hauled the cut into

side upon rope, which and

the bull's by its tightness un-

compressed chest, and der

the tail lifted his hind legs from the

almost off

This was to him. The

ground. excite and madden

bellowed, threw himself on the

poor animal ground,

kicked to the brutal tia

and and struggled get rid of

From the we sat we had in foil

place where view

the front the San Cristoval, over

of church of and

the door we in lai^e ''Hie est domus

read characters,

Dei, hie est

"
Here is the house God,
porta adH' of

here is the heaven."

gate of

But they had for the bull.

yet another goad

Watching that the his horns

narrowly ropes around

did not loose, they fixed his back the

get upon

figure a in hat, in a
of soldier a cocked seated

saddle. This a laugh the

excited great among

We learned that both the

spectators. saddle and

the figure the

of soldier were made of wood,

paper, formidable
and gunpowder, composing a

fireworks. When this fairly

piece of was secur-*
30 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

fell back, the

ed, all and picadores, mounted, and

their took their in the

with spears poised, places

The band, in to ns,

ring. perhaps compliment and

to us home, the beautiful na-

remind of struck up tional

" Jim Grow." A

melody of villanous-look-

ing fellow large furiously-

set off and whizzing ets
rock-

a few feet the bull fired in

within of ; another

the heel the figure the on his back the

of soldier ;

spectators shouted, the rope was

slipped, and the

bull let loose.

His first dash was furious. Bounding

perfectly

forward throwing his hind legs,

and up maddened

by the the the

shouts of crowd, and whizzing and

fire the tortufe on

explosion, and smoke of engine of

his back, he dashed blindly at re-

every picador, ceiving

thrust after thrust with the spear, until, amid

the loud laughter of the the

and shouts spectators,

burned out, the beast,

powder and poor with gaping

blood from them, turned

wounds, and streaming and

bellowed for at the entrance,

ran, escape gate of

then the the ing

look-
and crawled around wall of ring,

to the imploring
up spectators, and with eyes

to the faces the women for

seemed pleading mild of

mercy.

In a few he was lazoed dragged

minutes and off,

he had hardly disappeared was

and when another

led in, the manner introduction

of whose seemed

more barbarous brutal than the torments

and any of

inflicted on the former. It was by a two or

rope

three hundred feet long, through the fleshy

passed
 BRUTAL USAG". 31

the bull's at
both to
part of nose, and secured ends

the In this he was hauled

vaquero's saddle. way

through the into the Another

streets and ring.

followed, a
lazo over the horns, to hold
vaquero with

the bull back, keep him from his

and rushing upon

leader. In the the the leader loosed

centre of ring

one the on, dragged it trail-

ing
end of rope, and, riding

on the its length, a hun-

dred
ground whole perhaps

through the builds nose, leaving a crust

yards,

dirt on one as it came out

bloody on the
of side

The bull, held back by the over his

other. rope

horns, his
stood with neck outstretched ; and when

the the through, he licked his

end of rope passed

nose, the bellowed.

gory pawed ground, and

He was then lazoed, dragged to the

up post, girt

the his body like the

with rope around other, and

then, bursts
amid of music, rockets, and shouts,

let loose. The went at

him, flaring
again chulos

before him the left hand

with red and yellow pon-

holding in the darts works,

fire-
chas, and right containing

into
and ornamented with yellow paper cut

These they thrust into his flanks.

slips. neck and

The current the ignition the

of air accelerated of

fire fireworks
; and when the exploded, the paper

his The then

still rattled about ears. picadores

their horses but, few thrusts the

mounted ; after a of

the bull flinched, the indignant

spear, and spectators,

that he did not more fight, out,

*' Saca
show cried

esa vaca /" "

Take out that cmo !"
32 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

The next was hauled on in the same by

way a

through his nose.

He was the
rope girt with rope,

tortured darts, by the

with speared picadores on

horseback^ he did fight,

and, as not show good they

dismounted him on foot This is

and attacked con-
sidered

the most
dangerous contest both for man

beast The formed in front him,

and picadores of

a black or in his leftliand^

each with yellow poncha

his the They

and poising spear with right stood

their legs knees bent, so to

with extended and as

keep a firm foothold, by a

changing position spring

forward or backward, on one or the to

side other,

meet the movement the bull's head. The

of object
was to between the horns into the back the
strike of

Two or three him fairly a

neck. struck with cutting,

heavy drew out their

sound, and spears reeking with

blood. One man his blow; the bull

misdirected

threw his the long handle the

up neck with of spear

in it, the
standing upright and rushing upon picador,

hurled him to the over his body,

ground, and passed

to him four his hoofs.

seeming strike with all of

The man but lay his back, his

never moved, on with

arms dead. The bull mo*

outstretched, apparently

on the handle the

ved with of spear still standing up

in his terror to in the The

neck, a all ring. vaqueros

in him the lazos,

went pursuit of with and, chasing

him the fell out, they him.

round, spear and caught

In the the fallen by

mean time, man was picked up

some his doubled

of companions, and carried off, up.
 A POPULAR FAVOURITE. 33

forever bull-figbting. We
and apparently cured of

heard that he had some his

afterward only of ribs

broken.

He was hardly out of when the

sight accident

foi^otten the bull was

was ; again assaulted, worried

dragged Others followed,

out, and off. making eight

in At twelve o'clock the church

bells
all. rang and

the fight but, as we were dispersing, we were

ended,

that begin at
four
reminded another would o'clock

in the afternoon.

At four we were in our Our

again places. special

reason for following this so was be*

up sport closely

cause we were that in the common

advised morning

but that in the

people only attended, afternoon all

the decente, or Merida

gente upper classes, of would

be I am happy to however, that this

present. say,

was not true, the difference that

and only sensible

we was, that it was more ter,

hot-
noticed crowded and

that the of admission was double.

and price

This the last the fiesta,

was corrida of and some

the best bulls had been kept ii) reserve. The

of

first that was dragged on was received with accla*

as having distinguished himself before ring

du-
mations,

the fiesta but he bore an for a vourite

fa-
; ugly mark

the having been dragged by the

of people,

nose till the cartilage was completely torn out by

the rope.

The next
have been the best
would worthy of

bull- fights Old Spain, the the

of when cavalier, at

his lady's leaped into the ring to

glance of eye, play
Vol. I." E
34 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the his He was a large black

matador with sword.

bull, ferocity
without any particular marks of about

him but a man sat

in our box, for
; who and whose

judgment I had a lighted a

conceived great respect,

him "
bravo!*
new straw cigar, and pronounced muy

There was no bellowing, blustering, or bravado

him, but he a
about showed calmness and self-

indicated a
possession which consciousness of

The him on back,

horse-
strength. picadores attac]ced
like the Noir Faineant, or Sluggish
and,

Knight, in the lists at Ashby, for a time he content-

ed

himself the his

with merely repelling attacks of

but as if a little he laid

assailants ; suddenly, vexed,

his head low, looked at the at his

up spears pointed

his a
neck, and, shutting eyes, rushed upon picador

on one his horse in the belly his

side, struck with

horns, lifted him his feet, brought horse

off and and

headlong to the The horse fell

rider ground. upon

the rolled completely over him, his heeb

rider, with

in the rose one the feet

air, and with of rider's en-
tangled

in the For an instant he

stirrup. stood
like a breathing statue, with nostrils wide and ears

thrown back, fright then,

wild with ; and catching

the bull, he the

sight of sprang clear of ground, and

dashed at
full the dragging
off speed around ring,

him the luckless Around he went,

after picador.

helpless, his body

senseless and whole grimed with

dirt, more
life in it, than in
and with no apparently,

a mere log At bound it as

of wood. every seemed

if the horse his hind hoofs into his fore-

must strike
 VICTIMS TO BULL-FIGHTING. 35

ht A ran through the

id. cold shudder spectators.

The man was a favourite he had friends

; and atives
rel-

knew his name. A

present, and everybody

deep murmur
" El Pobre" burst from som.
bo-
of every

I felt lifted from seat, the

actually my and

the Life Trust have

president of and would not

a
him for The
given policy upon any premium.

looked on the bull was

picadores aghast ; roaming

loose in the the indifferent

ring, perhaps only tator.
spec-

My own feelings were his

roused against

companions, who, after what seemed an age of the

keeping a lookout the bull,

rack, special good upon

at
length in lazos, the
started pursuit with caught

horse the brought him long.

head-
around neck, and up

The their fallen com-

picadores extricated panion,

him out His face was so be-

grimed
and carried

dirt that not a feature was

With visible;

but, as he was borne across the he his

ring, opened

they from his head

eyes, and seemed starting with

terror.

He hardly out the a hoarse

was of ring when cry

ran through the '^a a "on

spectators, pie! pie!'*

foot ! on foot !" The dismounted at-

tacked
picadores and

the bull fiercely on foot, flourishing their

Almost the first thrust he

ponchas. at rushed upon

one his tumbled him down,

of adversaries, passed

over his body, on even turning

and walked without

to look him. He too was

round at picked up and

carried off.

The was the bull became

attack renewed, stnd
36 INCIDENTS OFTRATEL.

In a few motnents he broaght

roused. another ador
pic-

to the on by his own petus,

im-
ground, and, carried

over the body, but, a

passed with violent fort,
ef-

himself, turned
recovered and short round upon

his over him for a moment

prostrate prey, glared

a low bellow, a howl, his

With almost and, raising

fore feet a little from the so as to full

ground, give

force to the blow, thrust both horns into the stomach

the fallen Happily, the

of picador. points were

furious at being to
sawed off; and, not able gore and

toss him, he one horn the

got under picador's sash,

lifted him, dashed him back the

and violently upon

Accustomed as the were to

ground. spectators

scenes this kind, there was a burst

of universal of

horror. Not a man to save him. It

moved would,

be to brand them as for,

perhaps, unjust cowards,

brutal degrading as their tie was, they doubtless

and

had a feeling but, at events,

of companionship ; all

to save
him, the bull,
not a man attempted and after

him, him for a

glaring over smelling and pawing

moment, to a moment
intense
all of excitement,

turned left him.

away and

This man, too, was The

carried off. sympathy

the had for a kept them hushed

of spectators while ;

but, as soon as the man was out their

of sight, all

feelings broke out in indignation the

pent-up against

ball, there in the

and was a universal cry, which

tones the hoarse

soft of women mingled with voices

of the men, ''Matah! "Kill him! kill

matalor

him !** The Three

picadores stood aghast. of their
 FEROCITY OF BULL-FIGHTS. 37

had been down

companions struck and carried off

the field the bull, in with

; pierced several places,

blood from him, but fresh as he be-

gan,
streaming when

fiercer, was round the ring, and

and roaming

they held back, to him. The

evidently afraid attack

spectators showered upon them the opprobrious

I
name of ''cobardes cohardesT "cowards! cowards!"

The dragoon to their voice,

enforced obedience and,

fortifying themselves a draught

with strong of agua

they once more faced the bull, their

ardiente, poised

before him, but faint hands trem-

bling
spears with and

hearts, finally, a thrust,

and without single amid

the the fell back,

contemptuous shouts of crowd,

left the bull the field.

and master of

Others were let in, it was dark

and almost when

the last fight With the last bull the

ended. ring was

opened to the boys, roars laughter,

who, amid of

hauled, hustled him till he hardly

pulled, and could

stand, the tones the bell,

and, amid solemn of vesper

the bull-fight in honour San Cristoval

of ended
Modem laws, we are told, have done to
much

the danger ferocity bull-fights. The

abate and of

horns the bull that he

of are sawed ofi*, so cannot

gore, and spears are not allowed of more than a cer-

tain

length, so that the bull cannot be killed by a

direct blow but, in it be

; my opinion, would really

better for that a bull-

fight
effect upon moral character

be, as it once was, a battle for life tween

be-
should

man beast, for then it was an

and exhibition

daring, which were sometimes

of skill and around
4
38 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

thrown the The danger to

graces of chivalry. which

the man himself, to a certain extent atoned

exposed

for the barbarities inflicted on the boll. Here for

days bulls blunted horns had been

eight with stab-
bed,

tortured no
doubt, died
niadgled, and ; many,

their or were killed because they could

of wounds,

not recover that day we had seen

four men
; and

down two had nar-

struck and carried off, of whom rowly

their lives, if, indeed, they ever

escaped with

After the immediate of the

recovered. excitement

danger, the men were

less
objects of commiseration

than the beasts, but the the bloody

whole showed still

this bull-fighting. Men

effects of modified system of

into though not

go all places without shame, out
with-

but I am happy in being to say

reproach, able

that none are the higher

of what called classes of

the ladies Merida were Still there were

of present

faces did not

many whose young and gentle convey

the idea that they find in scenes

could pleasure of

blood, even though but the blood brutes.

of

In the we took hot-bath at the lo-

evening another

teria, the day was Sunday, the last day

and next of

the fiesta, in the

which opened morning with grand

mass in the San Cristoval. The

church of great

the the burning cense,

in-
church, paintings and altars, of

the the imposing the

music, ceremonies of tar,
al-

the kneeling figures, inspired, as they

and always

do, if a least a
feeling
not religious, at solemn ; and,

as on the in the Cathedral on

occasion of grand mass

my first to Merida, the kneeling figures

vist among of
 A GRAND PROCESSION. 39

one a black
the women my eyes rested upon with

her head, a in her hand,

mantle over prayer-book and

Indian by her face

an woman side, whose exhibited

intellectual it was
a purity and softness which easy

for imagination to invest

the with all those attributes

that Whether was

make woman perfect. she maid,

or
I never
learned.
wife, widow,

At four in the we set out

for
o'clock afternoon

the The intense heat the

procession and paseo. of

day over, there was in the streets, a

was shade and

fresh breeze. The streets through

evening which

the was to were

procession pass adorned with

branches, at the corners were large

and collections

them, forming The balconies

of groves of green.

the were hung

of windows with silk curtains and

banners, in the doorways the

and and along walks

rows ladies but beautifully dressed,

sat of simply

hats, their hair flowers,

without adorned with and

their jewels. Near the San

necks with church of

Crisioval we were by the

arrested crowd, and wait-
ed

till the procession came up.

It was headed by three dressed,

priests, all richly

one a large cross ten feet high,

supporting silver and

the bearing a tall

each of others silver candlestick.

They were followed by an Indian band, a motley

the leaders were three Indians, one

group, of which

the head the foot a large

supporting and another of

Next came a Indians, bearing

violoncello. party of

on their a barrow a large

shoulders supporting ver
sil-

cross. At the foot the the figure

of cross sat of
40 INCIDENTS OF TEAVBL.

Mary Magdalen, large life, dressed in Over

as red.

her head was a blue a broad

silk mantilla, with gold

border, across her lap the figare the dead

and of

Christ. The barrow was large

ornamented with

were burning,
glass shades, under which candles and

flowers. This
garlands and wreaths of constitated

the whole of the ceremonial part of the procession,

it was followed by a large concourse Indians,

and of

men women, dressed in in

and white, all carrying

their hands long lighted

candles.

When the had by we to the

crowd passed strolled

Alameda. This is the great place of promenade

in Merida. It a broad
and paseo consists of paved

line on
avenue, with a
of stone seats each side, and

beyond, both are by

on sides, carriage roads, shaded

trees. In full a
rows of sight, and giving picturesque

beauty to the Castillo, tress,

for-
scene, rises the a
ruined

battlements dark stone, the

with of gray and

the Franciscan rising inside,

spires of old church

in its identified with the

romantic appearance, and

history the Spanish Regularly every

of conquest

Sunday there is a the along

paseo around castle and

the Alameda, this day, on account the fete, it

and of

was one the best the

of and gayest of year.

The most
feature, the life beauty
striking and of

the were the Except one or two

paseo, calesas. gigs,

black, box-wagon,
and a square which occasionally

the the is the car-

shame paseo, calesa only wheeled riage

in Merida. The body is like that

somewhat

an larger, rest-
of oldfashioned gig, only much and
 THEALAMEDA. 41

ing the a little in front the It

on shaft of wheels.

is light fancifully cur-

painted red, with and coloured tains

for the sun, drawn by one horse, a boy

with

riding him fanciful, to tan.

Yuca-
"
simple, and peculiar

Each had two, sometimes three

calesa and

ladies, in the latter case the in the

prettiest sitting

a little in front, hats or

middle and all without veib,

but their hair beautifully trimmed

arranged and with

flowers. Though to the thousands,

exposed gaze of

they had no boldness manner or but,

of appearance,

on the contrary, an air of modesty and simplicity,

had a Indeed,
and all mild and gentle expression.

as they rode alone and unattended through the great

mass it as if their
of pedestrians, seemed very gen-
tleness

was a from insult We

protection and shield

down benches in Alameda,

sat on one of the stone the

the beautiful Merida.

with young, and gay, and of

Strangers had not

been there to laugh at break
and

their It was a little

up good old customs. nook most
al-

to the rest the inde-

pendent
unknown of world, and

it, is so found in
of enjoying what rarely

this equalizing age, a sort or bocker

Knicker-
of primitive

state. The was the con-

tentment
great charm air of

that over the If the

reigned whole. young
ladies in the had the brilliant
calesas occupied most

in Hyde Park, they have

equipages could not seem-
ed

happier; in their less

and way, not attractive were

the Mestizas Indian

great crowds of and women,

some the former being

of extremely pretty, and all
having the same mild and gentle expression ; they

Vol. I." F
42 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

a costume a der
bor-
wore picturesque of white, with red

around the neck and skirt, and of that extraor-

dinary

I had as the
cleanness which remarked acteristic
char-

the in Merida. For an hour,

of poorest

one stream
ladies,
continued of calesas, with and
Mestizas, Indian women, us
and passed without anj

tumult, but in
noise, or confusion, or all there was such

an that we felt
air of quiet enjoyment sad as
night

came on ; and, as the sun sank behind the ruins of

the we thought that there were few

castillO) places

in the it went
down a
world where upon prettier or

happier scene.

The the fiesta play

dis-
crowning ceremonies of were a

fireworks in the the ed

follow-
of square of church,

by a concert ball. The former for the

and was

the latter for a few. This, by-the-way,

people, select

hardly be as, the

could considered very select, upon

our landlady, our household

application of all ed
receiv-

tickets.

The was
by an
entertainment given association of

men La Sociedad Philharmonica. It

young called

was the a to be on
second of series proposed given

Sundays, those look

alternate and already who ly
cold-

upon the efforts of enterprising young men were

that it hold out long,

predicting would not which

was
It was
prediction unfortunately verified. given

in a house on a street firom the

situated running off

Plaza, the few in the that had two

one of city sto-
ries,

be
and which would considered respectable

among are in Italy. The en-

what called palazzos
 A eONCERT, AND ITS ARRANGEMENTS. 43

tiance into an stone,

was entresol paved with and

the ascent by a broad flight The

of stone steps.

room was the At one was a

concert sala. end plat-
form,

instruments for the ama-

teurs,
with performers and

two were in
and rows of chairs arranged allel
par-

lines, the length

opposite each other, whole of

ttie room.
When we one row was
entered, occupied

by ladies, that was

entirely while opposite vacant

We it, but, fortunately, before

approached exposing

our ignorance Merida it to

of etiquette, occurred us

that these were intended for ladies, we mo-

also and ved

on to a comer a longitudinal
which afforded view

one line an the As

of and obUque view of other.

different leaving "c.,

parties arrived, after shawls,

at the door, a leading the lady

gentleman entered,

by the hand, more

which seemed much graceful and

than our fashion hitching her his

gallant of on arm,

there were two ladies. Leading

particularly when

her to a seat,
he left her, to the
and retired corridor,

or the a This till

embrasure of window. continued

the line
chairs was filled we
whole of up, and were

out our comer for our betters, so that the

crowded of

room a dceil ladies Here

presented coup of only.

they sat, not to be touched, handled, or to, but

spoken

to be looked long before the

only at, which, concert

was over, some were tired doing, I think I am

of and

in that the faces some the ladies

safe saying of of

lighted the concert done, the

up when was and tlemen
gen-

were invited to take for a

partners waltz.

For the first time in life, I saw beauty in a

my
44 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

It was the fiirioas the French

waltz. not whirl of

the blood, making men

waltz, stirring up perspire

ladies look but a

and young red, slow, gentle, and

movement, inducing a languid,

graceful apparently

dreaming, delightful state

being. The
and of music,

too, instead bursting a deafening

of with crash, stole

on the ear so gently, that, though every note was

heard distinctly, it no
clearly and made noise ; and

the feet the dancers fell to the

as of gentle cadence,

it as if the imagination was touched by

seemed only

the Every face wore an

sound. expression of pure

an derived
and refined enjoyment "

enjoyment er
rath-

from than from

sentiment excited animal spirits.

There the the room

ball-
were not show and glitter of

in Europe or at home, but there were beau^

taste in dress,
of personal appearance, and propriety

manners. At the
and simplicity of eleven o'clock

ball broke if the loteria was

up ; and objectionable,
the bull-fight brutal, the baglio re-
and paseo and deemed

them, left on our a im-

pression
and minds pleasing

the fete San CrLstoval.

of of

One fiesta was hardly began.

ended when another,

On Monday was the fete Todos Santos,

great of

Grand in in
mass was said all the churches, and eve-
ry

family were for the the

prayers offered up souls of

dead besides the the olic

Cath-
; and, usual ceremonies of

Church throughout the there is one

world, culiar
pe-

to Yucatan, derived from the customs the

of

Indians, Mukbipoyo. On this day

and called every

Indian, to his bums

according means, purchases and
 FETE OF TODOS SANTOS. 45

in honour
a certain number of consecrated candles, of

his deceased in mem-

relatives, and memory of each ber

his family has died the sides

Be-
of who within year.

this, they bake in the earth a consisting

pie oi

a Indian com, fowls,

paste of stuffed with pork and

during the day

and seasoned with chili, and every

Yucateco eats
but this. In the rior,
inte-
good nothing

the Indians are less they

where civiUzed, giously
reli-

place a portion of this composition out ot

doors, a tree, or in some

for their
under retired place,

deceased friends to eat, they that the

and say tion
por-

thus set
is eaten, induces
apart always which

the belief that the dead be back by

may enticed ap-

peaUng to the same appetites which govern when

living but this is for by ma-

; sometimes accounted

Ucious that in
and skeptical persons, who say every

there are Indians, than

neighbourhood other poorer

those to their deceased

who can afford regale tives,
rela-

these it no in a matter this

and consider sin, of

kind, to between the living the dead.

step and

We have reason to this fete from one

remember

A friendly
untoward circumstance. neighbour, who,

besides frequently his ter,

daugh-
visiting us with wife and

was in the habit us

fruit dulces
of sending and

more than we eat, this day, on the top a

could of

large, us a huge
undisposed-of present, sent piece of

It hard an
mukbipoyo. was as as oak plank, and

as thick as them having already over-

six of ; and tasked

ourselves to the pile on the table,

reduce

this came, in a fit desperation we took it

when of
46 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEIm

into the boried it There it

out courtyard and

have till this day bat for

would remained a
cious
mali-

dog them on their

which accompanied next it
vis-

he into the it
; passed courtyard, rooted up, and,

while we were to the platters as our

pointing empty

acknowledgment their kindness, this dog

of villanous

through the at the front door

sneaked sala and out

the in his bigger

with pie mouth, apparently grown

it was buried.
since

The fetes were now we were not sor-

ended, and ry,

for now,
for the first time, we had a prospect of

having our
Ever our
clothes washed. since arrival,

our Unen, "c., during the had

accumulated voyage,

in bundles, imploring us to do some-

stood gaping thing

for them, but during the the

continuance of

fiestas not a lavandera in Merida be found to

could

take in
washing.
 ANOLDFRIEND. 47

CHAPTER III.

An Friend. Brief Account Yucatan. Early Voyages

old "
of "
of

Discovery Columbus. De Soils and Pinzon. Expedition

.r"
" "

of

Cordova. "
Voyages of Grijalva. "
Expedition of Cortez. "
sion
Mis-

Montejo, receives a Grant from Charles V. coveries,

Dis-
of who "

Conquests, and Sufferings of Montejo his panions.

Com-
and

"
Efforts to convert the Natives. "
Contreras. "
Farther

Particulars to the Conquest

of Yucatan.
relating

I TRUST the has not forgotten our friend

reader old

Don Simon Peon, to course, our first

whom, of visit

was
We were by himself his
made. received and

the Dona Joaquina, the ness

kind-
mother, with same

as on the former in a gree.

de-
occasion, and greater

They immediately in their

oflTered all power

to further the our to the last

objects of visit, and

day our in the we

of residence country continued

to feel the benefit their friendly For

of assistance.

the the the Dona Joaquina

present, sala of was ev-
ery

the her large

evening rendezvous of and able
respect-

family there we were in the habit

connexion ;

at times, and
had reason to believe
of visiting all

that we were always welcome guests.

Among the first Don Simon's was

of good oflBces

a to the the This

presentation governor of state.

by reason the
gentleman, of pecuUar political posi

tion Yucatan, at that time a

of occupied prominent

important but, before introducing him

and position ;

to the it not
be to a brief ac-
reader, may amiss give
48 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the he is the
count of country of which official

head.

It be that Columbus, in his first

may remembered

three did not the Continent ica.

Amer-
voyages, reach of

On his fourth, final, ill-fated

and expedition,
" days tempestuous
after sixty of weather, vnthout

sun or stars,""
he dbcovered a island,
seeing small

by the Indians Guanaja, to be that

called supposed

laid down some as the island Bon-

now on maps of

aca.
While on at this bland, he saw
shore coming

from the west a canoe large filled In-

dians,
of size, with

to be a more
who appeared civiUzed people

than the Spaniards had In

any yet encountered.

return to the inquiries the Spaniards for

of gold,

they pointed toward the west, and endeavoured to

them to steer
in that direction.
persuade .

" Well it have been for Columbus,"

would saj^

Mr. Irving, "

had he followed their Within
advice.

a day or two he have at

Yucatan
would arrived ;

the discovery Mexico the coun-

of and other opulent tries

New Spain have followed.

of would necessarily

The Southern Ocean have been disclosed lo

would

him, a discoveries
and succession of splendid would

have fresh on his declining instead

shed glory age,

its ment"
disappoint-
of sinking amid gloom, neglect, and

Four in the 1506, Juan

years afterward, year

Dias de Solis, in Vincent Yaiiez

company with

Pinzon, one the Columbus on his

of companions of
last held the to island
voyage, same course the of
 EARLY VOYAGES. CORDOVA. 49

Guanaja, then, to the discovered

and steering west,

Ae east coast the now known by the

of province

name Yucatan, it some distance,

of and sailed along

however, the discovery.

without, prosecuting

On the February, 1517, Francisco nandez

Her-
eighth of

de Cordova, a hidalgo Cuba,

rich of with

three vessels of
burden one hundred
good and and

ten set
from the now known as
soldiers, sail port

St. Jago de Cuba, on a discovery. ling

Doub-
voyage of

St Anton, now Cape St Antonio,

called and

at hazard toward the the

sailing west, at end of

twenty-one days they saw land had never

which

been seen before by Europeans.

On the fourth March,

of while making ments
arrange-

to land, they saw to the five

coming ships

large canoes, oars them con-

with and sails, some of taining

fifty Indians on invitation be-

ing
; and signals of

made, above thirty came on board the captain's

The next
day the twelve
vessel. chief returned with

large canoes numerous Indians, invited the

and and

Spaniards to his town, them food,

promising and

The he
whatever was necessary. words used were

Conix eotoch, in the language

of the Indians
which,

the day, means,

"
Come to our town.**
of present

Not the it
understanding meaning, and supposing

was the the the Spaniards it

name of place, called

Point or Cape Cotoche, name it bears.

which still

The Spaniards the invitation, but, see-

accepted ing

the lined Indians, landed in their

shore with

Vol. L" G

6
 50 INCIDENTS OF TRAYSL.

boats, them fifteen

owtt and carried with crossbows

ten
and mnakets.

After halting a Uttle they set out, die

while, ciuef

leading the by a thick at

way ; and, passing wood,

from the a body Indians in

a signal chief great of

ambush rushed out, poured upon th^n a

shower of

arrows, at the first discharge filtoen,

which wounded

then fell them their lances but the

and upon with ;

firearms the Spaniards

swords, crossbows, and of

"truck them with terror that they fled

such tately,
precipi-
learing seventeen their
of number slain.

The Spaniards to their con-

returned ships, and tinued

toward the west, keeping in

always sight of

land. In fifteen days they discovered a large town,

an inlet to be a river. They

with which seemed

for
went ashore water, and were about returning,

some fifty Indians came toward them, dressed

when

in mantas cotton, invited them to theii:

good of and

town. After some hesitation, the Spaniards went

with them, at some large houses

and arrived stone

Uke those they had Cape Cotoche,

seen at on the

walls of which were figures

of serpents and other
idols. These were their temples, and about one of
drops firesh blood,
the altars were
of which they terward
af-
learned was the blood Indians,
of sacrificed
for the destruction the
of strangers.

Hostile a formidable
preparations of character

were soon the Spaniards, fearing to

apparent, and

encounter such a multitude, to the

retired shore, and

embarked with their water-casks.

This was
place
 A RENCOUNtER WITH THK NATIVES. 51

Kimpech, at this day it is known by die

caUed aiid

name Campeachy.
of

Continuing they came a

westwardly, opposite

town a league from the coast, was

about which

Fotonchan or Champoton. Being in

called again

distress for water, they went ashore all together, and

They found some wells, filled their

well armed.

were about them into the boats,

casks, and putting

large bodies Indians came

when of warlike upon

them from the town, bows arrows,

armed with and

lances, double-handed
shields, swords, slings, and

their faces black,

stones, painted white, and red, and

their heads feathers. The

adorned with plumes of
Spaniards were to embark their water-casks,
unable

as it was they determined to

and, now nearly night,

At daylight bodies war-

remain on shore. great of riors,

flying, them from

with colours advanced upon

The fight lasted more than half an hour

all sides. ;

fifty Spaniards were killed Cordova, that

; and seeing

it was impossible to drive back a

such multitude,

formed the into a body cut his

rest compact and

way to the boats. The Indians followed

close at

their heels, even them into the water. In

pursuing

the so the Spaniards ran to the

confosion, many of

boats together that they came near them but,

sinking ;

to the boats, half half

ranging wading and swimming,

they reached the small vessel, which came

up to their

Fifty-seven their
assistance. of companions were

killed, five more died their There

and of wounds.

was but one

soldier who escaped unwounded ; all
52 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the had two, three, or four, the

rest and captain,

Hernandez de Cordova, had twelve arrow

wounds.

In the Spanish this is the

old charts place called

Bay " de Mala Pelea," or

"
the bad fight*"
of

This disaster determined them to return to

great

Cuba. So were that they

many sailors wounded

man the three in

could not vessels, consequence of

they burned the one, dividing the

which smaller and,

crew between the two, set To to

other sail add

their they had been to leave behind

calamity, obliged

their they came to

water-casks, and such extremities

thirst, that their tongues lips

with and cracked open.

On the coast Florida they water,

of procured and

it was brought one threw self

him-
when alongside soldier

from tlie ship into the boat, an

and, seizing en
earth-

jar, drank till he died.

swelled and

After this the the a leak,

vessel of captain sprung

but by exertions at the they kept her

great pumps

from brought her into Puerto Carenas,

sinking, and

is the Havana. Three more

which now port of diers
sol-

died their the rest

dispersed,
of wounds ; and

the Hernandez de Cordova, died ten days

captain,

his Such was the disastrous

after arrival. end of

the first to Yucatan.

expedition

In the same 1517,

year, another expedition was

set on foot. Four were fitted two hun-

dred
vessels out,

forty themselves,
and companions enrolled and
Juan de Grijalva, "
a hopefiil man
young and well-
behaved," was
named captain-in-chief
On the April, 1518,
sixth of the armament sailed
 EXPEDITION OF GRIJALVA. 53

from the Matanzas for Yucatan. Doubling

port of

Cape San Antonio, forced by the currents farther

and

down than its they discovered the Island

predecessor,

Cozumel.
of

Crossing over, the they

and sailing along coast,

came in Fotonchan, the Bay

sight of and entered of

Mala Pelea, for the disastrous

memorable repulse of

the Spaniards. The Indians, in their mer

for-
exulting

them before they landed,

victory, charged upon

fought them in the water

but the Spaniards
and ;

that the Indians fled

made such slaughter and aban-
doned

the town. The however, them

victory, cost

dear. Three were killed, more than seven-

soldiers ty

Juan de Grijalva was hurt by three

wounded, and

arrows, one knocked out two his teeth.

of which of

Embarking toward the

again, and continuing west,

in three days they saw the a broad

mouth of very er,
riv-

as Yucatan was then to be an

which, supposed

island, they thought to be its boundary, the

and called

Boca de Terminos. At Tobasco they first heard

the famous Mexico; to

name of and after saiUng on

Culua, now known as San Juan de Ulloa,.the ress

fort-

Vera Cruz, some

distance beyond
of and along

the coast, Grijalva to Cuba to new

fuel
returned add

to the fire discovery.

of adventure and

Another was on a
expedition got up grand scale.

Ten fitted it is to the

ships were out, and creditable

fame Juan de Grijalva that his

of all old companions

him for their but, by a concurrence

wished chief; of

this was
Her*
circumstances, office conferred upon
 54 INCIPENTS OF T"AVBL.

Cortez, then Santiago de Cabai, a

nando alcalde of

but to be dis-
man comparatively unknown, ilestined

the daring that day

tingoished among soldiers of as

the Great Captain, to build a name

and up almost

that the discoverer America.

overshadowing of of

The full these form

particulars of all expeditions

the history Yucatan but to

part and parcel of of ;

them in detail too large a

present would occupy tion
por-

besides, form
of this work ; and, they part of the

events which led to the conquest

great chain of of

Mexico, the history by the

of which, gifted author

Ferdinand Isabella, it is hoped, soon

of and will

the literature.
adorn annals of

Among the in the

principal captains expeditions

both Grijalva Cortez was Don Francisco

of and

Montejo, a Seville. After the

gentleman of arrival

Cortez in Mexico, he was

of and while prosecuting

his in the interior, twice it was

conquests consider*

to commissioners to Spain,
ed necessary send and

on both Don Francisco Montejo was nom-

occasions inated,

the first time one the last time

with other, and

On his besides
alone. second visit, receiving a con-
firmation
former a
of grants and privileges, and new

coat arms, as an acknowledgment his distin-

of of
'
to the crown in the
guished services rendered expe-
ditions

Grijalva Cortez, he from the

of and obtained

king a for the the

grant pacification and conquest of

islands (as it is Yucatan Cozu-

expressed) of and

mel" which countries, amid the stirring scenes and

 ORARTOFMONTBJO. i 56

golden the Mexico^ had

prospects of conquest of
been entirely overlooked.

This bears date the day December,

grant eighth of

1526, and, other things,

among stipulated.

That the Don Francisco de Montejo

said should

have license to the

and power conquer and people

islands Yucatan Cozumel

said of and :

That he set one from tke

should out within year

date the instrument :

of

That he be
should governor and captain-genend
for life :

That he be for life, his

should adelantado and on

death the descend to his heirs

office should and cessors
suc-

forever.

Ten leagues land four Of

square of and per cent.

the to be derived from

all profit or advantage all th^

lands discovered to himselt

and peopled were given

his heirs successors forever.

and

Those join the him

who should expedition under

were for the first three to the one

years pay only
'tenth fourth
part of the gold of the mines, the yea^

a the on in-
creasing
ninth part, and per centage should go

till it reached a fifth

part

They be from duty

should exempted export upon

the articles they carried with them, provided they

were not taken for barter or sale.

They land, after ing

liv-
were allowed portions of and,

on them four were to be at erty

lib-
years complete,

to sell them and use them as their own.

41so to take Indians for and to

rebellious slaves,
 56 INCIDENTS OF TEAYEL.

take buy Indians held by the caciqaes as

and slaves,

the the the Indies.

under regulations of council of

The tithes tenth were to be

or parts granted ed
expend-

in ornaments, and things necessary

churches and

for divine
worship.

The last seem rather

eral,
illib-
provision, which may

if libellous, that no lawyers or

not was, attorneys

into those lands from the kingdom Spain,

should go of

nor from on account the litigation

any other part, of

that follow them.

and controversies would

Don Francisco Montejo, now is scribed

de-
adelantado,
"
as of the middle stature, of a cheerful coun-
tenance,

disposition. At the time his ar-

and gay of rival

here (in Mexico) he was thirty-five

about years

He fitter for business than

of age. was war, and of

a liberal turn, more than he

expending received ;"

in latter for a
which qualification great enterprise

he find his the day.

could perhaps match at present

The incurred in the

adelantado great expenses

arms, horses,
purchase of ammunition, and sions
provi-

; and, selling an estate, him*

which yielded

two thousand ducats rent, he fitted out

four
of ves-
sels

at his own in them four

exjpense, and embarked

hundred Spaniards, an for cer-

under agreement a tain

share of the advantages of the expedition.

In the 1527 (the is known) the

year month not

armament firom Seville, touching the

sailed and, at

islands for it was as a

supplies, remarked, stance
circum-

of bad omen, that the had on

adelantado not

board two
priests, which, under a general provision,
 EXPEDITION OF MONTEJO. 67

or had Ucense to
every captain, oflScer, subject who

discover islands or terra firma the

and people within

limits the King Spain, was bound to

carry
of of with

him.

The fleet at the island Cozumel,

stopped of where

the had difficulty in

adelantado great communicating

the Indians#firom want an interpreter. king

Ta-
with of

on board one them as a the fleet cross-

of guide, ed

over to the came to anchor the

continent, and off

coast. All the Spaniards went on shore, and, as the

first act, the in the new con-

with solemnities usual quests,

took formal the in the

possession of country

name the king. Gonzalo Nieto the

of planted al
roy-

out, in a loud " Espana !

standard, and cried voice,

Espaiia ! Espana !"

viva

Leaving the on board to take care the

sailors of

the Spaniards landed their arms,

vessel, ammunition,

horses, here a few

and provisions, and, remaining

days to rest,
firom the heat some became
excessive

The Indians knew that the Spaniards had

sick.

themselves in New Spain, termined

de-
established and were

to this invasion
resist with all their strength;

but, for the moment, they hostile strations.

demon-
avoided any

As the had touched

yet adelantado only along

the coast, knew the interior. riencing

Expe-
and nothing of

difficulty from the want an inter-

preter,
great of

he his the coast

commenced march along un-
der

the the Indian firom CozumeL The

guidance of

country was and, without

well peopled, conunitting
Vol. L" H
58 IKQIDBNTS OF TRAVEL.

the inhabitants, or
any violence upon suffering aaj

injury from them, the Spaniards fix"m

proceeded

town to town they at Gonil At this

until arrived

the Indians being friendly, the

place, apparently

Spaniards were thrown off their on one

guard; and

an Indian, who came to a

occasion, pay visit, snatch*

hanger from a Uttle

ed a negro slave, and attempted

to kill the The latter drew his

adelantado. sword

to defend himself, but the forward

soldiers rushed

killed the Indian on the

and spot

The now determined to from

adelantado march

Conil to the Choaca, from this time

province of and

they began to the dreadful hardships they

experience

were doomed to in Yucatan. There

suffer subduing

were no roads; the country was stony, and overgrown

thick Fatigued the diificulties

with woods. with of

iheir the heat, want water, they arri*

march, and of

at Choaca, found it deserted: the inhabitants

ved and

had to join Indians were

gone other who gathering

for No to they could

war. one appeared whom pve

notice their intentions, the tidings that

of pacific and

an Indian had been killed had before them.

gone

Setting out the the

again, still under guidance of
Cozumel Indian, they a town Ak6.
reached named
Here they found themselves by a
confronted great

Indians, had lain in

multitude of who ambush, con^

in the
cealed woods.

These Indians were rows,

ar-
armed with quivers of

burned at the lances

sticks ends, pointed with
diarp ffints, hard
and two-handed swords of very
A BLOODY BATTLE WITH THE NATIVES. 59

They Jbiad flutes, large for

wood. and sea-shells

trumpets, and turtle-shells which they struck with

deers' horns. Their bodies were

naked, except

the loins, stained all over

around and with earth

different they wore stone

of colours, and rings in

their ears and noses.

The Spaniards were at

astonished seeing such

figures, the that they

strange and noise made with

the turtle-shells horns, by a

and accompanied shout of

to the hills The

voices, seemed make quake. ade-

lantado the Spaniards by his ex-

encouraged relating perience

war the Indians, a fearful bat*

of with and

tie lasted that day. Night

commenced, which all

came to an to the but the Indians

put end slaughter,

on the The Spaniards had time

remained ground

to bind their but kept

rest and up wounds, watch all

the dismal being destroyed

night, with prospect of

on the next
day.

At daylight the battle began

again, and continued

fiercely till midday, the Indians began to

when give

The Spaniards, by hope

way. encouraged of ry,
victo-

them till they turned fled,, hiding

pressed and

themselves in the but, ignorant the

woods; of ground,

worn out constant fighting, the

and with victors

themselves the field.

could only mal^e masters of

In this battle more than twelve hundred Indians

were killed.

In the beginning the 1528, the adelanta-

of year

do determined by to
again, slow marches, reconnoi-

ter the having discovered the

country; and, warlike
60 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the mhabitants, to avoid as much as sible

pos-
character of

them. With this

all conflict with resolution,

they from Ake in the direction Chichen

set out of

Itza, by kindness conciliation, they got

where, and

together some Indians, built houses

and of wood

leaves.
and poles covered, with palm

Here the one

adelantado made unfortunate and

fatal Disheartened by
movement not seeing any

learning from the Indians that the

signs of gold, and

was to be found in the

gUttering metal province of

Ba Khalal, the determined to the

adelantado send

Captain Davila to found in that a town

province of

Spaniards. Davila set out

fifty foot-soldiers
with

horsemen, from the time

and sixteen and of this aration
sep-

difficulties dangers
and accumulated upon

both. All to
efibrts communicate with each other

After battles,
proved abortive. many perils, and ferings,
suf-

those in Chichen Itza saw themselves ced

redu-

to the dying by hunger

wretched alternative of

or by the hands the Indians. An immense

of mul-
titude

the latter having for their struction,

de-
of assembled

the Spaniards left their fortifications,

and

went out on the to meet them. The most vere

se-
plain

battle ever known in wars with the Indians

took Great was them,

place. .
slaughter made among

but a hundred fifty Spaniards were killed;

and near-
ly

the were and, worn down

all rest wounded, with

fatigue, the to the fortifications.

survivors retreated
The Indians did follow
not them, or, worn out as

they were, they have to

would perished miserably a
 PERILOUS SITUATION OF MONTEJO. 61

At the Spaniards From the

man. night escaped.

meager and misatisfactory notices of these events

that have come down to us, it is not known with ac-

curacy

by route they the coast; but

what reached
hear is at Campeachy.
the next that we of them
The fortunes Dayila were no better. Arrived
of

at the Ba Khalal, he sent a message to

province of

the Lord Chemecal to inquire about and re-

questing
of gold,

a the fierce answer of

supply of provisions ;

the was, that he fowls on spears,

cacique would send
Indian corn on arrows. With forty men
and and
five horses left, Davila back to the coast,
struggled
two their he
and, years after unfortunate separation,

joined the adelantado in Campeachy.

Their courage was still unbroken. Roused by

the arrival of Davila, the adelantado determined to

to penetrate the
make another attempt country.
For this purpose he sent off Davila with fifty
again
men, himself remaining in Campeachy but ty
for-
with

soldiers and ten horsemen. As soon as the In-

dians

discovered his force, an immense

small multi-
tude

gathered round the camp. Hearing a tumult,

the adelantado went out on horseback,

and, riding

toward a group assembled on a little hill, out,

cried

endeavouring to pacify them ;

but the Indians, turn-
ing
in the direction the
of voice, and recognising

the adelantado, surrounded him, laid hands upon the

reins of his horse, tried to wrest from him his

and
lance. The his horse, ex-
adelantado spurred and tricated
himself for a moment, but so many Indians

_J
34 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

The Franciscan friar, Jacobo de Fes-

venerable

tera, although superior and prelate of the rich ince

prov-

Mexico, the historian, for the

of zealous, says

desirous to the
conversion of souls, and reduce

to the knowledge the tru^God, of-

whole world of fered

himself for this expecting

spiritual conquest,

hardships, doubtful the Four

many and of resulj.

the same were as hb

persons of order assigned

by some friendly icans

Mex-
companions ; and, attended

had been to Christianity, on

who converted

the March they at

Champoton,
eighth of arrived

famed for the

''
or bad fight, the
mala pelea," of

Spaniards.

The Mexicans went before them to

give notice

their to that they came

in the
of coming, and say

few in arms,
spirit of peace, number, and without

for the to
caring only salvation of souls, and make

known to the the true God, they

people whom ought

to The lords Champoton the

worship. of received

Mexican that
messengers amicably, and, satisfied

they run but little the

could risk, allowed aries
mission-

to enter their Regardless the cerns

con-
country. of

this the historian, irre-

proachable
of world, says and

in their lives, they the

prevailed upon

Indians to listen to their in a few

preaching, and

days the fruit their labours. This fruit,

enjoyed of

he "
was not so as if they had had in-
terpreters
adds, great

familiar the idiom but the divine

with ;

grace and tlie earnestness of these ministers were so

powerful that, forty days* the

after communication,
 EFFORTS TO CONVERT THE NATIVES. 6"

lords brought idols, ed

deliver-
voluntarily all their and

them to the to be burned as the

priests ;" and,

best of their they brought their

proof sincerity, chil^

dren, the Bishop Las Casas, they

whom, says cher-
ished

more than the light their to be indoc-

trinated
of eyes,

taught. Every day they became more

and

to the built them houses to live in,

attached padres,

temple for one thing

and a worship ; and occurred

had never happened before. Twelve or teen

fif-
which

lords, territories and many vassals,

with great

with the consent of their people, voluntarily ac-

knowledged

the dominion the King Castile.

of of

This their by
agreement, under signs and attested

the the bishop he had in his

monks, says possession.

At this time, from beginnings, the

when, such great

the kingdom Yucatan seem^

conversion of whole of

there happened (to use, as near as

ed almost certain,

the language tlie historian) the

possible, of greatest "

disaster that the devil, desire.

greedy of souls, could

Eighteen horsemen twelve foot-soldiers, fugitives

and

from New Spain, the from

entered country some

bringing them loads idols,

quarter, with of which

they had from The

carried off other provinces.

to him a lord of that the coun-

captain called part of try

by he told him to take the

which entered, and

idols distribute them throughout the

and country,

one for an Indian man or woman to

selling each

that if the lord

serve as a slave, and adding, refused

to do so, he immediately make war upon

would

them. The lord his to take

commanded vassals

Vol. I." I
 66 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

these idols them, in return to

and worship and give

him Indian men women to be deUvered to the

and

Spaniards. The Indians, from fear to

and respect

the their lord, Whoever had

command of obeyed.

two one, whoever had three

children gave and gave

two.

In the mean time, that, they had

seeing after given

their to be burned, these Spaniards brought

up gods

to broke in nation
indig-
others sell, the whole country out

against the monks, whom they accused of

deceiving them. The monks to

endeavoured pease
ap-

them, out the thirty Spaniards,

and, seeking

to them the they were doing,

represented great evil

them to leave the but the

and required country;

Spaniards their
refused, and consummated ness
wicked-

by telling the Indians that the them-

selves
priests

had induced them to come into the country.

The Indians were now beyond ance,

forbear-
roused all

determined to the
and murder priests, who,

having this intention, at

notice of escaped night
Very soon, however, the Indians re-
repented, and, membering

the their lives,

purity of and satisfied of
'

their innocence, they sent the fifty

after monks

leagues, begged them to return.

The
and monks,

for their forgave them re-

zealous only souls, and turned

but, finding that the Spaniards

; would not

leave the that they were

country, and constantly

aggrieving the Indians, that they

and especially

in
could not preach peace, nor without continual

dread, they determined to leave the re-

country and
 HONTEJO JOINED BY NIETO. 67

turn to Mexico. Thus Yucatan

remained without

the light help the doctrine, the

and of and miserable

Indians in the darkness ignorance.

of

Such is the the these

account of mission of monks

by the Spanish historians, but the

given old cautious

the day hardly that

reader of present will credit

these
"
ignorant the language,
good priests, of and

interpreters the idiom,"

without who understood

in forty days bring the Indians to throw their

could

idols at their feet less, that this

; and still warlike

had fierce to Cor-

dova,
people, who made such resistance

Grijalva, Cortez, the

and adelantado, would all

at once turn cravens before thirty iards

Span-
vagabond

but, the historian, these are secrets

; says of

Divine justice for their they did

; perhaps many sins

not
deserve that at that time the be
word should

to them.
preached

We return now to the we left

adelantado, whom

at Tobasco. Severe wars the Indians, want

with

arms desertions in-

stigated
of and provisions, and, above all,

by the fame Peruvian had left him

of riches,

at a low In this he was joined by

ebb. situation

Captain Gonzalo Nieto the band which

and small

had been to evacuate

Yucatan, by the
compelled and

these his were

presence of old companions spirits

again roused.

But the Tobasco was much more

pacification of

difficult than By
was supposed. communication

the Spaniards, the Indians had lost their fears

with

them. The bad for on

of country was carrying
S8 IlfQIDBNTSOF TRAVEL.

the inhabitants^ or
any violence upon saffering any

injory from them, the Spaniards fix"m

proceeded

town to town they at Conil At this

nntil arrived

the Indians being friendly, the

place, apparently

Spaniards were thrown olBf their gnard; and on one

an Indian, who came to a

occasion, pay visit, snatch*

a hanger from a httle

ed negro slave, and attempted

to kill the The latter drew his

adelantado. sword

to defend himself, bat the forward

soldiers rushed

killed the Indian on the

and spot

The now determined to from

adelantado march

Conil to the Choaca, from this time

province of and

they began to the dreadfol hardships they

experience

were doomed to in Yucatan. There

suffer subduing

were no roads; the country was stony, and overgrown

thick Fatigued the difficulties

with woods. with of

iheir the heat, water, they

march, and want of ved
arri-

Choaca, found it deserted: the inhabitants

at and

had to join other

Indians were
gone who gathering

for No to they
war. one appeared whom could give

notice their intentions, the tidings that

of pacific and

an Indian had been killed had before them.

gone

Setting out the the

again, still under guidance of
Cozumel Indian, they a town Ak^.
reached named
Here they found themselves by a
confronted great

Indians, had lain in con-

multitude of who ambush, cealed
in the woods.

These Indians were rows,

ar-
armed with quivers of

burned at the lances

sticks ends, pointed with

diarp ffints, two-handed hard

and swords of very
" BLOODY BATTLE WITH THE NATIVES. 59

They iiad flutes, large for

wood. and sea-shells

trumpets, and turtle-shells which they struck with

deers' horns. Their bodies were naked, except

the loins, stained all over

around and with earth

of different they wore stone in

colours, and rings

their ears and noses.

The Spaniards were at

astonished seeing such

figures, the that they

strange and noise made with

the turtle-shells horns, by a

and accompanied shout of

to make the hills The

voices, seemed quake. ade-

lantado the Spaniards by his ex-

encouraged relating

war the Indians, a fearful bat*

perience of with and

tie lasted that day. Night

commenced, which all

came to an to the but the Indians

put end slaughter,

on the The Spaniards had time

remained ground

to bind their but kept

rest and up wounds, watch all

the dismal being destroyed

night, with prospect of

on the next
day.

At daylight the battle began

again, ^d continued

fiercely till midday, the Indians began to

when give

The Spaniards, by hope

way. encouraged of ry,
victo-

them till they turned fled,, hiding

pressed and

themselves in the but, ignorant

woods; of the ground,

worn out constant fighting, the

and with victors

mal^e themselves masters the field.

could only of

In this battle more than twelve hundred Indians

were killed.

In the beginning the 1528, the adelanta-

of year

do determined by marches, to
again, slow reconnoi-

ter the having discovered the

country; and, warlike
60 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the inhabitants, to as much as sible

pos-
character of avoid

them. With this

all conj9ict with resolution,

they from Ak6 in the direction Chichen

set out of

Itza, by kindness they got

where, and conciUation,

together some
Indians, built houses
and of wood

leaves.
and poles covered, with palm

Here the one

adelantado made unfortunate and

"sital Disheartened by
movement not seeing any

learning from the Indians that the

signs of gold, and

was to be found in the

gUttering metal province of

Ba Khalal, the determined to the

adelantado send

Captain Davila to found in that a town

province of

Spaniards. Davila set out fifty foot-soldiers

with

horsemen, from the time this

and sixteen and of aration
sep-

difficulties dangers
and accumulated upon

both. All to communicate each

efforts with other

After battles,
proved abortive. many perils, and ferings,
suf-

those in Chichen Itza saw themselves redu-

ced

to the dying by hunger

wretched alternative of

or by the hands the Indians. An immense

of titude
mul-

the latter having for their struction,

de-
of assembled

the Spaniards left their fortifications,

and

went out on the to meet them. The most vere

se-
plain

battle ever known in wars the Indians

with

took Great was them,

place. . slaughter made among

but a himdred fifty Spaniards were killed; near-

and ly

the rest were worn down

all wounded, and, with

fatigue, the to the fortifications.

survivors retreated

The Indians did not follow them, or, worn out as

they were, they have to a

would perished miserably
 PERILOUS SITUATION OF MONTEJO. 61

At the Spaniards From the

man. night escaped.

meager and misatisfactory notices of these events

that have down to it is not known ac-

come us, with curacy

by they the coast; but

what route reached

that hear them is Campeachy.

the next we of at

The fortunes Dayila were no better. Arrived

of

the Ba Elhalal, he sent a to

at province of message

the Lord Chemecal to inquire re-

questing
of about gold, and

a the fierce answer

supply of provisions ; of

the was, that he fowls on

cacique would send spears,

Indian corn on arrows.

With forty men
and and

five horses left, Davila back to the coast,

struggled

two their he
and, years after unfortunate separation,

joined the in Campeachy.

adelantado

Their was Roused by

courage still unbroken.

the Davila, the determined to

arrival of adelantado

to the
make another attempt penetrate country.

For this he sent Davila fifty

purpose again off with

men, himself in Campeachy but ty

for-
remaining with

ten horsemen. As soon the In-

dians
soldiers and as

discovered his force, an immense

small multi-
tude

the Hearing a tumult,

gathered round camp.

the on horseback,
adelantado went out and, riding

toward a on a little hill, out,

group assembled cried

endeavouring to them but the Indians, turn-

ing
pacify ;

in the direction the

of voice, and recognising

the him, laid hands the

adelantado, surrounded upon

his horse, tried to wrest

from him his
reins of and

lance. The his horse, ex-

adelantado spurred and tricated
himself for a moment, but so Indians
many

6
62 INCIDENTS or TRAVEL.

came that they held his horse fast by the ieec^

up

took away his lance, and endeavoured to carry him

off alive, intending, as they afterward said, to fice

sacri-
him to their Bias Gonsales was the only
gods.

near him, who, his danger, threw him-

soldier seeing

on horsebsfet, cleared a way through the dians

In-
sell
his lance, with others who came up
with and,

the the adelantado. Both hiODR

at moment, rescued

the brave Gonzales were severely ed,

wound-
self and
horse latter died his
and the of the of wounds^

About this time the fame the discovery Peru

of of

reached these unlucky conquerors, and, taking vantage

ad-

of the opportunity afforded by their imity

prox-

to the coast, many of the soldiers deperted.

To follow the Yucatan, it was in"s*

up conquest of

to his forces, for this

pensable recruit and pmfMHte'
the adelantado determined on going to New Spaii^.

He had sent iiiformation to the king

previoudy of
his the king had despatched a
misfortunes, and royal

to the of
Mexico, forth
parchment audiencia setting

the services of the adelantado, the labours 1(

and
he had them to
sustained, and charging

assistance
in
all that related to the
^Tv^
conquest

catan. With this favour his rents in NeHF

and
Spain, he got together some bought
soldiers, and

vessels, arms, and other munitions of war, to ecute

pros-
his Unluckily, as Tobasco ed
belong-
conquest

to his the Indians that

government, and of ince,
prov-

who had been by Cortez, had

subdued revolt-

ed| he it first to them.

considered advisable reduce
 f
SPANIARD" ABANDON YUCATAN.
"^'6S
The from Vera Cruz, and, stopping at
vessels sailed
Tobasco his he
with ^|ortion of recruits, sent oa

the vessels with the rest, under the command of his

son, to tiie conquest in Yucajtan.

prosecute
But the found it muckjuore di"^d|
adelantado
^fl^ he expected to reduce the IndlWroC Tbba^PI
'

he was in it, the Spaniards in

adi while engaged
^MPopeachy, instead of being able to jpi^netrate M|fl|k
the country, were undergoing great sqjSbriagSL iWi^
Indians cut off their supplies of pifAlQsions, and^
being short of sustenance, nearly all became ill
'

They were obliged to make constant sorties to pM"-

cure food, and it was to let the horses
necessary g^
loose, though at the risk of their being killed,

^hey were so low that but five soldiers

reduced
to watch over and provide for the resL
remained
Finding it impossible to hold out any longer, they
determined to thft place. Gonzales Niete,
abandon

who first planted the royal standard on the shores

of Yucatan, was the last to leave it, and in the year

Spaniard in the
laSSMj^ a single remained country,

i^^^yi
oow notorious that the adelantado had

Hot fuHraed the order to carry with him priests, and,

many of the daring but devout spirits of that

^by
day, his want success in Yucatan was
of ascribed
The Mexico,
to this cause. viceroy of iA^^^|E^
ercise of the discretion under a
allowed raHn^'
from the determined forthwith to send
queen,

priests, who should conquer the country by cofir

YQEiiog the Indians to Christianity.

34 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

The Franciscan friar, Jacobo de Fes-

venerable

tera, although superior and prelate of the rich ince

prov-

Mexico, the historian, for the

of zealous, says

desirous to the
conversion of souls, and reduce

to the knowledge the true.God, of-

whole world of

iaired himself for this expecting

spiritual conquest,

hardships, doubtful the Four

many and of resul$.

the same were as his

persons of order assigned

by some friendly icans

Mex-
companions ; and, attended

had been to Christianity, on

who converted

the March they at Champoton,

eighth of arrived

famed for the

''
or bad fight, the
mala pelea," of

Spaniards.

The Mexicans went before them to give notice

their to that they came

in the
of coming, and say

few in arms,
spirit of peace, number, and without

for the to
caring only salvation of souls, and make

known to the the true God, they

people whom ought

to The lords Champoton the

worship. of received

Mexican that
messengers amicably, and, satisfied

they could run but little the

risk, allowed aries
mission-

to enter their Regardless the cerns

con-
country. of

this the historian, irre-

proachable
of world, says and

in their lives, they the

prevailed upon

Indians to listen to their in a few

preaching, and

days the fruit their labours. This fruit,

enjoyed of

he ''
was not so as if they had had terpreters
in-
adds, great

familiar the idiom but the divine

with ;

grace and the earnestness of these ministers were so

that, forty days' the

powerful after communication,
 EFFORTS TO CONVERT THE NATIVES. 66

lords brought idols, ed

deliver-
voluntarily all their and

them to the to be burned as the

priests ;" and,

best
of their sincerity, they brought their
proof dren,
chil-

the Bishop Las Casas, they

whom, says cher-
ished

more than the light their to be indoc-

trinated
of eyes,

taught. Every day they became more

and

to the built them houses to live in,

attached padres,

a temple for one thing

and worship ; and occurred

had never happened before. Twelve or teen

fif-
which

lords, with great territories many vassals,

and

with the consent of their people, voluntarily ac-

knowledged

the dominion the King Castile.

of of

This their signs and by

agreement, under attested

the the bishop he had in his

monks, says possession.

At this time, from beginnings, the

when, such great

conversion of the whole

kingdom Yucatan
of seem-
ed

certain, there happened (to use, as

almost near as

the language tlie historian) the

possible, of greatest

disaster that the devil, desire.

greedy of souls, could

Eighteen horsemen twelve foot-soldiers, fugitives

and

from New Spain, the from

entered country some

bringing them loads idols,

quarter, with of which

they had from The

carried oflf other provinces.

to him a lord that the coun-

captain called of part of try

by he told him to take the

which entered, and

idols distribute them throughout the

and country,

one
for an Indian man or woman to
selling each

that if the lord

serve as a slave, and adding, refused

to do he immediately make war

so, would upon

them. The lord his vassals to take

commanded
Vol. I." I
 66 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

these idols them, in return to

and worship and give

him Indian v^omen to be delivered to the

men and

Spaniards. The Indians, from fear to

and respect

the their lord, Whoever had

command of obeyed.

two one, had three

children gave and whoever gave

two.

In the mean time, that, they had

seeing after given

their to be burned, these Spaniards brought

up gods

to the broke in nation

indig-
others sell, whole country out

against the monks, whom they accused of

deceiving them. The to

monks endeavoured pease
ap-

them, out the tliirty Spaniards,

and, seeking

to them the they were doing,

represented great evil

them to leave the but the

and required country;

Spaniards their
refused, and consummated ness
wicked-

by telling the Indians that the them-

selves
priests

had induced them to come into the country.

The Indians were now beyond ance,

forbear-
roused all

determined to the
and murder priests, who,

having this intention, at

notice of escaped night

Very soon, however, the Indians re-

repented, and, membering

the their lives,

purity of and satisfied of
*

their innocence, they sent the fifty

after monks

leagues, begged them to The

and return. monks,

for their forgave them

zealous only souls, and re-
turned

but, finding that the Spaniards not

; would

leave the that they were

country, and constantly

aggrieving the Indians, that they

and especially

could not in nor

preach peace, without continual
dread, they determined to leave the country and re-
 MONTEJO JOINED BY NIETO. 67

turn to Mexico. Thus Yucatan without

remained

the light help the doctrine, the

and of and miserable

Indians in the darkness ignorance.

of

Such is the the of these

account of mission monks

by the Spanish historians, but the

given old cautious

the day hardly that

reader of present will credit

these
"
ignorant the language,
good priests, of and

interpreters the idiom,"

without who understood

in forty days bring the Indians to throw their

could

idols at their feet less, that this

; and still warlike

had fierce to Cor-

dova,
people, who made such resistance

Grijalva, Cortez, the

and adelantado, would all

at once turn cravens before thirty iards

Span-
vagabond

but, the historian, these are secrets

; says of

Divine justice for their they did

; perhaps many sins

deserve that that time the be

not at word should

to them.
preached

We return now to the we left

adelantado, whom

at Tobasco. Severe wars the Indians, want

with

arms
desertions in-
of and provisions, and, above all,

by the fame Peruvian had left him

"itigated of riches,

a low In this he was joined by

at ebb. situation

Captain Gonzalo Nieto the band which

and small

had been to Yucatan, by the

compelled evacuate and

these his were

presence of old companions spirits

again roused.

But the Tobasco was much more

pacification of

difficult than By
was supposed. communication

the Spaniards, the Indians had lost their fears

with

them. The was bad for on

of country carrying
68 rNCIDENT8 OF TRAVKL.

war, particularly with cavalry, on account of tlia

Hiarshes and pools ; their provisions were again cut

the went
disgusted,
off; many of soldiers away and

from the humidity heat,

others, great and sickened

died.
and

While they were in this the Captain

extremity,

Diego de Contreras, no fixed destination,

with and

to in the
ready embark aiiy of great enterprises

which at that time attracted the adventurous soldier,

at the He had him a

arrived port with vessel of

his own, his

with provisions and other necessaries,

son, twenty Spaniards. The

and adelantado repre-
sented

to him the he the

great service might render

ipng, by induced him to

and promises of reward re-
main.

With this he was to

assistance enabled sus-
tain

himself in Tobasco having

until, received tional
addi-
he the
re-enforcements, effected pacification

of the whole of that country.

The now to
adelantado made preparations return

to Yucatan. Champoton was the

selected as
place
disembarcation. According to the his-
of some of

torianS) he did not himself on this

embark tion,
expedi-

hut sent
his son. It seems more ever,
how-
certain,

that he went in as
person commander-in-chief

the leaving his son, Don Francisco

of armada, and

de Montejo, in the to
command of soldiers, returned

Tobasco, as being nearer to Mexico, from

which

country he to
expected receive and send on more

recruits The Spaniards landed

and necessaries.

some time in the 1537, the

year and again planted
SECOND ATTEMPT TO RE DUCE YUCATAN. 69

in Yucatan. The Indians

royal standard allowed

them to land but the

without noise or
opposition, j

were
lying in for an to stroy
de-
only wait opportunity

them. In a few days a assem-

great multitude bled,

and at midnight they crept silently up the

led to the the Span-

iards,
paths and roads which camp of

seized one of the killed him;

sentinels, and

but the the Spaniards,

noise awoke who, wondering

less at the than at its being by

attack made night,

to their arms.
Ignorant as they were the
rushed of

in the darkness was On the

ground, all confusion.

east, west, they heard the

and south clamour and

the Indisms. Nevertheless, they

outcries of made

the Indians, finding their men ing,

fall-
great efforts, and

hearing the the ing,

dy-
and groans of wounded and

in the fury their at

length
relaxed of attack, and

The Spaniards did not them, but

retreated. pursue

remained
in the camp, keeping watch till daylight,

they buried the bodies of their

when collected and

own
dead.

For days the Indians did tile

hos-
some not make any

demonstrations, but they kept or

away conceal-
ed

as much as possible all supplies of provisions.

The Spaniards were much straitened, and obliged

to themselves by fish the

sustain catching along

On two Spaniards, had

shores. one occasion who

to distance from the fell into

straggled some camp,

the hands the Indians, carried them away

of who

to their idols, feasted

alive, sacrificed them and upon

their bodies.
70 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

During this time the Indians were

forming a great

league the in the ered

gath-
of all caciques country, and

in immense at
Champoton. As soon
numbers

as all the confederates were assembled, they attack-

ed

horrible the the Spaniards,

with a noise camp of

not against such a

who could successfully contend

Many Indians fell, but they as

multitude. counted

lost their for the life

well a thousand of own number

one
Spaniard. There was no hope but in flight,
of

the Spaniards to the The In-

dians
and retreated shore.

them, heaping insults them, en-

pursued upon tered

their loaded themselves the

camp, with cloth-
ing

things, in the hurry retreat

and other which of

they had been to leave behind, on their

obliged put

dresses, from the

and shore mocked and scoffed at

them, their fingers, taunting them

pointing with with

out, "Where is the

cowardice, and crying courage

the Spaniards V The latter, hearing from their

of

boats these insults, that death fame

resolved and

were better than life ignominy,

and and, wounded

and worn out as they were, took up their arms

and

returned to the Another fierce battle

shore. ensu-
ed;

the Indians, dismayed by the

and resolution

with which these vanquished men again fi-ont

made

against them, leaving the Spaniards

retired slowly,

masters the field. The Spaniards for

of cared no

more, content to recover the ground they had lost

From this time the Indians determined to

not give
battle the brought
again, and great multitude, to-
gether

from different dispersed,

places, and returned
CRITICAL SITUATION OF THE SPANIARDS. 71

to their homes. The Spaniards more

remained at

their ease. The Indians, that they

seeing could

not
be driven out the did not intend
of country, and

to leave it, a friendship them,

contracted sort of with

but they were to into

not able make any advances

the interior. On they were so badly

every attempt

that they were to return to their

received compelled

in Champoton, was, in fact, their

camp which only

refuge.

As Champoton was on the coast, now be-

gan
which

to- be known,
somewhat vessels occasionally

touched there, from the Spaniards re-

which poor lieved

some their Occasionally a

of necessities. .

new but their minished,

di-
companion remained, numbers still

the delay the little fruit

many, seeing and

derived from their labours, the

abandoning tion.
expedi-

The time came there were

when only teen
nine-

Spaniards in Champoton, the names some

of

are they in their

of whom still preserved, and affirm

judicial declaration, that in this critical situation

they their to the

owed preservation ^prudence and

Don Francisco Montejo, the

good management of

son of the adelantado.

Again they were their force

reUeved, and again

dwindled The fame the Peru was

away. of riches of

in The Yucatan was no-

every mouth. poverty of torious.

There were no there was but little

mines ;

for to join the

encouragement others expedition, and

those in Champoton were discouraged. StruggUng

hardships dangers, they no

with continual and made
 72 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

advance toward the conquest of the country ; all

to some in
who could, endeavoured get away, going

by land, as In or-
canoes, others occasion offered. der

to some means bettering the con-

confer upon of dition

things, it was
for the son the
of necessary of

to his father at Tobasco, he set

adelantado visit and

out, leaving the at

Champoton the
soldiers under

his a third Don Francisco.

command of cousin,

During his matters became worse. The

absence

Don Francisco
people continued going away, and

knew that if they lost Champoton, had cost

which

them was lost Consulting with a few

so"much, all

were most
desirous in the enter*
who of persevering

he brought together those were

prise, who suspected

desertion, told them to at once,

of meditating and go

leave the rest to their fate. The

and poor soldiers,

at being
embarrassed, and ashamed confronted with

they intended to desert, mined

deter-
companions whom

to remain.

But the succour so hoped for was layed.

de-
earnestly

All the the son the

expedition which of elantado
ad-

was not
for those
could make sufficient

in Champoton. They had been

who remained

nearly three years without making any advances or

impression the Despairing its

any upon country. of

to in the in
conquest, and unable exist straits which

they found themselves, they talked dis*

openly of

banding, fortune lead thenL

and going where might

The did that he to

captain all could encourage

them, but in All had their luggage

vain. and ship-
 DESPERATE COllDITIOIf OF SPANIARDS. 73

to nothing was talked

Stores ready embark, and of

bat leaving the couatry.

The the induced them to take

exertions of captain

better and thej agreed not to execute their

counsel,

hastily, but, to save themselves from rious

inju-
resolution

imputations, first to their tion

inten-
send notice of

to the Juan de Contreras was sent

adelantado.

the despatches, who the be-

sides,
with gave adelantado,

a full account the desperate in

of condition

they at Champoton.
which remained

His intelligence the anx-

gave adelantado much iety.

All his resources were he had

exhausted;

been to the succour

unable procure necessary, and

he knew that if the Spaniards Chamapo-

abandoned

ton, it be impossible to the

would prosecute conquest

Yucatan. Aware their when the

of of necessities,

news he had sotne Spaniards to

arrived, collected go

to their now, by
assistance, and gifts and promises,

he some
made additions ; and while waiting until

these be despatched Alonzo Rosa-

could got ready,

do, one the new to the

of recruits, give notice of

succour at hand.

It does not the went

appear whether adelantado

to Champoton in but
person, vessels arrived carry-
ing

arms, to-
ward
soldiers, provisions, clothing, and and

the the 1539 his son

end of year returned,

twenty horsemen, from New Spain. The

with

drooping the Spaniards were

spirits of revived, and

hopes of the con-

again they conceived achieving quest

of the country.

Vol. L" K 7
74 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

About this time, too, the over

adelantado, grieving

the common himself those

misfortune of and who

had been constant but doubting his

and enduring,

own fortune, in the his son

and confiding valour of

Don Francisco, determined to into the hands

put of

the latter the Yucatan. He

pacification of was at

that time in the Chiapas, to

settled government of

he his by formal
which place summoned son,
and a

act him in the to him-

self
substituted all powers given

by the king. The act is

of substitution itable
cred-

to the head heart the

alike and of adelantado.

It begins an injunction ''

that he
with should strive

that the his live be

people under charge should and

as true Christians, themselves firom

separating vices

not them to ill

and public sins, permitting speak of

God, his blessed nor the it

nor mother, saints ;" and

the "because I know that

concludes with words,

are a know how to do it

you person who will well,

first God our Lord, the his

putting and service of

and the good of the country, and the exe-

cution
majesty,
of justice."
Within a from the time he was
month when call-
ed

by his father, Don Francisco to

away returned

Champoton for
with all- the provisions necessary

on his own account, the

prosecuting, conquest of

Yucatan. From this time the door better fortune

of

to the Spaniards.
seemed opened

Don Francisco determined forthwith to

undertake

the to Campeachy. At distance from

march a short

Champoton they a large body In

encountered of
 SUCCESS OF THE SPANIARDS. 75

dians, them, determined not to

routed and, make

any retrograde movement, encamped upon the spot

From this the Indians, in-

censed
place mortified and

at their defeat, fortifications the

erected along

line The Spaniards not

whole of march. could vance
ad-

without encountering walls, trenches, and em-

bankments,

defended. All these they

vigorously

in so was the
gained succession ; and great ter
slaugh-

the Indians, that at times their dead bodies

of

the battle, the Spaniards were

obstructed and obliged

to the dead to fight the living. In

pass over with

one day they had three battles, in the Span-

iards
which

worn out
fighting.
were almost with

Here, the history fails, it does not

again, and pear
ap-

how they were

in Campeachy ;
but it
received

is firom that in the

manifest other authorities year

1540 they founded the name

San
a city under of

Francisco de Campeche.

Remaining in this till things were

place settled,

Don Francisco, in his father's tions,

instruc-
pursuance of

determined on descending to the province of

Cluepech, founding a in the Indian town

and city

Tihoo. Knowing that delay was dangerous, he

of

sent
forward the Captain Francisco de Montejo, his

fifty-seven men. He himself

cousin, with remained

in Campeachy to the
receive and organize soldiers,

by the tidings his improving tunes,

for-
who, stimulated of

were day in from his father.

every coming

Don Francisco for Tihoo, in the

set out and all

accounts there is a
in re-
uniform correspondence
76 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

to the dangers they on that

gard many encountered

journey from the their numbers, the

smalhiess of

Indians, the strong

great multitudes of warlike and

defences they found at

walls and other which every

to their The Indians con-

step obstruct progress. cealed

the wdls and ponds, and as there were no

streams or fountains, they were thirst

perishing with

Provisions were cut they had war, thirst,

off, and

hunger their The were mere

and oh path. roads

narrow thick on both

passes, with woods sides,

the dead bodies men

encumbered with of and mals,
ani-

their from want water

and sufferings of and

provisions were almost

beyond
endurance.

Arriving at a town Pokboc, they

called pitched

fortified their the intention ma-

and camp, with of king

a halt, but at they were by ing

find-
night roused

the on fire. All ran to thinking less

camp arms,

the fire than the Indians, in darkness

of of and and

to discover the the

silence waited quarter whence

come but hearing

attack would ; no noise, and re-
lieved

from the they

apprehension of enemies, at-
tempted

to extinguish the flames. By this time,

however, the whole camp, and almost everything

that they had, were burned But they were

up. not

dismayed. The this

captain gave notice of tune
misfor-

to his in Campeachy, his

cousin and resumed

In the 1540 he Tihoo.

march. year arrived at

In a few days he was joined by forty iards,

Span-
other

were on by Don Francisco Montejo,

who sent

and at this time some Indians came to them and

 SUBMISSION OF SOME CACIQUES. 77

" What are

doing here, Spaniards ? more
said, you

Indians are against you, more than there are

coming

hairs on the a deer.'' The Spaniards an-

skin of swered

that they out to seek them

would go ; and,
^

leaving the in the the Captain Don

guard camp,

Francisco Montejo immediately set out, came upoo

five leagues distant,

them at a place and attacked

them that, though they at first de-

fended
with such vigour,

themselves bravely, the Spaniards

gained

them, killing the rest became heartened

dis-
upon and many,

took to flight.
and

In the time the son the ar-

mean of adelantado rived

from Campeachy being now

; and all united,

the Indians first they

and at vnthholding all supplies,

soon began to^ firom want

very suffer of provisions.

While in this a ca-

condition, unexpectedly great cique

firom the interior came to diem (the

voluntarily

circumstances will appear hereafter) and made sub-

mission.

Some Tihoo,
neighbouring caciques of

by this or finding that,

either moved example,

aft;er so many years of war, they could not prevail

the Spaniards, Encouraged

against also submitted.

by the friendship these believing

of caciques, and

that they might count upon their succour until they

had finished the the the iards

Span-
subjection of country,

determined to found a on the oc-

city site

by Tihoo but in the mean time a terrific

eupied ;

storm was over their heads. All the In-

dians
gathering

fi-om the east Tftoo were drawing er

togeth-
of

in the June, toward the

; and month of evening
78 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

feast Baraaby the an

immense
of the of apostle,

body, to
manuscript accounts,
varying, according

from forty to thousand, came down the

seventy upon

band a little more than two hundred then

small of

in Tihoo. The following day they the

attacked

Spanish on The most terrible battle

camp all sides.

the Spaniards had ever

"
vine
Di-
encountered ensued.

the historian, "

more
power," says pious works

than human What were so

few Catholics
valour.

so infidels V The battle lasted the

against many

the day. Many Indians were killed,

greater part of

but immediately took their for they

others places,

were so that they were like the leaves on the

many

trees. The
arquebuses and crossbows made great

havoc, the horsemen destruction

and carried ever
wher-

they down the fiigitives, tram-

pling
moved, cutting

foot the dying. Piles

under wounded and of
dead bodies the Spaniards in their
stopped pursuit

The Indians were for a

completely routed, and great

distance the dead.

ground was covered with their

The fame the Spaniards rose higher than be-

fore,
of

the Indians never for

and rallied again a
eral
gen-

battle. All this the invaders were

year occu-
pied
in drawing to them and conciliating t)ie bouring
neigh-

caciques, on the January, 1542,

and sixth of

they founded, legal formalities, the

with all on site

the Indian town Tihoo, the

" loyal
of of very and

noble" Merida.
city of

Here I leave them I

shall ; and make no apolo-
gy
for history. It forty
presenting this was years
 COGOLLUDO*S HISTORY OF YUCATAN. 79

the island Guanaja

since a straggling canoe at of

first intelligence the such a

gave of existence of

Yucatan, Don Fran-

country as and sixteen since

Qjisco Montejo received the royal authority to con-

quer

it. During that time Cortez had

and people

driven Montezuma from the throne Mexico,

of and

Pizarro had tlie the Peruvian In-

seized sceptre of

In these Yucatan
cas. the glory of conquests was

has been to this day. The

unnoticed, and ancient

historians to it briefly but The

refer and seldom.

it is that Cogolludo, a
only separate account of of

historian.
native

The this was in the

work of author published year

1658. It is ill-digested,
voluminous, confused, and

be a history the can

Francis-
and might almost called of

Friars, to he belonged. It is from

which order

this that, no labour, I

work principally with small

have the events to the

gathered subsequent grant

by the king to Don Francisco Montejo it is

made ;

the only that to an account

work purports give of

those events, as
it has never
been translated,
and and

is known out
Yucatan, even in that
scarcely of and

is out
it least be
country almost of print, must at new

to the reader.
80 INCIDENTS OF TIIATBL.

IV.
.CHAPTER

Political State Yucatan. Alliance Texas." Presentation

of "
with

to the Governor. "

His Character and Personal Appearance. "

A Cordial Reception. An Arrival of Strangers. Citizen

" "

^A of

the World. Acquaintance. ^Population of Meri-

"
old "

^Another
da. "
Climate. "
General Aspect of Merida. "
An interesting ifice.
Ed-

Mode Streets." Sculptured Figures. es.

Church-
"
of naming "

^Franciscan Convent. A Memorial the Past. Ruined

" "
of "

Cities America. Former Conclusions

of "
confirmed.

From the time the Yucatan

of conquest, existed

as a distinet not
captain-generalcy, connected with

Guatimala, nor to the Mexico.

subject viceroy of

So it down to the Mexican

continued revolution.

The independence Yucatan followed that ico

Mex-
of of

by default
without any struggle, and actually of

the in not to keep it in

mother-country attempting

subjection.
Separated from Spain, in an hour Yucatan
evil

sent to Mexico to deliberate

commissioners upon

forming a on the these

government ; and return of

commissioners, on their her

and report, she gave up

independent into the Mexican

position, and entered

confederation as one of the states of that republic.

Ever had been from this

since she suffering py
unhap-

a time before our former

connexion, and, short

a broke out over the

visit, revolution all country ;

in the during that

successfril progress of which, visit,

the last Mexican was driven out

tan.
Yuca-
garrison of

The state the

assumed rights of sovereignty,

its independent the time

asserting powers, at same
 POLITICAL STATE OF YUCATAN. 81

sot
disconnecting itself from Mexico, bat
entirely

ieclaring itself a of that

still component part repub-
lic,

The declaration its

upon certain conditions. of

independence was a moot

The as-
still question. sembly

had a bill to that effect,

but the sen-
ate
passed

had not
it, its fate in that
yet acted upon and

body was doubtful. In the mean time, a

considered

had been sent to Texas, two days

commissioner and

our at
Merida the Texan
after arrival schooner of

war San Antonio at Sisal, bringing a

arrived sition
propo-

for Yucatan to $8000 toward

pay per month

the the Texan for the Texan

support of navy, and

to the coast Yucatan

vessels remain upon of and

it invasion by Mexico. This

protect against osition
prop-

was immediately,
accepted and negotiations

were for farther in

pending co-operation procuring

a their independence. Thns^

recognition of mutual

from an declaration inde-

pendence,
while shrinking open of

Yucatan was the breach,

widening and

an
Mexico never
committing offence which could

forgive, by an a whom that

alliance with people ernment,
gov-

Santa Ana, as the worst

or rather regarded

he was bent the

of rebels, and whom upon exerting

the in an to recon-
whole power of country effort quer.

Such was the disjointed false in

and position

Yucatan at the time our

which stood of presentation

to the governor.

Our to him was at

his
visit made private residence,

was one befitting his as a private

which station gen-
tleman,

his
and not unworthy of public charact^

Vol. L" L
82 INCIDBNTSOFTRAVEL.

His was in the or his

reception-room sala parlour of

house, in the centre the fashion

of which, after of

Merida, three or four large mo-

rocco
chairs covered with

were facing
placed each other.

Don Santiago Mendez was fifty

about years of

tall thin, a fine intellectual face,

age, and with and

deportment
of very gentlemanly appearance and

Free from internal wars, by her

and saved ical
geograph-

from the common

position sanguinary conflicts

in the Mexican states, Yucatan has had

other no

for there are no

school soldiers ; miUtary chieftains

no
for Don tiago
San-
and prepossessions military glory.

Mendez was a a few

merchant, until within

at the head a house

years, of respectable commercial

in Campeachy. He was so for

respected ness
upright-

integrity, that, in the state

and unsettled of fairs
af-

he was by the two

agreed upon opposite ties
par-

as the best in the state to at the

person place

head the His however,

of government popularity,

was now on the wane, his

somewhat and position

was nor From a life

neither easy enviable. quiet

he found himself at once in the

and occupations, all

front a An inva-
sion
rank of wide-spread rebellion.

from Mexico was constantly apprehended, and

it es-
should prove successful, while others would cape

by reason their insignificance, his head

of

be sure to fall. The two one

would great parties,

in favour keeping the door

of open of reconciliation

Mexico, the for immediate

With and other and ab-
solute

were both him to out

separation, urging carry
 ACORDIALRECEPTION. 83

their The from the hazard

views. governor shrank

of exidremes, v^as vacillating, one-

undecided, and

to the In the mean time, the

qnal emergency. en-^

thusiasm led to the

which revolution, and which

have independence,
might achieved was
wearing

away. Dissatisfaction discontent

and prevailed.

Both blamed the he did

parties governor, and not

know himself to he belonged.

which

There was however, in his

nothing equivocal, re-
ception

us. He knew the our return to

of object of

the us the facilities the

country, and offered all ernment
gov-

bestow. Whatever was to be the

could

fate Yucatan, it was fortunate for us that it was

of

then free from the dominion Mexico,

of and repu-
diated

the jealous threw im-

pediments
entirely policy which

in the to ex-
way of strangers seeking plore

the the it was

antiquities of country ; and also

fortunate, that on former Yucatan had im-

pressed
my visit

me favourably for, had it been

; otherwise, my

have been
situation might made uncomfortable, and

the two journals Merida, die " Commercial BuK

of

letin" the "Nineteenth Century," instead

and of

us a bespeaking favour
giving cordial welcome, and

for us, have us to return

home by the
might advised

same that brought us out.

vessel

Our business in Merida was to inqui-

ries
only make

for our journey

about ruins and arrangements

into the interior, but in the mean time we had no

lack
of other occupation.

The house the Dona Micaela was the

of rendez-
 84 INCIDENTS OF TRATBL.

in Merida, a few days

vous of all Strangers and after

oar arrival there was an unprecedented gathering.

There Mr. Anchincloss his son,

Mr. Tred-
.
were and

Mr. Northrop, Mr. Gleason, Mr. Robinson,

well, and

formerly United States at Tampico, who had

consul

by the Lucinda,
come out passengers all citizens of

the United States; besides these, the

and, arrival

the war San Antonio, from Texas,

of schooner of

brought us a the or, at

least,
among citizen of world,

a it Mr. George Fisher, as

of great part of appeared

by his was
**
natu-
various papers of naturalization, ral

de la fortaleza de Belgrada en la
ciudad y pro-

de Servia del Imperio Ottomano," or a

'^
vincia native

the fortress Belgrade, in the

of city and of province

Servia, in the Ottoman Empire." His Sclavonic

"rf

name was Ribar, in the German language

which

means a Fischer, at in Austria it was so

and school

translated, from in the United States it came

be-
which

to Fisher. At he
modified seventeen embark-
ed
in a to throw the the
revolution off yoke of tan,
sul-

but the was forty thous-

and
attempt crushed, and

Sclavonians, men, women, were

and children,

driven across the Danube, took in the

and refuge

Austrian territory. The Austrian not

government,

liking the so
presence of many revolutionists in
with-

its borders, the a vonic

Scla-
authorized organizing of

legion. Mr. Fisher it, a cam-

entered made paign

in Italy, at the the in die

and, end of year,

interior the there was no danger

of country, where

their dfosraiinatiiig die le-

of revolutionary notions,
 A CITIZEN OF TH" WOBLD. 85

was disbanded. After

expeditions
gioQ of yarioos

kinds along the Danube, in Turkey, to Adrianople"

the Adriatic, he traded back, most the

and along of

on foot, he Hamburg in
way until reached where,

1815, he for Philadelphia. Hence he

embarked

over to the Ohio River, in the State

crossed and of

Mississippi, by five
years' residence, and abjuring all

became a citizen the United

other allegiance, of

States. Mexico her independence, he

obtained and

on to that becoming, by due

moved country, process

law, a Mexican Here he a

of citizen. established

which,
during the Santa
newspaper, presidency of
Ana, became so for its liberal
conspicuous opinions,

that one fine an hun

morning officer waited upon

a
for him to leav^
with paper containing permission

the country
''
por el tiempo necessario," which being

translated, meant, not to return soon. With

very

this he ^ for Texas, became a

sloped" and citizen of

that It was in that remote

young republic. strange

to meet one fit)m a

and secluded place re^on stiU

more distant even less known,

and speaking every

language in Europe, familiar it,

with every part of

the history
of
family, the torial
terri-
vrith every reigning

limits at the same time a

of every prince, and

citizen of so many repubUcs.

His last was his feelings

allegiance uppermost;

Texan, he us interesting
were aU and gave many

particulars touching the condition and prospects

that He was, course, soon at home

of country. of

in the Yucatan, he had some lit*

politics of and

8
 86 mCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

tie interest in them for,

personal watching closely ;

Santa Ana the the

shoold regain ascendancy, mate
cli-

be too warm for him. He

would altogether

had bridle, he
saddle and sword and pistols "
all that

a horse ^hanging in his room,

needed except "
up and

at a moment's
he was to mount
notice ready and

ride.

Our this to
meetmg with gentleman added much

the interest our time in Merida. In the

of evening,

we had the Yucatan, we

when settled afiairs of made

into Illyria or the interior Turkey.

an excursion of

He was as familiar the little towns in those

with

as those in Mexico. His knowledge

countries with

derived from
of persons and places, actual tion,
observa-

was most
in his life
extensive ; short, whole

had been a incidents

chapter of and adventures;

these were He had a new field

and not yet ended.

to him in Yucatan. We him

opened parted with

in Merida, the next that we heard him was

and of

bis being in i as as he
of situation quite strange any

had ever been in before. Yet there was nothing

or him; he
reckless, restless, unsettled about was

fixed in his
perfectly and methodical all notions and

in Wall-street he be
modes of action ; wj^uld con-
sidered

a staid, regular, quiet, man,

middle-aged and

he was in his habi"s to be head

systematic enough

director the Bank England.

of of

I must to those
not omit mention, among whom

we were in the habit day,

of seeing every another

old acquaintance, the Spanish Hotel in Fulton-

of
 CLIMATE OFMERIDA. 87

Don Vicente Calera, the

street, who, at time of our

former was travelling in the United States.

visit, still

In the mean time he had returned, married, and was

domesticated in his
again native city.

Under his escort we traversed Merida in rection,

di-
every

the buildings in-

stitution
and visited all public and

The Merida is twen-

ty-three
population of probably about

thousand. Two tables are in the

published

Appendix but both to the

; purport give population

the district, that the

of and neither of city alone.

The on a on a
city stands great plain, surface of

limestone the temperature are

rock, and and climate

During the thirteen days that we

very uniform.

were in Merida the thermometer but grees

de-
varied nine

and, to a table of
kept
; according observations

for by the Cura Villa-

many years much-esteemed

it that during the beginning on the

mil, appears year

first September, 1841, included the

of which whole

time that were in the the

we country, greatest ation
vari-

was
but twenty-three degrees. By the ness
kind-

the cura,
I have been furnished
of with s^ copy

this table, from I extract the

of which observations

for the days that we

in Merida. The
passed entire

table is in the Appendix. The

published tions
observa-

were by a Fahrenheit thermometer kept

made

in the in the at
open air and shade, and noted six

in the in the
morning, midday, and six afternoon
88 INCIDENTS OF TBAVBU

I however, that in the iaterior the

may remark, of

we
fomid a than
comitry much greater variation

in the table in the Appendix*

any nbted published

The the is Moorish, as it

general aspect of city

wa" built a time the Moorish

at when style ed
prevail-

in Spanish The houses are large,

architecture.

one in height, conies

bal-
generally of stone, and story with

to the large In
windows and courtyards.

the centre of the city stands the plaza a square

major,
hundred feet. The the east
of about six whole of

is by the the bbhop's

side occupied cathedral and

On the the house the

palace. west stand of muui-

that the Dona Joaquina Peon. On

cipahty and of

the is the the on

north palace of government, and

the a building on our first

south which visit arrested

our the moment we the It

attention entered plaza.

is distinguished by a fa9ade cu-

rich sculptured of rious

design In it is a stone
and workmanship. with

this inscription:
 " N INTEREST INO "D1FIC". 89

Esta hacerla el
obra mando

Adelantado D. Francisco de Montejo

ASo de MDXLIX.

*rhe Adelantado Don Francisco Montejo this to be made

caused

in the 1549.
year

The two knights in armour,

subject represents with

breastplates, heknets, the

visors, and standing npon

figures, ed
intend-
shoulders of crushed naked probably

to the Spaniard trampling

represent conquering

the Indian. Mr. Catherwood to

*inon attempted

a drawing it, to the heat the

make of and, avoid of

sun, went into the at daylight for that

plaza purpose ;

but he was so by the that he

annoyed crowd was

to it There is reason to believe

obliged give up.

that it is a Spanish ludiau

combination of and art.

The design is Spanish, but as, at that ear-

certainly ly

the but five the

period of conquest, years after

foundation Merida, Spaniards were but few,

of and

each man considered lumself a conqueror, ably

prob-

there were none who practised the mechanic

arts. The was no doubt the dians,

In-
execution work of

and perhaps the was done their

carving with

own instruments, not those furnished them by

and

the Spaniards.

The history the this building

of erection of would
be interesting instructive; the hope
and and, with of

learning it, I to
something about proposed examine

thoroughly the the but I was

archives of cabildo; vised
ad-

that lost, in
all the early archives were or such

confusion that it be a Herculean labour to ex

would
Vol. I." M
.
90 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

them, I saw that it consume more

plore and would

time than I be to devote to it

should able

Besides the inscription on the stone, the in-

formation
only

that in to this building is a

exists regard

statement in CogoUudo, that the fa";ade cost

fourteen

thousand dollars. It is now the Don

property of

Simon Peon, is by his family. It has

and occupied

been lately some the beams are no

repaired, and of

doubt the same held the over the

which up roof ade-

lantado.

Eight l6ad from the two in the tion

direc-
streets plaza,

In street, at the
of each cardinal point every

distance a few is a now dismantled,

of squares, gate,

beyond are the barrios, or

and suburbs.

The are distinguished in a manner

streets pecu-
liar

to Yucatan. In the the comer house,

angle of

on the top, a
figure an
and stands painted wooden of

a bull, a flamingo, or some

elephant, other visible ob-
ject,
the is by the name this ob-
and street called of ject
On comer there is the figure an
one of old

woman large on her nose, the

with spectacles and

street is la Calle de la Vieja, or the Street

called of

the Old Woman. That in we lived had on

which

the comer house a flamingo, was the Street

and called

the Flamingo the reason the streets being

of ; and of

in this some idea the

named way gives of character

the The mass the inhabitants,

of people. great of

the Indians, cannot

Printed
universally read. signs

be but Indian knows the

would of no use, every sign

an bull, a flamingo.
of elephant, a or
 CHURCHES. 91

In the frout a house in a street

wall of nmning

from the in a comer house

north plaza, and also near

Alameda, figures from

the square of the are
sculptured

the buildings, Mr. Cather-

ruins of ancient of which

drawings, but, in the

wood made multiplicity of other

we do not think it to
subjects, worth while present

them to the reader.

The distinguishing feature Merida,

great of as of

Spanish America, is in its

all the cities of churches.

The Cathedral; the

great parish church and convent

San Cristoval the the Jesuits the

of ; church of ;

church and convent of the Mejorada ; the chapels

San Juan Bautista Our Lady Candelaria

"of ; of of ;

the Santa Lucia the Virgin, the

of and and convent

de las or the its

monjas, nunnery, with church and

enclosures occupying two

whole are in-
teresting
squares, all

in their history. Some are of good style

in in ornaments but there is

architecture, and rich ;

one not
I as the
other, yet mentioned, which regard

most interesting in Merida

and remarkable edifice

It is the Franciscan convent.

It on an
old stands

in the eastern the is en-

eminence part of city, and closed

by a high turrets, forming is

waU, with what

now the Castillo. These turrets are

called walls and

erect, but is irretrievable.

still within ruin

In 1820 the by the

new constitution obtained triots
pa-

in Spain the on the 30th

reached colonies, and

May Don Juan Rivas Vertiz, then Gefe Politico,

of

living in Merida, a fine the

and now memorial of

time, it in the The

olden published plaza. church
92 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the things, the can

Francis-
sustained old order of and

friars, in their hold the feelings

confident upon

the to down this

of populace, endeavoured put

demonstration liberal feeling. A in

of mob gathered

the friars them, them

plaza ; appeared among urging

cm ;
field-pieces were brought out, the mob
ed,
dispers-

Don Juan Rivas to the Franciscan

and marched

the doors, drove the

convent, opened out monks, above

300 in at the the bayonet,

number, point of and gave

the building to destruction. The

up superior and

the brothers became or

some of seculars regulai

turned to this
priests; others worldly pursuits; and of

once but are now left

powerful order, eleven who

wear the the Franciscan

garb of monks.

It was in one of these that I

company with paid

last to this convent

We by the
my visit entered

the into an
great portal of castle waD overgrown

In front was the convent, its lai^e

courtyard. with

two great churches, the walls

corridors and of all

three but doors or The

standing, without windows.

one the had faUen, the broad

roof of of churches and

day was into the interior. We

glare of streaming

entered the the identified

other "
oldest, and with

the times the Near the door was a

of conquerors.

blacksmith's forge. A Mestizo was blowing at the

bell6ws, hauling out a bar iron, ham-

mering
red-hot of and

it into All the floor were half-

spikes. along

Indians brawny Mestizoes, hewing ber,

tim-
naked and

driving on the business

nails, and carrying of

for The were

making gun-carriages artillery. altars
 FRANCISCAN CONVENT. 93

thrown down the defaced half

and walls ; way up

on them, in coarse
were painted and staring red

(in Spanish), " First "

Second
characters squadron,"

at the head the a

squadron ;" and of church, under

were the
" Comp'y Light ry."
Infant-
golden gloria, words

The had been as barracks^

church occupied

and these were the places where they stacked their

arms. As we through, the workmen at

passed stared

or at the long blue the

niy companion, rather gown,

his the cross dangling from

cord around waist, and

it his It was the first

"

^the garb of scattered order.

time he had the the

visited place since expulsion ol

the To me it was to behold the

monks. mournful

destruction desecration this building

and of noble ;

then, must it have been to him ! In the floor

what,

the near the in the

of church altar and sacristia

were but the bones the had

open vaults, of monks

been thrown out on the floor. Some

and scattered

these were the bones his friends. We

of of earliest

into the he out the

passed refectory, and pointed

the long table at the brotherhood

position of which

took their the fountain

meals, and stone at which

they their His

performed ablutions. old ions
compan-

in their long blue rose before him,

gowns up

now forever, their home a desolation

scattered and

and ruin.

But this convent one

far more
contains memorial

interesting than its own

any connected with ruin ;

one that the beholder back through centih

carries
94 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

ries of time, and tells the story of a greater and a

fall.
sadder

In one the lower out from the

of cloisters going

the dormitory, are two

north, and under principal

The one faces the

parallel corridors. outer pal
princi-

this has that so

patio, and corridor peculiar arch

to in two
often referred my previous volumes, sides

to meet each other, when

rising and covered, within

a foot forming an by a flat layer

about of apex, of

stones. There can be no the

mistake about acter
char-

this it cannot for a moment be

of arch; sup-
posed

that the Spaniards so

constructed anything

different from their known

rules of architecture;

beyond doubt it formed one those

and part of of

buildings have to so
mysterious which given rise

the has
much speculation ; construction of which

been to the most in the Old

ascribed ancient people

World, to races lost,

and perished, and unknown.

I am happy thus in these to have an

early pages

to the in
opportunity of recurring opinion expressed

former in to the builders the

my volumes, regard of

ancient American
cities.

The to I came was, that

"
there
conclusion which

are not
for belief in the an-
sufficient grounds great tiquity

that has been to these

"
that
ascribed ruins ;"

we are not in back to

warranted going any ancient

nation the Old World for the builders these

of of

cities ; that they are not the works of people who

have history is lost but
passed away, and whose ;

that there are

strong reasons to believe them the
 RUINED CITIES OF AMERICA. 95

the same races inhabited the coun-

creation of who try

the time the Spanish or some

at of conquest, of

not
distant
very progenitors."

This was not

lightly, nor
opinion given without
due It was to feelings,
consideration. adverse my

fain have thrown the the

which would around ruins

interest hoary even now,

of mystery and age ; and

though knowing that has

gratified at my opinion

been fully I be to
sustained, would willing abandon

it, involve the in doubt, did

and reader and myself cumstances
cir-

warrant me in so doing; but I am

to that investigations have

obliged say subsequent

fortified
and confirmed my previous conclusions,

in fact, have before was

and, made conviction what

mere matter of opinion.

When I wrote the account

former journey,
of my

the difficulty the

greatest attending consideration oi

this was the historical

subject absence of all record

the Copan had some

concerning places visited.

history, but it was obscure, uncertain, and unsatis-

factory.

Quirigua, Falenque, Uxmal had none

and

but a historic light beams

whatever; ray of upon

the in the convent Merida.

solitary arch ruined of

In the the Yucatan by

account of conquest of

Cogolludo it is that on the the

stated, arrival of

Spaniards at the Indian town Tihoo, on the site

of

it be Merida now
of which, will remembered, stands,

they found cerros hechos a mano, i. e., hills

many

made
by hand, or mounds, and that on one
artificial

these the Spaniards encamped

of mounds
96 INCIDENTS OF TRiVEL.

This it is on the now

mound, stated, stood ground

by the East it was

occupied plaza major. of anoth*

er large the Spaniards laid the tion

founda-
mound, and

the between these two, because, as it is

of city

the stones
in them were a
assigned, great ence
conveni-

in building, the labour the

and economized of

Indians. These were so lai^e, it is

mounds added,

that with the stones the Spaniards built t)ie edi-

all

jSces in the so that the forms the

city, ground which

or leveL The
plaza major remained nearly quite

buildings are it is that

erected specified, and added

there was for

abundance of material other edifices

the Spaniards to erect

which wished

Other are as the

mounds mentioned obstructing

laying out streets to the

of according plan proposed,

there is one bears directly

and circumstance which

this in is
upon point, and, my opinion, conclusive.

In the history the the can

Francis-
of construction of

convent, was founded in the 1547,

which year

five the the Spaniards in Ti-

years after arrival of

hoo, it is that it was built a

expressly stated upon

small artificial mound, pne of the many that were

then in the on it is were

place, which mound, added,

same buildings. Now we

ancient must either sup-
pose

that the Spaniards these buildings to the

razed

ground, and then constructed this strange arch them-

selves,

is, I think,
which supposition utterly untena-
ble,

or that this formed the

corridor part of ancient

buildbigs to the historical account,

which, according

stood on this that for some

artificial mound, and
 FORMER CONCLUSIONS CONFIRMED. 97

or the incorporated it
purpose other monks with

their convent

There is bnt one to this latter

way overthrow

that is by that diese

conclusion, and contending

were all ruined, and this building too, at the

mounds

time it was to form the convent;

when made part of
bnt then we are to the
reduced necessity of sing
suppo-

that a town, the fame

great of which reached

the Spaniards at Campeachy, a

and which made
desperate bloody to their
and resistance occupation

it, was a mere hordes the

of gathering of around

mined buildings another race and, besides, it is

of ;

*
a matter importance to note that these
of primary

artificial are not in the course

mounds mentioned,

describing the Indian town, for description

of no

whatever is but inddentaUy, as

attempted, merely

affording to the Spaniards in ing

furnish-
conveniences

for building the as

materials city, or causing ob-
structions

in the laying out streets

of regularly and

to the The
according plan proposed. mound on

which the convent have

stands would perhaps not

been at but for the that

mentioned all circumstance

the Padre CogoUudo was a Franciscan fiiar,

and

the it him to a tribute to

mention of enabled pay

the the blessed father Luis de Villpan-

memory of

do, then the to the

superior of convent, and show

in he was hdd, for he

great estimation which says

that the had fixed this for

adelantado upon mound

the one his fortresses, but on the

site of of applica-
tion

the he it to him for

of superior yielded readily
Vol. L" N 9
98 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the site of the convent; and, more than all this, even

in the incidental in these are

way w^hich mounds

to, there is one

referred circumstance which shows

that they were not at that time disused

clearly and

in but, on the were then in the ac-

ruins, contrary, tual

use the Indians for Gogol-

and occupation of ;

ludo detail
mentions particularly and with much

one that completely obstructed the running of a ticular

par-

he was El
street, which, says, called grande

de los Kues, era de los idolos. Now

adoratorio que

the
"
Kues," in the Maya language, as
word spoken

by the Indians Yucatan at the day, means

of present
"
their ancient places of worship, and the word oratorio,"
ad-

as defined in the Spanish dictionary, is

the name by the Spaniards to the temples

given of

idols in America. So that the historian scribes

de-
when

this as El de los Kues

mound grande el oratorio
ad-

de los idolos, he means to that it was

say

the great one, or the greatest among the places of

the Indians, or the temples their

worship of of

idols.

It is the
"
one" their
called great of places of

in to the ones
worship, contradistinction smaUer

that now by
around, among which was occupied

the Franciscan convent. In the

my opinion, soU-

tary found in this convent is if

arch very strong, not

that all the buildings

conclusive, evidence ruined

over
Yucatan were by the
scattered erected very

Indians the at the time

who occupied country of

the Spanish or, to fall back

conquest, upon my old
 THE BUILDERS OF THESE CITIES. 99

"

ground, that they were the work of the same race

or "their not
distant
of people," very tors."
progeni-

Who these races were, they came,

whence or

were their I did to

who progenitors, not undertake

nor
do I now.
say,
100 mCIDBNTS OF TRAVEL.

CHAPTER V.

Dagruerreotype Apparatus. "

Set up as Ladies* Da"^erreot3rpe trait
Por-

Takers. Preparations. young Lady to begin

" "

^A pretty

Preliminaries. Chapter Contingencies. Success

with." "
of "

^A

the first Experiment. Other successful Experiments.

of " "

^A
Change of Fortune. "
Give up this Business." An Incident. "

Take the Practice of Surgery. Operation for Strabismus.

up "

"
Details." First Subject. "
great Gathering of
Squint Eyes.
^A

" troublesome Patient. "

little Hero. "
Extraordinary stance
In-
^A ^A
Fortitude. A Military Patient. Female Patient
of " "

^A

"
Practice of Surgery abandoned. "
Instability of Fame.

But the must not that our

reader suppose only

business in Merida was the investigation

of ties
antiqui-

had in hand
; we other operations which gave

us
We had taken
plenty of employment with us a

Daguerreotjrpe but one

apparatus, of which men
speci-

had ever before in Yucatan. Great

appeared

improvements had been in the instrument,

since made

we had reason to believe that ours was one

and of

the best having assurances that we

; and received

do a large business in that line, we were ced

indu-
might

to as ladies' Daguerreotype ta-

kers.
set up portrait

It was a new
line for us, and rather some,
venture-

but than for the a news-

not worse editor of paper

to turn a besides,
captain of steamboat ; and,

it like banking not injure

was not " ^we could any

one by a
failure.

Having trials upon ourselves until we were

made

tireSi of the subjects, and with satisfactory results, we

to begin
considered ourselves suflSciently advanced ;

intended to for the love the

and as we practice of
 DA6UERKEOTTPE PORTRAIT TAKING. 101

not for lucre, we held that we had a

art, and right

to oar Accordmgly, we had but to

select subjects.
signify our wishes, and the next morning put our

house in for the our fair

order reception of visiters.

We out the hammock, took

cleared ererything of

the basin the chair, and threw odds

washhand off

into one comer as the sun was ing

pour-
and ends ; and

its brightly into our door, it

rays warmly and

was farther lighted by the entry three

up of young

ladies, their mammas.

with respective papas and

We had difficulty in finding them seats,

great all

were to the two mammas into the

and obliged put

hammock together. The ladies were dressed

young

in their costume,
prettiest with earrings and chains,

their hair flowers. All were

and adorned with ty,
pret-

one was more than not

in the
and much pretty;

Spanish beauty, dark hair,

style of with eyes and

but a delicate dangerous blonde,

and simple, natural,

beautiful knowing it,

and unaffected, without and

because not
help it Her name, too,
really she could

was itself. I am bound to her out,

for,
poetry single

late on the our departure from Merida,

evening of

she sent us a large three

cake, measuring about

feet in by inches deep,

circumference six whicb,
by-the-way, being I
everything packed up, smother-
ed
into a pair of saddle-bags, and spoiled some of my

scan^ stock of wearing apparel.

The the over, we

ceremonies of reception made

immediate to begin. Much form

preparations and
in
circumstance were necessary settling prelimina-
102 I1ICIDBNT8 OF TRAVEL.

as we were in hurry to
ries ; and no get rid of om

we had more formalities than to

subjects, osual go

through with.

Our first was the lady the

subject of poetical name.

It was to hold a her

necessary consultation upon

costume, whether the colours were pretty and such

as be brought out well or not whether a scarf

would ;

the was the hair was

around neck advisable; whether

the rose becoming, in the best

well arranged, and

then to it, the

position; change and consider effect

the to do things
of change, and say and many other

themselves to the ima-

which may suggest reader's

^nation, and all which gave rise to many profound

in to
remarks regard artistical effect, and occupjed

much time.

The lady being to the best it

arrayed advantage,

was necessary to seat her to

with reference a
right
light to
adjustment of and shade ; examiue carefully

the fieiUing the light her face

of upon ; then to con-
sult
it was better to take front
whether a or a
side
to look the face in both
view ; at carefully positions ;

finally, it was to the head in

and, necessary secure the

that it be too high

right position ; should neither nor

too low too on one the

; much side nor on
other ;

and as this it
required great nicety, was sometimes

actually indispensable to turn the beautifiil Uttie head

with our own hands, however, was a nocent

in-
which, very

way turning a lady's head.

of young
Next it to lady into
was necessary get the young
focus is, to her into box, in
"
that get the which,
 THE FIRST SUBJECT. 103

means, to a her face on the

short, get reflection of

in the camera at that one

glass obscura particular

it better than
point of view which presented any

other ; and when this was obtained, the miniature

likeness the was so faithfully

of object reflected,

that, as by enthusiasm, we were

artists carried away

to in the manunas,
obliged call papas and who pro-
nounced

it beautiful dictum we were in

"
^to which

courtesy to
obliged respond.

The was now into the box,

plate cleaned, put and

the light Now came a trying time for the

shut off*.

lady. She must her Ups

young neither open nor

her for one thirty by

roll eyes minute and seconds

the This at length the

watch. eternity ended, and

plate was taken out.

So faif our course had been before the wind.

Every new formality had but increased our tance

impor-

in the our fair their

eyes of visiters and re-
spectable

Mr. Catherwood to
companions. retired

the room to the in the

adjoining put plate mercury

bath, we, not knowing the

while what result might

be, a little fearful, to an-

and neither wishing rob other

the honour he be justly to,

of might entitled

nor to be dragged down by failure, thought

another's

best to have it distinctly that Mr. Cath-

erwood
understood

was the maestro, and that we were merely

amateurs. At the same time, on Mr. Catherwood's

account, I took to suggest that the process

occasion

was so
its success depended
complicated, and upon

a it
such variety of minute circumstances, seemed
104 IllCIDENTS OF TRAYEL.

that it ever turned out The

really wonderful well

be or not or the
plate mi^t not good, well cleaned ;

not be the best or the

chemicals might of ; plate

be left too long in the iodine box, or taken

might

out too soon or left too long in the bromine box,

;

or taken out too soon or a light

; ray of might strike

it on it into the camera or in taking it out ;

putting

or it be left too long in the camera or taken

might

out too soon or too long in the bath or

; mercury

taken out too soon even though all these cesses

pro-
; and

were there be some

right and regular, might

fault or we
other of omission commission which

were not aware of; besides climate at-

which, and mosphere

had influence,
great and might render all

These little we
of no avail. suggestions considered

to too a disappointment in
necessary prevent great

failure our fair were

case of ; and perhaps visiters

at our in
somewhat surprised audacity undertaking

at a doubtful them as
all such experiment, and using

instruments. The however, was to

result, enough

iudnce us never again to

adopt prudential measures,

for the lad/s image was the

young stamped upon

a her
plate^ and made picture which enchanted and

the judgment her friends

satisfied critical of and mirers.
ad-

Our the ladies were

experiments upon other equal-
ly

the in this
successful, and morning glided away

pleasant occupation.

We a few days longer

continued practising ; and

as all our good results were extensively shown, and

 A CHANGE OF FORTUNE. lUf"

the ones we took care to keep out our

poor of sight,

increased, we had
reputation and abundance of ap-
plications.

In this state things we some friends

of requested

to we were obligations, to be
whom under many

to them at their houses. On

permitted wait upon

receiving their assent, the next morning at nine

Mr. C. in
o'clock a caleza, with all the compUcated
him, drove to their
apparatus packed around up

door. I followed on foot It was our intention to

through the family, aunts,

go whole uncles, children,
grand-
down to Indian servants, as as
many would

but man is born to disappointment I

sit; spare

the the our that day.

reader recital of misfortunes

It be too distressing. Suffice it to that

would say

we tried plate after plate, sitting after sitting, ing

vary-

light,^ time, but

and other points of the process ;

it was in The instrument seem-

all vain. stubborn ed

bent us; our

upon confounding and, covering

conftision as weU as we could, we our

gathered up

Daguerreotype What
and carried ourselves oflf.

was the cause our discomfiture we

of complete er
nev-

but we to business
ascertained, resolved give up

as ladies' Daguerreotype takers.

portrait

There was one interesting incident

connected

our career Among the traits

por-
with short of practice.

forth was one a lady, came to the

put of which

knowledge a interested in
of gentleman particularly

the fair This had never taken

original. gentleman

us before, but now he

any especial notice of called
Vol. I." O
106 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

upon US, and very naturally the conversation turned

upon that art of which we were then professors.

The this lady was by the

portrait of mentioned, and

he had finished his third straw

he
time cigar, unbur-
dened

himself the his

of special object of visit, which

to a
her for himself. This
was procure portrait of

we assented, provided
seemed natural enough, and

he her to but he did not

would get sit ; wish either

her her fiiends to know it. This

or anything about

difficulty. It was to take it by

WM a not very easy

However an impression a
stealth. strong young

lady by a upon some substances,

may make glance

can do a Here
she nothing upon silver plate. she

the iodine, bromine,

requires aid of and mercury.

But the man was

fertile in He
young expedients.

said that we could easily make some excuse, ising

prom-

her in twi
something more perfect, and making

or three impressions, one for him.

could slip away

This by means a bad at least

was no suggestion, so

far as he was but we had some

concerned, qualms

While we were deliberating, a ter

mat-
of conscience.

was introduced lay as near tor

Doc-
which perhaps

Cabot's heart as the lady did that our

young of

friend. That was a or setter

dog for ing,
hunt-
pointer

the doctor was in want The

of which great

he had one one in Meri-

gentleman said "

^the only

da he it for the It
"

and would give portrait. was

an but to a dog for his

rather odd proposition, ofier

difierent from
mistress's portrait was very offering

his for a dog. It was that

mistress's portrait clear
 PRACTICE OF SURGERY. 107

the man was in a bad he lay

young way ; wonld

down his life, his dog, or

give up smoking, part with

The case was

commit any other extravagance.

touching. The doctor was interested

really ; and,

harm it do ? The doctor

after all, what could and

I went to look at the dog, but it turned out to be a

mere pup, entirely unbroken, and what the result

have been I do not

know, but farther
might all ne-
gotiations

were broken by the our out-

off result of

disgust for the business.

of-door practice and

There is no immediate between ta-

king
connexion

Daguerreot)rpe the
portraits and practice of

but bring together things

surgery, circumstances close

dissimilar in themselves, we went from

entirely and

one to the Secluded Merida is,

other. as and sel-
dom

by the fame new ies

discover-
visited strangers, of

in is in it, the
science slow reaching and new

Mons. Guerinforthe cure

operation of of strabismus

had not been heard In intercourse

of. private we

had this in to
spoken of operation, and, order make

it known, its benefits, Doctor Cabot had

and extend

to it in Merida. The Merida

offered perform peo-
ple

have fine but, because our

generally eyes, either

was directed to it, or that it

attention particularly

is the case, there to be more

really seemed ing
squint-

or biscos, as they are than are usu-

eyes, called, ally

seen
in one town, in Merida, as in some
any and

this is not a beauty but,

other places, esteemed ; ther
ei-

from in a or
want of confidence stranger, a

rheap estimation of the qualifications of a medico

108 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

for his the doctor's

who asked no pay services, phil

were
At least,
anthropic purposes not appreciated-

to be the fiurst ; as the doctor had

no one cared and

his him, no offered.

no sample of skill with subject
We had fixed the day for our departure the
; and

but one before, a direct overture was made

evening

to doctor to the The

the perform operation. subject
was a boy, the in his behalf was
and application

by formed one a in
made a gentleman who of circle

we in the habit of and whom

which were visiting,

happy to have it in our to serve.

we were all power

The time was fixed at ten the next

day.
o'clock

After breakfast our was in for the re-

sala put order ception

the doctor for the first time

of company, and

looked to his instruments. He had some ings.

misgiv-

They were fine

of very workmanship, made

in Paris, most to the influence the at-

sensitive of mosphere,

in that it was sible

impos-
and climate almost

to from rust The

preserve anything metallic

doctor had the case his in

packed among clothing

the his trunk, had taken

middle of and every ble
possi-

but, as
precaution, usual upon such occasions,

the most important instrument had at the

rusted

in that state was There

point, and utterly useless.

was no in the nor

cutler place, any other person

to touch it Mr. Catherwood, however,

competent

brought out an razor

hone, between them
old and

they worked off the rust

At ten the doctor's his

o'clock subject made pearance.
ap-

He was the son a lady

of widow of very
 DETAILS OF THE OPERATION. 109

family, fourteen but

respectable about years old,

stature, and even to the most

smaU of presenting

the a Uttle He
casual glance stamp of gentleman.

had large black but, their

eyes, unlucldly, expression

was injured by an inward With

very much squint

the light heart boyhood, however, he in-

different
of seemed

to his came, as
personal appearance, and

he because his told him to do so. His

said, mother

handsome and engaging man*

person, modest and

ners, us immediately a interest in his vour.

fa-
gave strong

He was by the
accompanied gentleman who

had bringing him, Dr. Bado, a Guati-

spoken of

in Paris, the
maUan educated oldest and principal

Merida, by friends the

physician of and several of

family, we
did not
know.
whom

Preparations were immediately. The

commenced

first movement was to bring out a long table near

the then to it a mattress

window ; spread upon and

these to the boy. Until

pillow, and upon spread

the actual moment of operating, the precise ter

charac-

this new business had not itself to

of presented

it by no means
my mind, and altogether opened so*

favourably as Daguerreotype
practice.

Not to be technical, but desiring to

aiming give

the the benefit learning aR

reader of such scraps of

I in travels, has discov*

pick up my modem science

that the is in its by mus^

ered eye retained orbit six

it down, inward out-

cles, which pull up and and ward,
^at the
and undue contracdon of either of

tliese muscles produces that obliquity odled squint-

10
110 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

'ing, was once to firom con-

which supposed proceed

in or causes.
vubions childhood, other unknown

The cure discovered is the the contract-

cutting of ed

by means the falls imme-

diately
muscle, of which eye

into its This lies un-

proper place. muscle der

the as it is to through
surface ; and, neoessary pass

a the the cannot be done

membrane of eye, cutting

a broadaxe or a handsaw. In fact, it

with requires

a knowledge the the terity,

dex-
of anatomy of eye, manual

fine instruments, Mr. Catherwood

and and

for
myself assistants.

Our remained perfectly his tle

lit-
patient quiet, with

hands folded across his breast; but the

while

knife was through the he one

cutting muscle gave

so heart-rending, that it sent into

groan, piteous and

the next room all who were not immediately

enga-
ged.

But before the of the had died

sound groan

the operation was over, and the boy rose

away with

Ids bleeding, but A bandage

eye perfectly straight.

was tied over it, a few directions for its

and, with

treatment, amid the congratulations and praises of all

wearing the same smile with which he

present, and

had the little fellow to his

entered, walked off mother.

The this be-

fore
news of wonder spread rapidly, and

Dr. Cabot had numerous

night and pressing ap-

was one
from a
pUcations, among which gentleman

were desirous to had

whom we all obUge, and who

this defect in both

eyes.

On his account we determined to our

postpone

departure day in furtherance his

another ; and, of
 A GATHERING OF SQUINT EYES. Ill

Dr. Cabot that he

original purpose, mentioned would

the who to
perform operation upon all chose offer.

We took no trouble to spread this notice,

certainly.

but the we from break-

fast,
next morning, when returned

there was a boys

gathering of squint-eyed

the door, their friends ers,

back-
around who, with and

a formidable ob-
made appearance, and almost structed

entrance.
As soon as the door
our opened

there was a inside as some these

rush ; and of slant-
ing

be to distinguish between
eyes might not able

meum tuum, we were to help their

and obUged pro-
prietors

out
into the street again.

At ten the big table was drawn to the

o'clock up

window, and the mattress and pillow were spread

it, but there was such a the

upon gathering around

that we had to hang a before it

window up sheet

Invitations had been to Dr. Bado Dr.

given and

Munoz, who chose to come,

and all physicians and

having met the in the I had

governor evening, ask-
ed

him to be These honoured us

present all with

their company, together with a number of self-invi-

ted

had introduced themselves,

persons, who and

be turned out, a
could not well making quite crowd-
ed

room.

The first himself was a lad

who presented stout

or twenty, whom we had never seen

about nineteen

or heard before. Who he was or he came

of where

from we did not

know, but he was a
bisco the
of

kind, enough to un-

worst and seemed able-bodied dergo

in the As as
anything way of surgery. soon
112 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the doctor began to cut the however, oar

muscle,

strapping patient gave signs of restlessness ; and all

at once, an bellow, he jerked his head

with actual

on one the doctor's hook,

side, carried away and

his it a sort lockjaw as

shut eye upon with of grip,

if determined it never be drawn out.

How
should

hook out
I have no idea fortunately, the
my got ;

doctor let his or the lad's have been

go, eye would

As it was, there he sat the

scratched out with

bandage above one eye, and the other closed

slipped

the hook, the handle out

upon of which stood

Probably at that moment he have

straight would

been to of personal
willing sacrifice pride ance,
appear-

keep his through life his

squint, and go with

the hook in it, the handle

eye shut, and sticking out;

but the instrument was too to be lost. And

valuable

it was interesting instructive to the dif-

ference
and notice

between the one had a

equanimity of who

hook in his that lookers-on had not

eye, and of who

All the him his

spectators upbraided with cowardice

want heart, a to
and of and after round of reproof

he he his
which could make no answer, opened eye

let out the hook. But he had a bad siness

bu-
and made

it A few longer, the

of seconds and tion
opera-

have been As it was, the

would completed.

had to be As the was

whole work repeated. muscle

lifted the knife, I thought I saw a

again under glare

in the that token fling the

eyeball gave of another of

head, but the lad was fairly browbeaten into

quiet ;

and, to the a double

great satisfaction of all, with
 A LITTLE HERO. 113

blackness blood, little

share of and and with very

from one, but his he

sympathy any with eye straight,

descended from the table. Outside he was receiv-

ed

a loud by the boys, we never

with shout and

heard him
of again.

The room was now full being

of people, and, ready
al-

disgusted the surgery,

I
with practice of cerely
sin-

hoped that this exhibition would cure all oth-

ers

to the but a Uttle

of a wish undergo operation,

Mestizo boy, ten who had been

about years old,

present all the time, crept through the crowd, and,

reaching the table, squinted up at us without ing,

speak-

his telling us
crisscross expression very plainly

he He had on the Mestizo dress

what wanted. usual

cotton
drawers straw hat,
of shirt and and and seemed

so innocent, that we did not con-

young, simple, and sider

him judging for himself. We told

capable of

him he must not be on, but he

operated answered,

in a decided though tone, "

Yo
modest quiero, yo
" I it, I it" We inquired if there
quiero," wish wish

was one had over

any present who any authority

him, a man whom we had not before,

and noticed

dressed, like him, in drawers, for-

ward
shirt and stepped

he was the boy's father; he had

and said

brought him there himself on begged

purpose, and

Doctor Cabot to By his father's directions,

proceed.

the little fellow to on the table,

attempted climb up

but his legs were too short,

he had to be lifted
and

His was bandaged, his head

up. eye and placed

the He folded his hands across his

upon pillow.
Vol. I." P
 114 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

breast, turned his did in things he

eye, all exactly as

was directed, in half a the

and minute operation was

finished. I do not believe that he his

changed tion
posi-

a hair's breadth or a It was an

moved muscle.

instance fortitude. The

extraordinary of spectators

were all and, amid

admiration, universal congratula-
tion,

he was lifted from the table, his bound

eye up,

a but the a little

and, without word, with spirit of

hero, he took his father's hand went

and away.

At this time, a a
amid press of applicants, man
gentle-

came to inform us that a lady was

young ing
wait-

her turn. This us an excuse for

gave clearing

the room, and we requested all except the medical

the immediate iriends to favour us

gentlemen and

their Such was the

with absence. strange curiosity

these had for a most

disagreeable
people seeing tacle,
spec-

that they in
were very slow going away, and

some
into the rooms the but
slipped other and yard,

we ferreted them out, the room

and got somewhat

to ourselves.

The lady was by her

young accompanied er.
moth-

She was full hesitation fears, to

of and anxious

be but doubting her to the

relieved, ability endure

the moment saw the instruments, her

pain, and she

forsook her. Doctor Cabot couraged

dis-
courage entirely

had distrust their own for-

titude,
all who any of

and, to my mingled joy and regret, she went

away.

The next in was the

order gentleman on whose

account we had our departure. He was

postponed
 A MILITARY PATIENT. 115

the in the Mexican but for

oldest general service,

two an in Merida. By the late

years exile revolu-
tion,

which Santa Ana in his

placed power, party

Was uppermost he had

; and strong claims upon our

feelings, for, in a former from ico,

Mex-
good expatriation

he had as to General son

Jack-
served volunteer aid

at the battle New-Orleans. This

of gentleman

had an inward in both however,

squint eyes, which,

instead being a defect, to his face;

of gave character

but his was injured by it, this Doctor bot

Ca-
sight and

thought be improved. The first was

might eye

cut quickly and successfully, and while the bloody

was in its the same

orb rolling socket, operation was

the In this, however, fear-

ing
performed upon other.

that the be drawn too far in the

eye might posite
op-

direction, the doctor had not thought it

visable
ad-

to cut the muscle entirely through, and, on

examining it, he was with the

not satisfied ance.
appear-

The laid his head the

general again upon

pillow, and the operation was repeated, making three

times in Altogether, it was a try-

ing
rapid succession.

thing, I felt immensely happy it was

and when

over. With his both bandaged,

eyes all right and

we him to a in to the
carried caleza waiting, where,

the boys, he took his

great amusement of vagabond

the footboard, his back to the horse,

seat on with and

it time before him

was some we could get right

In the mean time the lady had returned

young

her She bear to lose the

with mother. could not

to her
opportunity, and though unable make up mind
116 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

to the she not keep

undergo operation, could away.

She was lively imagination,

about eighteen, of pic-
turing

or in the
pleasure pain strongest colours, and

with a smile ever ready to chase away the tear. At

one moment herself to the the

she roused effort, and

herself fell into her

next, calling coward, mother's

arms, her her,

while mother cheered and encouraged

to her, that be-

fore
representing with confidence allowed

men, the it her

medical advantage would give

in the our sex. Her were large, full,

eyes of eyes

the tear in them, the

and round, and with glistening

defect hardly in fact,

was visible; all that they want-
ed

was to be to in the direction.

made roll right

I have the a faint reotype

Daguer-
.
given reader picture of

ladies, but this was

practice with young together
al-

thing, it was different from

another and very

having to deal boys or men. It is

with easy enough

to out a boy a table, but not so

spread upon with a

lady so, too, it is to tie a bandage

young ; easy enough

a boy's head, but different

around vastly among combs

long hair done behind. As the

and curls, and up

Doctor Cabot, this

principal assistant of ted
complica-

business devolved me having,

upon ; and with

the help her it, I laid her

of mother, accomplished

head the as as if it had been

upon pillow carefully

own
In the cases I had
my property. all previous

found it in to hand, to
necessary, order steady my

lean my on the table, on the

elbow and my wrist

forehead the I did the same her,

of patient with

and, if I know I never into

myself gazed any eyes
 PRACTICE OF SURGERY ABANDONED. 117

I did into that lady's one in

as young eye particulan

When the doctor drew out the instrument, I

certain-
ly

have taken her in arms, but her nation

imagi-
could my

had been too her a

powerful j eyes closed,

her, fainted. That

slight shudder seized and she

rose her A
passed off, and she with eyes all right

was in to escort her

young gentleman attendance

to her home, the had to

and smile again returned

her he told her that now her Jover

cheek as would

not
know her.

This case had a deal time the

occupied great of ;

doctor's labours were

doubled by the want of regu-
lar

he was fatigued the

surgical aid, with excitement,

I was worn out head was

and ; my actually ming
swim-

of bleeding
with visions and mutilated eyes,

I felt doubtful own. The

and almost about my etition
rep-

the operations
had me to
of not accustomed

them indeed, the last was more to me than

; painful

the first, I felt to forever the

and wiUing abandon
Doctor Cabot had
practice of surgery. explained

the fiiUy to the

modus operandi medical gentlemen,

had to them instruments,

offered procure and ering
consid-

the thing fairly introduced into the we

country,

determined to But this was so the

stop. not easy ;

doors had their the

crowd out of opinion on
subject;
the biscos that we were treating them
considered

became as as a in
outrageously, and clamorous mob

a western to Ljmch law. One

city about administer

not be kept back. He was a

would strapping youth,

cast in his to be-

with enough eye carry everything
 118 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

fore him, had been taonted his Ufe

and probably all

by Forcing himself inside,

merciless schoolboys.

his hands in his he that he had

with pockets, said

the to for it, not be

money pay and would put off.

We were to a little
obliged apologize, and, with wish

to bring him down, him some hope that he

gave

be to on our return to Merida.

should attended

The these successes

flew like
news of wild-fire, and

a great sensation was created throughout the city.

All the Doctor Cabot was besieged

evening with plications
ap-

I but think how fleeting is this

and could

fiaune ! At first in the

world's my arrival country

had been faurly trumpeted in the for

newspapers ;

a
little Mr. Catherwood had thrown me in the
while

the Daguerreotype, now our

shade with and all ries
glo-

were by Doctor Cabot's cure

swallowed up of

Nevertheless, his fame was

strabismus. reflected

us.
All the boys were
upon afternoon squint-eyed

down the throwing

passing up and street, slanting

Ranees in at the door, toward as Mr.

and evening,

Catherwood I to the we
and were walking plaza,

were hailed by some the

vagabond urchins with ob-
streperous

" There the men cure the

shout, go who

biscos."
 DEPARTVRE FBOH HERIDA. 119

CHAPTER VI.

Departure from Mcrida." Map of Yucatan. " ^Timucui. "

^Tekoh. "

Human Sculls Bones. Church Tekoh. Convent.

and "
of " "

^A

Spectacle. View from the Top of the Church. Cura

revolting " "

Tekoh. Journey A Basin. ^Telchaquil-

of "
continued. "
curious "

lo. Well. extraordinary Cave. da

Hacien-
"
subterraneous "

^An
"

^A

of Joaquim. "
Ruins of Mayapan. "
remarkable Mound. "

^A
Curious Remains. Another extraordinary Cave.
sculptured " "

^A

Edifice. A double Row Colunms. Ranges

circular "
of "

of

Mounds. Derivation the Word Yucatan. Ancient

" "
of "

^Arches.
City Ma3n^an.
of

On Thursday, the twelfth day November, we

of

for oar departure from Merida. The

rose plau of

the for our journey,

our route, and all arrangements

were by our friend Don Simon Peon. Early

made

in the our luggage was sent forward on the

morning

backs mules Indians, we had to take

of and and only

leave our friends. Our landlord to

of refused re-
ceive

the four dollars due to him for rent. The

our he was
pleasure of society, said, compensation

between friends house-rent was not to

enough, and

be thought We bade him an fere-

of. affectionate

in "
we ne'er his
well, and all probability shall see

like at least in this matter house-rent

again," of

We breakfasted for the last time our

with men,
country-

including Mr. Fisher Captain M*Kinley,

and

had that direct from New-

who arrived morning

York, at the house the Dona Micaela,

of and, at-
tended

by the for our

good wishes of all safety and

success,
for our journey into the interior.
mounted

It was our intention to resume our explorationB

120 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

Uxmal, the we were inteirapted by

at point where

iUness Mr. Catherwood. We had

the of received

inteUigence, however, the Mayapan,

of ruins of an

which
had never been
ancient city visited, about

leagues distant from Merida, but few

eight and a

leagues from the by the haciendas, to

aside road,

Uxmal. The accounts we

which could obtain were

it was as in
meager, and represented completely ru-
ins

but, in fulfilment the we at that time

; of purpose

to
entertained of going every place of which we

heard we determined to
any account whatever, visit

this on our to Uxmal. It was for Mayapan,

way

therefore, that we were now setting out

Our bridles, holsters, being en-

saddles, and pistols, tirely

different from the horsemen in

mountings of

that country, attracted all eyes as we rode through

the streets.
A friend us beyond the
accompanied

us
into a led,
suburbs, and put straight road, which

turning, to the our day's journey.

without end of

Instead the we
of ominous warnings were accus-
tomed

to in Central America, his

receive parting

were, that there was no danger or

words of robbers,

interruptions.
of any other

Under these favourable in

circumstances, good

health from the

and spirits, with recommendations

to its in different the

government officers sections of

through the to the tality

hospi-
country, and newspapers

in the interior, we set out on our

of citizens

journey. We had before us a new and unexplored

in we to find new scenes

xegion, which might expect
 MAP OP YUCATAN. 121

day. There was but one drawback. We

every

had kind, our friends

no servant or attendant of any

having been disappointed in those

procuring which

This, however, did not us

were expected. give

much uneasiness.

The day us from the

was overcast, which saved

that at this hour,

scorching sun, otherwise, would

have The was level,

molested us. road straight,

On both were low,

stony, and uninteresting. sides

thick woods, so that there was no view except that

the before us in the beginning

of road ; and already,

our journey, we felt that, if we were from

of safe

the danger had in

confrision and which attended us

Central America, we had lost, too, the mountains,

valleys, volcanoes, rivers, and all the wild and mag-

nificent

scenery that gave a charm to the country

in the difficulties dangers by

spite of and which

travelling was there attended.

I that no Yucatan to
would remark map of at all

be depended on has ever been The

pubUshed.

Dona Joaquina Peon had one in

manuscript, which

was so kind as to at our disposal, but

she place with

that it was correct in to keep

notice not ; and, order

a our ovm track from the time we left

record of

Merida we to it, we took the bearings

until returned

the the hours on

of roads, noted number of each

day's journey, the our horses, at

and pace of and

some Mr. Catherwood took an

places observation

for latitude. From these memoranda our is

map

It is correct so far as our route,

prepared. regards

Vol. L" a 11
122 INCIDENTS OP TRAVEL.

but does fix the location

not accurately of places

we did not
which visit

At the distance a league we a fine cat-

of passed tle

hacienda, twenty one reach-

and at minutes past ed

Timucui, a five leagues firom Mer-

small village

ida. This a few Indian huts,

village consisted of

built a lai^e on one

around open square, and side

was a for a casa It had no

sort of shed real. church

or cura, we a difficulty
and already experienced

we did to encounter so soon.

which not expect

The Indians,
population consisted entirely of who

in throughout the but

general country speak nothing

the Maya there was not a man in the

; white place,

nor one in tongue that

any who could speak any we

Fortunately, a from
could comprehend. muleteer

the interior, on his to Merida, had to

way stopped

bait his the a large tree,

mules under shade of and

was in a hammock in the casa He

swinging real.

was surprised at our

undertaking alone a journey
into the interior, that we were brought to a
seeing

at the first from the but, ing

find-
stand village capital ;

us in he as-
somewhat rational other respects, sisted

us in ramon leaves water

for
procuring and

the horses. His life had been in driving

passed

firom a the Sierra, to

mules region of country called

the but he had heard

capital ; strange stories about

foreign that in "1

countries, and, among others,

Norte a man earn a dollar a day by his bour

la-
could

but he was when

he learned that
; comforted

a in his was more to him than a

real country worth
 VILLAGE OF TEKOH. 123

dollar be in ours ; and as he interpreted to

would

his in the
nearly naked companions, crouching

touched them so as the idea

shade, nothing nearly

frost, a
of cold and and spending great portion of

the day's for fuel to keep from freezing.

earnings

At three we left the hamlet, at a lit-

tle
o'clock and

four we saw the towers the church

after of of

TekoL In the this we

suburbs of village passed

the santo, a large high stone

campo enclosure with

over the in
walls ; gateway of which, and niches

along the top of the was a row human

wall, of

Inside the enclosure, at the farthest

skulls. extrem-
ity,

was a bones,
pile of skulls and which, according

to a custom the Indians from time im-

memorial,
of observed

had been dug from the

up graves and

thrown into this a

shallow pit, grim and ghastly

charnel-house.

The a long,
village consisted of straight street,

houses or huts hidden by foliage,

with almost and

inhabited by Indians. We to
exclusively rode up

the a At
plaza without meeting single person. one

the on a high
side of plaza, stone platform, stood a

two lofty towers, in front

gigantic church, with and

and Qji each was a broad flight

side of stone steps.

Crossing the we saw an Indian woman, to

plaza

we the follow-
ing
whom uttered word convento, and,

the direction her hand, to the house

of rode up

the cura. It was in the rear the

of of church, and

by a large The was but

enclosed waU. gate closed,

we it knocking. The
opened without convent
124 INCIDENTS OF TBAVEL.

Stood on the same platform with the chmrch, and

had a high flight stone A dian

In-
of steps. number of

servants ran out to the to stare

corridor, at

such strange-looking persons, and we understood

that the was not at home but we were too

padre ;

well pleased with the appearance of things to think

We tied our horses in the

of going elsewhere. yard,

ascended the steps, and strolled through the corridor

of the convent and along the platform of the church,

overlooking the village.

Before the door the lay the body a

of church of

a bier. There was no but the body

child on coffin,

was in a tinsel dress different

wrapped of paper of

in were
colours, which red and gold predominant ;

this finery worms inches long

and amid several were

issuing from its twisting

nostrils, curling and over

its face a
: piteous and revolting spectaclei, showing

the lot the the in these

miserable of children of poor

Indian
villages.

In a few the or the

minutes ministro, assistant of

cura, joined us, from whom we learned that the

cura was to bury this as soon

preparing child, and

as it was over, come to us. In the

would receive

mean time, his escort, we to the

under ascended

top of the churcL

The was by a large stone

ascent staircase within

the towers. The top a

one of commanded view of

a by an boundless forest,
great plain, covered almost

extending on one to the sea, and on the other

side

to the crosses the Yuca-

sierra which peninsula of
 CURA OF TEKOH. 125

tan, back to the traversing in

and runs great range

Graatimala, broken by a high

only moond, which

three leagues' distance towered the

at above plain,

a monument the Mayapan,

mourning of ruins of

the the fallen kingdom Maya.

capital of of

On our return we
found the cura, Don Jose Ca-

Vela, to us
he had been
nuta waiting receive ; noti-
fied

our had as the day

of coming, and expected

before. His two thou-

sand
curacy consisted of nearly

his we
did not see
souls, and, except ministro,

a man this He was un-

white among population. der

thirty, bom bred in Merida, in manners

and and

in a
and attainments apparently out of place such

but his feelings were tified

iden-
position ; and sympathies

the his The con-

vent
with people under charge.

was a stone
building,
great with walls several

feet thick, in the

and size corresponded with church.

Being so near Merida, it was more than ordinarily

well supptied with comforts ; and, among other

things, the cura had a books,

small collection of

for that library.

which, country, constituted quite a

He difficulty from the

relieved us of all arising

an interpreter, for the Indian

want of and, sending

immediate arrangements to forward

alcaldes, made

luggage, to us himself the

our and accompany next

day to the nuns

Mayapan. We had
of again made

a beginning with the this beginning, in

padres, and

heartiness welcome
of and goodness of cheer, cor-
responded

with all that we had before at

received
126 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

their hands. We had the mock

ham-
choice of cot or

for the at breakfast a In-

dian
night, and groap of

musicians were seated under the corridor, who

a they la
continued making noise, which called mu-

till we to depart
sica, mounted

The cura us, on one the

accompanied mounted of

best horses we had seen in the as it

country; and

was a rare thing for him to himself a day

absent

from his duties, he set out as for a holy-

parochial

day our 'poor as as

excursion, worrjring nags, well

to keep him.
ourselves, up with

The we turned
road upon which entered off ab-
ruptly

fix"m the This itself,

camino real. royal road

like most the bore that name,

of others which would

not
be in as indicating
considered, other countries, a

internal improvement, but the

very advanced state of

one into wo now was

which struck much rougher

more new, in some

and stony, entirely and places

It had been but lately

still unfinished. opened, and

the reason its being at illustrates one

of opened all

feature in the the Indians. The

striking character of

to it leads was the

village which under pastoral

friendly was former-

ly
charge of our companion, and

by a or so
reached road, rather path, circuitous

difficult that, on account his duties, he

aftd of other

to that he be
was obliged give notice would compel-
led

to it To this the
give up. prevent calamity, aU

Indians, in a body, turned out and made this new

being cut through the two

road, a straight woods,

leagues in length.
 A CURIOUS BASIN. 127

The took a lively interest in the late-

ly
padre zeal

for the the

awakened exploring antiquities of

country, and told us that thb particular region

traces the inhabitants. At

abounded with of ancient

a distance from the we came to a

short camino real

line fallen forming to be

of stones, what appeared

the remains of a wall which crossed the road, and

ran into the forest on both traversing, he

off sides,

the for a
distance in both tions.
direc-
said, country great

A distance beyond, we turned to a large

short off

hollow basin dry, he an

perfectly which called agua-

da, it was an formation,

and said artificial excavated

had been by the

and walled around, and used ancients

as a for water.
At the time, we did
reservoir not

him, but the basin a

agree with considered natural

formation, though, from we saw we

what afterward,

are induced to beheve that his account have

may

been correct.

At ten we the
o'clock reached small village of

Telchaquillo, a hundred
containing population of six

these, were Indians. It

souls, and again, all was

they who
had the we had travelled over,
made road

the was our friend's

and church under pastoral

We to the dismounted.
charge. rode convent, and

Immediately the bell the tolled, to

of church give no-
tice

his that to
of arrival, all who wished confess or

had to be to
get married, who sick visited, children

be baptized, or dead to be buried, to

might apply

him, have their wants to.

and attended
128 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

The huts, or casas de

village consisted entirely of

The had been on a large

paja. church commenced

the direction a former cura,

scale, under of who af-
terward

became dissatisfied the

with people, and

discontinued the building. One was

end covered

over, fitted as a beyond were

and up rudely chapel ;

two high but

walls, roofless.

In the this little was a se-

square of village great

note, or subterraneous well, which supplied all the

inhabitants water.
At a distance the
with square

level but women

seemed and unbroken ; walking

across it cantaios peared,

disap-
with orwater-jars suddenly

to rise out the

and others seemed of earth.

On a nearer we found a
approach, great orifice or

in the like the

opening rocky surface, mouth of a

cave. The descent was by irregular cut

steps and

worn in the Over head was an immense

rocks.

at a distance five hun-

dred
rocky roof, and of perhaps

feet from the was a large basin or

mouth res-

ervour water. Directly over the water the

of roof

was feet high; there

perhaps sixty and was an

threw down a body

opening above which strong

light. The water had no current, its source

of and

was a During the season it a

myster}\ rainy rises

little, but falls below a

never certain point, and at

times it is the source to the habitants.

in-
all only of supply

Women, their were

with water-jars,
descending
constantly ascending and ; swallows

were darting through the cave in direction,

every

the formed a ro-

and whole wild, picturesque, and mantic

scene.
 " N EXTRAORDINARY CAVE. 129

At this we found for us the

village waiting major
domo the hacienda San Joaquin, on
of of which

the Mayapan. Leaving the

stand ruins of senote,

we followed him.
mounted and

At the distance half a he

of mile stopped near a

cave that had lately been discovered,

great and

he had no end.
Tying our horses to
which, said,

the bushes, we turned to it The

off visit major
domo cut a a distance into the
path short woods,

following we came to a large hollow, over-

which grown

trees, descending, a
with and, entered gre^t

cavern a lofty
with roof, and gigantic passages

branching in different directions,

off and running no

one knew The cave had been discovered

whither.

by the domo some in

major and vaqueros while suit
pur-

of robbers who had stolen a bull no

; and rob-
ber's

cave
in it in
romantic story could equal wild-

ness. The domo he had it

major said entered with

ten men, had four hours in

and passed exploration

finding The cave, its base,

without any end. roof,

were an immense fossil formation.

and passages,

Marine were together in

shells conglomerated solid

masses, many of them perfect, showing a

geological

structure
indicated that the
which whole country,

least, that it, had been once,

or, at portion of and

at no remote by
probably very period, overflowed

the sea. "

We have day
could passed a with much tion
satisfac-

in through this cave, but,

rambling remaining

few takiqg some

only a minutes, and away curious

Vol, I." R
150 IlteiDEMTS OF TmATEL.

interesting
and ^ecimens, we remounted, and werj

soon fragments
reached mounds of earth, of tured
sculp-

stones, broken fallen buildings, in-

dicating
walls, and

that we were once more treading upon the

sepulchre of an city.
aboriginal

At we came to a in
eleven o'clock clearing, whick

was the hacienda San Joaquia. The

situated of

building was a mere for the

rancfao, erected only

a a inferior to a
residence of mayoral, person major
domo bat there was a fine dearing it,
; around and

tke was beautiful. In the

situation wild and cattle-

were trees. In the the

yard noble platform of well

were stones taken from the

sculptured ancient

buildings; itwas diaded Iiy the branches

spreading

a fine tropical foliage

of ramon or oak, with a
of

vivid green ; and crowning the top, and apparently

it, were the long, leaves

growing out of pale of

the cocoanut

The hacienda, or San Joaquin,

rather rancho, of

on the Mayapan lie is ten

which ruins of scattered,

leagues from Merida. It forms

south part of the

hacienda Xcanchakan, the

great of property of
Don Jos6 Maria Meneses, the cura
venerable of

San Cristoval, formerly the Church

provesor of df

Yucatan. We had the

made acquaintance of this

at the house his friend Sefior Rejon"

gentleman of

he had instructions
secretary of state, and sent to

his domo, had

major the same who met us at the

last to sable
dispo-
village, place at our
command all the
force the hacienda.
of
 MVlhB OF MAYA PAN. 131

The Mayapan cover a

rains of great plain, which

that time that h|irdly

was at so overgrown any ob-
ject
we were it, the
was visible until close upon and

was so thick that it was

difficult to
undergrowth

oar through it Our^s was the first

work way visit

to these For they had been

examine ruins. ages

left to
unnoticed, almost unknown, and struggle with

tropical the domo,

rank vegetation ; and major who

lived on the hacienda, had not seen

principal and

in twenty-three more familiar

them yeacs, was with

them than we find He

any other person could

told us that within a

circamference of three miles,

were foand, that a once

ruins and ataoog wall en-
compassed

the city, the remains of which might still

be traced through the woods.

At a
distance from tlie hacieiida, but invisi^
. short

ble on the trees, rises the high

account of mound

we had seen at three leagues^ distance, from

which

the top the at Tekoh, is

of church and which resented
rep-

in the following It is feet

engraving. sixty

high, one hundred feet at the base

and square ; and,

like the at
Falenque Uxmal, it is
mounds and an

built from
artificial structure, up solid the plain.

Though seen
from a distance the tops
great above

the trees, the field thai

of whole was so overgrown

it was we its foot

scarcely visible until reached ;

the itself, though

and mound retaining the symme-
try

its was so
of original proportions, also over-
grown

that it a mere hill, but

appeared wooded pe-
132 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

K^

in its Four
culiar regularity of shape. grand cases,
stair-

twenty-five feet to
each wide, ascended an

feet the top. This

esplanade within six of espla-
nade

was
feet in on was
six width, and each side a

leading to the top. These

smaller staircase cases
stair-

in a the
are ruinous condition ; steps are most
al-

we by means
entirely gone, and climbed up of

fallen trees out its As

stones and growing of sides.

we a cow, for the

we ascended, scared away wild

cattle roaming on these wooded wastes pasture on

its to the top.

sides, and ascend
 CURIOUS SCULPTURED REMAINS. 133

The was a stone

fifteen
summit plain platform,

feet It had no structure it, nor were

square. upon

there any. Probably it was the

vestiges of great

on the in the
mound of sacrifice, which priests, sight

the cut out the hearts man

hu-
of assembled people, of

The from the top

victims. view commanded

was a desolate here there

great plain, with and

another the trees,

ruined mound rising above and

far in the distance be discerned the towers

could

the at
TekoL
of church

Around the base this throughout

of mound, and

the woods, wherever we

moved, were strewed tured
sculp-

stones.
Most them were on
of square, carved

the face, having a long stone tenon or stem at

and

the back doubtless they had been fixed in the

; wall,

so as to form some ornament, or

part of combina-
tion

in the facade, in
of ornaments, all respects the

same as at
Uxmal.,

Besides these, there were

other and more
curious

These were human ures,

fig-
remains. representations of

hideous features
or of animals, with and sions,
expres-

in which the the artist seems

producing skill of

to have been The these

expended. sculpture of

figures was the stones were timeworn,

rude, and

half buried in the The following

many were earth.

two them. One is four,

engraving represents of and

three feet high. The full length

the other seems

intended to a warrior with a shield. The

represent

brokeu to my mind they

arms are off, and conveyed

lively the figures or idols Bernal

a
-idea of which
12
134 mCIDENTff OF TRAVEL.

Dias met on the coast, hideous faces

with containiDg

demons. Probably, broken half buried

of and as

they lie, they were once

objects of adoration and

now exist as mute and

worship, and melancholy

memorials of ancient paganism.

At a distance from the base the

short of mound

was an
in the forming
opening earth, another of

those caves before to the

extraordinary presented

The cura, the domo, the In-

dians
reader. major and

it a senote, that it had

called and said plied
sup-

the inhabitants the

of old city with water.

The entrance was by a broken,

yawning mouthy

some care
in the descent At
steep, and requiring

the first the into m ex-

resting-place, mouth opened
 ANOTHER REMAaKABLB GAVE. 136

i^isive a high
sabt^rraneoas chambev, with roof,

branching in direction. In
and passages off everj

different were
fires the booes
places remains of and

that it had at times been the

of animals, showing

or men. In the
place of refuge residence of en-
trance

one the we found a

of of passages sculptured

idol, us the hope discovering

which excited with of

some or or fig-
altar sepulchre, perhaps mummied

nres. With this hope, we sent the Indians to

cure
pro-

torches Mr. Catherwood was ma-

; and wl^ king

Doctor Cabot
some sketches. and myself pass-
ed

homr in the recesses the cave.

an exploring of

In the bad fallen, tbe

many places roof and passa-
ges

were We followed them

choked up. several oi

toil disappointment^ length

with much and and a^

fell into one, low narrow, k

and along wfaieli was

to on the hands feet,,

necessary crawl and asd where,

from the flame tke torehesi, k was

and smoke of

desperately hot We at length eaoie %o a body

of

water, on thrusting the baad Ma" k^

which^ we

found to be iacrusted
wkk " ikioi coat
d
sn^ate
lime" that had formed on die top tks water,
of of
bat decomposed on being We"^ mto die air.

Leaving the cave or seM^e^ we ram-

continued bling

the ruins.
The were the
among mcMuds all of

same general character,^ asd the baildings had en-

tirely

disappeared on but
all except one ; this was

different from we had that time

any at seen, though

we
found Uke it.
afterward others

It on a thirty feet high.

stood ruined mound about
136 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

What the the had been it was cult

diffi-
shape of monnd

to oat,
but the building was The
make circular.

following this the

engraving represents edifice, with

^^^
 DOUBLE ROW OF COLUMNS. 137

on it The is
mound which stands. exterior of plain

stone, ten feet high to the top the lower

of cornice,

fourteen more to that the one. The

and of upper

door faces the west, over it is a lintel stone.

and of

The outer
is five feet thick the door
wall ; opens

into a three feet in the

circular passage wide, and

centre is a mass of stone, without

cylindrical solid

doorway or kind. The

any opening of any whole

diameter the building is twenty-five feet, so that,

of

deducting the double the

width of wall and passage,

this centre mass must be feet in thickness.

nine

The had four or five coats stucco, there

walls of and

were in
remains of painting, which red, yellow,

blue, were distinctly

and white visible.

On the the building, on a

southwest side of and

terrace from the the was

projecting side of mound,

a double row feet

of columns eight apart, of which

though from the ments

frag-
only eight remained, probably,

there had been more, by

around, and, clear-
ing

the trees, more have been found

away might

In our hurried to Uxmal, we

still standing. visit

had seen we have

objects which supposed might

been intended for but were not sure;

columns, and

though we afterward saw many, we considered

these the first decided we had seen. They

columns

were two feet a half in diameter,

and and consisted

five stones, or ten inches thick, laid

of round eight

They had no
one upon another. capitals, and

what they had the ing

build-
particular connexion with

did not appear.

Vol. L~S
138 IlfCIDEHTB OP TRA.TEL.

80 far, the fragments were

although of sculptOTe

the same as at
Uxmal, we had
of general character

not found to
any edifice sufficiently entire enable "b

to identify that we had found

peculiar arch which

in the buildings of this but

all ruined country;

it was not At some distance from this,

wanting.

on the of the hacienda, were

place, and other side

long These had beeo

ranges of mounds. once

buildings, the tops had fallen,

of which and almost

boned the At the was a doorway;

structures. end

half filled
encumbered and with mbbisb, erawU

isg through we in
which,, stood upright apartments

to those at Uxmal, the

exactly sitnrilar with arch

formed a flat stone

of stones overlapping, and cover*

iog the top. The were rower,

nar-
apartments ruder and

but they were the same

of precisely charac^

ter the we had seen.

with all others

The day was the heat

now nearly spent ; with

lalK)ur we were fatigued, the

and exceedingly and

Indians insisted that we had seen the

all principal

remains.
The was so trees
place overgrown with

that it have taken a long time to tlieni

would clear

for the at
least it was the
away, and present out of

question. Besides^ the we

only result could ise
prom-

was the bringing to light fragments

ourselves of

and of
buried Of thiuj^
single pieces sculpture. one

however, we had no doubt : the this

ruins of ci^

were of the same character those

general with at

Uxmal, by the same builders,

erected probably of

date, more from the

older and suffering corrosion of
 DERIVATION OF THE WORD YUCATAN. 139

liie elements, or they had been visited more harshly

bj the destroying hand of man.

Fortunately, at this place we have a ray

again oC
historic light According to the best accounts, the

of country now called Yucatan was known.

region
to the natives, at the time of the Spanish invasion^

by the name of Maya, and before that time it had

never been known by any other. The name of

Yocatan was given to it by the Spaniardsw It is

entirely arbitrary and accidental,, and its origin ig

not known with certainty. It is supposed by some

Id be derived from the plant known in the islands by

Ibe name of Yucar and tal or thole, the heap of earth

HI which this plant but more generally it is
grows ;

derived from certain words to have been

supposed

^ken by the natives in answer to a question asked

by the Spaniards on their first arrival. The
posed
sup-
question is, "What is the name of this try
coun-

T or,
"
How is this country T the con-
called and jectured
answer, "I do not understand those words"" y^^^, I'-t.l'O,
^^^

or, ''I do not understand your words," either of

in language
which expressions, the of the natives;
has some resemblance in to the
pronunciation word
Yucatan. But whatever was its origin, the natives
have never the name, to this day^
recognised and

among themselves^ they speak of their country only

its ancient No
under name of Maya. native ever

eaHs himself a Yucateco, but a Macegual, ec

always

native of the land of Maya.

One language, called the Maya, extended through-
140 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the though the Spaniards

out whole peninsula ; and

found the into different

country parcelled ments,
govern-

names
having different ca-
under various and ciques,

hostile to other, at an earlier period of

each

its history the land Maya was un-

whole of united der

head lord. This or

one or supreme great chief

king had for the his a

seat of monarchy very popu-
lous

Mayapan, had him

city called and under many

lords were bound to

other and caciques, who pay

him tribute fowls, cacao,

of cotton clothes, and gum

or for incense to serve him in wars, day.

resin ; and

in the temples the idols, at festivals

and night of

These lords, too, had them

and ceremonies. under

Becoming am-
cities and many vassals. proud and bitious,

to brook a they re-

and unwilling superior, belled

the the lord,

against power of supreme united

their forces, besieged destroyed the

all and and city

Mayapan. This destruction took in the

of place

our Lord 1420, one hundred

year of about years,

or, to Herrera, before

according about seventy years,

the the Spaniards in Yucatan

arrival of ; and, ac-
cording

to the the the dians,

In-
computation of ages of

two hundred from the

and seventy years

foundation the The tails

de-
of city. account of all the

is indistinct but the

confused and ; existence

a Mayapan, its tion

destruc-
of principal city called and

by war at the time indicated,

about are men-
tioned

by historian. This
every city was
occupied

by the same race inhabited the coon-

of people who
 ANCIENT CITY OF MAYAPAN. 141

try the time the its is tified

iden-
at of conguest, and site

as that has just been to the

which presented

through in its
reader, retaining, all changes and ruins,

its name
Mayapan.
ancient of
 142 IMOIOBNT* OV fR^kVA-t.

CHAPTER VII

'An Accident. Hacienda Xcanchakan.

"

^Journey continued* "

of "

An Indian Dance. Whipping an Indian. Hacienda Mucuy-

" "

of

ch^. "
A Bath in a Senote. "
Hacienda of
San Jos^. "
at
^Arrival
Uxmal. "
First Sight of the Ruins. "
Changes
since last Visit. "

House the Dwarf. House the Nuns. Casa del Gobema-

of "
of "

dor. "
Residence at the Ruins. "
Unpromising Appearances."

How to a Fire. Instance of Perseverance.

make " "
of
^Arrival
Luggage on the Backs Indians. First Night at UzmaL
of "

The interest our day at Mayapan came near

of

being by an Just as we
marred unlucky accident.

were leaving the a came to inform

ruins messenger

us that one our had an Indian.

of pistols shot

These had never

pistols shown any particular athy
antip-

to Indians, had never one before but,

and shot ;

hurrying back to the hacienda, we found the poor

fellow two his fingers The

with of nearly shot off.

ball bad through his two holes

passed shirt, making

in it, fortunately hitting his body. The In-

dians
without

that the had itself

said pistol gone off of while

they looking it. We felt this

were only at sure that

was the case, knowing that are

not exactly pistols

not free laid the blame them but

agents, and upon ;

it was a that the was no

great satisfaction accident

worse, that Doctor Cabot was at hand to

and also

dress the The Indian to think less

wound. seemed

it than we did.
of

It late left the hacienda. Our

was when we road
 HACIENDA OP XOAH^CKACAN. 143

was 4 mere bridle-path throagh a At

wilderness.

some distance we a broken stones,

crossed range of

on to a the domo
Qsing each side wall, which major
was the line that the an*
said of wall encompassed

cient city.

It was dark we the

nearly when reached stately

hacienda Xcanchakan, one the three finest in

of of

Yucatan, seven
hundred
and containing nearly souls.

The the front this ha"

plate opposite represents of

The house is one the best in

cienda. perhaps of

the being one

day's the
country, and within ride of

by it is a favourite
capital, and accessible calesa, res-
idence

its The con-

of venerable proprietor. whole dition

the hacienda that it was

of showed often sub-
ject
to the master's eye, the that
and character of

master be judged from the fact that his

may of ma-
jor
domo, the same was had
who attendant upon us,

been him twenty-six

with years.

I have the some idea a hacienda

given reader of

in Yucatan, its its tanks

with cdttle-yard, great of

water other All these were

and accessories. upon

a large to we had
and substantial scale, equal any

seen there was one little in their ar-

; and refinement rangement,

which, though not, intended for

perhaps,

that not
fail to the
purpose, could strike eye of a

The to the was the

stranger. passage well across

in the the
corridor, and, sitting quietly shade, pro-
prietor

see day,
could every passing and repassing,

the women belonging to the estate.

all and girls

Our friend the cura Tekoh was

of still with us,
 144 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the Indians the hacienda were his

and of within cu-
racy.

Again inunediately our the bell

upon arrival

the was tolled to announce his to

of church arrival

the those to or be
sick, who wished confess, marry,

baptized. Thb over, it

struck the solemn note of

the or All rose,

oracion, vesper prayers. and, with

heads, till the last died

uncovered stood silent note

to the beautiful injunction

away, all, according of

the Catholic Church, breathing an inward

prayer.

Then they bade other a buenasnoches,

each
each

kissed the cura's hand, then, his

and with petata,or

hat, in his hand, came to us, bowing

straw fully,
respect-

and wishing each of us also the good night

The us on his hands, in

cura still considered and,

to us, the domo to

order entertain requested major
a dance the Indians. Very soon we heard
get up of

the the the Indian drum. This

sound of violins and

latter a hollow log three feet long,

consists of about

with a piece of parchment stretched over the end,

on an Indian, holding it his left arm,

which under

beats his hand. It is the same ment

instru-
with right

known to the inhabitants at the time the

of

by the name tunkid is the vourite

fa-
conquest of and

now. Going out

into the back we
corridor,

saw the at one before the door

musicians sitting end,
'

of the chapel ; on one side of the corridor were the

women, on the the men. For some time

and other

there was no dancing, at

length, at the stance
in-
until,

the cura, the domo his tions,

direc-
of major gave

a man in the
and young stood up middle of
 AN INDIAN DANCE* 145

the Another,
corridor. with a pocket-handkerchief

in his hand having a knot tied in one end, walked

the line threw the handkerchief

along of women, at

one, and then returned to his seat This was con-

sidered

a challenge or invitation bat, a

; with proper

as if to that to be had for

prudery, show she was not

the asking, she waited some minutes, then rose,

and

taking the from her head, her*

slowly shawl placed

the man, a distance

self opposite young at of about

ten feet, dancing. The dance was

and commenced

called the toros, or the bnlL The movements were

slow ; occasionally the performers crossed over and

the time the lady

changed places, and when ended

deliberately brought the

walked off, which either

man to he went on dancing,

young a stand-still, or

as he liked. The or master of ceremo-

nies,
manager

the bastanero,
who w^s called again walked

the line, touched another

lady in the
along and same

the handkerchief. She

way with again, after ing
wait-

her took her

a moment, removed shawl and

the floor in this the dance

place oa ; and way con-
tinued,

the dancing man being the same,

always and

taking the for him. Afterward the'

partner provided

dance was to a Spanish one, in stead

in-
changed which,

castanets, the dancers from time to time

of

their fingers. This was more lively,

snapped and

to them better than their own, but

seemed please

tliroughout there was nothing national or

teristic.
charac-

Early in the morning we were roused by loud

Vol. L" T 13
 146 INCIDENTS OF TRAVBL.

bursts in the The

of music church. cura was
giv-
ing

them the benefit bis by

of accidental visit an

early mass. After this we heard a ent

differ-
music of

kind. It was the lash on the back an Indian.

of

Looking out
into the we saw the low
fel-
corridor, poor

on his knees on the his

pavement, with arms

clasped the legs

another
Indian, so as to
around of

his back fair to the lash. At blow he

present every

rose on one
knee, sent
forth a He
and piercing cry.

deemed to it, but it burst from him

struggling restrain

in
spite his His bearing
of all efforts. whole show-
ed

the the Indians,

subdued character of present

and with the last the his face

stripe expression of

deemed that of thankfulness for not more.

getting

Without he to
uttering a word, crept the major
donio, took his hand, kissed it,
and walked away.

No sense
degradation his Indeed,
of crossed mind.

humbled is this once fierce they have

80 people, that

a their own, ''Los Indios no no

proverb of oigan si

las " The Indians cannot hear

por nalgas" "
except

through their backs," and the cura related, to us a

fact indicates an abasement of

which character per-
haps

found in In a
never any other people. village

far distant, the name I have lost, they

not of which

have fiesta a representation

a with scenic called

Shtol. The is laid the time the con-

scene at of quest.

The Indians the a

of village gather within

large by are to
place enclosed poles, and supposed

be brought together by an
invasion the Spaniards.
of

An man them to defend their

old rises and exhorts
 HACIENDA OF MUCUYCHE. 147

if need be, to die for it. The Indians are

coubtry ;

but in the his a

roused, midst of exhortations stran-
ger

enters in the dress a Spaniard

of and armed

a The this throws

with musket. sight of stranger

them into he fires the

all consternation ; musket,

they fall to the He binds the

and ground. chief,
him the is
carries off captive, and play ended.

After breakfast the cura left us to return to his

village, and we set out to continue our journey to

Uxmal. Our luggage Indians

was sent off by of the

hacienda, the domo us on

and major accompanied
horseback. Our was by a bridle path over the
road

same through thick woods.

The
stony country,
it lay through the lands of the
whole way provisor,

waste, desolate, the fatal

all wild, and and showing
in the hands large landed
effects of accumulation of

In two hour^ we saw rising before us

proprietors.

the the hacienda Mucuyche. To the as

gate of of
148 INOIDEIITS OF TEAYEL.

the Indians, the doctor, as he

tonisbraent of gaping

his horse, a hawk that was hovering

wheeled shot

over the pinnacle of the gateway, and we rode up

to the house.

I trust the has not

forgotten this fine ha-
cienda.
reader

It was the same to on our former

which,

we had been borne on the Iq"

visit, shoulders of

dians, in we had taken a bath in a

and which

senote, never to be forgotten. We were once more

on the hands our friend Don Simon Peon*

of old

The hacienda, horses, Indians^

whole mules, and

were at our dbposal. It was but ten o'clock, and

we intended to our journey to Uxmal, but

continue

first we another bath in the senote.

resolved upon

My first impression the beauty this fancy

of of

bathing-place did not deceive me, the first

and

me that I incurred in ducing

intro-
glance satisfied no risk

to it a A light
stranger. cloud of almost

imperceptible dust, to the dripping

ascribed of the

waters of the rainy season, or

perhaps made visible

by the the sun, on the

rays of midday rested surface,

but were the same fluid the

underneath crystal and

bottom. Very were in

same clear soon we the wa-
ter,

before we came out we to

and resolved postpone

our journey till the next

day, for the sake of an

bath.
evening

As the is now on I trust he

reader ground which

has travelled before, I state that the

shall merely

day we on to the hacienda San Jos^

next rode of

where we to make some

stopped preparations, and
 " KKITAL AT UXMAL. 149

t.
.^Tirf-^rrii

on the fifteenth, at we the

eleven o'clock, reached
hacienda UxmaL
of

It in its
stood suit of sombre gray, with cattle-

large trees, tanks, the same as we

yard, and when

left it, but there were no friends to

of old welcome

as the Delmonico domo had to To-

:
major gone
150 INCIDENTS OF TRAV"L.

basco, the had beeii to leave

and other obliged on

account illness. The

of mayoral remembered us,

but we
did not
know him we determined to
; and

on take our immediately in the

pass and up abode

Stopping but a few to tions

direc-
ruins. minutes, give

the luggage, we in
about mounted again, and

ten from the came out

minutes, emerging woods,

the |ield in lofty as

upon open which, grand and

we saw it before, the House the

when stood of

Dwarf; but the first us that a

glance showed year

had The the lofty

made great changes. sides of

then bare were now

structure, and naked, covered

high bushes, on the top

with grass, and weeds, and

were bushes trees twenty feet high.

and young

The House the Nuns was

of almost smothered, and

the field was a

whole covered with rank growth of

over we barely look

grass and weeds, which could

as we through. The foundations, terraces,

rode and

tops the buildings were

of overgrown, weeds and

were rioting on the facades,

vines and creeping and

terraces, were a mass destroying

mounds, and ruins of

A nature was
verdure. strong and vigorous strug-
gling

for over art, the in its

mastery wrapping city

burying it from It
suffocating embraces, and sight.

as if the was over a friend,

seemed grave closing and

we had barely in time to take our farewell.

arrived

Amid this mass

desolation,
of grand and stately

as we left it, the Casa del Gobernador,

when stood

but its terraces from

with all covered, and separated

as by a mass impenetrable
of verdure.
 B8TABLI8HING QUARTERS. 151

On the left the field was an

of overgrown milpa,

the a led in front this

along edge of which path of

building. Following this we turned the corner

path,

terrace, the farthest dismounted,

of the and on side

tied our horses. The were

and grass and weeds

our heads, we see The

"above and could nothing.

broke a through them, we

mayoral way and reached

the foot the terrace. Working our over the

of way

stones with much toil, we

reached the top of the

highest terrace. Here, too, the grass and weeds

We direct-
ly
were
of the same rank growth. moved

to the at the east the first

wall end, and entered

door. Here the us to take

open mayoral wished

our but we knew the localities better

up abode ;

than he did, the front as

and, creeping along close

to the as some the bushes,

wall possible, cutting of

tearing trampling down we

and apart and others,

the centre
Here we
reached apartment. stopped.

Swarms bats, by our approach, fluttered

of roused

flew through the long out

and chamber, and passed

at the doors.

The things was not

appearance of very ing
promis-

for a There were two

place of residence. salas,

feet long that in front had three large

each sixty ;

doors, the encumbered terrace, and

opening upon

had but one door. In both

the other no windows and

there was an extreme sensation of closeness and

dampness, an
in the back
with unpleasant smell, and

a large dirt
room was accumulation of and rubbish.

Outside, high were into

grass and weeds growing
152 INCIDENTS OF TRAVSL.

the doorway. We not move a

very could step, and

was cut After the extreme

all view completely off.

heat the sun out

doors, we were in a
of of profuse

from the terrace, the

perspiration climbing up and

dank induced a feeling

atmosphere of chilliness

made us what we had

which reflect seriously upon

aot regarded before.

sufficiently

Throughout Yucatan "el or the

campo," country,

is in the season. We
considered unhealthy rainy

had in Yucatan the benefit

arrived counting upon ol

the dry season, begins in No*

whole which generally

vember and
lasts till May; but this year the rains
had

continued
longer than usual, they were not
and yet

over. The haciendas were cau-

proprietors of still tious

about visiting them, and confined themselves

to the towns. Among the hacien-

das,
villages and all

Uxmal had a for its un-

reputation pre-eminent

healthiness. Every had ever been at

person who

the had been by

work among ruins obliged sickness

to leave them. Mr. Catherwood had had

sad rience,
expe-

this was not to

and unhealthiness confined

The Indians season from

strangers. suffered every

fevers them were at that time ill, the

; many of and

domo had been to All this

major obliged go away.

we had been in Merida, had been

advised of and

to our but as this have

urged postpone visit ; would

interfered our as we had

materially with plan, and
"
cure
"
biscos," we
with us a medico" who could

determined to it. On the however,

risk spot, ceiving
per-

the dampness the the

of apartments and
 HOW TO MAKE A FIRE. 153

we felt that we had been im-

tankness of vegetation,

but it was too late to draw back, even if we

pradent;

had to do so. We that we were ter

bet-
wished agreed

on this high terrace than at the hacienda,

which

low, had it tanks water,

stood and around great of

a fever-and-
mantled with green, and wearing very

We therefore to ately
immedi-
aguish aspect. set work

to the best our

make of condition.
The left us to take the horses back to
mayoral

the hacienda, directions the luggage,

and give about

we had a little Indian boy to help us.

and only

Him we to his a
employed clear with machete

before the doorway, in to

space principal and order

as as the damp,
change quickly possible some
unwhole-

atmosphere within, we to kindle a

undertook

fire For this we a large

ourselves. purpose made

leaves brush, we in
collection of and which placed

one corner the back laying stones

of corridor, and,

at the bottom, built a feet high,

up pile several and
fire to it. The blaze through the
set crept pile,

burning the light went out.

combustible stuff, and

We kindled it the was the same.

again, and result

Several times we thought we had but

succeeded,

the dampness the and the baf-

fled
of place of materials

our the flame. We

efforts, and extinguished

exhausted all our odd scraps of paper and other

were left barely a fire

availables, and with spark of

to begin anew. The we had left

only combustible

which we the boys

was gunpowder, of made what

by a it, tbi%
call a squib, wetting quantity of and

Vol. L" U
 164 INCIDENTS OF TBAVEL.

done in a ball, we the It did

up ignited under pile.

not answer fully, but us

gave encouragement, and

we a larger ball the same, igni-

ted
made of which we

a It blew our to
with slow match. pile atoms,

the in directions. Our

and scattered materials alt

ingenuity had now been taxed to the uttermost, and

were In
our resources exhausted. extremity we

in the boy.
called

He had, in the mean time, been more successful ;

for, the at we had him,

continuing work which set

indifference taking no
with characteristic notice of

our
he had a
endeavours, cleared space of several

the door. This a

yards around admitted sunbeam,

iike the presence a

which, of good spirit, gladdened
its We intimated to
and cheered all within reach.

him by that we a fire,

signs wanted and, without

to we had done, he began

paying any respect what

in his own a cotton, he

way, with scrap of which

from the lighting it, blew it

picked up ground, and,

in his folded hands till it was ignited.

gently all

He then laid it on the floor, throwing

and, aside all

the we had been looked

material using, around care-
fully,

some little not larger

and gathered up sticks,

than he laid the ignited

matches, which against cot-
ton,

with one point on the ground and the other

touching the fire. Then kneeling down, he

encir-
cled

the fire his two hands, blew

nascent with and

on it, his so as to
gently with mouth close almost

touch it. A rose the

slight smoke above palms of

his hands, in a few he blowing.

and minutes stopped
 PRIMITIVE PHILOSOPHY. 155

Placing the little together, so that

sticks carefully

touched fire, he
all their points the went about pick-
ing

a little larger than the first, laying

up others and

them in one by one. With the

order circumference

his hands a little he began blow-

of extended, again

the rose a little than be-

fore.
Uig gently ; smoke stronger

From time to time he the

gently changed

the his blowing. At

position of sticks, and resumed

length he but in despair or

stopped, whether satis-
fied

the doubtful. He had a

with result seemed

few little a languishing fire at one

sticks with end,

be by dropping a few
which might extinguished

tears over it. We had not

beyond this,
only gone

but had a large flame, had

raised which afterward

died Still there was a an assu*

away. steadiness,

ranee in his manner that to he knew

seemed say

he was At events, we had

what about. all nothing

to do but him. Making lar-

ger
watch a collection of

them in the same

sticks, and again arranging

as before, taking care not to them so close

way put

together as to the fire, a

smother with circumference

too large for the his hands, but

space of of materials

light as to be thrown into he

so easily confusion,

blowing, so as not to turb

dis-
again commenced gently

a to the full that

single stick, and yet power

bear. The
the arrangement would wood seemed

to feel the influence his care, a

of cherishing and

fall body to us, bring

of smoke rose up gladden and

tears into his With the same imperturbable

eyes.

industry, our he went

unconscious of admiration,
156 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

on
having now to as laige as
again, got up sticks

the finger. These he

coaxed along with many

tears, at the next he his own

and size saved wind

his or straw
hat. A blaze
and used petata, gentle

rose in the centre the he coax-

whole of pile ; still ed

il by degrees brought on as
along, and sticks

large as
his arm, by a
which, gentle waving of

his hat, in a few were ignited. Our

minutes all

was at an The was

uncertainty end. whole pile

in a blaze, four us went

busily to
and all of work

fuel There was no for dry

gathering necessity

we cut
down bushes, them in
wood ; and carried

burned together; the flames

green; all extended,

the heat became so that we

and great could not

to throw on more. In our

approach satisfaction

the we did not to the

with result stop read moral

the lesson taught us by the Indian boy. The

of

flames were
fast the damp,
rectifying unwholesome

inducing more warm

atmosphere, and and genial

Very soon,
however, this bettering
sensations. of

our house's drove us out

doors. The
condition of

through the long

smoke rolled apartment, and, ing
curl-

the into the front

along roof, passed sala, where,

dividing, it through the doors in three dense

rushed

bodies, the front the We

and rolled up of palace.

sat
down it as it
outside, and watched rolled away.

While this was on, the

going mayoral crawled

the same by we had

along path which ascended,

told us that the luggage had How it

and arrived.

be to us a The
could got seemed problem. slight
 HUMAN BEASTS OP BURDEN. 157

clearing on the upper terrace

gave us a view of the

lower one, was an mass bushes

which unbroken of

ten or twelve feet higL Perhaps half

and weeds

an hour had when we saw a Indian

elapsed, single

the the terrace, his

ascend platform of second with

his toward us. Very

machete slowly working way

soon the top a long box was seen

of rising above

the same terrace, tottering falling

apparently and

back, but on
rising again and coming steadily, with

Indian it, from time to time

an under visible through

the bushes. Toward the foot the terrace on

of

we were it disappeared, a few

which and after utes
min-

rose to the top. Holding on both hands

with

to the across his forehead, nerve

strap with every

the his forehead

strung, and veins of swelled almost

to bursting, his face his body dripping

and whole

sweat, he laid his load at our feet. A long

with

line followed trembling,

; staggering, panting, and

they took the loads from their backs, deposited

and

them at the door. They had these loads

carried

three leagues, or we them

nine miles, and paid

eighteen three cents, being at the rate

and quarter

a or a league.
of medio, six and quarter cents, per

We them a extra for bringing the things

gave medio

the terrace, the fellows were thankful

up and poor

and happy.

In the time the fire was. burning,

mean still and

the out We set the Indians at

smoke rushing

work on the terrace with their machetes, and as

the we directed them to

smoke rolled away sweep

14
158 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

dut the For brooms they had

apartments. merely

to cut a handful bushes, to the

of and shovel out

dirt they had their hands. This over, we had our

luggage in, set our beds the back

carried up m sala,

our hammocks in the front At

and swung nightfall

the Indians left us, we were in the

and agam alone

palace kings.
of unknown

We had the first our journey

reached point of ;

we were once more at the Uxmal. It was

ruins of

nearly two
years since we set out in
originally

search American more than

of ruins, and a year

we were driven from this The ness

fresh-
since place.

we had first
and enthusiasm with which come

tlie an American had

upon ruins of city perhaps

but our feelings were blunted, the

gone, not and all

we had felt in being to leave

regret which obliged

was more than by the

counterbalanced satisfaction

of returning.

It was in this that, as came on, we

spirit evening

in our hammocks trou-

bles.
swung and puffed away all

The bats, to their haunt,

retiring nightly

by the blaze our fire. Owls

seemed startled of and

birds darkness their discordant

other of sent up cries

from the as the we found

woods, and evening waned

debating the ex-

ourselves warmly great question of citement

at
home, M'Leod to be
whether ought

hanged or not.

As in to have
a measure of precaution, and order

full benefit man's gan

be-
the of a medical company, we

immediately upon a course of preventive treat-

 ANNOYANCE FROM M08CHETOE8 159

ment,
by on the
way of putting oureelves vantage

fever. As we were
in
ground against all perfect

health, Dr. Cabot thought a not

such course could

hurt us.
This over, we threw more the
wood upon

went to bed.
pile and

Up to this time our course had been before the

Our journey from Merida had been a

wind. again

sort triumphal We had been

of procession. passed

from hacienda to hacienda, till we fell into the hos-

pitable

hands Don Simon Peon, we were now

of and

in the Uxmal But

absolute possession of ruins of

soon we found that we had to encounter trou-

bles
very

from Don Simon, nor the

which neither ernment,
gov-

to the hospitality
nor recommendations of

the interior, us
citizens of could afford protection.

Early in the a few

evening straggling moschetoes

had us the these free

given notice of existence of

and independent Yucatan but we

citizens of ; while

were in our hammocks the fire burn-

ed
swinging and

brightly, they had not troubled us Our

much.

heads, however, were hardly our be-

fore
upon pillows,

the to know
whole population seemed exactly

they have us,

dividing into three
where could and,

swarms, caue us as if determined to lift us

upon up

us bodily from the The flame

and eject premises.

had through the

and volumes of smoke which rolled

building, in us the damp,

ridding of unwholesome

atmosphere, to have these ments

tor-
seemed only started

from their filled them

cracks and crevices, and
160 moTDBNTS or tkatsl.

thirst for for blood. I

with vengeance or
spare the

farther details oar first at

Uxmal, but
leader of night

we that another
drive ever
for-
all agreed such would us

from the ruins.

 PERPLBXITIBS. 161

CHAPTER VIII.

Perplexities. Household Wants. Mode boiling Eggb.

" "

^Indian of

Clearings. valuable Addition. Description the Ruins.

"
"

^A
"
of

"
Casa del Gobemador. "
Hierogl3rphics. "
Ornaments over the

Doorways. "
Ground Plan. "
Doorways. "
Apartments. "
Great

Thickness of the back Wall. Breach in the Wall."

"

^A made

Prints a Red Hand. Sculptured Beam Hieroglyphics.

of "
of "

Wooden Lintels. Loss of Antiquities by the Burning Mr.

"

of

Catherwood's Panorama. Terraces. A Stone. cular

Cir-
" "
curious "

Mound. "
Discovery of a Sculptured Monument. "
Square

Stone Structure. Sculptured Heads. Staircase. House

" " "
of

the Turtles.

Morning brought it We
with other perplexities.

had no servant, breakfast,

and wanted and er
altogeth-

our were not We did

prospects good. not expect

to find the hacienda so destitute

entirely of persons

with whom we The

could communicate. mayoral

was the one who a Spanish,

only spoke word of and

he had the business the hacienda to to.

of attend
He had from his to
received special orders master

do in his to but the

everything power serve us, er
pow-

his master had limits. He not the

of could make

Indians, knew the Maya, Spanish.

who only speak

Besides this, the power of the master was otherwise

In fact, as
restricted. except regards certain tions
obliga-

they the Indians were their ovni

which owed,

was worse for us, their ovni

masters, afid, what mis-

VoL. L" X
 162 INCIDBNTS OF TRAVEL.

tresses, for our

one of greatest wants was a wom-
an

to
cook, make tortillas, and perform those nu-
merous

domestic house-
hold
offices without which no

on
The had
can go well. mayoral given us no

hope being to one but in the

of able procure ; midst

our and while we were preparing break-

fast
of anxieties,

for we him
ourselves, perceived coming across

the terrace, followed by a train Indians,

of and clos-
ing

the procession was a woman, at that time real-

ly

a
The that th("
welcome visiter. mayoral said

before, on his return to the hacienda, he had

evening

to the huts, to woman

gone round all and proposed

woman,
liberal treat-
after promising pay and good

ment) but they he came to this one,

all refused until

her he had been to that

and with obliged stipulate

not at the in the but

she should remain ruins night,

return
home This
should every evening. was a

drawback, as we to breakfast but

great wanted early,

we had no were to her her

choice, and glad get upon

own terms.

She was taller than most the Indian

of women,

her was darker. Her

and complexion somewhat

dress fitted more to her body, had

closely and she

more it. Her was her

of character unimpeached,

bearing have kept at a distance,

would presumption

as an additional safeguard, she had with

her
.
and, a

little Jose, cated

indi-
grandson, named whose complexion

that the descending line her house had

of no

to the race. Her be a

antipathies wkite age might

little over fifty, her name was Chaipa OhL

and
 BEGINNING OF OPERATIONS. 163

The being we immediately

preliminaries settled,

installed her as de
chef cuisine, without assistants,

sent the to direct the Indians in

and off mayoral

some we immediately.
clearings which wished made

The first Chaipa Chi was in boiling

essay of eggs,

which, according to the custom of the country, she

boiled beber, or to drink that is, by breaking a

para ;

hole in the into a is inserted

small shell, which stick

to together the the is to be

mix white and yolk ; egg

disposed through this hole in the

of primitive way

nature indicates to the babe. This

which new-born

did the process of cook-

not suit us, and we wished ing

to be a little longer, but Chaipa Chi

continued

impenetrable to hints or
We were
was signs. ged
obli-

to her, but for the name the

stand over and, of

have them
thing, we might as well cooked ourselves.

This left our dinner to the

over, we gave up, find

mercies of our chef.

Before we were in a to begin

condition an exaiin

ination exploration the we had

and of ruins, a se-
rious

business before us in the

making necessary

These were not for

clearings. required picturesque

indeed, as the they

effect ; overgrown ruins were,

addressed themselves more powerfully to the gination

ima-

than if the field lay

whole and every stone

bare but facilities from to

; of moving place place

were indispensable, for this we mined

deter-
and purpose

first to the terrace the Casa del Gober-

clear of

from to had
nador, and cut roads ruin ruin, until we

line that
a complete of communication ; and we
164 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

know our Mr. Cather-

might exactly whereabout,

took an by he found the

wood observation, which

latitude Uxmal to be 20^* 27' 30" N.

of

Our Indians a beginning, by the

made good and ternoon
af-

we had the terrace Toward

upper cleared.

they left us, including Chaipa Chi,

evening all and

at night, while the moon was glimmering moumftdly

over the we had a the front

ruins, stroll along whole

of the Casa del Gobernador.

We were in no hurry to we did

retire, and when

so it was some Besides a httle

with misgivings.

attention to was on out

doors,
general what going of

the business the day had been to

principal of pare
pre-

our moscheto-nets, and for this we no

grudged

time, labour, or ingenuity ;

but our success was com-
plete.
Throughout the long
whole apartment there

was a singing and whizzing, lower

continued or

louder as the musicians came near or ous

furi-
retired,

being defrauded their but they

at of prey, could

touch us. Our went beyond that

not satisfaction of

the mere
for the for we felt sure
prospect night, of

labour, being to maintain

rest after and of able our

ground.

The next
day we a to our
made valuable addition

household. Among the Indians who came out to

was a lad Spanish. He was the

work who spoke

lankest, leanest we had seen

puniest, and of any on

the hacienda, his was the est.

dirti-
and single garment

His name was Bernaldo. He was but fifteen,

he was the
and already experiencing vicissitudes of
 DESCRIPTION OF THE RUINS. 165

fortune. His had been

education neglected ; and

for some technical distinctions in the

confounding

laws he was banished from a hacienda

of property,

Merida to the deserts Uxmal. We were in

near of

for an interpreter,
such straits want of and, except

during the the so titute,

des-
short visit of mayoral, entirely

that Bemaldo's
we overlooked entirely moral

him from the led

weakness, withdrew workmen, and

him to the the in the course

sala of palace, where,

some instructions to Chaipa Chi, he

of conveying

an interest in the that Doctor

showed such subject
Cabot immediately to him a lesson
undertook give

m
In his first he was so that
cookery. essay apt

we forthwith inducted him as over the three

ruler

that our kitchen fireplace,

stones composed with all

the privileges and emoluments of sipping and tast-

ing,

left Chaipa Chi to bestow her

and all energies

the business that her loved, the

upon soul making

of tortillas.

Being now domesticated, I introduce the

shall

to the Uxmal. In
reader vnthout preface ruins of

the account
former I to
of my visit endeavoured give

a brief description these Hurried

of ruins. away,

however, or
drawings, it was sible
impos-
without plans

to definite idea their

present any of character.

The the this

plate opposite represents plan of an-
cient

as indicated by the
city, remaining edifices.

The were taken the

ranges all with compass, and

the distances the dimensions

measured, and of the

buildings their distances from be

and each other can
 166 INCIDENTS OF TRATEL.

bj means the at the foot the

ascertained of scale of

plate.

The first I is that

rain which shall present in

we lived, the Casa del Gobemador.

which called

The forms the frontispiece this

engraving which of

its front, the three races

ter-
volume represents vnth great

on it This front is three hun-

dred
which stands.

twenty-two feet long. Large as the en-

and graving

is, it can serve to some idea the

only give of

the detail ornament cannot be

general effect; of

shown.

The is as it now,
edifice represented exists out
with-

any attempt at restoration, and the reader will

that over two the doorways the fa9ade

perceive of

has fallen. Don Simon Peon told us that in the

1825 this fallen was in its

year part still place, and

the front The fragments

whole almost entire. now

lie as they fell, forming, as in the

appears engraving,

a great mass mortar, rude and sculptured stones,

of

imbedded together, had never been dis-

all which

we dug into it for the disin-

urbed until purpose of

bringing to light some the fallen

.
irring and of or-

L ments.

This building was constructed entirely of stone.

Up to the runs it the

cornice, which round whole

length on four its the facade

and all of sides, presents

a is one
smooth surface ; above solid mass
of rich,

complicated, and elaborately sculptured ornaments

forming a sort of arabesque.

The imparts
grandest ornament, which a richness
168 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

from it enormous feathers, ding

divi-
proceed plumes of

at the top, falling on

and symmetrically each

side, until they touch the ornament on which the

feet the Each figure was the

of statue rest. perhaps

portrait of some cacique, warrior, or priest,

prophet,

distinguished in the history this

of unknown people.
 TH" ELEPHANTS TRUNK. 171

The that part of the

engraving opposite represents

immediately the it occu-

ornament above preceding; pies

the the from the top the

whole portion of w^XL of

head-dress to the the top the ing.

build-
cornice along of

This ornament or combination appears on all

the throughout the is more

parts of edifice, and ruins

frequently than In the

seen any other. engraving

the a long, flat,

centre presents smooth surface.

This indicates a ornament, which cannot

projecting
be in a front but, as seen
in
exhibited view ; profile,

a stone
from the face the
consists of projecting of

as in the following cut the reader

wall, shown ; and

must suppose this stone in to

projecting order clearly

understand the character tlie ornament last

of present-
ed.
It measures one foot seven inches in length from

the stem by it is fixed in the to the

which wall end of

the curve,
and resembles somewhat an
elephant's
172 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

has, inaptly, been

trunk, which name perhaps not en
giv-

to it by Waldeck, though it is not that as

probable

the intended it, for the was

such sculptor elephant

the Continent America. This

unknown on of pro-
jecting
stone appears with this combination all over

the fa9ade at the comers; throughout all

and and

the buildings it is met in a

with, sometimes reversed

than design in UxmaL

position, oftener any other

It is a fact, that though out

singular entirely of

the them have been

reach, ends of nearly all of

broken the in
off; and among many remains every

part of the walls throughout the whole ruins, there are

but three that now Perhaps they were

exist entire.

broken by the Spaniards though this day

wantonly ; at

the Indians believe these buildings are haunted,

old

and that all the monefatos or ornaments are anima-

ted,

and at In the daytime, it is be-

lieved,
walk night.

they can do no harm, for the In-

dians
and ages

have been in the habit breaking figuring

dis-
of and

them the believing that by so

with machete,

doing they their

quiet wandering spirits.

The the last two is

combination of engravings

intended to a hideous human

probably represent

face the teeth in the first, the

; eyes and appear and

stone is intended for the nose or

projecting perhaps

It a in breadth to
snout occupies space equal

five feet the To the

about of wall. present whole

facade on the same an

scale would require engraving

times as long as this. The

sixty-four reader will

how it be to at-
perceive utterly unprofitable would
 CHARACTER OF THE MASONRY. 173

a description a facade, the

tempt verbal of such and

lines in the that, as I in

engra,ving show remarked

former account, there is no tablet or stone

my single

by itself an
representing separately and entire sub-
ject,
but or is
every ornament combination made up

had on it
of separate stones, each of which carved

the was then set

in its in
part of subject, and place

the Each stone by itself is an

wall. unmeaning

fractional but, by the

portion, placed side of others,

a it be
makes part of whole, which without would

incomplete. Perhaps it be
may with propriety

a I have
called species of sculptured mosaic ; and

no doubt that these ornaments have a

all symbolical

meaning that stone is a history,

; each part of alle-
gory,

or fable-

The rear the Casa del Gobemador

elevation of is

a
doorways or
solid wall, without any openings of

kind. Like the front, the it

any above cornice

was throughout its length

ornamented whole with

stone.
The however, were less
sculptured subjects,
the less
compUcated, and sculpture gorgeous and

elaborate and on this side, too, a part the fa9ade

; of

has fallen.

The two are thirty-nine feet The

ends each.

following the It
engraving represents southern end.

has but one doorway, this, too, the

and of sculptured

were more simple.

subjects
The is flat, had been
roof and covered with ce-

ment but the is now

; whole overgrown with grass

bushes.
and
174 I!rCIDE5T^ or TJCt^Tl-

Ruch is the the Casa del Goberuador.

exterior of

'I'o into description details

fio any of woald extend

tlir-c to an indefinite length. Its distinguish-

p;i^f"s

ii't^ fr.atiirfs that it was long, low, narrow;

an", and

h^lovv thf romico plain, and above ornamented with

Mr. Cather\%*ood mi-

s^-nlptiiro all around. made

iiutf! drawings the has in

arnhitJ^ctnral of whole, and

his the for a building

possf?ssion materials erecting

like it I that, as on our

exactly ; and would remark
former he his drawings
expedition, made all with

the camera Incida, for the the

purpose of obtaining
 PLAN OF CASA DEL 60BERNAD0R. 175

detail. Besides
Utmost accuracy of proportion and

we had us a Daguerreotype
which, with apparatus,

the best that be in New- York,

could procured with

immediately on our at Uxmal, Mr.

which, arrival

Catherwood began taking views;

but the results

were to his ideas. At

not sufficiently perfect suit

times the cornices and ornaments threw

projecting
the in were in
parts of subject shade, while others

broad so that, were brought

sunshine ; while parts

out drawings to
well, other parts required pencil

their defects. They a idea

supply gave general of

the the buildings, but do to

character of would not

into the hands the

pot of engraver v^thout copying

the on introducing the defective

views paper, and

more labour than that

parts, which would require of

once drawings. He
making at complete original

therefore his
completed everything with pencil and

camera lucida, Doctor Cabot took

while and myself

the Daguerreotype in to ensure the

up ; and, order

utmost the Daguerreotype w""

accuracy, views

the drawings in the hands the en-

placed with of gravers

for their guidance.

The the Casa del Gobemador is

ground plan of

in the below. It has

represented engraving eleven

j: 3"

doorways iiv front one The doors

and at each end.

are all gone, and the lintels them have

wooden over
176 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

fallen. The interior is divided longitudinally by a

into two these by cross

wall corridors, and again,

or into rooms. Every

walls partitions, oblong pair

these rooms, the front back, by

of and commonicate

a doorway a way
door-
exactly opposite corresponding

in front

The in the centre, three

principal apartments with

doorways the terrace, are feet

opening upon sixty

long. The one in front is feet inches

eleven six

the inner one thirteen feet The former

wide, and

is twenty-three feet high to the top the

of arch, and

the twenty-two feet The latter has but

other one

door entrance from the front room,

of and except

this it has no
door or kind, so that
aperture of any

at the it is dark damp, as is the case

ends and with

inner In these two

all the rooms. apartments we

took up our abode.

The are
walls constructed of square, smooth

blocks stone, on the doonvay

of and each side of

are the stone

rings fixed in the
remains of walls with

no doubt had some

shafts, which connexion with

the the doors. The floors were ce-

support of of ment,

in some hard, but, by long

places exposure,

broken, now the feet

and crumbling under

The forms a triangular as at Palen-

ceiling arch,

the keystone. The is

que, without support made

by stones and bevilled so as to present

overlapping,

a a foot of the
smooth surface, and within about

by a layer flat stones.

point of contact covered of

Across the were beams the ends buih

arch of wood,

in the had been

wall on each side, which probably
 PRINTS OF A RED HAND. 177

for the the the building

used support of arch while

was in
progress.

For the rest,

I to the
refer plan, mentioning only

one In out the on the

circumstance. working plan

it was found that the back throughout

spot, wall,

its length two hundred feet,

whole of and seventy

was feet thick, was to the

nine which nearly equal

the front Such thickness was

width of apartment.

not for the the building,

necessary support of and,

it some hidden
supposing might contain passages,

we determined to a breach through the

make wall,

to do this in the centre

and apartment.

1 must thai I felt some to this

confess repugnance

demolition, but one stone had been

work of already

out by an Indian to serve for

picked mashing maize

as this was likely to be done time

upon ; and at any

another be I scru-
when might wanted, got over my ples.

Over the left in the by the

cavity mortar removal

the stone were two

of conspicuous marks, which

in the face in ings

build-
afterward stared us
all the ruined

the They were the of a

of country. prints

hand with the thumb fingers not

red and extended,

drawn or but by the living hand,

painted, stamped .

the the the stone.

He
pressure of palm upon who

it had before it as we did,

made stood alive and

his hand, hard

pressed moistened with red paint,

the The seams creases the

against stone. and of

distinct in the impression.

palm were clear and

There lifelike it that

was something about waked

Vol.!." Z
178 INCIDENTS OP TRAVEL.

exciting thoughts, and almost presented the images

the departed inhabitants hovering the build-

ing.
of about

And there was one

feature these
striking about

hands they were

Either our
; exceedingly small. of

over hid them this

own spread and completely ; and

interesting from the fact that we had es

was ourseh

heard by others, the

remarked, and remarked small-

the hands feet as a feature in

ness of and striking

the the Indians at the

physical conformation of ent
pres-

day.

The stones this hand them were

with red upon

the first that fell as we our breach into

commenced

the There were two on the haci-

enda,
wall. crowbars

two days, the Indians

and working nearly

a hole between seven

feet deep, but
made six and

throughout the was

lai^e
wall solid, and consisted of

stones imbedded in mortar, as hard as

almost rock.

The reason this immense back

of wall, where thing
every-

had a degree fitness con-

else certain of and formity,

we did not discover, we had this huge

and

hole in the face during

staring us reproachfully all

the remainder of our residence.

A few I have done this

words more,
and with

building. In the the fa9ade

south end apartment,

has been found the

of which presented, we tured
sculp-

beam hieroglyphics had in-

terested
of which so much

us on our
former In some the ner
in-
visit. of

the lintels were in their

apartments still places

over the doorways, some were lying on the

and

floor better no
sound and solid, which condition was
 LOSS OF ANTIQUITIES BY FIRE. 179

doubt owing to their being more sheltered than those

the doorway. This was the

over outer only sculp-
tured

beam in Uxmal, at that time it was the

and

we had seen.
We con-
only piece of carved wood sidered

it interesting, as indicating a
degree
of pro-
ficiency

in an art in our ex-

of which, all previous plorations,

had not
discovered ex-
we any evidence, cept,

at
Ocosingo, we had found a
perhaps, where

beam, not
but had been re-
carved, which evidently duced

to by instruments This
shape sharp of metal

time I determined not to let the beam es-

precious cape

me.
It was ten feet long, one
foot inches
nine

broad, ten inches thick, Sapote enor-

and of wood, mously

heavy To keep the

and unwieldy. sculp-
tured

from being broken, I had it

side chafed and

or hemp bagging,
covered with costal and stuffed

dry to the thickness inches. It

with grass of six

left Uxmal on the ten Indians,

shoulders of after

many vicissitudes reached this city and

uninjured,
was deposited in Mr. Catherwood's Panorama. I

had to it as being in the National Museum

referred

at Washington, I intended to it as
whither send

soon as a large stones,

collection of sculptured which

I was to leave behind, but on

obliged should arrive ;

the burning that building, in the

of general gration
confla-

Jerusalem Thebes, this mal

Ux-
of and part of

was
it beams
consumed, and with other after

discovered, more curious interest-

ing
ward much and

as the vases, figures,

; also whole collection of

idols, this journey

and other relics gathered upon
180 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

The transporting these

collecting, packing, and of

things had given me more trouble and annoyance

than in our journey,

any other circumstance and

their loss cannot be for, being first on the

replaced ;

having at
I course se-
ground, and all my choice, of lected

only those objects which were most curious

if I were to over the

and valuable ; and go whole

I not find to them.

ground again, could others equal

I had the their

melancholy satisfaction of seeing

as the fire had left them. We seem-

ashes exactly ed

doomed to be in the but in our

midst of ruins ; all

explorations there was none so touching as this.

Next to the building the Casa del Gober-

great of

hardly less imposing

nador, and extraordinary and

in are the three terraces hold

character, great which

it it its
aloft, and give grandeur of position ; all of

them built from the level the

artificial, and up of

plain.

The lowest these terraces is three feet high,

of

fifteen feet broad, five hundred

and and seventy-five

feet long the is twenty feet high, two hun-

dred
; second

fifty feet five hundred forty-

and wide, and and

five feet in length the third, ing

build-
; and on which the

is feet high, feet broad,

stands, nineteen thirty

three hundred feet in front. They

and and sixty were

by substantial that f the

all supported stone walls ; c

terrace is in a
second still good state of preservation,

and at the comers the stones which it are

support still
in their their in-
stead
places, with outer surfaces rounded,

of presenting sharp angles.

 A SIN6ULAE STONE. 181

The this terrace is a terra

platform of noble plana,

five hundred forty-five feet long tviro hun-

dred
and and

fifty feet from the

and wide, and, remains still

it, once structures orna-

ments
visible upon contained and

kinds, the character

it is
of various of which

now difficult to out

On our first the
make arrival

was a bushes
whole covered with rank growth of

ten or twelve feet high, on

and weeds clea^ring which

these were brought to light

away remains

Along the there is an

south end oblong structure

three feet high, two hundred long, fifteen

about and

feet at the foot there is a

wide, of which range ot
firagments five feet
pedestals and of columns about

high inches in diameter. There are

and eighteen

no remains a or any other structure con-

of roof of nected

with them.

Near the the at a distance

centre of platform, of

feet from the foot the is a en-

eighty of steps, square closure,

two layers stones, in

consisting of of which

in an as if falling, or,
stands, oblique position, haps,
per-

as if an had been to throw it down,

effort made

a large stone,
feet the
round measuring eight above

five feet in diameter. This stone is

ground and stri-
king

for its irregular

uncouth and proportions, and

wants conformity with the regularity and symmetry

From its it
of all around. conspicuous position,

doubtless had important use, in connex-

some and, ion

monuments found at this in-

duces
with other place,

the belief that it was with the cer-

connected emonial

an
known to have
rites of ancient worship
16
182 INCIDBNl^S OF TRAVEL.

Eastern The Indians

existed among all nations.

tliis stone the Picote, or

call whipping-post

At a distance feet in a line beyond

of sixty right

this was a feet high.

rude circular mound, about six

We had it as a from to take a

used position which

Daguerreotype the front the building,

view of of and,

at the instance the Cura Carillo, came to

of who

us a we determined to it. It was a

pay visit, open

mere mass stones on dicing down

of earth and ; and,

to the depth three or four feet, a mon-

ument
of sculptured

was discovered, is in the

which represented

that follows. It was found on

engraving standing

its feet, in the in the

position represented engraving.

It is out a block stone, ures

meas-
carved of single of and

three feet two inches in length two feet in

and

height. It seems intended to a ed

double-head-
represent

cat or lynx, is the one

and entire with exception of

foot, is a little broken. The is

which sculpture rude.

It was too heavy to We had it to

carry away. raised

the the for Mr. Catherwood to draw,

side of mound

it there The or
and probably remains still. picote,

before to, in the

great stone, referred appears ving
engra-

in the distance.

Why this monument had been to the

consigned

in it was discovered we were

strange place which

at a loss to This never have

conjecture. could

been its destination. It had been formally

original

deliberately buried. In there is

and my opinion,

but one for it It had been one

way of accounting

the idols by the Ux-

of many worshipped people of
 A SCULPTURED MONUMENT. L83

the is, that the tants

inhabi-
mal ; and probability when

the they buried it, that it

abandoned city might

not be desecrated or the Spaniards, they

; else when

drove out the inhabitants depopulated the

and city,

in destroy the feelings

order to all reverential of' the
184 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

Indians it, followed the Cortez

toward example of

Choiuia, threw down buried the idols.

at and and

At distance 130 feet from this was a

a of mound

feet high twenty feet

square stone structure, six and

the base, in we an excavation, and

at which made

discovered two heads, no doubt intended

sculptured

as portraits.

From the this great platform a grand

centre of

130 feet broad, once 35

staircase which contained

to the third terrace, on the ing

build-
steps, rises which

besides this there is no con-

stands ; staircase nected

the three terraces, the

with either of and

ascent to the the is by an

only platform of second

inclined 100 feet broad, at the

plane south end of

the building, it for

which makes necessary all proaching
ap-

from the to the length

north pass whole

the lower terrace, by the inclined

of and, ascending

back to the The

plane, go reach steps. probability

is, that the labour this was not by tlie

of regarded

inhabitants, that or
ancient and all visiters residents

in the building in out on the

passed and shoulders

Indians in as the rich do now.

of coches,

There to be one important ing

build-
remains noticed

on the the terrace. It

grand platform of second

at the corner, is
stands northwest and represented

in die It is the Casa de las

plate opposite. called

Tortugas, or the House the Turtles,

of which name

was to it by a cura, from a bead

given neighbouring

or row turtles the in-

dicated
of which goes round cornice,

in the engraving.
 ""-

y
 HOUSE OF THE TURTLES. 185

This building is 94 feet in front 34 feet

and

deep, in contrasts
and size and ornaments striking-

\y the Casa del Gobemador. It

with wants the

decoration the former, but is

rich and gorgeous of
distinguished for its justness beauty
and of tions,
propor-

its
and chasteness and simpUcity of ornament.

Throughout there is that borders

nothing on the

unintelligible or grotesque, nothing that can

shock a

fastidious taste but, it is

architectural ; unhappily,
fast' to decay. On our first Mr. Cath-
going visit

erwood and myself to the and se-

climbed roof, lected

it as a from to
good position which make a

panoramic the field It

sketch of whole of ruins.

was then trembling and tottering, and within the

the the centre had fallen in. In

year whole of part

front the centre the is in the rear

of wall gone, and

the Untel, down broken in two,

wooden pressed and

the mass, but it

still supports superincumbent gave

us a nervous
feeling to it. The interior
pass under

is filled the the fallen

up with ruins of roof.

This building, too, has the same feature,

peculiar

access.
It has no
want of convenient communica-
tion,

least by or means, the

at steps any visible with

Casa del Gobemador, were there

nor any steps

leading to the terrace below. It isolated

stands and

to its own
desolate
alone, seeming mourn over and

With few more returns the

ruinous condition. a of

it be and
rainy season will a mass of ruins, perhaps

America there be
on the whole continent of will no

Vol. I. "
A a
 186 INCIDBNT8 OF TRAVEL.

such monument of the purity and simplicity of abo-

riginal

art

Such is a brief description the Casa del Go-

of

bernador, its three terraces, ings

build-
with great and the

and structures upon the grand platform of the

From the had fixed

second. place which we
upon

as our
residence, and the constant necessity of as-
cending

descending the terraces, it was

and with

these that we became the soonest

famiUar. The

be to form idea the

reader will able some of subjects
that engaged our attention, and the strange spectacle

that we had before

constantly our eyes.
 JOURNEY TO JALACHO. 187

CHAPTER IX.

Journey to Jalacho." Execrable Roads. Sight Ruins at Sen-

"
of

uisacal. "
A motley Multitude. "
Village of Becal. " ^The Cura.

Breakfast. Ruins. Arrival at Jalacho. A Fair.

" " " "
great "

F^te of Santiago. Miracles. Figure St. James. Bull-fight

" "
of "

Bull-fighters. Horse-market." Scenes in the Plaza. bling."

Gam-
and " "

Primitive Circulating Medium. A Memorial Home.

"
of

A Ball. Search for Ruins." Hacienda Sijoh. Mounds

"
of "
of
Ruins. Remarkable Stones. A long Edifice. Hacienda
" " "
of

Tankuch6. More Ruins. A

plastered Wall
" "
covered with

Paintings. "
Annoyance from Garrapatas. "
Return to the lage.
Vil-

"
Ball. "
Fireworks. "
Condition of the Indians.

Having in the that

made such advances clearing

Mr. Catherwood had "m

abundance of occupation,

Thursday, the 18th November, I set out, the

of under

guidance of the mayoral, on an excursion to meet

Don Simon Peon at the fair Jalacho,

of and visit

some on hacienda his in that

ruins another of neigh-
bourhood.

We at half our course

started past six,

being by At ten seven we

west north. minutes past

a or hills, a hundred
crossed serrania, range of about

fifty feet high, came down an exten-

and and upon sive

savanna low, flat land, a mere

of cane-brake.

The was the worst I had found in the

road country,

being a wet
for
simply and very muddy path mules

horses to the fair. My horse to his

and sunk up

it was that he
saddle-girths, and with great exertion

dragged himself through. Every moment

I had fear

his in the in some

of rolling over mud, and places

I was the in Cen-

strongly reminded of malospasos
188 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

txal America. Occasionally the branches were bare

ly high to to then
enough allow mules pass, and

I was to dismount, trudge through the

obliged and

on
foot. At we came to an
mud eight o'clock open

savanna, saw a high on the

and mound with ruins

top, bearing a distant It was

south, about mile call-
ed,

as the SenuisacaL I was

mayoral said, strongly

tempted to turn it, but, on ac-

aside and examine count

of the thickness of the cane-brake and the

it have been impossible to it,

mud, would reach and

the that it was in

mayoral said entirely ruins.

In half an hour we came into a clear and open

at ten we the for

country, and entered camino real

Jalacho, a broad for

and open road, passable cale-

sas. Up to this time we had not seen a itation

hab-
single

or met a human being, now the

and road

was literally thronged on to the

with people moving

fair,
with whose clean garments my mud-stained

There were
clothes contrasted very unfavourably.

Indians, Mestizoes, horseback,

and white people on

on foot, men,
muleback, and women, and children,

on tlieir backs things to in

many carrying sell, pe-

taquillas, or long baskets straw families,

of ; whole

half in I
sometimes a village moving company; and

fell in behind a woman on a loaded horse,

perched

in her arms, a little fellow behind,

with a child and

his legs out straight to

span the
stretched nearly

horse's flanks, both arms her

and clasping substan-
tial

body to keep himself from We

slipping off.

in the to or eat,
passed parties sitting shade rest and
 ARRIVAL AT JALACHO. 189

families lying down by the to

roadside sleep, with-

fear from the rest.

ont any of molestation

At half we the Be-

past eleven reached village of

like the for a large

cal, conspicuous, all others, za
pla-

two towers. In the the

and church with suburbs

I interchanged about
break
mayoral and sentiments

fast, a in the he
and, after making circle plaza, struck

direct for the house the cura. I do not think

off of

the cura
have been me, but if so, he
could expecting

have a better breakfast, at

could not provided or

Besides the breakfast, the cura told

shorter notice.

me on his hacieiida he had

of ruins which never vis-
ited,

but he to have
which promised cleared away

be to me on Circum
and ready show my return.

to by the
stances occurred prevent my returning same

but the cura, having had the ruins

road, cleared away,

them himself, I heard that I had

visited and afterward

lost by them. I took leave

something not seeing of
him the buoyancy times, breakfast
with of old se-
cured,

and a prospect another

of ruined city.

In an hour I Jalacho, I Don

reached where met

Simon two his brothers, I

and of with whom was

Don Lorenzo, had ha-

cienda
not yet acquainted ; who a

in that Don Alonzo, then

neighbourhood, and

living in Cauipeachy, was in New

who educated

York, English
abd spoke remarkably well.

The Jalacho lies the

village of on main road

from Merida to Campeachy, to that

and, next of
Tzamal, its fair is the in Yucatan, in
greatest while
 190 INCIDENTS OF TRATEL.

Home it is more It is not

respects carioas. attended

by large foreign nor by the

merchants with goods,

better from Merida, but it is to by

classes resorted

the Indians from the haciendas It

all and Tillages.

is inferior in one is not

respect : gambling carried

on so large a as at YzamaL
upon scale

The time was had their

when all countries ical
period-

fairs but the improved

; changed and condition

the has this feature an-

of world almost abolished of cient

times. Increased facilities

of communication

foreign different the

with countries and parts of

same for buying

country make opportunities and

an thing this day, in

selling every-day ; and at eral
gen-

throughout Europe, for

all articles of necessity,

even luxury, man has, as it were, a "adr

and of every

day his door. But the in

every at own countries

America to the Spanish dominion have felt

subject
less than in the
sensibly, perhaps, any others world,

the impulse the last two

onward of centuries, and

in them customs
derived from rope,
Eu-
many usages and

but there long fallen into are

since oblivion,

in full force. Among them is this holding

still of

fairs, though took during the

of which, several place

journey in Central America, I had

time of my no

opportunity of seeing any.

The fair Jalacho was an

of observance of eight

days, but the first two or three were only

marked

by the the business

arrival of scattering parties, and

to live in to display wares.

of securing places and

The high did begin

great gathering or change not
 A GREAT FAIR. 191

till Thursday, which was the day

of my arrival, and

then it was that there in

computed were assembled

the village ten thousand persons.

Of this
all crowd the plaza was the grand point

of concentration. Along the houses fronting it was

a
range of tables set out looking-glasses in
with

frames
of red paper, rings and necklaces, cotton, and

toys trinkets for the Indians. On the

and opposite

side of the street, along the square of the church,

were by having
rustic arbours, occupied venders

before them. The

similar commodities spread za
pla-

was at
intervals was a
partitioned, and regular

merchant, was a fixed

whose shop rude i^tick right
up-

in the having at
ground, and another crosswise

the top, leaves twigs, thus forming

covered with and

a sort to its
of umbrella, protect sitting occupant

from the sun. These were the dulces

merchants of

This the fair was con-

and other eatables. part of stantly

tenths were dians

In-
crowded, and perhaps nine

from the haciendas Don

pueblos and around.

Simon Peon told me that he had on his

entered

books a hundred fifty or servants,

and criadoSy who

had to him for he did not

know
applied money, and

how more were

many present.

It be that the was not un-

may supposed church interested

in this In fact, it was

great gathering.

the fete Santiago, the Indians this

of and among

fiesta was identified the fair. The doors

with of

the were the interior was

church constantly open,

thronged Indians, a
with and crowd continually
192 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

to the In the doorway was a large

pressing altar.

table figures
covered with candles and small of arms

legs in wax, the Indians as

and which purchased

they at a for to the

entered medio apiece, offerings

saint
Near the on the left, an
altar, sat unshaved

toinistro, a table before him, on

with which was a

silver waiter, covered with medios, reales, two

and

shilling showing to the backward what others

pieces,

had done, inviting them to do the same. The

and

at the door had been duly bless-

ed,
candles purchased

as the Indians went them, a

and up with strap-
ping

linen dirty,
negro, with particularly received

lighted them at one burning on the

and altar, whence

his black hands he them on to a

with passed rusty

white assistant, who arranged them upon a table,

before the backs the were turn-

ed,
and, even of offerers

out the light, took the to be

puffed and candles

at the door for

smoothed over, and resold another

medio each.

High the heads the the

above of crowd, catching

first the was the figure

eye on entering church, of

Santiago, or Saint James, on horseback, holy in the

saw it, famed for its

eyes of all who and power of

healing the the fever

working miracles, sick, curing

insuring to a boy or
and ague, prospective parents

desired, bringing back a lost cow or

girl as goat,

healing the or from

a cut of machete, relieving any

incident to an Indian's lot. The

other calamity

fore feet the horse were in the the

of raised air, and

black hat, a broad

saint wore a cocked with gold
 BULL-FIGHT AND BULL-FIGHTERS. 193

band, a having a broad

short mantle of scarlet velvet,

gold edging round the cape and skirts, green velvet

trousers, a stripe down the sides,

with wide gold
boots All the time I there,
and and spurs. stood

every time I went into the church, men, wom-

en,
and

were forward, struggling

and children pressing

with each to kiss the foot of the saint The

other
Indian, as the first act of devotion, led
simple up
his family to do this act of obeisance. The
whole

lifted her sucking child, and pressed its lips,

mother
from her breast, the foot bedi
warm against of the

zened statue.

In the commenced the first bull-fight

afternoon
The toreadares, or bull-fighters, all lived at the house

ours, and
from it the
opposite procession started.
It was headed by a wrinkled, legged
bandy-
squint-eyed,
Indian, canying his arm the In-
dian
under old
drum, dancing to his own mu-
and grotesquely sic;

then followed the band, then the

and gallant

picadores, a cut-throat looking set of scoundrels,

who, imagining themselves the were the

admiration,

contempt of the crowd.

The Flaza de Toros was on one the
side of

square of the plaza, like that in the

and, square of

the church of San Gristoval, was

constructed of

poles and vines, upright, intwining interlaced,

and
tottering and yielding under pressure, and yet ing
hold-

together firmly. In the centre was a on

pole,

the top flourished the Mexican

of which eagle, with

outspread wings, holding m his beak a scroll with

Vol. L" B b 17

f
194 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the motto,
" Viva la Republica de Yuca-
tan/'
appropriate

like to different
and strings extended radii

the boxes, cut

parts of wrapped with and scolloped
fluttering in the On one the
papers wind. side of

ring was a beam, from

pole with a wooden which

hong, by fastened to the

strings crown of an
old

straw
hat, two figures
stuffed with straw, with tesque
gro-
ludicrous dresses. One
masks and was very
in the broad below,
narrow shoulders and very and

his trousers were buttoned behind.

The toros, fallen into disrepute in the is

capital,

the favourite amusement in

still and national the

The tied to the

pueblos. animal post when we en-
tered

was
from the hacienda the senote,
of which

famed for the ferocity its bulls. The

was of pica-

dores, too, were fiercer than those in the capital, and

the were more

fatal. eral
Sev-
contests sanguinary and

times the bulls were

down, two,
struck and

blood, were
dragged by the horns,
reeking with off

dead this was in the women,

; and presence of and

their dis-
gusting
greeted with smiles and approbation : a

degrading but as having

and spectacle, yet

too a hold feeling to be

strong upon popular easily

The was at the

set aside. entertainment got up

the all who

find a
expense of village, and could

had liberty to enter.

place

This over, there was an interval for business,

and
for the horse-market, or
particularly visiting rather a

to which dealers their horses

particular section sent

to be I interested in this than

exhibited. was more
 HORSE-MARKET. SCENE IN THE PLAZA. 195

branch commerce on at the fair,

any other of carried

as I to horses for oar journey.

wished purchase

There were them, though, as in

plenty of all other

the but few fine ones. Prices

sections of country,

from ten dollars to two hundred, the

varied value

depending, not bone, blood, or but

upon muscle, upon

training The hacienda horses,

and paces. young

with but the trot, or trotones, as they were

nothing

were from ten dollars to twenty-five,

called, worth

but they in or ment

move-
as
excelled pace easiness of

their increased. No one to

value pretends

a trotting horse in Yucatan, for he does

ride who

labours the imputation not

being to
under of able

The finest horses in the

purchase a pacer. countiy

in are those imported ;

but the Yucatan
appearance

horses, though small, are remarkably hardy,

require

no care, an degree tigue.

fa-
and endure extraordinary of

Night came on, the was

and plaza alive with peo-
ple

brilliant lights. On one

and with side, opposite

the the the houses in

church, along corridors of and
front them, were rows tables,
of of with cards and

dice, were soon

which very crowded with players,

Mestizoes but the scene at-

whites and ; great of traction

the Indians in the

was gathering of centre of

the It was the hour the

plaza. of supper, and small

had custom for their

merchants abundant eatables.

Turkeys had tied by one leg day,

which stood all

inviting to come eat them, were now

people and

for a two men had a liberal

ready, of which medio
196 INCIDENTS OF TRA"BL.

I I had heard bac

allowance ; and remarked, wkat of,

had seen before, that cacao circulated

not grams of

the Indians as Every or

among money. merchant

vender of eatables, the most of whom were women,

had on the table a these which they

pile of grains,

were constantly counting and exchanging with the

Indians. There is no
in Yucatan,
copper money

nor any coin whatever a medio, or six and a

under

cents, this deficiency is by these

quarter and supplied

cacao.
The is divided into twenty
grains of medio

five but the

parts, generally of grains each, number

is increased or decreased to the

according quantity

the in the its As

of article market, and real value.

the the Indians are the

earnings of small, and arti-
cles

they are the mere necessaries life,

purchase of

are these cacao, frac

which very cheap, grains of or -

tional a are the in most common

parts of medio, coin

them. The has a

use among currency always real

is by the cacao in
value, and regulated quantity of

the the inconvenience,

market, and only economic-

that it has, is the loss a

cally speaking, of certain

by the destruction the cacao, as in

public wealth of

the case bank notes.

But these had an
of grains

interest independent
of all questions of political

for they indicate or illustrate a in

economy, page

the history this

of unknown and mysterious people.

When the Spaniards first their into the

made way

interior Yucatan, they found no me-

of circulating dium,

either or silver, or any other species

of gold,

of but cacao it a
metal, only grains of ; and seemed
 A MEMORIAL OF HOME. 197

Strange circumstance, that while the manners and

the Indians hare an immense

customs of undergone

their have been destroyed, their

change, while cities

religion disl^onoured, their princes swept away, and

their by foreign laws,

whole government modified

no has been their

experiment yet made upon cur-
rency.

Tn the this scene, there was a

midst of strange

stir at one end of the plaza, and an presented

object
itself that at once turned thoughts feelings
my and

homeward. It a from a Troy "aic-

was post-coach,

tory, like those seen on in

exactly every road our

but it had on the the door ** La

country, panel of

Diligencia Campechana." It was one the line

of

diligences between Campeachy Merida,

of and and

just from the former It came on

arrived place. up

a run, drawn by horses,

wild, uncombed not yet

broken to the bit, their breasts

and with galled and

raw from the the It had

pressure of collar. nine

inside, had an so familiar that, as the

and aspect

door I to see
opened, expected acquaintances get

but a foreign tongue, instead

out; all spoke and of

being to or bed by an
welcomed supper officious

landlord inquired
and waiter, all anxiously where

they to eat and a to

could get something place

in.
sleep

Leaving them to do as as they we

weB could,

to the baile or ball In front the

went of quartel

was a arbour, by a temporary

rustic enclosed ing,
rail-

benches the
with and chairs arranged around
198 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the centre
for dancing. Until I
sides, and cleared

saw them together, I did not that

collected sappose

so were at the fair,

many white persons present and,

like the men at the the Indians

gambling-table, and

ib the these to forget that there was

plaza, seemed

than themselves. In this

any other party present

I into an
obliviousness sympathized, and slipping

easy
from the time drag through
arm-chair, of my

the in the I had

mud morning not so quiet and com-
fortable

a moment, in I
which condition remained

by Don Simon.
until awakened

The next day was a the same

repetition of

In the at the bull-fight, I fell into

scenes. afternoon,

a sat next to me,

conversation with gentleman who

me information some
in
and who gave of antiquities

Maxcanu, a four leagues distant That I

village

take this on return to Uxmal, it was

might place my

to the on Don Simon's hacienda

advisable visit ruins

the day. Don Simon me

next could not go with

the fair, the concourse

until after and amid great of

Indians it difficult to find one serve

was who could

as a
guide.

It was till eleven the next

day that I
not o'clock

to set out,
I had as a a
was able and guide major
domo hacienda, being, as I imagin-
ed,
of another who,

at being to leave the fiesta,

vexed obliged and

determined to me his hands as soon as

get off sible,
pos-

set out at a trot The sun was

swinging

the broad, stony, and

scorching, road straight, and

but in forty
without a particle of shade, minutes,
 MOUNDS OF RUINS. 199

both heated, we the hacienda

considerably reached

Sijoh, two leagues distant

of

This hacienda belonged to a brother Don mon,

Si-
of

then in Vera Cruz, was the

resident and under

latter's Here me over into

charge. my guide passed

the hands an Indian, back as fast he

of and rode as

to the fair. The Indian

could mounted another

horse, a distance on the same

and, continuing short

through the lands the hacienda, turned

road of we

to the in five saw in the

off right, and minutes

to our left, near the a high

woods road, mound of

that distinctive once so

ruins of character strange,

but now so familiar to me, the

proclaiming ence
exist-

desolate,
of another unknown, nameless, and

ruined city.

We on to nearer than
continued another mound

the first, we dismounted tied our horses

where and

to the bushes. This was a mass

mound solid of

thiny feet high,

masonry, about and nearly square.

The stones were large, one at the comer

measuring
feet in length by three in the
six width, and sides

were thorns briers. On the

covered with and south

in
side was a range of steps still good condition,

fifteen inches high, in three feet

each and general

long. On the the stones rose in a

other sides ramidal
py-

form, but On the top was a

without steps.

stone building, its as high as the

with wall cornice

Above this the facade had fallen, but (he

standing.

mass formed the re*

of stone and mortar which roof

mained, and within the apartment was precbely

200 IN0IDBNT8 OF TRATEL.

like the interior the building at Uxmal, having

of

the same distinctive There were no remains

arch.

but the base the was encum-

of sculpture, of mound bered

fallen stones, among which were some

with

three feet long, dug so as to form a sort

about out of

trough, the same we had seen at

Uxmal,
as where

they were or fountains.

called pilas

Leaving this, we through the to

returned woods

the we had first seen. This was

mound perhaps

feet high, was a mere mass fallen stone.

sixty and of

Whatever it have been, its features were en-

might tirely

lost, but for the structure

I had just seen,
and

the in the
and waste of ruins other parts of country,

it have doubtful it had ever

might seemed whether

been formed to or art

according any plan rules of

The mass stone was so that no

of solid vegetation

take it; its were bare

could root upon sides and

bleached, the on being disturbed,

and pieces, slid

down a like the ringing iron.

with metallic sound of

In I a blow from a
climbing up received sliding stone,

which me back to the bottom, for the

nearly carried

moment disabled me, from I

completely and which

did recover some time

not entirely until afterward.

From the top this I saw two

of mound others of

the same height, taking their direction

nearly and,

the I descended directed

with compass, and my steps

toward them. The was

whole ground covered with

trees
and a thick brush thorn-
undei^owth of and
bushes. My Indian had to lead horses
gone the

round to another
I had no
road. machete, and
 REMARKABLE STONES* 201

though the were not

fax distant, I was ex-
mounds cessively

torn in to them.
scratched and getting

They were so that they barely

all ruined, preserved

their foruL Passing between these, I saw beyond

three forming three a or

others, angles of patio square ;

in this above the thorn-bushes

and patio, rising and

briers, were huge stones, on being first covered,

dis-
which,

suddenly and unexpectedly, actually start-

led

me. At a distance they me the

reminded of

monuments Copan, but they were even more ex-

of traordinary

incomprehensible. They were un-

and couth

in as they came firom the

shape, and rough

Four them were flat the largest was

quarry. of ;

fourteen feet high, toward the top four

and measured

feet in one a half in thickness. The

width, and and

top was broader than the bottom, it in a

and stood

leaning as if its foundation had been loosen-

ed.
posture,

The were more irregular in

others still shape,

it as if the them had

and seemed people who erected

just looked out

for the largest stones they lay
could

their hands on, tall or short, thick or thin, or

square

without to bulk.
round, regard anything except

They had no beauty or fitness design or

of tion,
propor-

and there were no characters them. But

upon
in that desolation they were
and soUtude strange and
like headstones in
striking, and, unlettered a church-
yard,

seemed to mark the graves unknown

dead.
of

On one the looking down this

^of mounds, upon

was a long building, its firont fallen,

patio, with wall
leaving the interior to I
and whole exposed view.

Vol. L" C c
202 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL,

to it, but saw the of the

climbed up only remains

same narrow
corridor and arch, and on the wall

the hand. The

were prints of red whole country

was that it '^^s impossible to form

sO'Ovei^own any

idea its extent had been, but one thing was

of what

large had here,

certain, a city once stood and what

its name was no man knew.

At this time was intended as

my visit merely pre-
liminary,

for the judging whether there

purpose of

for Mr. Catherwood's it

were any subjects pencil, and

was now one

The heat was intense,
about o'clock.

briers burrs,
and. sweating and covered with and

to I came out
which stuck every part of my clothes,

into the my
Indian was
open road, where waiting

for the horses. We immediately,

me
with mounted

on a to the hacienda Tan-

and continued gallop of

kuche, two leagues distant.

This hacienda was a favourite Don Simon,

with

as he had it out the the

created of wilderness, and

from the he had himself.

entire road village made

It was a logwood here he had

good country, and

for the dye. In

erected machinery extracting eral,
gen-

it was the most busy his haciendas,

place of all

but this day it as if a desolating had

seemed scourge

over it The huts the Indians

swept of were clos-
ed

locked no barebodied were

and up; children ing
play-

them, the large was locked.

around and gate

We tied our horses by one the as-

of panels, and, cending

by a flight stone the lane

of steps, entered

and walked to the house. Every door was lock-

up
 A DESERTED HACIENDA. 203

a in Moving to the
edy and not person sight. on

high stone stracture

fonning the the
platform of well,

I saw a little boy, dressed in a straw hat, dozing on

an horse, was the

old which creeping round with

drawing in broken buckets a

well-beam, slow stream

water, for At
of which no one came.
sight of me

he rose from the his horse, tried to

neck of and stop

him, but the so to

old animal seemed used going

that he the little fellow

round could not stop, and

looked as if he to be till some

expected going one

came to take him All had to the fiesta,

off. gone

were the I had left

and now swelling great crowd

in the It was an immense firom the

village. change

thronged fair to* the this desolate hacien-

da.
solitude of

I down a
large tree
sat under seybo overshad-
owing

the ate a bread an or-

well, and roll of and ange,

I back to the to
after which strolled gate, and,

found one horse. My had

my surprise, only guide

his to his hacienda. I

mounted and returned walk-
ed

into the factory, to the at-

returned well, and tempted

the boy, but the horse

speech with old

forward him from me I

started and carried away ;

lay down on the the the

platform of well; creaking

the beam lullaby, I had

of served as a sort of and

that I was not to be

made such progress very eager

interrupted, Indian lad had

when an arrived, who

been hunted by directed

up my missing guide, and

to me the This fact, however, he

show ruins.

have been to but, tunately,

for-
would not able communicate,

he was by an Indian
accompanied who
 204 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

Spanish. The latter was an intelligent,

spoke dle-aged
mid-

man, highly but

of respectable appearance,
Don Simon told me he was the worst
fellow on the

hacienda. He was desperately in love a

with girl

did not
live on the estate, he was in the
who and

habit to her, being

of ninning away visit and of

brought back his arms tied behind him as a

with ;

for a
late this kind, he had
punishment offence of

been firom to the fiesta. Through

prohibited going

him I had an new

understanding with my guide,

and set out again.

In five leaving the hacienda,

minutes after we

passed
between two firom time
mounds of ruins, and,

to time having Vestiges in the

glimpses of other

in twenty we came to a
woods, minutes mound

about thirty feet high, on the top was a

of which

building. Here we dismounted, tied

ruined our

horses, the The

and ascended mound. whole of

the firont had fallen, together the firont

wall with

half the the interior was filled

of arch ; chamber

dirt to the
with and rubbish nearly up cornice, and

the the back was the

arch of wall only part above

but this, instead being stones,

ground ; of of smooth

like the we had seen

in Yucatan, was
all others

plastered and covered with paintings, the colours of

were bright firesh. The

which still and principal

were blue,
colours red, green, yellow, and and at

first the lines figures so distinct, that I

and seemed

thought I out the The

could make subjects. ment
apart-

being filled dirt, I the

up with stood above
 ANNOYANCE FROM GARRAPATAS. 205

it was by or lying
objects, and only sitting, rather

down, that I them. One at

could examine subject
first me as being a the
sight struck representation of

found at
Palenque. I was desirous
mask extremely

to this but found, by

get off entire, experiments upon

other the plaster the machete, that it

parts of with

be impossible to do so, left it

would and untouched.

In the interest the I did discover that

of work, not

thousands of garrapatas were

crawling over me.

These insects are the Yucatan,

scoui^e of and together
al-

they wfere a more constant source of an-

noyance

than we in
and suffering any encountered

the I had seen them in tral

Cen-
country. something of

America, but at a different season, the

when

hot sun had killed the immensity their

off of num-
bers,

those left had a that a

and attained such size

single one be seen

could easily and picked off
These, in like
colour, size, and numbers, were grains

of They disperse themselves over the

sand. all

body, into the seams the like the

get of clothes, and,

insect known us as the tick, bury themselves

among

in the flesh, an irritation that is tolerable.

in-
causing almost

The to rid
only way get of them ally
effectu-
is by the In Uxmal we
changing all clothes.

had not been troubled them, for they are

with said

to breed in those
only woods where cattle pasture,

and the about Uxmal had been as a

grounds used

milpa, or plantation com. It was the first time

of

I had ever had them me in

upon such proftision,

and their disturbed the

presence most materiaBy
18 "
206 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

I the
equanimity with which examined paintings.

In fact, I did long on the

not remain ground

It is that, so
particularly unfortunate while many

have free, this most

apartments remained curious

interesting one has become filled It is

and up.

probable that the walls, as well as the arch, are plas-

tered

It have cost a la-

bour
and painted. would week's

to it out, impression was, that, in

clear and my

dirt having been

consequence of the piled up against

the for an
length time, through a
walls unknown of

long rainy seasons, the colours were

succession of

that have been

so completely effaced nothing would

discovered to for the labour.

compensate

It now
dark. My day's had
was nearly work

been a I was tired

severe one. and covered with

but the next

day was Sunday, the last
garrapatas,

the fiesta, I determined on to the

of and returning

that There was a brilliant

village night. moonUght,

hurrying on, at I saw, at the

and, eleven o'clock end

a long the illuminated firont the

of straight road, of

Jalacho. Very soon, the

church of amid shining

lights thousands, I forgot tions

desola-
and congregated

ruins, and sympathies once more mov-

and my ed

the living. I by the tables the

with passed of

gamblers, worked my way through the plaza and

through a Indians, fell back in ence

defer-
crowd of who

to the colour of my skin, and, to

unexpectedly

friends, at the baile. This time

my presented myself

I had no disposition to For the last

sleep. night of

the fiesta the had sent

forth
neighbouring villages
 CONDITION OF THE INDIANS. 207

their the ball wafi larger

all ; and gayer of whites and

those in blood ran,

whose veins white while outside,

leaning the looking in, but not

upon railing, ming
presu-

to were files Indians, beyond,

enter, close of and

in the was a dense mass them

plaza, of "
natives of

the land lords the in

and of soil, that strange people

I had just been

whose ruined cities wandering, sub-
mitting

to the dominion bound

quietly of strangers,

down trained to the most submission,

and abject and

looking to the white man as a superior

being.
up

Could these be the descendants that fierce

of people

had bloody to the ish

Span-
who made such resistance

!
conquerors

At the ball broke fireworks

eleven o'clock up, and

were let from the balustrade the

off of church.

These the El Castillo,

ended with national piece of

and at twelve o'clock, when we went away, the

was as fiill Indians as at At

plaza of midday. no

time in the had I been

since my arrival country so

struck with the peculiar constitution things in

of

Yucatan. Originally out as

portioned slaves, the

Indians as servants.
Veneration for mas-
ters
remain

is the first lesson they learn, these masters,

and

the descendants the terrible in cen-

of conquerors, turies

have lost ness

fierce-
of uninterrupted peace all the

their ancestors.
Gentle, averse to bour
la-
of and

themselves, they impose no heavy burdens upon

the Indians, but humour their

understand and ways,

the two on harmoniously together,

and races move

with to firom each

form-
nothing apprehend other,
208 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

ing a state
simple, primitive, and almost patriarchal

so is the sense se-

of society ; and strong of personal curity,

that, notwithstanding the crowds of stran-

gers,

day Don Simon had sat

and although every

doors on the table,

with open and piles of money

so little was there that we

apprehension of robbery,

a door or locked.
slept without window
 A OBAND FROCBSaiOR. S09

CHAPTER X.

Sunday." Mass." A Procession. ^Intoxicated Indians. Sol

grand "
"

out for Maxcanfi. A Caricoch^. Scenery." Arrival Mazca-

" "
at

Caye Mazcani. Threading An

"". "
of " a
LaXi^nrinth."-Alarm.-^

An abrupt Termination." Important DiM^OTery.- Labyrinth nol

subterraneous. More Mounds. Journey Grand

" "
continued. "

Tiew. "
Another Mound. Accident. ^Village Opoche-
"

^An
"
of

qae. "
View from the Sierra. "
More Rnins. " ^Return to UzmaL

" Change of Quarters." An Addition to the Household. "

^Bean*
tiful Scene.

The next
day was Sunday. The was
chnrch

duronged for mass were burned,

grand ; candles and

offerings were made to the amoimt of many medio%

at the bells tolled for the

and nine o'clock sion,
proces-

the scene the fiesta. The

crowning of church

was its the was

emptied of votaries, and plaza aliye

hurrying to take a in the

with people place proces*

or to see it I into the Plaza

sion, pass. climbed up
de Toros, had a box to
and whole mysel"

The the the buD-riug was

space along side of

first a long In-

dians
thronged ; and came procession of

lighted ; then the ministro with

with candles

large it,
the silver salver, and money upon ing
present-

it on to receive additional offerings.

either side

As it it
passed, a woman walked up and put upon

two her Then came, borne on

reales, probably all

barrow the heads the the figure

a above of crowd,

Vol. L" D d
210 INCIDBNT8 OF TRAVEL.

had so
in the
which attracted much veneration

Santiago horseback, his

chnrch, on with scarlet and

embroidered mantle and green velvet pantaloons

bordered This was followed by the

with gold.

cora, a fat, half-breed, with

his two
yellow-looking

dirty-faced Directly me the

assistants. under cession
pro-

stopped, and the priests, taming toward the

figure the a This over, the

of saint, set up chant

figure on, firom time to time,

moved and stopping

to its the
continued work way around church, until

finally it was to its on the So

restored place altar.

the fair Jalacho the fete Santiago,

ended of and of

the I had seen in die

second which since my arrival

both the influence

country, and exhibiting powerful

of the ceremonials of the church over the minds of

the Indians. Throughout the this the

state, class of

inhabitants ^ tax twelve

pays annually of reales per

bead for the the cura it was

support of ; and said

on the that the Indians at this fiesta had

ground

hundred dollars for five hundred

paid eight salves,

for aves, hundred for masses, if true,

and six which,

was an enormous sum out of their small earnings.

But the fiesta was over, immediately the

and almost

was in to for home.

crowd motion, preparing set out

At three lined
o'clock every street was with people,

some less heavily laden than they

and others more

came, some carrying home the head

and respectable

a family in a brutal intoxication;

of state of and
here I I had firequentiy
particularly remarked, what

observed before, that the intoxication

among all of
 A CARICOCHE. 211

the Indians, it was a rare thing to see a woman in

that it was an interesting to

state ; really spectacle

see these poor women, with their children around

them, homeward their in-

toxicated
supporting and conducting

husbands.

At four I set Don Lorenzo Peon,

o'clock off with

brother Don Simon, for Maxcanu. Our

a of mode

in Yucatan, but new to

of conveyance, much used

me, a
It was a long
was called caricoche. wagon,

on two large
wheels, covered with cotton cloth as a

the sun, on the bottom was

protection against and

a broad mattress, on two

stretched which persons

at full length. If they it

could recline would sit up,

was lai^e for three or four. It was drawn

enough

by one horse, a driver as

with riding postillion, and

horse followed to The

another change. road was

broad^ even, level. It was the be-

and camino real

tween Merida Campeachy, in

and and would pass

for a fair All

any country carriage-road. along we

Indians from the fair. In

passed parties of returning

an hour we came in the erses

trav-
sight of sierra which

at that the Yucatan

point whole peninsula of

from east to west. The hills was

sight of cheering,

and with the reflection of the setting sun upon them,

they the first fine I had

presented almost scenery

in the In an hour ten

encountered country. and

we
Maxcanu, twelve distant,
minutes reached miles

being by far the at

I ever trav-
elled
greatest speed which

in Yucatan.

The hacienda Don Lorenzo was in this

of nei^-
 212 fNCIDINTB OF TRAVEL.

bourhood, he had a large house in the

and village^

At we My in to this
which stopped. ol)^ct coming

to La Cneva de Maxcan6, the

place was visit or

Cave MaxcanA. In the

of evening, when notice

was intention, half the was

given of my village ready

ID join me, but in the were

morning my volunteers

not forthcoming, I was to the men

and reduced

for me by Don Lorenzo. FrcMU the time

procured

in the men leather

consumed getting and procuring

torches, "C., I did till nine

cord, not get off after

o'clock.
Our direction was due east dll we reached

the sierra, ascending which through a passage over-

grown

with at eleven o'clock we arrived at

woods,

the or door, the cueva" about a

mouth, rather of

league distant from the village.

I had before heard caves, had

so much of and

been so disappointed, that I did not

often expect

from this but the first me in

much ; view satisfied

to the that it was not a nat-

regard main point, viz., ural

cave, that, as had been to me,

and represented

it was hecha k mano, or by hand.

made

La Cueva de Maxcand, or the Cave Maxcanu,

of

has in that a
region marvellous and mystical tation.
repu-

It is by the Indians Satun Sat,

called which

means in Spanish El Laberinto or El Perdedero, the

Labyrinth, or in one be lost withstanding

Not-
place which may

its a name
wonderful reputation, and

in induce a
which alone, any other country, would

thorough it is a fact, ex-

exploration, singular and hibits

more than I can

strikingly anything mention
 A LABYRINTtt/ 213

the indifference of the people of all classes to the an"r

tiquities the that to the time

of country, up of my

at the door, this Laberinto had never been

arrival

My friend Don Lorenzo Peon

examined. would

^ve facility for it joining

me
every exploring except

himself. Several had to

me persons penetrated some

distance, a held but had turned

with string outside,

back, the belief was, that it

and universal contained

passages without number and vtdthout end.

Under these I feh

circumstances, certainly some

degree as I in the doorway^

of excitement stood
The name those
very called up stupcibdous workil

in Crete on the the Moeritic Lake

and shores of

are now discredited as fabulous.

which almost

My men,
retinue consisted of ei^t who ered
consid-

themselves in besides three or four

my employ,

together formed a
supernumeraries, and all crowd

the door. Except the Uxmal, I

around mayoral of

had never seen one them before, as I

of and consid-^

it important to have a man 1

ered reliable outside,

him at the door a ball twine. I

stationed with of

tied one left told one

end round my wrist, and of

the men to light a torch follow me, but he re-

and fused

absolutely, and all the rest, one after the er,

oth-

did the same.

They were to
all ready enou^
hold the I was to know,
string; and curious and

had them on the interesting

a conference wiih poin^

they for their ia

whether expected any pay services

doors. One for

standing out of expected pay show-
ing

the for water,

me place, others carrying another
 214 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

for taking care the horses, so on, bat I ter*

of and

the matter
by declaring that I
minated abruptly

should not pay one of them a

medio ; and, ordering

them firom the door, they

all away which were

a little infected one their

smothering, and with of

some bea"t,
apprehensions of starting wild which

be his lair in the recesses the cave,

might making of

I a in one hand a in
entered with candle and pistol

the other.

The entrsmce
faces the west
The was
mouth

filled over I stood

up with rubbish, scrambling which,

in a narrow or like
passage gallery, constructed, all

the apartments above ground, with smooth walls and

triangular This was

arched ceiling. passage about

four feet seven

feet high to the top the
wide, and of

It due east, at the distance or

arch. ran and of six

into or was
eight yards opened another, rather stop-
ped

by it,
another crossing and running north and

I took first that on the hand,

south. right running

At the distance a few on the

south. of yards, right

the I found a door, filled at the

side of wall, up, and

distance thirty-five feet the

of passage ended, and a

door at on the left into

opened right angles another

due east
Following this, at the
gallery running

distance thirteen feet I found

of another gallery on

the left, beyond it, at the

running north, and end, still

on the left, four

another, also and running north,

long, then an
yards and walled up, with only ing
open-

in it a foot
about square.

Turning back, I the 1 had

entered gallery which
 THREADING A LABYRINTH. 2^15

ran north eight or ten at

passed, and which yards ;

the was a doorway on the into a

end right, opening

that ran east At the this were

gallery end of six

one
foot high two leading to
steps, each and wide,

ran north twelve At

another gallery, which yards.

the there came on the left,

end another gallery which

ran west ten

yards, and at the end of this another

the feet This

on
right, ronning north about sixty

passage was
walled up at the north end, and at the

distance five from this way

door-
of yards end another

led into a to the east At the

passage running

distance four a crossed this at

of yards gallery right

forty-five feet long,

angles, running north and south,

at
both three or
four
and walled up ends ; and yards

farther it,
on another gallery crossed also running

This last was at the

north and south. walled up

the led to still

south, and on north another gallery,

east, three long. This

which ran yards was stop-
ped

by it, to the
another gallery crossing running

three it was to
south yards, when walled up, and

the it turned to the

north eight yards, when west

In utter
ignorance the I found
of ground, myself

turning doubling these dark narrow

and along and

to have
passages, which seemed really no end, and

justly to the to its name El Labe-

entitle place of

rinto.

I free firom the

was not entirely apprehension of

starting some
wild animal, and moved slowly and

In the mean time, in turning the

very cautiously.

comers, twine be the In-

my would entangled, and
216 INQIDBNTS OF TRAVCL.

dians, moved
by the probability no
of getting pay

to it, by degrees came

entered clear and all up with

me in a body. I a their torches be-

hind
got glimpse of

me just as I was tmming into a new passage,

at the moment I was by a

and startled noise which

sent me back rout-

rather quickly, and completely ed

them. It firom a bats,

proceeded rushing of

having a sort horror these beastly birds,

and, of of

this was an to meet them in, for the

ugly place sage
pas-

was so low, there was so Uttle room for

and

a flight over head, that in there

walking upright

was danger their the face. It

^eat of striking was

to move the head bent down,

necessary with and

the lights from the flapping their

protecting of

Nevertheless, was
wings. every step exciting, and

the Pyramids tombs

called up recollections of and of

Egypt, I not but believe that these dark

and could

intricate introduce me to some

and passages would

large saloon, or some Belzo-

perhaps royal sepulchre.

the tomb Cephrenes its sar-

ni, and of and alabaster cophagus,

were floating through brain,

my when all at

I found the
once passage choked up and effectually

The had fallen in, by a

stopped. ceiling crushed

mass farther
great of superincumbent earth, and

was impossible.
progress utterly

I was not
for this termination
prepared abrupt

The were so in
walls and ceiUng solid and such

good condition that the possibiUty of such a result

had not to me. I was sure on to

occurred of going

Iha discovering I
end and something, and was ar-
 AN ABBUPT TEBMINATIOB. 217

knowing better than I en-

rested without any when tered

to
what these led, or for
point passages what

thej had been My first im*

purposes constructed.

was, not to turn back, but to begin ately

immedi-
pulse

dig a through but the impossibility

and way ;

in this
of accomphshing anjrthing way soon pre-
sented

itself. For the Indians to out the

carry earth

on their backs through all these be

passages would

a besides, I had no idea how

never-ending work ;

far the destruction for the

extended, and, present at

least, be done.
nothing could

In a utter
disappointment, I
spirit of pointed out

to the Indians the mass that, as it

of earth were,

all hopes, told them to

maliciously cut off my and

an to their lying the Laberinto

put end stories about

its having in disappointment I

and no end ; and my

began to feel most the heat

sensibly excessive and

the I had hardly

closeness of place, which perceived

before, now became almost insufferable

and which

firom the the torches the Indians

smoke of and cho-
king

the narrow passage.

All that I do, that was

could and very unsatisfac-

lory, was to find out the of this subterraneous

plan

structure. I had me a
with pocket compass, and,

the heat the little

notwithstanding and smoke, and

help that the Indians me, ances,

annoy-
afforded under all

the sweat
dropping on memo-
and with my randum

book, I back to the door.

measured

I a few for firesh

remained outside moments air,

again to explore the passage which

and entered

Vol. I." E e 19
 218 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

branched to the left the door. I had just

off of gone

for to have hopes by the

enough my revived pros-
pect

some I found
of satisfactory result, when again

the by the falling in burial

passage choked up and

of the arch.

I took the bearings this too.

measured and of

From the heat

annoyance, this
excessive and plan

be correct, therefore I do
maynot very and not sent
pre-

it The description the to

will enable reader

form idea the the

some general of character of struc-
ture.

In that to the left the door, I

exploring part of

an important discovery. In the one

made walls of

hole inches
of the passages was a eight square, which

light, looking through it, I saw some

admitted and

dusky legs, did belong

plump and which clearly not

to the I Recognised
antiguos, and which easily as

those of my worthy attendants.

Having heard the as a

place spoken of neous
subterra-

I the
construction, and seeing, when reached

a half-buried door a mass

ground, with of overgrown

it, it had not to me to think

earth above occurred
but on I found that
otherwise ; examining outside,

I had taken for an irregular formation,

what natural

like a hill-side, was a the same

pjrramidal mound of

with the rest we had seen in

general character all

the Making the Indians some

country. clear away

thorn-bushes, the help the branches a

with of of

tree near
I it On the top were
growing climbed up

the of a building, the same as all the

ruins others.
 A FIT OF ENTHUSIASM. 219

The door El Laberiuto, instead into

of of opening

a hill-side, into this as near as I

opened mound, and,

judge from the the base, was ten

could ruins along

feet high, the Laberinto, instead being

and of terraneous,
sub-

or, rather, under the surface of the earth

was in the body this Heretofore it had

of mound.

been our impression that those were

mounds solid

and masses of stone and earth, without any

compact

or kind, the ery

discov-
chambers structures of any and

this to the exciting

idea that the
of gave rise all

great mounds scattered over the country contained

secret, unknown,
hidden chambers,
and presenting

an immense field for discovery,

exploration and and,

as the buildings on their were,

mined summits haps
per-

the source left for knowledge

only acquiring of

the by the were

people whom cities constructed.

I was at a loss to know to do. I

really what

was almost tempted to

abandon everything else, send

to leave the till

word my companions, and not spot

I had down the ed

discover-
pulled whole mound, and

secret
it but it was not a
every contained ; work

to be in a hurry, I determined to
undertaken and

leave it for a future Unfortunately, in

occasion.

the in distant re-

multiplicity of other occupations gions

the I never had an

of country, opportunity of

to this It its
returning mound. remains with all

it, the some fd-

mystery around worthy enterprise of

tore I cannot but indulge the hope that

explorer, and

the time is not

far distant its be
when mystery will

that is hidden brought to light

removed and all
220 mCIBEllTB OF TRAVEL.

In the I had this Laby*

accouut which received of

rinth, had been

no mention made of any ruins, and

on the I have heard

probably, when gromid, should

them, but from the top this 1

nothing of of mound

two both a deal

saw others, of which, with good of

labour, I the the Indians,

reached under guidance of

a beans I them
crossing patch of and milpa. ascended

both. On the top one was a building or

of eighty

hundred feet long. The front had fadlen,

a wall and

left the inner the back

exposed part of wall, with

half the it itself in the

arch, as were, supporting aii.

The Indians then led me to a fourth

mound, and

told me that there were

in the but
others woods, all

in the same considering

ruinous condition; and,

the heat the desperate toil

excessive and of bering,
clam-

I did not think it to them.

worth while visit

I saw no those I have

sculptured stones, except

before dug like troughs,

mentioned, out and called

though the Indians in that

pilas, persisted saying

there were over, but they did not know ex

such all

actly where to find them.

At three I journey toward

o'clock resumed my

Uxmal. For a distance the lay the

short road along

the a mere bed the

ridge of sierra, of rock, on which

horse's hoofs ing

Com-
clattered and rang at every step.

out the brow the we had

upon of sierra, one of

those grand views which everywhere present selves

them-

from this an immense

mountain range ; ed
wood-
in this broken by
plain, place only a small spot

like a the
square on a
chess-board, clearing of the
 ikHOTHBR HO 17 IT IT* 221

hacienda Santa Cros. We ddseended the

of sierra,

at the foot it the

and of struck camino reaL

About an hour before dark, a leagae before

and

the C^ocheqne, I saw the

reaching village of on

left, near the a high an on

road, mound, with edifice

its top, at that distance, as seen through the

which

trees, It in a
seemed almost entire. stood corn-field.

I was not looking for the kind,

out anything of and

hot for the for the I

clearing made milpa, could not

have seen it at
I threw the bridle honie
all. of my

to the domo, for it, but it was

major and made ncyt

access. The field, to thb

very easy of according

"ishion the was by a fence,

of country, enclosed

brush briers
which consisted of all the and collected

on the or feet high as

clearing, six eight and many

wide, afibrding a sufficient barrier

against wild cattle.

In to cross this, I broke through,

attempting sinking

to in the
almost my neck middle, and was erably
consid-

torn by thorns before I over into tbe

got

Diilpa.

The on one the lated,

iso-
mound stood side of milpa,

the building it, the lower to

and of upon part,

the was Above the the

cornice, standing. cornice

outer had fallen, but the

wall roof remained, and

was There was no firom

within all entire. view

the top beyond the was forest,

; milpa all and what

lay buried in it I had no means of ascertaining.

The was desolate there was no

place silent and ;

I I nevei
one of whom could ask any questions.

heard these till I saw them from the back

of ruins
222 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL

horse, I never learn by name

of my and could what

they are called.

At half we the Opoche-

past six reached village of

In the the was a large fount-

ain,
qne. centre of plaza

women were drawing water, on

at which and

a Mestizo family, two men

one side was with play-
ing

the We for a
guitar. stopped cup of water, and

then, on by a bright at
pushing moonlight, nine

the Moona, the

o'clock reached village of which

former
reader of my volumes may remember was

the first our journey on leaving Uxmal for

stage of

home.

Early the next we our

morning resumed course.

Immediately behind the we the

village crossed ra,
sier-

the same broken stony

and range, commandiDg

on both the same a boundless

sides grand view of

In hour distance
wooded plain. an we saw at a on

our left the high from the

mound of ruins visible

House the Dwarf, known the Indian

of under name

Xcoch. About five before mal,

Ux-
of miles arriving at

I saw on the high The

right another mound.

intervening was trees thorn-

space covered with and

bushes, but I it dismounting. On

reached without

the top were two buildings feet

about eighteen each,

the the outer fallen. Of

with upper part of walls

both, the inner was

part, entire.

At twelve I Uxmal. The extent

o'clock reached

journey had been thirteen leagues, or thirty-

of my

for though I had route in re-

nine miles ; varied my turning,

I had not increased the distance, I had

and
 RETURN TO UXMAL. 223

seen seven different

places of ruins, memorials of

had been had away,

cities which and passed and

as no built by the Spaniards

such memorials cities

in that present
country would

The Uxmal themselves to

ruins of presented me

as a home, I looked them more terest

in-
and upon with

than before. I had found the wrecks of cities

more than I but they

scattered numerously expected,

were so that no instruction

all shattered voice of

issued from them here they tottering

; still stood,

but living more

and crumbling, memorials, worthy

than ever investigation as I then

of and study, and

thought, knowing more distant,

not what others of

which we had heard, the

might prove, perhaps only

existing vestiges that could transmit to

posterity the

image an American
of city.

As I I saw on the terrace our beds,

approached,

fluttering in the
with moscheto-nets wind, and

trunks boxes turned out

doors, having
and all of

the a forcible
very much appearance of ejectment
or ouster
for rent but on
non-payment of ; arriving

I found that were In the

my companions moving.

its three doors, they had found selves

them-
great sala, with

too to the heavy dews

much exposed and

they to a
night air, and were about removing er
small-

being that next to the last on the

apartment, south

had but one door, more ea-

wing, which and could sily

be kept dry by fire. They were then

a engaged

in house, the moment

cleaning and at of my arrival

I was in to the rooms

called consult whether should
224 INCIDBNTS OF TRAVEL.

After some deliberatioSp

cmdergo another sweeping.

it was
decided in the two
affirmative, and about

bushels more
dirt were out,
couraged
dis-
of carried which

us
from the
carrying process of cleaning

farther.
any

During an had been

my absence addition made

to our household in a servant

forwarded from Mer-

ida by the kindness the Dona Joaquina

active of

Peon. He was a dark Mestizo Albino,

named

thick, so being that

short and and near squint-eyed

the first I thought him a

for tor
Doc-
at glance subject
Cabot to on. Bernaldo was on
practise still

hand, as Chaipa Chi, the former the tor's

doc-
also under

instructions, as
de Chaipa
chef cuisine, and

devoting her to the business in

still all energies

which she shone, the making of tortillas.

In the we were in
afternoon comfortably settled

our new
We the
quarters. continued precaution

kindling a
fire in corner, to drive
of one
away ma-
laria,

at we had bonfire doors.

and night a out of

The bushes had been down

grass and which cut on

the terrace, dried by the hot

parched and sun, were

for the fire the flames lighted the facade

ready ; up

of the they died the

great palace, and when away,

full moon
broke it, its
upon mellowing rents and

fissures, a scene beau-

tiful.
and presenting mournfully
 THE STORM EL NORTE. 225

CHAPTER XI.

Superintending Indians." Storm El Norte." Arrival of Don

-The
Simon. Subterraneous Chambers. Discovery broken Pot*
" "
of

tery a Terra Cotta Vase. Great Number of these Cham-

and "

bers. Their Uses. Harvest of the Maize Crop.

"
probable "
"

Practical Views.-" System Agriculture in Yucatan. Planting

of "

Corn. A Threshing Machine. News from Home.

of "
primitive "

More Practice in Surgery. A Bedstead. A Leg tient.

Pa-
" "

rude "

"
An Arm Patient. "
Increasing Sickness on the da.
Hacien-

Death an Indian Woman. Campo Santo. Digging

"
of "

^A
"

a Grave. "
An Indian P'uneral.

The next day I

resumed my occupation of intending
super-

tiie Indians. It was, perhaps, the hardest

labour I had in that to look on see

country and

them it was to be them

work, and necessary with

the time for if not they not

all ; watched, would

work at all.

The next day a drizzling the

opened with rain,

beginning the storm the

of prevailing of country,

called El Norte. This storm, we were told, rarely

occurred at this season, and the mayoral said that

it was over, the dry cer-

after regular season would tainly

in. The thermometer fell to fifty-two,

set

to feelings the was

for the
and our change much

better. In fact, we had begun to feel a degree

of

lassitude, the the heat, this

effect of excessive ai\^
us.
change restored and reinvigorated

This day, too, the beginning the storm,

with of
Vol, I." F f
226 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

Don Simon from Jalaclio, to

arrived according

to as a
He was not
in the habit
promise, pay visit.

Uxmal. at this season, though less

of visiting and

fearful than his family, he was

other members of

on account the health

not without apprehensions of

the In fact, he had himself

of place. suffered much

from an illness there. At the hacienda

contracted

he found the had just

mayoral, who returned with

me from Jalacho, ill or fever. This,

with calentura

the the Norther, did not tend

with cold and rain of

to restore his We insisted on his be-

equanimity.

but to let him

eoming our guest, agreed off at night

on account the His was a tunate

for-
of moschctoes. visit

for us;
his knowledge local-
ities,
circumstance of

his disposition to forward our

and views, gave

us facilities in our the

great exploration of ruins, and

at the same time our in-

duced
presence and co-operation

him to his own in to

satisfy curiosity regard

some things had not

been
which yet examined.

Throughout the holes were found

ruins circular

at different in the into

places ground, opening cham-
bers

had^never been
underneath, which examined,

and the character of which was entirely unknown.

We Ijad them, at the time our former

noticed of

visit, on the platform the terrace though

of great ; and

this platform was now entirely overgrown, and many

them were hidden from in

of sight, opening a path

to communicate the hacienda we had laid

with

bare two. The had lately discovered

mayoral an-
other

at some distance the so

outside wall, perfect
 SUBTERRANEOUS CHAMBERS. 227

at tbe month, so deep on

and apparently sounding

it a stone, that Don Simon to

with wished ex-
plore

it

The next
he came to the dians,
In-
morning ruins with

ropes, we began immediately

and candles, and

with one
of those on the platform
before the Casa

del Gobernador. The was a hole,

opening circular

inches in diameter. The throat

eighteen consisted

five layers a deep, to a stratum

of of stones, yard of

As it dark beneath, before scending,

de-
solid rock. was
all

in to the pure
im-
order guard against effects of

we let down soon touch-

ed
air, a caudle, which

bottom. The descending was to

only way of

tie a the body, be lowered by the

rope around and

Indians. In this I let down,

way was and almost

before head had the bote feet

my passed tlirough my

heap high directly

touched the top of a of rubbish,

hole, falling the bering

Clam-
under the and off at sides.

down it, I found in a

myself round chamber,

filled that I not upright.

so with rubbish could stand

With in hand, I on
a
candle my crawled all round

hands knees. The was in the

my and chamber

dome, had been

shape of a and coated with ter,
plas-

had fallen, now

most of which and encumbered

the The depth not

be
ground. could ascertained

the interior. In
without clearing out groping about

I found broken a vase of

pieces of pottery, and

terra foot in diameter,

cotta, about one of good

having it a coat enamel,

workmanship, and upon of

had lost some its

which, though not worn off, of
228 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.^

brightness. It had three feet, an inch

each about

high, is broken. In it
one of which other respects

was entire.

The discovery this vase was- encouraging.

of

Not these had ever been

one cf places explored.

Neither Don Simon the Indians knew

nor any of

them, them now for

anything about and, entering

the first time, were by the hope that we

we excited

had discovered a
ing
interest-
rich mine of curious and

fabrics by inhabitants this

wrought the of ruined

Besides this, had

city. we already ascertained one

in to doubtful' before.
point regard which we were

This terrace was The

great not entirely artificial.

substratum was of natural rock, and showed that

had been taken a so

advantage of natural elevation,

far it went, by
as and this means some portion of

the immense labour the terrace had

of constructing

been
saved.

On the same terrace, directly at the foot the

of

steps, was another the same kind,

opening of and,

on we found by a
clearing around, near circular

stone inches in thickness, fitted the

about six which

hole, no doubt had as a This

and served cover.

hole was filled dirt to two feet

up with within of ihe

mouth, some Indians to it

and setting at work clear

out, we on in
passed search of another.

Descending the terrace, behind the

and passing

high towers between

and nameless mound which

the Casa del Gobernador Casa de Palomos, the

and

Indians bushes, brought as

cleared away some and
 AN EMPTY VAULT. 229

"

to but a few feet from the

another opening, path we

had through, hidden from the

cut entirely view until

The was to that

clearing was made. mouth similar

the first the throat a deep, the

of ; about yard and

Indians lowered me down,

without any obstruction,

to the bottom. *

The Indians looked our these

upon entering ces
pla-

as foolhardy, besides nary

imagi-
senseless and and,

dangers, they talked of snakes, scorpions, and

hornets, the last from the we

of which, experience

had had them in different the were

of parts of ruins,

fear for a swarm them

really objects of ; of coming

in a
upon a man such place, would almost murder

him before he be hauled out.

could

It did however,
much time to explore
not, require

It was perfect and en-

tire
this vault. clear of rubbish,

in its decay,
all parts, without any symptoms of

to the lapse
and all appearances, after of unknown

fit for the uses to it was

years, which originally plied.
ap-

Like the one on the terrace, it was

dome-

the fell in a little toward the tom,

bot-
shaped, and sides

like a haystack. The height was

well-made

ten feet inches directly the

and six under mouth,

it was seventeen
feet inches in diameter.
and six

The in a
walls and ceiling were plastered, still good

state the floor was

hard mor-
tar.
of preservation, and of

Don Simon Dr. Cabot were lowered down,

and

and we examined every part thoroughly.

Leaving this, we went on to a third, which was

20
230 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

"

the that
it was a little
exactly same, except smaller,

being five in diameter.

only yards

The fourth was the one had just been covered,

dis-
which

had the the

and which excited curiosity of

It was a few feet a

mayoral. outside of wall which,

as Don Simon be traced through the

said, might

broken it met
woods, and ruined, until and enclosed

its die the buildings.

within circle whole of principal

The in the
mouth was
covered with cement, and

throat was a large stone

filUng it the ma-
up, which yoral,

on discovering it, had thrown in to

prevent

horses or from falling through. A was

cattle rope

the stone, it was hauled The

passed under and out.

throat was than hardly

smaller any ofthe others, and

large to the body a man. In

enough pass of shape

finish it was the same as the

and exactly others, with

a difference in the sions.

dimen-
perhaps slight shade of

The this was, to

smallness of mouth my

mind, strong proof that these subterraneous cham-

bers

had never been intended for

any purposes which

men to descend into them. I

required was
really at

a loss how to out.

The Indians had no me-
get chanical

help kind, but were to

of any obliged stand

over the hole hoist by dead I

and pull, making, as

had found before, a jerking, irregular movement

The throat was so that there was no for

small play

the arms, to
enable me to
raise by the
myself up

rope, the stones the were cure

inse-
and around mouth

and tottering. I was to trust to them,

obliged

they involuntarily knocked head

and my against
GREAT NUMBER OF THESE CHAMBERS. 231

the Stones, let down me a dirt,

upon shower of and

me a severe that I had sition

dispo-
gave such rasping no

that time to descend In fact,

at another. they

too were tired out, it was a business in

and which,

on our own at
least, it do to
account would not

overtask them.

We were
disappointed in
not
finding
extremely

more vases or kind. We

any relics of any could

not account
for the one found in the chamber under

the terrace, were to that it had

and obUged suppose

been thrown in or there by

got accident.

These are
subterraneous chambers scattered over

the by the
whole ground covered ruined city.

There was one in the before the cienda,

ha-
cattle-yard

the Indians were discovering

and constantly

them at
distances. Dr. Cabot found them
greater

in his hunting once, in

continually excursions, and

breaking through bushes in a bird, fell into

search of

one, a injury indeed,

and narrowly escaped serious ;

there were so them, in

many of tnd places where

they were so little to be that they

expected, made

the dangerous, to
rambling out of cleared paths and

the last day our we were finding

of visit constantly

new ones.

That they were for some

constructed specific

had some definite that that

purpose, object, and ob-
ject
there doubt, but it
was
uniform, was no what

in ignorance the habits the it

was, our of of people,

was difficult to Don Simon thought that the

say.

was hard to hold water,

cement not enough and
232 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

hence that they were not intended as or

cisterns

but for or
reservoirs, granaries store-houses of maize,

from our knowledge the

which, earliest of gines
abori-

down to the day, has been the

present staff of

life to the inhabitants. In this however,

opinion,

we did not concur,

from we saw
and what after-
ward,

believe that they were intended as cisterns,

had furnished, in at least, a wa-

ter
and part supply of

to the of the ruined city.

people

We to our to dine, in the

returned apartments and

Don Simon to sec the vest

har-
afternoon accompanied

the The field in front

of maize crop. great of

the Casa del Gobernador was planted with corn,

on the we learned a fact be

and way which may

interesting to in the
agriculturists neighbourhood

of those numerous cities throughout our country

being destined to
which, of premature growth, are

become The debris ize

fertil-
ruins. of ruined cities

land. Don Simon told that the

and enrich us

Uximl was for

ground about excellent milpas or

He had never had a better

corn-fields. crop of

than that the last indeed, it

maize of year; was so

that he had a the same land a

good planted part of

time, is a thing
second which unprecedented under

tlieir system of
Don Simon
agriculture ; and 'had

another practical view of the value of these ruins,

have done for the our

which would meridian of own

Pointing to the buildings, he that

city. great said

if he had Uxmal the banks Mississippi, it

on
of the

be an immense fortune, for there

would was stone
 PRIMITIVE AGRICULTURE. 233

to street in New-Orleans, out

with-
enough pave every

to the North for it, as it was

sending necessary

to do but, to be in
; not outdone sensible views of

that if he had it on the banks

things, we
suggested

Mississippi, from the

of the easy of access, preserved

is now hurrying it to destruc-

tion,
rank vegetation which

it like Hercuianeum Pompeii,

would stand and

a for tbe that it

place of pilgrimage curious ; and

be a better to a fence
would much operation put

it for than to the

around and charge admission, sell

stone for streets.

paving

By this time we had the foot the race,

ter-
reached of

a few brought us into the

and steps corn-field.

The in Yucatan is
system of agriculture rather

Besides hemp the In-

dians
primitive. and sugar, which

to on their own account,

seldom attempt raise

the principal products of the country are corn,

beans, like our

and calabazas, pumpkins and es,
squash-

camotes, which are perhaps the parent of our

Carolina or last
potatoes, and chili pepper, of which

an inordinate is both by
th#In-
quantity consumed,

dians Spaniards. Indian corn, however, is the

and

the this dif-

fers
great staple, and cultivation of probably

but little now from the followed by tbe

system

Indians before the In the dry season,

conquest.

in the January February,

generally months of and

a is in the from the

place selected woods, which

trees are cut down burned. In May or June

and

the corn is This is done by little

planted. making

holes in the a in
ground with pointed stick, putting
Vol. I." G g
 234 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

a few corn covering them over. Once

graius of and

in the it is left to take care itself, if

ground, of and

it not
it is that the laAd is
will grow, considered not

having. The corn has a fair start the

worth with

they keep together. The

iveeds, and pace amicably

hoe, harrow are in-

deed,
plough, and entirely unknown ;

in the last two be

general neither of could

on the face the

used, account of stony of country :

the is the instrument

machete only employed.

The the Uxmal had been

milpa around ruins of

more than usually neglected ; the crop turned out

badly, but as it was, the Indians from three

such of

' Don Simon's haciendas, to their

adjoining according

to the master, were in it

obligation engaged getting

in. They distributed in different the

were parts of

field those we came first, I

; and of upon counted

a fifty-three. As we drew near,

small group of all

Don Simon, bowed

stopped working, approached

to him, then to us as his friends.

respectfully and

The corn had been these men were

gathered, and

in threshing it out.
A was
en^bged space cleared

hundred feet the bor-

der
of about a square, and along

it was a line hammocks hanging on

of of small

fixed in the in the Indians

stakes ground, which

during the time the harvest,

slept whole of each with

a little fire to warm him in the

underneath cool

drive the
night air, and away moschetocs.

Don Simon threw himself into one the ham-

mocks,
of

held out one his legs, was cover-

and of which ed

burrs briers. These men were

free
with and and
 A RUDE THRESHING MACHINE. 235

independent the State Yucatan but

electors of of ;

one them took in his hand Don Simgn's foot,

of

the bnrrs, the the

picked off pulled off shoe, cleaned

the laid the foot back

stocking, and, restoring shoe,

in the hammock, then took the

carefully and up

It was done as a matter course,

other. all of and

no one bestowed a thought it our-

upon except selves.

On one the was a or

side of clearing great pile

corn in the ear, to be

small mountain of ready

threshed, near by was the threshing

and machine,

not
be an in-
fringement
which certainly could considered

Yankee It was a
of any patent right.

or twenty feet
rude scaffold about eighteen square,

four for cor-

ners,
made of untrimmed upright posts

lashed to them horizontally three

with poles

or four feet from the across these was a

ground, and

layer an inch thick, by

of sticks, about side side ;

the haVe as a the

whole might served rude model of

first bedstead ever made.

The as a threshing floor, on

parallel sticks served

was thick layer corn. On

which spread a of each

side a ladder two or three

rude of rounds rested

the floor, on these ladders

against and each of stood

a Indian, a long in his hand,

nearly naked with pole

beating the corn. The fell through, at

grains and

the floor was a man a brush

each corner under with

bushes, the The

made of sweeping off cobs. shelled

corn was taken in baskets car-

afterward up and ried

to the hacienda. Thfe

whole process would
236 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

have a Genesee farmer; bat

surprised perhaps, where

laboar so
little it as
v^as costly, answered well as

the best threshing that be invented.

machine could

The next
day we had in
another welcome visiter

our fellow-passenger, Mr. Camerden, was just

who

from Campeachy, he had seen New- York

where

to the third November. Knowing our

papers of

deep interest in the our

affairs of country, and post-
poning

his own the he hasten-

ed
curiosity about ruins,

to to us the result of the city tions,

elec-
communicate

a contest
in the un-
viz., sixth ward and entire certainty

was uppermost.
which party

Unfortunately, Mr. Camerden, not being in

very

health at the time, was infected

good also with prehensions
ap-

Uxmal, as El Norte
about and still tinued,
con-

the him in
coldness and rain made uneasy a

bad Having no ill feel-

ings
place of such reputation.

him no we did
against and spare moscheto-net,

not him to at he
ask remain niglrt, and accompa-
nied

Don Simon to the hacienda to

sleep.

The next
day Doctor Cabot had a professional

at the hacienda. In both

engagement my tions
expedi-

into that our de-

partment
region of country medical

was
incomplete. On the former
occasion

we had a but no doctor, this

medicine-chest, and

time we had a
doctor, but no This
medicine-chest

had been left on

necessary appendage accidentally

board the did not come to our hands till

ship, and

some time We had a

afterward. only small stock

in Merida, tind on this account, as

purchased well
 MORE PRACTICE IN SURGERY. 237

as because it interfered his the

with other pursuits,

doctor had into

avoided entering general practice.
He was to to cases that be
willing attend might

by a but the eases

dis-
cured single operation, principal

were fevers, be
which could not cut out with

a knife. The day before, however, a Indian

young

came to the on an to Don Simon,

ruins errand who

had a leg He had

swollen with varicose veins. a

mild expression, meek and submissive manners,

and

was 'what Don Simon in his best

called, speaking of

servants, docil, or docile. He

muy very stood at

that time in an interesting being to

position, about

be Don Simon had had him Merida

married. at

six months, under the care a but

of physician, out
with-

any good result, and the young man was taking

his for better or worse, the

chance almost with cer-
tainty

becoming in a few disabled,

of years and a

mass Doctor Cabot to

of corruption. undertook

an for it was
perform operation, which purpose ne-
cessary

to to the hacienda that we

go ; and, might

return Mr. Camerden, we there to

with all went

breakfast

Under the was an Indian leaning

corridor old

a his arms folded across his

against pillar, with

breast, before him a row little Indian

and of girls,

too, arms folded, to whom

he was teaching
all, with

the formal of the church service, out a

part giving

few they hint As

words, which all repeated after

the he came to us, bowed,

we entered corridor, up

kissed our hands, the little did the

and and all girls

same.
238 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

Don Simon had breakfast for us, but we

ready

found some deficiencies. The haciendas that

of

have furniture, being

country never any surplus only

by the master once or twice a year, and then

visited

for a few days, he brings with him

only when ever
what-

he for his Uxmal

requires personal comfort

was like the rest, at that moment it was worse

and

for had it to
off, we stripped of almost every movable

our at the Our

enlarge accommodations ruins. est
great-

difficulty was seats.

All to be
about contrived

for, however, Don Simon,

provided except who

finally, as it was an extreme case, went into the

brought out the

church and great confessional chair.

Breakfast over, the doctor's was brought

patient

forward. He was on the

not consulted of
^subject
the had no his own it,
operation, and wish of about

but did as his master him. At the

ordered moment

beginning, Doctor Cabot for a bed. He had

of asked

not thought for it before, it

of asking supposing

be a but he
would ready at moment's notice ; might

almost as have for a or

well asked steamboat a

locomotive Who ever thought

engine. of wanting

a bed at Uxmal 1 was the feeling tlie In-

dians.
general of
'

They were bom in haumiocks,

all and

to die in them, a bed

expected and who wanted

he a hammock ? A bed, however

when could get

(which means a bedstead), was indispensable,

and

the Indians dispersed in a

search, returning, after

long tidings that tliey had heard

absence, with of

one on the hacienda, but it had been taken apart,

 A LEG PATIENT. 239

the were in use for

and pieces other purposes.

They were sent at

length we
off again, and received

that tlie bed was and

it
notice coming, presently

appeared advancing through the gate of tlic cattle-

in the a bundle on the

yard shape of of poles shoul-
der

an Indian.* For immediate use,

of purposes of

they as have been on the tree that

might well pro-
duced

them, but, a they were to-

gether,
after while, put

a bedstead that have aston-

and made would ished

a city cabinet-maker.

In the mean time the was looking on,

patient

the feeling a man

perhaps with somewhat of super-
intending

the his own The ease

dis-
making of coffin.

was in his leg, was as thick

right which almost

as his body, the distended

covered with ulcers, and

out
like Doctor Cabot con-
veins stood whipcords. sidered

it to cut two The Indian

necessary veins.

tlie his body on

stood up, resting whole weight of

the diseased leg, so as to bring them out to the est,

full-

himself bj^ leaning his

and supporting with

hands on a bench. One was cut, the

vein wound

bound then the was on

up, and operation performed

the by thrusting a stout

into the flesh un-
other pin der

the bringing it out on the

vein, and other side,

then a thread the head

winding round protruding

leaving the to cut its through

and point, and pin way

the fester out.

The leg was then bound
vein and

the Indian laid the bed. During

tight, and upon

time his face

the whole not a
muscle of moved, and,

except at the moment when the pin was thrust un-

 240 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

der the his hand on the

vein, when contracted

bench, it not
have been told that he was un-
could dergoing

an any
kind.
operation of

This over, we set out on our return Mr.

with

Caiuerden to the but had hardly left the

ruins, gate

the we met an Indian hLs

of cattle-yard, when with

arm in a in Doctor Cabot

sUng, coming search of

A death-warrant in his face. His

seemed written

little a
fourteen soon to
wife, girl about years old,

become a was trotting beside him, his

mother, and

case how, in those human life is

showed countries,

the ignorance. A few days

sport of accident and

before, by some he had his left

awkwardness, given

arm a severe cut near the elbow with a machete

To the bleeding, his had tied one

stop wife string

as tightly as
possible around the wrist, and another

in the hollow the arm, so it had

of and remained

three days. The treatment had been

pretty effect-
ual

in the bleeding, it had

stopping and very nearly

the his blood forever. The

stopped circulation of

hand was to
shrunken nothing, and seemed wither-
ed

the die arm between the two ligatures

; part of

was
swollen enormously, and the seat of the wound

was a mass Doctor Cabot took

of corruption. off

the fastenings, to teach her to re-

and endeavoured store

the by friction, or the

circulation rubbing arm

tlie the hand, but had no more

with palm of she

idea the the blood than the

of circulation of of

revolution of the planets.

The on being a foul

wound, probed, gave out and
 AN ARM PATIENT. 241

discharge, that was

pestilential and, when cleared

out a stream arterial blood. The

away, poured of

man had cut an Doctor Cabot had

arterial vein.

instruments him to take it

no with with which up,

and, grasping the arm

with a strong pressure on the

so as to the flow blood, he transferred

vein, stop of

the arm to me, fixing fingers the

my upon vein, and

me to hold it in that he
requesting position while

ran to the for his instruments. This was by

ruins

no If I lost the the

means pleasant right pressure,

man bleed to death having no

might ; and, regular

diploma to die on hands,

warranting people my not

to the know
willing run risk of any accident, and

ing the imperturbable the Indians, I

character of got

the arm transferred to one them, with a warning

of

that the man's life depended him. Doctor

upon

Cabot was more than half an hour, during

gone and

that time, the head was falling on

all while patient's

his fainting fits, the Indian looked

shoulder with

directly in his face, held the arm a edness

fix-
and up with

that have as a
of attitude would served

for a I do not
believe that, for a
model sculptor.

single moment, the position of the arm

varied a

hair's breadth.

Doctor Cabot dressed the the Indian

wound, and

was an even as the doctor

sent away, with chance,

for Hfe or death. The next that we

considered,

heard him, however, he was at in the fields;

of work

but for the Doctor bot,

Ca-
certainly, accidental visit of

he have been in his

would grave.

Vol. L" H h 21
242 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

After this there were delicate cases

soitne among

the women the hacienda these

of ; and multifarious

occupations consumed the whole of the morning,

we had intended to devote to Mr. Camer-

which

den the It was a

and ruins. cold and cheerless

day ; the Norther was increasing in force, he

and

saw malaria him. In the

and sickness all around

he left us to to New- York by

afternoon return the

same had brought us nately,

Unfortu-
vessel which out.

he away him the

carried with seeds of a

dangerous illness, from he did recover

which not

in
many months.

The next
day Don Simon left us, we
and were

Sickness was increasing on the enda,

haci-
again alone.

two days we
and afterwajd received notice

that Doctor Cabot's leg was ill fever,

patient with

that a woman had died that day the

and also of

same disease, was to be buried the morn-

and next ing.

We horses to be sent to the ru-

ordered up ins,

in the Dr. Cabot

and early morning and myself

to the hacienda, he to his I

rode visit patient, and

to the funeral, in the that

attend expectation such

an event, on a hacienda,
retired without any priest

disclose
or religious ceremonies, would some usage

custom
illustrative the Indian
or of ancient ter.
charac-

Leaving horse in the in

my cattle-yard, com-
pany

the I to the
with mayoral walked campo santo.

This was a in the tance

dis-
clearing woods at a short

from the house, by

square, and enclosed a

stone fence. It had been

rude consecrated with
 ACAMP08ANT0. 243

the the was intended

ceremonies of church, and as

a harial-place for "ed on the estate a

all who ; rade

befitting the for

place, rade and simple people whom

it was designed. When we wo saw a

entered

half dug, had been on

grave which abandoned ac-
count

the some Indians were then

of stones, and

in digging
occupied another.

Only one the had been as

part of cemetery used

a burial-pkee, this was indicated by little

and en
wood-

crosses, one at the head of each

planted grave.

In this the was a stone

part of cemetery enclosure

four feet high, the same in diameter,

about and

which was intended as a sort of charnel-house, and

then filled bones, in

was
wit^ skulls and whitening

the sun. I to this began exam-

moved place, and ining

the skulls.

The Indians, in digging the a crow-

grave, used bar

out thfi loose

and machete, and scooped earth

their hands. As the I heard

with work proceeded,

the crowbar enter something with a cracking, tear-

ing

it had through a human

sound: passed skull.

One the Indians dug it out his hands,

of with and,

they had it,

after all examined and commented upon

handed it to the it to me. They

mayoral, who gave

knew it was. It was that a

all whose skull of

woman had been bora brought

who and up, and

had died them, they had

who among and whom

buried the last dry little more than

only season,'1but
before. The was kdd the
a year skull npim pile,

the Indians out the arms legs,

and picked and and
244 INCIDENTS OP TRAVEL.

the bones. Below the from the

all smaller ribs,

back downward, the flesh had not

decayed, but dried

to the bones, hanging to-

gether,
up and adhered which, all

they lifted out

laid the All
and upon pile.

this was done decently

and with respect.

As I by the bones, I took

stood enclosure of up

different found that they were

known
skulls, and all

identified. The had been

and campo santo opened

but five had once sat

about years, and every skull

upon the shoulders of an acquaintance.

The were the

graves all on one
side, and on

no dead had been buried. I to the

other su^ested

that by beginning on the farther

mayoral, side, and

burying in have time to

order, every corpse would

decay become dust before its was

and place wanted
for he to think a idea,
another, which seemed good

it to the Indians,
and communicated who stopped

their looked at
him at me, then
work, and and went"

on digging. I that in a few the bones

added, years

the friend they were burying, his

of about and

own, those of all the rest of them, be

and would

handled like those on the

pulled and pile, which,

he to them, the
also, communicated and with same

In the mean time I had

effect overhauled the

skulls, and on the top two I

placed which ascertain-
ed

to be those ftiU-blooded Indians, intending to

of

appropriate and them at the first

carry off conve-
nient

opportunity.

The Indians as as if ging

dig-
worked slowly each was

his own length husband

grave, and at the of
 DIGGING A GRATE. 245

the deceased came oat, to hurry them.

apparently

He was bare-headed, had long black hair hanging

down over his dressed in a blue nel

flan-
eyes, and, clean

he he was, one the

shirt, seemed what really of

most men on the hacienda. Sitting

respectable

down by the the he took two

side of grave, sticks

were there for that one

which purpose, with of which

he the length, the the

measured and with other

breadth. This, to the least it, was

say of cool, and

the his face was that un-

expression of of stolid and bending

kind, that no idea be formed his

could of

feelings but it was not too to that a

; much suppose

man in the life, had fulfilled

early prime of who well

the duties his nmst feel some

all of station, emotion

in the one had been his

measuring grave of who

the labours the day were over,

companion when of

was the his

and who mother of children.

The was not

large he took
grave enough, and

his seat at the foot, the Indians

and waited while

it, from time to time an ment

improve-
enlarged suggesting

In the mean time Doctor Cabot on

arrived

the his one the gers

grave-dig-
ground with gun, and of

a flock flying over. They

pointed out of parrots

far kill, but Indians

were too
ofi" to as the were ways
al-

astonished at seeing a shot on the wing, and

to have him he fired,

all seemed anxious shoot, and

knocked out some feathers. The Indians laughed,

the feathers as they fell into the

watched graveyard,

then their At length the hus-

band
and resumed worL

again took the sticks, measured the grave, and

246 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

finding right, to the bouse. The In-

dians
all returned

a barrow two long

picked up rude made of

bad been thrown

poles with crosspieces, which

down by the the last it had

side of corpse carried,

went
for the dead body. They were
and off gone

so long that we thought they wished to wear out

our told the mayoral to hurry

patience, and go and

them but we heard a feet,

; presently shuffling of

the female heralding a uous

tumult-
and sound of voices,

women. On the fence

procession of reaching

of the cemetery they all stopped, and, seeing us, would

in, one Beelzebub,
not come except old who climb-

directly to the foot the

ed over, walked of grave,

leaned down, looking into it, some

and, made ex-
clamation

which set the women ing.

laugh-
all outside

This so incensed the woman that

old she

a handful stones, began

picked up of and pelting

them right left, at they

and which all scattered with

laughter, in the
great confusion and and midst of

this, the by an irregular

corpse, attended crowd of

men, women, its

and children, made appearance.
The barrow was lifted over the fence laid
and

down beside the The body had

grave. no coffin,

but was from head to foot in blue

wrapped a cotton

a border. The head

shawl with yellow was un-
covered,

the feet had

and stuck out, and on a
pair
leather cotton
of shoes and white stockings, ably
prob-

a from her husband on his return from

present

some to Merida, the woman had

visit which poor

never worn in life, he thought he

and which was

doing her honour by in her

placing grave.
 AN INDIAN BURIAL. 247

The Indians the body the

passed ropes under ;

husband himself the head, so it was

supported and

lowered into the The figure was tall,

grave. and

the face was that a woman twenty-three

of about

or twenty-four The
years old. expression was ful,
pain-

indicating that in the final struggle the had

spirit

been to leave its tenement There

reluctant mortal

was but one tears, that was

present who shed and

the the deceased, doubtless had

old mother of who

this daughter to lay her own head in the

expected

She held by the hand a bright-eyed

grave. girl,

looked on happily
who with wonder, unconscious

that her best friend on was to be laid

earth under

the The was a

sod. shawl opened, and showed

cotton
dress it the arms, were
white under ; which

folded across the breast for the car-

convenience of rying

the body, were laid down by the sides, and

the was The hus-

band
shawl again wrapped round.

himself the head, it a

arranged placed under

for a it for its nal

fi-
cotton cloth pillow, and composed

as if a *or a stone
rest as carefully pebble could

hurt it. He brushed a handful of earth over the

face the Indians filled the went

; up grave, and all

No romance hangs over a burial scene,

away. such

but it was not to follow in imagination

unnatural

the Indian to his desolate hut.

widowed

We had been disappointed in not seeing any ic

rel-

Indian as it was now eleven

of customs, and,

we had not breakfasted, we did not

o'clock and

indemnified for oar

consider ourselves particularly

trouble.
248 INCIDENTS OF TRATEt.

CHAPTER XII.

Means by the City with Water.

which was supplied "

^Aguadas.
"

A delightful Bathing-place. Manner Living at the Ruins.

"
of

"
How to roast a Pig. "
Nameless Mound." Excavations made

in it. "
Great Exertions. "
A bitter Disappointment." An Attack

Fever." Visit from the Cura Ticul." Departure for TicuL

of of

A Journey. Arrival the Convent." Arrival Dr.

"
painful " at of

Cabot, ill with Fever." Gloomy Prospects." A Remedy

simple

for Fever." Aspect Ticul. Church." Funeral Um.

of "The
"

Monument Inscription. Convent. Character of the dm

and " "

Carillo." The Date the Construction the Convent un-

of of known.

Probably built the Materials furnished by the

"
with

Ruins former Cities. the Convent.

of "

^Archives of

In the former to the

account of my visit ruins of

Uxmal, I the fact that this was en-

mentioned city tirely

destitute for
of apparent means obtaining wa-
ter.

Within the there is

whole circumference no

stream, or fountain, bears

well, and nothing which

the having been for

appearance -of used suppljdng

or obtaining water, except the subterraneous bers

cham-

before to them to
referred ; which, supposing

have been intended for that purpose, would probably

have been however numerous, to

not sufficient, ply
sup-

the wants so large a

of population.

All the water

for our own use we were
required

to from the hacienda. We felt the

obliged procure

inconvenience this during the our

of whole of resi-
dence

at the in
ruins, and very often, spite of all

our care to keep a on hand, we came in,

supply af-
 A 6 U A D A S. 249

ler hard in the sua, with thirst,

work and, parched

were to till we an Indian

obliged wait could send

to the hacienda, a distance,

going and returning, of

three miles.

Very soon our our

quiries
in-
after arrival attention and

were directed to this

particularly subject,
we were long in that
and not satisfying ourselves

the had been drawn from

principal supply aguadas,

or in the These
ponds, neighbourhood. aguadas

are now
neglected and overgrown, and perhaps, to a

certain extent, are the cause of the unhealthiness ot

Uxmal. The them we first firom

principal of saw

the top the House the Dwarf, bearing

of of west, and

perhaps a mile and a half distant We it

visited
Vol. L" I I
 250 INCIDENTS OP TRAVEL.

the the some In-

dians
under guidance of mayoral, with

to the The intervening

clear way. whole

space was overgrown with woods, the ground was

low as the the

and muddy, and, rains still continued,

was that time a

fine water. It
aguada at sheet of

was imbosomed trees,

still and
completely among

desolate, tracks deer on

its banks a few
with of ;

ducks were on its a fisher

king-
swimming surface, and

on the bough an
was sitting of ovedianging

tree, for his The told us

watching prey. mayoral

that this aguada was connected with another more

to the south, and that they continued, one after the

to distance to use his own

other, a great ; sion,
expres-

however, I did not

literally,
which, understand

there were a hundred of them.

The to these
general opinion with regard agua-

das is the same that by the cura

with expressed of

Tekoh that near

Mayapan; that
respecting viz.,

they were "hechas " mano," formations

artificial or

by the inhabitants
excavations made anci^it as res-
ervoirs

for holding water. The told us that

mayoral

in the dry season, when the water was low, the re-

maiits stone embankments were in

of stffl viable

^s we incredulous to
several places, yet were as

thdr being at but we had difficulty

all artificial, no

in believing that they had furnished inhabitants

the

Uxmal The distance, from

of with water. what

be seen hereafter, in that dry destitute

will and coun-
try

amounts to but little.

 A DELIGHTFUL BATHING-PLACE. 251

At the time our first to it, however, this

of visit

had in our a more direct

agaada eyes and personal

interest. From the difficulty water at

of procuring

the we were to in the use

ruins, obUged economize of

it, from the heat toil

while, excessive and of working

the
dust
among ruins, covered with and scratched

briers, there was we longed for so

with nothing much

the a bath, it was no

as refreshment of and tant
unimpor-

business at the to examine

part of our aguada

it answer as a bathing-place. The

whether would

more than we The

result was satisfactory expected.

was inviting. We a little cove

place actually selected

by a large tree almost out the

shaded growing of

had it,
water, a convenient space cleared around a

cut the way through the woods to the

good path all

terrace the Casa del Gobemador, on the first

of and

December we
it by our first bath.
of consecrated

The by fever
mayoral, shrunken and shattered and

by it, us
ague, stood protesting against and warning

the but we had the

of consequences ; attained only

thing for our at Uxmal, in

necessary comfort and

the height our had no

of satisfaction apprehensions

for the result

Up to this time our manner living the

of at ruins

had been our means

very uniform, and abundant.

All that was on the hacienda belonging to the mas-

ter

was ours, as were the the dians,

In-
also services of

so far as he had a to them.

right command
The the master ses,
hor-
property of consisted of cattle,

com, the last be

mules, and of \^ch only could
 252 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

Some the Indians had

counted as provisions. of a

few fowls, turkeys

pigs, and of their own, which

they were in to
general willing sell, and every morn-
ing

those who came out to brought with them

work

water, fowls, lard, beans, casionally

Oc-
eggs, green and milk.

we had a haunch Doctor

of venison, and

Cabot to our larder kinds ducks,

added several of

turkeys, doves,
wild chachalachas, quaib, pigeons,

jays, birds. Besides these,

parrots, and other smaller

we from time to time a from the

received present

Dona Joaquina or Don Simon, our

and altogether

living was better than we had ever known in ex-

ploring

Latterly, however, on account the

ruins. of

thickness the Doctor Cabot had become

of woods,

disgusted having no dog, it was some-

with sporting ; times

impossible to find one bird out he

of six, and

his to birds he for

confined shootrag which wanted

dissection. At this time, too, we intelli-

gence
received

that the fowls at the hacienda were running

short, and the eggs gave out altogether.

There was no time to be lost, we forthwith

and

despatched Albino an Indian to the

with village of

Moona, twelve distant,

miles who returned with a

back-load beans,
of eggs, rice, and sugar, and again

the down in the

sun went upon us midst of plenty.

A from Don Simon, sent

from
pig arrived another

hacienda, the the warm-

est
cooking of which enlisted

our heads departments, bino,

Al-
sympathies of all of

Bemaldo, Chaipa Chi. They had their

and

own doing it, derived from

way of national, and
 AN IMPOSING STRUCTURE. 253

their forefathers, being the same in those

way which

men women, as Ber-

respectable people cooked and

Dias "
dressing the bodies in their manner,
nal says,

is by a sort oven heated stones,

which of made with

are They an ex-

cavation
which put under ground." made

on the terrace, kindled a lai^e fire in it,

kept it burning the was heated like

and until pit

an oven. Two stones were laid in the tom,

bot-
clean

the (not was laid tbem,

pig alive) upon and

over leaves bushes, down

covered with and packed

stones so as barely to leave vent to the

with close

fire, an for the

and allow escape smoke.

While this bake was on I set out on a siness

bu-
going

at hand, but in the

close which, pressure of

matters, I had from day to day.

other postponed

On a line the back the Casa del Gobemador

with of

the high in
rises and nameless mound represented

the firontispiece, forming one the

of grandest and

most imposing structures all the

among ruins of

Uxmal. It was at that time trees

covered with and

a thick herbage, which gave a

growth of gloominess

to its but for its

grandeur of proportions, and, larity,
regu-

a belt stones barely

and single of sculptured

at the top, it have for a

visible would passed ed
wood-

hill. Taking some Indians

and grass-grown

me, I this began

with ascended mound, and clearing

it for Mr. Catherwood to draw. I found that its

were incased stone, in some

vast sides all with ces
pla-

but hidden firom

richly ornamented, completely

by the foliage.
view

22
254 INCIDENTS OF TEAYEL.

The height this was feet,

of mound sixty-five and

it at the base three hundred feet on one

measured

two hundred on the On the top

side and other.

was a stone, three feet high

great platform of soUd

feet fifteen feet

and seventy-five square, and about

from the top was a narrow terrace on

running all

four the The the were

of sides. walls of platform

stone, the corners had or-

of smooth and sculptured naments^

The area loose

consisted entirely of

stones, there are no or in-

dications
rough and remains other

building. The structure

of any great

for the holding

seemed raised only purpose of aloft

this Probably it had been the scene

platform. of

grand religious ceremonies, and stained with the

blood human in the

of victims offered up sight of

Near as it was, it was the fiirst

assembled people.

time I had this It

ascended mound. commanded

a full building. The day was over-

view of every cast,

the over the desolate

wind swept moumfiilly

I had not
felt so deeply
city, and since my arrival

the solemnity and sublimity of these mysterious

ruins.

Around the top the was a border

of mound of

stone ten or twelve feet high. The

sculptured prin-
cipal

was the Grecque, in following

ornament and

it the trees bushes,

round, and clearing away and

the the the Casa

on west side, opposite courtyard of

de Falomos, was by an orna-

ment,
my attention arrested

the lower was buried in

part of which bish
rub-

fallen from It was the centre

above. about of
 DIGGING INTO A MOUND. 255

this the from its

side of mound, and position, and

the the ornament,

I was immediately
character of

impressed the idea that it was over a doorway,

with

that was an entrance to an

and underneath apart*

ment in the The Indians had be*

mound. cleared

it, on, but I them back,

yond and passed called and

set them to excavating the earth and rubbish that

buried the lower the ornament It was an

part of

to in the the
awkward place work : side of mound

was steep, and the stones composing the ornament

were insecure tottering. The Indians, as

and usual,

as if they had their lifetime for the job.

worked

They were at times tedious trying, but now,

all and

to impatient more so than

my eagerness, painfully

ever. Urging them, as as I

well could, and actu-
ally

them idea, I them

making comprehend my got

to four long hours sion,

intermis-
work without any

they the The ornament

until reached cornice.

to be the same hideous face, the teeth

proved with

out, before varying somewhat

in
standing presented,

detail, a Throwing the

and upon grander scale. up

dirt the them, the Indians had

upon other side of

a
in a deep hole
made great pile outside, and stood

the face the ornament. At this depth

against of

the stones
hanging loosely over their heads,
seemed

the Indians intimated that it was dangerous to

and

digging, but by this time impatience

continue my

was beyond I had from time to time as-

control. sisted

in the them to I
work, and, urging continue,

threw into the hole, digging

myself and commenced
 256 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

all
The stones went
with my strength. rolling and

down the the

crashing side of mound, striking against

tearing branches. The

roots and off perspiration

from me in a stream, bat I was

roHed so completely

by the idea that had taken

carried away possession

of me, so sure entering some chamber had

of
.that
been for that I at
closed ages, stopped nothing ; and

with this I
all considered myself cool and calm,

as soon as I
and with great method resolved, reached

the doorway, to for Mr. Catherwood

stop and send

Doctor Cabot, that we enter together,

and might all

a formal it
and make note of everything exactly as

was found ;
but I was doomed to a worse pointment
disap-

than at
El Laberinto de Maxcanfi. fore
Be-

below the I thrust the

getting cornice machete

through the found no but a

earth, and opening, sol-
id

stone The hope was

wall. ground of my gone,

but I kept the Indians digging,

still unconsciously,

In the interest
and without any object. of mo-
ment
^the
I was aware that the had appeared,
dis-
not clouds

that I had been in this deep

and working

hole, a breath the full blaze

without of air, under

a sun. The disappointment

of vertical and reaction

the high the tigue

fa-
after excitement, co-operating with

heat, I felt
and prostrated all my strength.

a heaviness depression, was

and and actually sick

at heart, so that, the Indians, I was fain

calling off

to over return to our In scending

de-
give and quarters.

the limbs
mound my could scarcely sup-
port

me. My were
strength and elasticiQr gone.
 CURA OF TICUJL. 257
THE

With difficulty I dragged to our ments.

apart-
great myself

My I threw
thirst was uaquenchable. self
my-

into hammock, in a few moments a

my and

fiery fever was me.

Our household was
upon
into Disease had stalked
thrown consternation. all

but it first time it had knocked

around us, was the

at our door.

On third day, in the a

the while oiidst of violent

I had
attack, a gentleman arrived whose visit ed,
expect-

had looked forward to interest.

and with great

It the Carillo Ticul, a seven

was cura of village

leagues distant A our the

week after arrival at

the had a letter from him,

ruins, mayoral received

a be to us.
asking whether visit would acceptable

We had heard of
him as a took more
person who

interest in the the than

antiquities of country almost

other, and who possessed more knowledge on

any

the He had been in the habit to

subject. of coming

Uxmal alone to
wander the ruins, we
among and

had an excursion to Ticul on

contemplated purpose

to his We were, therefore,

make acquaintance.

happy to his overture, him

most receive and advised

that his His first

we should anxiously expect visit.

to me were, that it was for me to

words necessary

leave the him to Ticul. I

place and go with was

to do so, but it was

extremely reluctant considered
by He not consent to
advisable all. would my ing
go-

or his servant, the next

alone, with and morning,

instead a to the ruins,*

he found self
him-
of pleasant visit

trotting home with a man his heels. In

sick at

Vol. I." K k
258 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

some no coche
consequence of misunderstanding,

in I set out on horseback. It

was readiness, and

was interval day, at the moment the bare

my and

was a sensation.
absence of pain positively pleasant

In this humour, in the beginning our I lis-

tened
of ride,

interest to the cura's

with much exposition of

different localities, but by degrees

points and my at-
tention

flagged, finally fixed

and my whole soul was

on the out before us tance

dis-
sierra, which stood at a

two leagues from San Jose. Twice be-

fore
of

I had that had looked

crossed sierra, and upon

it delight, as the
almost with relieving monotony of

constant but now it was a horrible

plains, prospect

My increased as we I mounted
dis-
pains advanced, and

at the hacienda in a state impossible to be

described. The was the doors

mayoral away, were

locked, I lay down on some bags in the

all and cor-
ridor.

Rest tranquillized me. There was but one

Indian to be found, he told the cura that there

and

were none to a Those in the

make coche. neigh-
bourhood

were sick, and the others were at work

than a league It was impossible to

more away.

on horseback, fortunately, the

continue and, oral
may-

came, the face things

who changed whole of

in a
few had men in
and minutes engaged making

a The cura went on

before to for
cochfe. prepare

In an hour was
my reception. my coche ready,

at
five I in. My were
and o'clock crawled carriers

loth to start, but, once they took it in

under way,

set on a trot Changing

good part, and off shoul-
 VICTIMS TO FEVEE. 259

ders frequently, they never till they

stopped carried

me into Ticul, three leagues or distant,

nine miles

laid me down on the floor the The

and of convent.

cura was to me. Albino had

waiting receive arrived

was in
with my catre, which already set up, and a

few I was in bed. The bells were

minutes ringing

for a fiesta, fireworks were

village rockets and whiz-
zing

from a distance^ the

and exploding, and shrill

voice a boy out the the

of screeching numbers of

loteria ears. The were mur-

pierced my sounds derous,

but the kindness the cura, the

of and satis-
faction

being from an infected

of away atmosphere,

were so that I fell

grateful asleep.

For three days I did not

leave bed but on the
my ;

fourth I breathed the firom the balcony the

air of

convent It was firesh, balmy, rating.

invigo-
pure, and

In the the next

day I set out
afternoon of with

the cura for a We had but a tance,

dis-
strolL gone short

an Indian came us to form

in-
when running after

that the had

us another of cabaUeros arrived

from the We hurried back, found

sick ruins. and

Doctor Cabot lying in a on the floor the

coche of

at the door the convent He

corridor of crawled

labouring a fever, increased by the

out under violent

fatigue his I was by

motion and of ride, and startled

the a few days had in

extraordinary change made

his His face was flushed, his were

appearance. eyes

his figure lank he had not to

wild, ; and strength

himself, but me,

support pitched against who could
260 INCIDENTB OF TRAVEL.

barely keep both came down

myself ap, and nearly

together. He had been the day I left,

attacked after

the fever had been him, bnt little in-

termission,
and upon with

ever All the two

since. night, and all

dajrs, it decreasing, bat

ensuing continued rising and

never leaving him. It was constant

attended with

delirium, so that he hardly in

restlessness and was

bed before he was the

up again, pitching about

room.

The next
day Mr. Catherwood forwarded no,
Albi-

with two attacks, was shaken

who, and sweated

into a dingy-looking man. Mr. Catherwood

white

that he was at the

wrote entirely alone ruins, and

hold out as long as he fever

should could against

but the first come

and ghosts, with attack should up

and join us.

Our were now

situation and prospects gloomy.

If Mr. Catherwood was taken iU, was at an

work

end, and perhaps the whole of our expedition

object
frustrated but the cura was more to be
; poor pitied

than us. His to Uxmal had

any of unlucky visit

him three infermos, the

upon with prospect
"brought
day a fourth. His turned into
every of convent was

a hospital but the more we him,

; claims made upon

the more he himself to serve us.

I
exerted could

not
but to Doctor Cabot his
smile, when speaking of

kindness, asi the latter, tossing fis-

rolling and with

ver, that if the cura had

replied, any squint-eyed
friends, he cure them.
could
The cura the doctor but
watched careftdly, with-
 A 8IMPLB EEMEDT FOR FBYBR. 261

out to to a medico who

ventoring offer advice could

biseos, but the third day he me by the

cure alanned

that the the doctor's face was

remark expresdOn of

fatal. Iv Spanish this means bad, but it

only very

had in ears an uncomfortable

always my sound

The cura that there were indices

added certedn of

this disease were but, happily, these

which mortal,

had themselves in the doctor.

not yet exhibited

The bare however, me. I in-

quired
suggestion, alarmed

the cura the treatment in

of about mode of

the he for
country, and whether could not prescribe

him. Doctor Cabot had never seen this

anything of
disease, as by Besides,
particularly affected climate.

he was hors de on the

combat account of absence

of our in
mecticine-chest, and such constant pain

delirium that he in to
amd was no condition pre*

for himself.
scribe

The cura was the temporal as as

well spiritual

physician of the there were daily

viUage ; appUca-

tions to him for he was

medicine, and constantly vis-
iting

the Doctor Cabot to

sick. was willing put

himself into his hands, he

entirely amd administered

a I for the benefit ture

fu-
preparation which mention of

travellers who be a
may caught without icine-chest
med-

It was a decoction the

simple of rind

the soTH flavoured

of orange vHth cinnamon and

lemon-juice, he tumbler*
of which adminlsteped a

ful warm two hours. At the draught

every second

the doctor was thrown into a profuse perq^iration.

For the first time his the fierrer left him,

since attack
262 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

he had an On
and unbroken sleep. waking, ous
copi-

draughts tamarind water were

of given ; when

the fever came on the decoction was

again repeated,

tamarind water in the intervals. The

with ejOfect

this treatment was happy, it is

of particularly and

desirable for to know it, for the sour or-

strangers ange

is found in the from

every part of country, and

we saw it then it is,

what of and afterward, per-
haps,

a better for fever in that than

remedy climate

known in foreign
any pharmacy.

The Ticul, to we were thus ac-

village of which cidentally

driven, was the once in

worthy of visit,

his life, a New- York. The first time

of citizen of

I looked it from the balcony the convent, it

upon of

struck me as the perfect picture of stillness and re-

pose.

The was a few

plaza overgrown with grass ;

their fore feet hoppled, were

mules, with pasturing

it, at
long intervals a horseman
upon and single

it The balcony the convent was on

crossed of

a level the tops the houses, the

with of and view

was a houses one flat

of great plain, with of story,

high lemon,
roofs, garden walls, above which orange,

trees were the loud

and plantain growing, and, after

the bell was over, the

ringing of matin and vesper

was the birds. All business

only noise singing of

or was done in the or toward

visiting early morning

evening through the rest the day, during the

; and of

heat, the inhabitants were doors, it

within and might

have for deserted

almost passed a village.

Like the Spanish it was laid

all villages, out with
 VILLAGE OF TICUL. 263

Its plaza and streets ronning at right angles, and was

distmguished the Yucatan for its

among villages of

casas de or stone
houses. These were on
piedra,

the streets back,

plaza and adjoining ; and extending

more than a were the huts the

mile each way, of

Indians. These huts were en-

generaUy plastered, closed

by stone
fences, imbowered trees,
and among

or, by The
rather, overgrown and concealed weeds.

was five thousand,

population about of which about

three hundred famihes were or

vecinos, white ple,
peo-

the rest
Indians. Fresh meat can be
and cured
pro-

day the tienda or large

every ; grande, store

Guzman^ disgrace Merida. The

of would not

bread is better than at the Altogether, for

capital.

conveniences
living, it
appearance, society, and of

is the best in Yucatan, famous

perhaps village and

for its buU-fights the beauty its Mestiza

and of

women.

The convent the

church and occupy whole of

one the Both were built by the

side of plaza.

Franciscan they are the

monks, and among grandest

of those buildings with which that powerful

gigantic

its into the They

order marked entrance country.

on a stone
four feet high
stand platform about and

hundred feet in front The

several church was

large monu-
ments
and sombre, and adorned with rude

figures to inspire the Indians

and calculated

with reverence awe. In one in a

and place, niche

in the was a fimeral urn, black, a

wall, painted with

white streak around the top, which contains the

 264 INCID"NTfir OP TRAVEL.

ashes a lady the Under it was

of of village. a iik"b*

vttn^t this inscriptioii

with :

i Homhres !

He el tennino de naestros afanes

aqoi ;

La muerte, tierra, nada.

Bft eats urna los de Dfia Loretta Lara,

reposan' reatos

Muger caritativa, eapoaa fiel" tiema*

y madre

prudente y virtuosa.

iMoitalea!

Al Seiior dirigamoa por ella niieatraa precea.

Falleci6

El S9 de Novembre del alio 1830, " loa 44 de so edad.

lOMan!

Behold tiie end of our troubles"

Death, Earth, Nothing.

Itf this tim ihe remains of Daa Loretta Lara,

repose

A woman, faithful tender mother,

charitable wife, and

prudent and virtuous.

{Mortals!

To the Lord let us direct our for her.

prayers

She died

The 39th of November, in the year 1830, aged 44.

One the was decorated homafl

of altars with

in the rear the

skulls and cross-bones, and of chnrch

It was by a
was a great charnel-house. enclosed

high was fiBed with a

stone wall, and collection of

bones, the flesh had decayed,

skulls and which, after

had been dug from the in the

up graves cemeteiy of

the church.
 THE CONVENT. 266

The convent is the by

connected with chnrch a

It is a stmcture, built
spacious corridor. gigantic

stone, four hun-

dred
entirely of with massive walls, and

feet in length. The entrance is a no-

under

Ue high stone firom as-

portico, with pillars, which cends

a broad stone staircase to a cor-

spacious ridor

twenty feet This

vnde. corridor runs
throu^
the length the building, with a stone
whole of ment,
pave-

is lighted in two by a dome. On

and places

are once by a numerous

each side cloisters, occupied

body Franciscan friars. The first two

of and cipal
prin-

these on the left are by

of cloisters occupied

the cura, were our home. Another is

and occupied

by one his in the fourth was an

of ministros, and old

Indian The rest on this are

making cigars. side

on the fiicing the

unoccupied, and right, great den
gar-

of the convent, all the cloisters are

untenanted,

dismantled, desolate the doors

and ; and windows

are broken, are

and grass and weeds growing out of

the floors. The had once been in harmony

garden

with the grandeur and style of the convent, and now

^ares its fortunes. Its fountains,

wells and parterres

beds flowers, are there, but

and of all neglected and

to waste, lemons
running weeds, oranges, and ing
grow-

together, our horses were turned into

wildly and

it loose, as into a pasture.

Associated in with this conventi

my mind ruined

so as to form the building is our host,

almost part of

the love the the cura CariUo.

pride and of village,

He was forty, tall thin, an am*

past and with open,

Vol. I.-^L l
23
266 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

intelligent countenance, manly, and at the

mated, and

time belonged to the once

same mild, and powerful

Franciscan friars, now in this re-

order of reduced gion

to himself a few After the

and companions.

destruction the convent at

Merida, the scat-
of and tering

the friars, his friends for him the

of procured

to him to but he
necessary papers enable secularize,

not the brotherhood in its

would abandon waning

fortunes, wore the long blue the

and still gown, cord,

the Franciscan By the

and cross of monks. regu-
lations

his the his be-

longed
of order, all receipts of curacy

to the Jbrotherhood, deducting forty lars

dol-
only

for himself. With this he

per month pittance,

Uve hospitality to His

could and extend strangers.

friends him to engaging to

urged secularize, procure

for him better but he he

a curacy, steadily reftised ;

never to be did not to be

expected rich, and wish ;

he had for his wants,

did not
desire
enough and

more.
He was content
his
with village and with

the he was the friend

people ; of everybody, and

was his friend in for a man not

everybody ; short,

indolent, but, on the both

contrary, unusually active

in body, he was,
mind and without affectation or

more his lot than

parade, entirely contented with

man I ever knew. The

any quiet and seclusion of

his did for his

village not afford sufficient employment

but, fortunately for for

active mind, science and me,

as it was he had
and strangely enough considered,

turned his to the the

attention antiquities of country.

He far from home, nor be

could neither go absent
 TIME OF CONSTRUCTION UNKNOWN. 267

long, but he had his

visited every place within reach,

was literally an in the His

and enthusiast pursuit.

friends at this folly, but, in

smiled consideration of

his it There was no

many good quaUties, excused

in the we were so
man country whom well pleased

to as it was a rare thing for him to asso-

meet, and ciate

took the interest in

with persons who slightest

his hobby, he that he not throw

mourned could up

his business us in our

all and accompany tion
explora-

of the ruins.

It is that even to a man so

worthy of remark,

to interest, the his-

tory
alive all subjects of antiquarian

the building tbis is un-

of of convent entirely known.

In the the in
pavement of great corridor,

the both the

galleries, walls, and roof, of church and

convent, from buildings, no

are stones ancient and

doubt both were

furnish-
ed
constructed with materials

by the but
ruined edifices of another race, when,

or how, or
is
under what circumstances, unknown.

On the the cura had discovered, in a

roof situation

hardly have but his

which would attracted any eyes

having on it
own, a square stone, roughly engraved

this inscription :

26

Mano,

1636.

Perhaps this had to the date the con-

struction,
reference of

if it is the known that

and so, only record

in to it the thought almost una-

voidably
exists relation ; and

that in
occurs, where such obscurity exists
 268 INCIDBNTS OP TRAVBL.

to a baildbg by the Spaniards

regard constructed

bat little more than two hundred how

years ago,

darker must be the that hang3

much cloud over the

ruined the aborigines, if not

cities of erected ruined^
before the conquest

Daring the first days I had

of my convalescence

a interest in
quiet and almost mournful wandering

about this venerable convent I too, some

passed,

interesting hours in looking over the The

archives.

books had a time-worn cov-

ers,
aspect, with parchment

tattered womb-eaten. In some the

and places

ink had faded, the was illegible. They

and writing

were the the monks, by their

records of early written

own hands, a baptisms

and contained register of and
including, the first Indian
marriages, perhaps, who

to these Christian It was hope

assented rites. my

to find in these some however

archives notice, slight,

the the fathers

of circumstances under which early

set the the cross in this Indian town,

up standard of

but the first book has no or introduction

preamble

of kind, with the

any commencing abruptly entry of

a marriage.

This bears date in 1588, but forty or fifty

entry

the Spaniards themselves in

years after established

Merida. This is to the

thirty-ei^t years anterior

date before to, but it is reasona-

on the stone referred ble

to that the was built

suppose convent not until

tome time the beginning the The

after of archives.

doubtless keeping a register of

mo"k^ commenced

baptisms and marriages as soon as there were any to

 BE COED OF HAERIAGES. 269

but as they Were distinguished for

record, policy and

as as it is not likely that they un-

prudence well zeal, dertook

the erection of this gigantic building until

had been in the long to

they settled country enough

thoroughly its resources,

understand population and

for these buildings had to be but

not only erected,

to be kept their ministers by the

up, and supported

the district Besides, the

resources of great es
church-

found in Spanish ica

Amer-
and convents all parts pf

built by means funds sent

from Spain,
were not of

but by the labour the Indians tiiemselves,

of after

they were and compelled to

completely subdued

for the Spaniards, or, more

work generally, after

they had Christianity, they volunta-

embraced when rily

buildings for the new ks

erected worship and

It is not that these

ministers. probable either of

events
in this interior so
occurred village early qs

1588.

These first are the

entries of marriage, or rather

marriages, of two widowers and two X.

widows "

Diego Chuc Maria Hu, Zpo-Bot

with and
;waith
Cata Keul. In over the it
running archives, ap-
peared,

I found, that there was in those days an

unusual disposed
number of widowers and widows

to in fact, that the business

marry again, and, of

this kind was in a measure to them;

great confined

but as the husband

probably, relation of and wife

defined the Indians,

was not very clearly among

these
for Christian had
candidates matrimony only

firom former through the

parted companions, and,
270 INCIPENTS OF TRAVEL.

charity or modesty of the monks, were

called owers
wid-

and widows.

The first baptisms are on the twentieth vember,

No-
of

1594, business seems to

when considerable

have been done. There are four that

entries on

day, in looking over the firom ac-

and, pages, my quaintance

the family I was the

with struck with

name
Mel Chi, an ancestor our
of probably of

Chaipa Chi. This Mel seems to have been one of

the pillars of the padres, and a standing godfather

for Indian babies.

There was no
instruction to be derived firom

these but the handwriting the

archives, of monk^

the the Indians, to

and marks of seemed almost

me a in the
make participator vdld and romantic

scenes of the conquest; at all events, they were

that, forty or fifty the

proof years after conquest,

the Indians were their

abandoning ancient usages

and customs, adopting the rites and ceremonies of

the Cathohc Church, having their

and children

baptized Spanish names.

with
 ANOTHER RUINED CITY. 271

CHAPTER Xra.

Another ruined City. Relics." Ruins San Francisco. ^Proved

"
of "

to be those the Aboriginal City the name Ticul. tiful

beau-
of of "

^A
Vase. Search for a Sepulchre. ^Discovery a Skeleton
" "
of

Vase. Indian Needle. ^These Cities not built by scendants

De-
and "

^An
"

Eg3rptians. ^Their Antiquity not amination

Ex-
of "
very great. "

the Skeleton by Doctor Morton, his Opinion.

of and

" ^Mummies from Peru. "

^These Cities built by the Ancestors

of the present Race of Indians.-T-The Seybo Tree. "

^The Campo

Santo. "
quiet Village.
^A

It was fortunate for the our

particular objects of

that, we in this
expedition go where would country,

the its inhabitants were be-

fore
monuments of ancient

our Near the Ticul, in

eyes. village of almost

the suburbs, are the ruins of another ancient and

From the time of our the

unknown city. arrival

it had been us in the face.

memorials of staring

The had stones new

cura some sculptured of and

design; heads,
exceedingly pretty and vases, and

found in the were

other relics, excavating ruins,

fixed in the fronts houses as ornaments.

My first
of

stroll the cura was to these

with ruins.

At the a long leading out beyond

end of street

the we turned to the by a row

nar-
campo santo right

bushes with
path, overgrown with covered wild

flowers, on which
birds beautifiil
and of plumage
272 IN0IDENT6 OF TRAVEL.

were but so infested that

sitting, with garrapatas we

had to keep brashing them the

off continually with

bough a tree.
of

This led us to the hacienda San cisco,

Fran-
path of

the property of a gentleman of the village,

who had the of a large building, but

reared walls

had never finished it There were fine trees,

shade

and the appeatrance of the place was rural and turesque,

pic-

but it was The deep

unbealdiy. green

foliage was impregnated the death.

vnth seeds of

The never it in the time,

day-
proprietor visited except

the Indians on the

and who worked milpas

to the at
returned village ni^t
A distance in the rear the hacienda were
short of

the desolate
ruins of another city, and overgrown,

having no name that th^ hacienda

except of on

they At this time a the

which stand. great part of

was hidden by the thick foliage

city completely of

the trees. Near by, however,

several mounds were

in full dilapidated, having firagments

sight, and of

on the top. We the highest,

walls ascended which

commanded a magnificent view of the great ed

wood-

at a distance the towers the

plain, and of church

Ticul darkly The cura told

of rising above. me

that in the dry season, the trees were bare

when of
foliage, he had from this thirty-rnx
counted point

one had once held

mounds, every of which aloft a

building or temple, not one now

and remained en-
tire.

In the waste it was imposable

great of ruins

to form idea tbe had been,

any of what place ex-
 RUINS OF SAN FRANCISCO. 273

from its vastness the

cept and specimeiis of tured
sculp-

stone seen in the but beyond doubt it

village,

was the same as Uxmal, by

of character and erected

the same
Its to the had
people. vicinity village made

its destruction more For it

complete. generations

had as a mere to furnish the tants

inhabi-
served quarry

building-stone. The
with present proprietor

then he lamented
was excavating and selling, and

to me that the labrada, or stone, was

piedra worked

his firom this source

nearly exhausted, and profit

cut off.

A few toward idendfying these

words ruins.

The for Yucatan was to a

plan reducing send

Spaniards, were
small number of who called veci-

nos (the name to designate the

still used white pop-
ulation),
into the Indian towns it
and villages where

was thought to We
advisable make settlements.

have accounts the

clear and authentic of existence

a large Indian town Ticul, in

of called certainly

the the Spanish

same neighbourhood where village

that name now It must have been

of stands. either

on the now by the latter, that

site occupied or on

by the San Francisco. sing

Suppo-
occupied ruins of

the first to be correct,

supposition not a single

the Indian Now it is in-

vestige of city remains.

that the Spaniards found in the Indian

contestible

towns Yucatan, temples, large

of mounds, and other

buildings stone. If those on the hacienda

of of
San Francisco are older
date, the
of and work of

races
have as
who passed away, vast remains of
Vol. L" M m
274 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

them though to the same

ing
destroy-
still exist, subject
causes, has trace the stone ings
build-
why every of

in the Indian disappeared t

city

And it in the history

appears every page of of

the Spanish that the Spaniards never at-

conquest, tempted

to the houses the

occupy and villages of

Indians as they Their habits life were

stood. of

inconsistent besides, their

with such occupation, and,

was to desolate destroy them, build

policy and and

their own manner. It is

up others after style and

not
likely that at the at they are
early epoch which

known to have to Ticul, their small num-

gone with bers,

they have to demolish the

would undertaken

Indian town, build their own its

whole and upon

The is, that they theur

ruins. probability planted

own on the border, and erected their church

village

as an to the heathen temples

antagonist and rival ;

the the imposing the

monks, with all ceremonies of

Catholic Church, battled the Indian

with priests ;

and, gradually overthrowing the power of the ca-

ciques,

or them to death, they depopulated

putting

the town, drew the Indians to their own

old and

It is belief that the on the haci-

enda
village. my ruins

San Francisco are those of the aboriginal

of

Ticul.
city of

From the destruction the buildings, I

great of

thought it to
attempt any tion
explora-
unprofitable

these the brity

insalu-
of ruins, especially considering

the our own state.

In
of place and crippled

the excavations constantly going on, of

objects
 " BEAUTIFUL VASE. 275

interest were fix"iii time to time discovered, one of

a vase, was fortunately loaned to us

which, only

to a drawing it have the

make of^ or would shared

fate the been bunied by that

of others* and up

fire. The below two

engraving represents sides of

Back Tical tom.

of

the vase on one is a border hieroglyphics,

; side of

lines to the bottom,

with sunken running and on

the the will observe that the face

other reader pw*

trayed bears a to those

strong resemblance of the

figures Falenque: the

sculptured and stuccoed at

headdress, too, is a feathers, the hand

plume of and
 276 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

is held out
in the same The vase is
stiff position.

four a half inches high, five inches in ameter.

di-
and and

It is
of admirable workmanship, and izes
real-

the by Herrera the

account given of markets

the Mexican Tlascala. "

There were
at city of

feather-men, barbers, baths, as

goldsmiths, and good

as in SpainP
earthenware

It for me to return to
was not yet considered safe

Uxmal, the aight of these vases induced me to

and

devote a few days to the

excavating among ruins.

The cura took himself the burden

upon whole of
in the
making arrangements, and early morning

we were on the Initians. Amid the

ground with

it was difficult to know

great waste of ruins what

to do or to begin. In Egypt, the labours

where

discoverers have some hght to

of given subse-
quent

but here was dark. My

explorers, all great

desire was to discover an ancient sepulchre, which

we had in the UxmaL

sought vain among ruins of

These were not to be looked for in the large

mounds,

or, at events,
it was a too labour
all work of much

to one them. At length,

attempt opening- of after a

careful examination, the cura

selected one,
upon

we began.
which

It was a stone four

square structure, with sides

feet high, the top

and was rounded over with earth

stones bedded in it. It in a

and stood small milpa,

or between two high

corn-field, midway mounds,

which had been important

evidently structures, and
from its to have direct
position seemed some con-
 SEAItCH FOR A SEPULCHRE. 27/

them. Unlike the

nexion with most of ruined struc*

tores it was stone in its

around, entire, with every

had not been disturbed

place, and probably since

the had been down on

earth and stones packed

the top.

The Indians the stones

commenced picking out

the their hands. tunately,

For-
and clearing away earth with

they had a an instrument un-

crowbar, known

in Central America, but indispensable here

on account the the for

of stony nature of soil, and

the first time in the I had

and only country no

trouble in the The cura

superintending work. gave

them directions in their own language, and under

his they Nevertheless, the
eye worked actively.

was In digging down,

process unavoidably slow.

they found the inner the the

side of puter wall, and

interior was loose earth stones,

whole and with

some layers large flat stones, the

of whole very

In the mean time the sun was beating

rough. upon

us force, some the

with prodigious and of people of

the village, among others the proprietor of the cienda,

ha-

came down to look on have an inward

and

at our folly. The cura had a Spanish

smile read

translation the Antiquary, that we were

of and said

by Edie Ochiltrees, though he himself

surrounded

his tall, thin figure long

with and gown, presented

a lively image that We

of renowned mendicant

the hours, the

continued work six and whole pearance
ap-

things was so that we began to

of rude

despair success, on a large flat

of when, prying up

24
278 INCIDENTS OP TftATlL.

a The
Stone, we saw underneath i^oll. reader may

ima^e We the Indians

our satisfoctibn. made

throw away crowbar and machete, and work with

their hands. I was to the

excee^ngly anxious get

out
bnt it was impossible to do so.
skeleton entire,

It had or kind the

no covering envelope of any ;

was thrown it as in a common

earth upon grave,

as this it fell to It
and was removed all pieces. was

in
vndi
its face toward the
a sitting posture, setting

sun. The knees were bent the the

agamst stomach,

arms doubled from the the hands

elbow, and ing
clasp-

the or the head" The

neck stipporting skull

was broken, but the facial bone was ^i-

unfortunatdy

tire, with the jaws and teeth, and the enamel on the

latter bright, but the was handed

stHl when skull up

them fell out. The Indians ev-

many of picked up ery

bone tooth, handed them to me. It

and and

was interesting, the structures

strangely with ruined

towering us, a lapse

around after of unknown ages,

to bring to light these buried bones. Whose were

they ! The Indians were

excited, and conversed

in
low tones. The cura interpreted they
what

the burden it was,

" They are the
said ; and of

bones our kinsman," ''What our man

kins-
of and will

at our dra^ng forth his bones t" But for

say

ttie cura they have diem left

would covered up and

the sepulchre.

In the bones, Indians

collecting one of the picked

a have
up small white ol]gect, which would escaped

any but an Indian's It was df

eye. made of
 DISCOVERY OF A SKELETON AND VASE. 279

horn, two inches long, at the

about sharp point, with

an the They it a
eye at other end all called nee-
dle,

the reason their immediate

and of and tating
unhesi-

was the fact that the Indians the

opinion of

day use the same material, two

present needles of

the cura
for me on our return to
of which procured

the One the Indians, had

convent of who acquired

by the cura, jocosely

some conjGidence gossiping with

said that the skeleton was either that of a woman

or a tailor.

The this was not

in the cen-
tre
position of skeleton

the but on one on the

of sepulchre, side, and er
oth-

it was a large stone or

side of very rough rock

firmly imbedded in the it have

earth, which would

taken a long time to excavate our instruments.

with

In digging it on the some

round and other side, at

little distance from the we found a large

skeleton

vase
of rude pottery, resembling very much the can-

taroused by the Indians now as a It had

water-jar.
a flat lying over the so as to ex-
rough stone mouth, clude

the on we found, to
earth, removing which

our disappointment, that it was

great entirely empty,

some little hard black flakes,

except which were

thrown out buried before the was taken

and vase

It had a hole worn in one the tom,

bot-
up. small side of

through which
liquid or substances
pulverized

could have It have water

escaped. may contained

or the heart the This vase was got

of skeleton.

is now
Qut entire, and ashes.

/ One idea itself to more

presented my mind with
 280 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

force than it had ever before, that

possessed and

viras the utter impossibility these

of ascribing ruins

Egyptian builders. The tombs

magnificent of
^to

the kings at Thebes rose before me. It was on

up

their tombs that the Egyptians lavished their skill,

industry, no brought in
and wealth, and people, up

Egyptian descended from Egyptians, or de*

schools,

their lessons from them, have

riving would ever con-
structed

in so a so a
conspicuous place rude sepulchre.

Besides this, the fact finding these bones in so.

of

a state at a distance
good of preservation, of only

three or four feet from the the com-

surface of earth, pletely
destroys idea the extreme
all of antiquity of

these buildings there was the

; and again universal

the Indians, *'

They
and unhesitating exclamation of

are the bones our

kinsman." /
of

But they were, little did the

whosesoever pious

friends them there ever imagine the fate

who placed

to they were destined. I had them

which carried

to the convent, thence to Uxmal, thence I bore

and

them forever from the bones their kindred.

away of

In their journeys on the backs

rough of mules and

Indians they were so broken that in

crumbled and

a law their not be

court of ancient proprietor would

to identify them, they left me one in

able and night

a to be to Doctor S. G.
pocket-handkerchief carried

Morton Philadelphia.
of

Known by the he has bestowed

research upon

the features the American

physical of aboriginal

races, by his late " Cra

and particularly work entitled
 OPINION OF DR. MORTON. 281

ma Americana," is in
which acknowledged^ the an*

nual address of the president of the Royal Geo-

graphical

Society London, as
''
a
of welcome ing
offer-
"
to the lovers this
of comparative physiology

in a on that for
gentleman, communication subject,
I here that
which acknowledge my obligations, says

this dilapidated as it is, has him

skeleton, afforded

some facts, has been a

valuable and subject of some

interesting
reflections.

The his is as follows In the

purport of opinion :

first the did deceive the Indian

place, needle not

who it in the The bones

picked up grave. are

those a female. Her height did not five

of exceed

feet three or four inches. The teeth are perfect,

and not appreciably worn, while the epiphyses^

those infallible indications the

of growing state,

have just become the com-

consolidated, and mark pletion

of adult age.

The bones the hands feet are

of and remarkably
delicately
small and proportioned, which observa-
tion

to the The
applies also entire skeleton. skull

into but, by a
was crushed many pieces, cautious

Doctor Morton in
manipulation. succeeded recon-
structing

the lateral The

posterior and portions.

is flat the eral

lat-
occiput remarkably and vertical, while

or
diameter measures no less than five
parietal

inches eight tenths.

and

A some fragments the

chemical examination of of

bones them to be destitute

proves almost of animal

Vol. I." N n
31^82 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

matter,
in the osseous
which, perfect stmctore, con-

thirty- three in the hundred.

stitutes about parts

On the the left tibia there is

upper part of a ing
swell-

the bone, in language,

of called, surgical a
node^

an inch a half in length, more than half

and and an

inch
above the surface. This con-
natural morbid dition
have from a causes,
may resulted variety of

but interest on account its ex-

treme
possesses greater of

infrequency the Indian

among primitive ulation
pop-

of the country.

On a late to Boston I had the

visit satisfaction

a interesting
of examining small and extremely lection
col-

bodies in the Mr
of mummied possession of

John H. Blake, that dug by* himself from

of city, up

an in Peru. This lies on

ancient cemetery cemetery

the the Bay Chacota, near Arica, in itude

lat-
shore of of

18" 20' It covers a large tract

south. of

The are a form,

ground. graves all of circular

from two to four feet in diameter, from four to

and

five feet deep. In one them Mr. Blake found

of

the mummies of a man, a woman, a child twelve or

fourteen an infant. They were

years old, and all
in
closely wrapped woollen garments of various ours
col-

degrees fineness, by
and of secured needles of

thorn thrust through the The

cloth. skeletons are

some bituminous are

saturated with substance, and

all in a remarkable state of The

preservation.

woollen too, are

cloths, well preserved, which no

doubt is for, in a degree, by the ex-

treme
accounted great

dryness the that

of soil and atmosphere of
Peru.
part of
 MUllllIES FEOM PERU. 288

Mr. Blake between

visited many other cemeteries

the Andes the Pacific Ocean as hi

and south as

Chili, the features

all of which possess same general

those ibond in the the Pe-

with elevated valleys of

Andes. No or tradition in
nivian record exists re-
gard

to these cemeteries, but

woollen cloths similar

Co those found by Mr. Blake day,

are woven at this

in the same manner, by the Indians

and probably

Peru in the eastern Bolivia, to the

lyf ; and part of

southward of the place where these mummies were

discovered, he found, on the most barren

portion of

the Desert Atacama, a few Indians,

of who, proba-
bly

firom the difficulty access to their

of place of

have been less influenced by the Spaniards,

abode,

for this reason more their

and retain of primitive

customs, their dress at this day

and resembles closely

that the bodies in his

which envelops possession,

both in the texture the form.

and

Doct("r Morton that these from

says mummies

Peru have the same

in the form the
peculiarities of

the same delicacy the bones, the

skull, of and same

the hands feet,

remarkable smallness of and with

that found in the at San Francisco. He

sepulchre

too, from an four hun-

dred
says, examination of nearly

individuals belonging to
skulls of older nations

Mexico Peru, dug from the

of and and of skulls

our western that he finds them

mounds of country,

formed on the same conforming

in a
all model, and

manner to diat brought firom San cisco

Fran-
remarkable

that this has the same tifpe

; and cranium of
284 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

has been bestowed

physical conformation which

with amazing oniformity upon all the tribes on our

from Canada to Patagonia, from the

continent, and

Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. He that it

adds, af-
fords

to the he
additional support opinion which

has that, some

always entertained, notwithstanding

in
slight variation physical conformation, and others

a in intellectual
of much more remarkable character

the Americans
attainments, all aboriginal of all

known belong to the same tinctive

dis-
epochs great and

race.

If this is I believe it
opinion correct, and "

^if this
does the same type
skeleton present of physical

conformation with all the tribes of our continent"-

then, indeed, do these bones declare,

crumbling as

a from the that back

with voice grave, we cannot go

to
any the Old World for the ers
build-
ancient nation of

of these cities ; they are not the works of ple

peo-

have history is
who passed away, and whose

lost, but the same race

of great which, changed,

miserable, degraded, thei

and still clings around

ruins.

To return to the San Francisco. We

ruins of

devoted two days more to but did

excavating, not

farther discoveries.
make any

Among the were holes in the

ruins circular

like those at
Uxmal. The
ground mouth of one

was broken I descended by

and enlarged, and a

ladder into a dome-shaped the

chamber, precisely

same as at Uxmal, but a little larger. At Uxmal

 THE SEYBO TREE. 285

the character of these was mere matter of ture;

conjec-
but at this distance, the Indians had
short

in to. their
specific notions regard objects and uses,

and them or In tions,

direc-
called chultunes, wells. all

too, were seen the oblong stones hollowed

out like troughs, at Uxmal were

which called pilas,

or fountains, but hete the Indians them hoi-

called

cas or de stones
for
piedras molir, grinding, which

they were by the to

said used ancients mash com

upon ; and the proprietor showed us a round stone

like a bread they kabtum, bra-

roller, which called

zo de or arm they for

piedra, of stone, used, as
said,

the com. The different they

mashing names as-
signed

in different to the same thing, the

places and

different uses to it,

ascribed show, with many other

facts, the utter traditionary edge

knowl-
absence of all

the Indians this is the

among ; and perhaps

difficulty we have to encounter

in
greatest ascribing

to their ancestors the building of these cities.

The last day we from the

retumed ruins earlier

than at the santo. In

usual, and stopped campo

front a tree. I had been

stood noble seybo anxious

to leam the this tree, but

something of growth of

had never had an doing it before.

opportunity of

The cura told me that it was then twenty-three

There be no doubt or on
years old. could mistake

this Its was as known as his own,

point age well

that in the The

or of any other person village.

following this tree. The trunk

woodcut represents

the distance five feet firom the

at of ground measured
286 INCIDENTS OP TRAVEL.

BtjboTne.

17{ feet in its branches

circumference, and great forded
af-

on a
We had
all sides magnificent shade.

found trees like it on the tops the

growing of ruined

structures at Copan Falenque,

many
had
and and

for that reason to the buildings a

ascribed very great

This tree doubts

antiquity. completely removed all

I have me
which might entertained, and confirmed

in the I had before that no cor-

rect
opinion expressed,

judgment be formed the

could of antiquity of

these buildings firom the the trees

size of growing
 THK CAMPO SANTO. 287

them. Remarkable as I this tree

upon considered

that time, I saw larger ones, in more

at afterward

favourable situations, not so old.

The was by a high stone

campo santo enclosed

The interior had some degree

wall. of plan and

in some were tombs, built

arrangement, and places

belonging to families in the

above ground, village,

hung votive
with withered wreaths and offerings.

The tributary to it was five thou-

sand
population about

it had been but five

; opened years, and alrea-
dy

it a ghastly There were

presented spectacle.

many new-made graves, and on several of the vaults

were a bones in a box

skull and small collection of

or tied in a being the one

up napkin, remains of

buried taken out to for an-

within and make room other

On one them were the

corpse. of skull and

bones a lady the in a basket an

of of village, ; old

the cura, who had died two

acquaintance of within

Among the bones was a

years. pair of white satin

had in the dance,

shoes, which she perhaps worn

on her feet had been buried.

and with which she

At one comer the

of cemetery was a walled en-
closure,

twenty feet high thirty

about and square,

within which was the charnel-house of the ceme-

tery.

A flight stone led to the top the

of steps of

wall, and on the platform of the steps and along the

were bones, some in boxes kets,

bas-
wall skulls and and

some tied in cotton soon to be

and up cloths,

thrown the common but as having bels

la-
upon pile, yet

the names on them, to known

with written make
288 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

a little longer the individuals to

v^hom they
yet while

had once belonged. Within the the earth

enclosure

was feet deep the

covered several with promiscuoos

bones high
and undistinguishable of rich and poor,

low, men, women, Spaniards,

and and children,

Mestizoes, Indians, together as they

and all mingled

happened to fall Among them were fragments

of

bright-coloured dresses, the long hair women

and of

to the Of
still clinging skull all the sad mementoes

declaring the to that b bright

end which all and

beautifrd in this is doomed, none ever touched

world

me so affectingly as this" the ornament and crown-

ing

woman, the her

charm of peculiar subject of

taste daily care, loose, dishevelled, twining

and and

dry bones.
among and mouldering

We left the santo, the long

campo and walked up

street of the village, the quiet, contented character

the impressing itself more than

of people strongly

ever
The Indians were in
upon my mind. sitting

the by cocoanut trees,

yards, shrouded and orange

hammocks leaves for

weaving and platting palm

hats the were in the

; children playing naked road,

the Mestiza women were in the ways

door-
and sitting

The news our digging the

sewing. of up

bones had a All to know

created sensation. wanted

the day's had rose

what work produced, and all up

as the cura the Indians came to kiss his

passed ;

hand, as he remarked, except when the crop of

and,

were happy. In a
maize was short, all place of

bustle our own it is im-

possible
such and confusion as city,

to imagine the this

quiet of village.
 RUMOURS OF AN INSURRECTION. 289

CHAPTER XIV.

Departure from Ticul. ^The Sierra. ^Nohcacab. Noa""

" " "

^Ruins of

Return to Uxmal." The Campo Santo." Work Mr. Wal-

pat" of

deek. General Description of the Ruins. ^Two Edifices.

" "
mined

"
Great Stone Rings. "
House of the Nuns." Dimensions, Sec. "

"
Courtyard. "
Faoades." A lofty Edifice. "
Complicated ment.
Orna-

Painted Facades. Sculptured Doorways." House

" "
of

ibe Birds. "

of Painting. " Arch." of the
^Remains ^An 'House

Dwarf." Building loaded with Ornaments. "

Long^ and narrow

Structure. "
Tasteful Arrangement of Ornaments." Human Sac-

House of the Pigeons." Range of Terraces the

rifices." called

Campo Santo. House the Old Woman. Circular Mound

"
of "

Ruins." Wall of the City." Close of Description." Title pers

Pa-
o"

of Uxmal. "
Of the Antiquity of Uxmal.

The next
day was Sunday, I in
which passed

for to Uxmal. I had,

making preparations returning

however, some distraction. In the the

morning

the was a Uttle disturbed by intelli-

gence
quiet of village

a in Tekax, a town leagues

of revolution nine

distant Our in the had been so

sojourn country

that it a
quiet seemed unnatural, and small revolution

to me feel at home. The gents

insur-
was necessary make

had deposed the their own

alcalde, appointed

authorities,
laid contributions the tants,
inhabi-
and upon

the news i/v.is that they intended

and marching

three himdred men Merida, to extort an ac-

against knowledgment

independence. Ticul lay in their

of

line but as it was

of march, considered very imcertaiii

they carry this doughty into

whether wouldT purpose

I determined not to dMUige

execution, my plaiL
Vol. L" O o 26
290 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

Doctor Cabot's in the was,

presence village of

known, though it
course, generally and was rather

to his as a to be
prejudicial reputation medical man

ill himself^ he did not

fail to have His
patients.

fame as a curer of
biscos had
reached this place,

but, fortunately for his there was

quiet, only one

the inhabitants, though his was

squinter among vio-
lent

for a In the
enough whole village. afitemoon

this man for Doctor Cabot told

applied relief.

him that his hand was not to

yet steady enough form
per-

the that I was the

operation, and going away

day but this by no means him. It

next ; satisfied

happened, however, that a

gentleman present, who

was the doctor on some his

consulting ailment of

own, incidentally that one the doctor's

mentioned of

Merida had lost the though he

patients at eye, ed
add-

that the loss was not to the

ascribed operation,

but to bad treatment. This as we

subsequent story,

learned, was foundation,

afterward entirely without

but it had its the bisco, his

effect upon who rolled

toward the door so that the

eye violently rest of

him followed, he never came near the doctor

and

His that day the

again. only operation was upon

the San Francisco, head

wife of proprietor of whose

he laid took out a Uideous wen.

open, and

I have the
mentioned extraordinary stillness of

this Every however,

place. night, since my arrival,

this had been broken by the

stillness canting, ing
sing-

tones
of a boy out the numbers the
calling of

loteria. Preparations were for a "ete

making village
 THE LOTERIA. 291

in Febniary ; the was out

ground already marked

in front the convent for the Plaza de Toros,

of and

the loteria was as the means

adopted of raising

to the I had not

money pay expenses. yet ed,
attend-

on the last in Ticol I termined

de-
and night of my stay

to It was held in the the

go. corridor of

which hung branches

aiidiencia, along of palm

leaves to the lights. It was Sunday even

protect

ing, and, consequently, the was

attendance more

numerous than At the entrance sat the boy,

usual.

is even now in ears,

whose voice ringing my rat-
tling

a bag balls, drawing them out,

of and calling

the Along the was a

off numbers. corridor rough

table a row in the centre,

with of candles and

benches on were by the

each side occupied villagers,
distinction
without of persons, with papers and

com before them, the same as at Merida

grains of

The largest sum was twenty-nine

called off reals.

One was deducted from dollar for the

real every

the lottery, the fund

particular object of and which

the boy had by a use his

obtained such potent of

voice then amounted to dollars. There

sixty-three

were
several performers giving out somewhat ocal
equiv-

music, without which in that country

nothing

on long, two were

could go and occasionally reals
drawn from the for All
purse them. entered who

There dress
pleased. was no regulation of or quette,
eti-

but manner, it was

much quiet courtesy of and

a or for
regarded mere converzatione, place passing

the I an hour. As
evening. remained about
292 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

we crossed the plasa, the moon lifted ap the jem

er front the coaTeat, for the last time i

able of and

its
slept within waUs.

The next
I hade fieurewell to the
morning crara,

ask that as soon as Doctor Ga^

with ondefstanding,

hot was to retnrn, the good psMhre would ae-

able

him to finish his interropted to as

eovipany visit ai

UxmaL My time at Ticat had not

been lost Be-

the San Francisco, I had r"-

sides' exploring rains of

accounts
from the cura,
ceived of othera which prom-
ised

to to the interest our

add greatly of expeditioiL

That I take a view of one of these

might passing

on return to Uxmal, I determined to

places my go

back by different across the

a road, sierra, which

distance from the Ticul. The

rbes a short village of

ascent broken, The

was steep, and stony. whole

was a mass
limestone a few
range of rock, vidth

trees, but to
stunted not enough afford shade, and

the the sun. In an hour

white under reflection of

I the top the

Looking back,
reached of sierra. my

last the high

view of plain presented, above every-
thing

the convent I had left

else, church and which

I was an hour the on the

crossing sierra, and other

first the took in the

side my view of great plain

Nohcacab, Uke a in the

church of standing colossus

the token to indicate the-

wilderness, only presence

man. Descending to the I saw

of plain, nothing

but treesi. the the

until, when close upon village,

great chuiich rose before me, towering above

again

d^e houaesi the

and only object visible.
 RUINS OF NOHPAT."RETURN TO UXlfAL.293

The was die the

village under pastoral charge of

Tkal, in the I met his

cora of and suburbs ministry

horsdback, to the directions

on waiting, acxording

the former, to escort me to the Nohpat.

of ruins of

At league's distance we turned from the

a off ti^ain

following a narrow ieadiag to

road, and, path some

in fifbeen we towering befot^

milpas, minutes saw

qs lofty but buildings, the

shattered relics of another

I saw at a that it be
rained city. glance would

ii^ispensaUe for Mr. Gatherwood to thern^

visit

Nevertheless) I three houis on the

passed ground,

toiling in the hot sun, at four

and o'clock, widi

apprehensions of another attack fever, I

strong of

iDOunted to continue my journey.

A little before dark I from thi
emerged woods,

saw
Mr. Gatherwood on the
and standing platform

the Gasa del Gobemador, the tenant the

of sole of

Uxmal. His Indians had finished their

ruins of

day's Bemaldo Ghaipa Ghi had

work, and gone,

Doctor Gabot left he had in

and since slept alone

our He had a feeling security

from the
quarters. of

tranquil state the the harmless

of country, character

Indians, their in to the

of the superstitions regard

ruins, and a spring pistol with a cord across the

door, fail to bring down one

which could not any

who might attempt to enter at night

It had happened fortunately for our

most tions
opera-

that Mr. Gatherwood had held out Without

any resources or to him

anything occupy except

he had an enormous deal, and

work, accomplished
294 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

from being so much better the com-

provided with forts

living than at former time

of any while ring
explo-

he had in health
rains, continued good and

spirits.
At dark the Indian luggage,
arrived with my

at
having it twenty-one
sweating every pore, carried

for I him three

miles, which paid shillings and six-
pence.

As he was we him a
going away gave roll

bread, he by if he to
of and asked signs was carry

it to the cnra. Being to that he

made comprehend

was to eat it himself he sat

down
and commenced

immediately, having never eaten so

probably much

bread before in hb life. We then him hdf

gave

a Habanero, some a
cup of plantains and cigar, and,

as the dew was heavy, told him to by the fire.

sit

When he had finished these we the

repeated tion,
por-

he hardly to believe his tune

for-
and seemed good

but he had an idea that he

real, was well off,
from being a free from the
and either stranger, and

felt by the Indians Uxmal,

apprehensions of or
else

from a fancy he had taken to us, he for a cos-

asked tal,

a hemp bagging, to We
piece of sleep upon.

him one, he lay down by the fire for

gave and ; a

he to his body
while endeavoured protect naked

against the moschetoes, kept a

and up continued
lighter heavier to
slapping, or
according the vation,
aggra-
his tried back
changed position, and the cor-
ridor,
but it was in finally,
all vain ; and, with a sad

a he for drink
attempt at smile, asked another of
Habanero a
and cigar, and went away.
 CHRISTMAS DAY. 295

On the twenty-fourth December Doctor Cabot

of

from Ticnl, bringing back him Albino,

returned with

was in a Unfortunately, the

who still raeful plight

cura Carillo was to

unwell, and unable accompany

him, but had to follow in a few days. On

promised

Christmas eve we were all once more together, and

Christmas Day, in was a holyday.

spite of ourselves,

No Indians came out to Chaipa Chi, had

work. who

as the sun,
for the first time failed.
moved regularly

We had, however, as a women

visiters, number of

from the Moona. From the top the

village of of

House the Dwarf we saw them toward

of moving

that the Nuns, went down to them.

of and receive

The them were a lad

only males who accompanied

fourteen his
about attending newly-married wife,

the husband the woman I had seen buried,

and of

had not the for joining in the tivities

fes-
who either spirit

at the hacienda, or was himself in

putting

the his loss.

way of repairing

Unable to do the I down

anything at ruins, walked

to the hacienda to see one our horses had

of which

a sore back. The hacienda was deserted, but the

led me to the the In-

dians
sound of violins place where

were Preparations were ma-

congregated. king

on a large for the feast. The

scale evening

looked like a butcher's for they had

place shambles,

cut up what had once turkeys, two

composed eight

hogs, I do know how fowls. The

and not many

Chaipa Chi ess,

lady-patron-
women were all busy ; was

to her in tortillas.
and up elbows
296 INCIPENTS OF TRAVEL.

I walked on to the santo,

for the
campo purpose

two I had
of carrying away skulls which selected

laid on the pile at the time the

and aside charpel of

foneraL I had taken some for the news

precautions,

the die bones from San Francisco

of carrying off

had some the Indians

created excitement among all

over the as I had to a long row

country ; and pass of

huts, I had two or for

procured csdabazas, gourds,

drinking I in a
cups, which carried pocket-hand-
kerchief
intended to throw in the
and away grave-
yard,

the On the
and substitute skulls. reaching pile,

however, I found that other hands had been

upon

it The I had had been displaced

skulls selected and

the so that I not tify

iden-
mingled viridi others, could

them. I the ^ole heap, but

examined could

the huge an African

recognise only skull of and

that the woman I had seen dug The latter

of up.

was the a full-blooded Indian, but it had

skull of

been damaged by the besides, I had

crowbar ; seen

her bones her flesh taken

all and very piecemeal

out the I had heard so her that

of grave ; much of

an I had some
she seemed acquaintance, and qualms

her In
of conscience about carrying skull away.

fact, in the the

alone stillness and silence of place,

a feeling
something of superstitious came over

me disturbing the bones the dead

about of and

a
I
robbing graveyard. should nevertheless, per-
haps,

have taken two at but, to

up skulls random,
increase feeling, I saw two Indian
my wavering

women
peeping at me through the trees, not
and,
 WORIL OF MR. WAtDEOK. 297

to ran the a
disturbance on
vishing risk of creating

the hacienda, I left the hands.

graveyard with empty

The told me that it was fortonate

majoral afterward

I had done so, for that if I had it

carried any away,

have an excitement the Indians,

would caused among

led to
aad perhaps mischie"

The account our at Uxmal is

of residence now

drawing to a close, and

it is time to bring before the

the the but before doing

roader remainder of ruins ;

so I one in to the
shall make remark regard work

Mr. Waldeck, in foUo

of which was published at

Paris in 1835,
and, except my own hurried
notice,

is the account that has ever been

only published of

the at
Uxmal. I had this
ruins work with me on

our last It be found that our

visit will plans and

drawings differ from his, but Mr. Wal-

materially

deck was not an draughtsman, he

architectural and

that his drawings were taken from him

complains

by the Mexican I differ from him,

government

too, in the statement some facts,

of and almost en-
tirely
in but these things
opinions and conclusions ;

occur of course, and the next person who visits

these differ in from

ruins will perhaps many respects

both us. It is to moreover, that Mr.

of proper say,

Waldeck had difficulties to encounter

much greater

than we, for at the time his the had

of visit ground

been for a the field

not cleared milpa, and whole

was trees besides, he is justly en*

overgrown with ;

titled to the full being the first

credit of stranger

Vol. L" P p
298 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

these ruins, and brought them to the

who visited

notice of the public.

To return. I have the Casa

already mentioned

del Gobemador the Casa de las Tortugas,

and or

House the Turtles, the latter

of of which stands on

the platform of the second terrace of the Casa

grand
del Gobemador, at the comer.
northwest

Descending from this building, on a line

and with

the doorway the Casa de las Monjas,

of going north,

at the distance two hundred forty feet

of and are

two facing
ruined edifices each other, and seventy

feet as laid down on the the

apart, general plan of

Each is one hundred and twenty-eight feet

ruins.

long, thirty feet deep, so far as they can be

and and,

to have been in
made out, they appear exactly alike

ornament. The facing

plan and sides each other

were embellished with sculpture, and there remain

on both the fragments

of entwined colossal serpents^

which ran the length the

whole of walls.

In the centre facade, at directly

of each points

each are the fragments a

opposite other, of great

stone Each these was four feet in

ring. of rings

diameter, in the by a tenon

and secured wall stone

dimensions. They to have

of corresponding appear

:een broken the the

wilfully; of each, part nearest

em from the the outer sur-

still projects wall, and

is
with characters.
We
lace covered sculptured

the the base

made excavations among ruins along of

the in hope discovering the

walls, of missing parts

these but success.

of rings, without

These stmctures have no doonvavs or

openings
 HOUSE OF THE NUNS. 299

ot
kind, on the or the In
any either sides at ends.

the belief that they must

have interior we
chambers,

a breach in the the one on the to

made wall of east

the depth or ten feet, but we found

of eight only

hanging so loosely together as to

rough stones, make

it dangerous for the Indians to in the holes,

work

they were to discontinue.

and obliged

This however, us through

excavation, carried

nearly one third of the structure, and satisfied us

that these did not

great parallel edifices contain any

interior but that

apartments, each consisted merely

four filled a mass

of great walls, up with soUd of

stones. It was our that they had been built

opinion

to the two fa-

cing
expressly with reference great rings

in the facades^ that the

each other and space

between intended for the some

was celebration of

in we were
public games, which opinion afterward

confirmed

Passing between these buildings,

and continuing

in the same direction, we the front the

reach of

Casa de las Monjas, or House the Nuns.

of

This building is a in
quadrangular, with courtyard

the It on the highest three ter-

races.
centre. stands of

The lowest is three feet high twenty

and

feet the twelve feet high forty-

wide ; second, and

five feet the third, four feet high five

wide ; and and

feet the length the front

wide, extending whole of

of the building.

The front is two hundred feet

and seventy-nine

long, the from one to the

and above cornice, end
 300 INOIDElfTS OF TRAVEL.

it is In the cen-
tre
Other, ornamented with sculpture.

is ten feet inches

a gateway eight wide, planned

by the triangular leading to the

arch, and courtyard.

On this are four doorways

each side of gateway

lintels, to apartments avera*

with wooden op^dng

^Dg twenty-four feet long, ten feet seven-

teen
wide, and

feet high to the top the arch,

but having no
of

communication with each other.

The building that forms the or eastern

right side

the is one hundred fifty-ei^t feet

cS quadrangle and

long that on the left is one hundred

; and seventy-

diree feet long, the or at the

and range opposite end

die measures two hundred

of quadrangle and sixty-

four feet

These three buildings have no door^

ranges of

but the is a dead

ways outside, exterior of each

wall, and above the cornice all are

ornamented

the rich On
with same and elaborate sculpture.

the the last the designs

exterior of range mentioned,

are simple, them are two

and among rude, naked

figures, have been as indicating

which considered

the existence that same Eastern before

of worship

to the Uxmal.
referred among people of - -

Such is the this building., Passyig

exterior of

through the arched gateway, we enter a

noble court-
yard,

four facades looking down it,

with great upon

each
from one to the
ornamented end other with

the intricate known in the

richest and most carving

art of the builders Uxmal a

of ; presenting scene

of strange magnificence, surpassing any that is now

 THE COURTYARD. 301

Plan the Courtyard.

of

to be seen its This is two

am"mg rains. courtyard

hondred fourteen feet two hundred

and wide, and

and fifty-eight feet deep. At"the time our first

of

entrance it was bushes

overgrown with and grass^

from our feet, a

quails started up under and, with

whirring fli^t, passed oyer the tops of the ings.

build-

Whenever we went to it, we flocks

started

of these birds, the

and throu^out whole of our

at Uxmal ttey were the disturbed

residence ody
its dmoktaaii.
of silence and
26
 302 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

Among causes
for the
my many of regret small

I am to these draw-
scale on which obliged present

ingSy is than the inability

none stronger consequent

to their detail the

present, with all of ornament,

four fa9ades fronting this There

great courtyard.

is but is, that

one alleviating circumstance ; which

is so that,
the side most richly ornamented ruined

it be
under any circumstances, could not presented

entire.

This fa9ade is on the left the

of visiter entering

the It is one hundred

courtyard. and seventy-three

feet long, is distinguished by two ser-

and colossal pents

entwined, running through and encompassing

the ornaments throughout its length.

nearly all whole

The two follow the

plates which represent only

parts remaining.

The first that the fa9ade to-

exhibits portion of ward

the north end of the building. The tail of

one is held the head

serpent up nearly over
of the

has it like turban,

other, and an ornament upon a

a feathers. The the

with plume of marks on ex-
tremity

the tail are intended to indicate a

of probably

rattlesnake, with which species of serpent the coun-

try

The lower has its

abounds. serpent monstrous

jaws them is human head,

wide open, and within a

the face is distinctly on the stone,

of which visible

faintly in the drawing. From the

and appears ruin

to was hurrying, Don Simon

which all cared only

to this head. He that we

preserve serpent's said

might tear out away other ornament.

and carry every
 A EICH FACADE. 303

bat this he intended to boild into the a house

wall of

in Merida as a Uxmal.
memorial of

The the two

second engraving represents entwi-
ned

serpents enclosing and running through the or-

naments

over a
doorway. The feature in
principal

the ornament is the figure a human be-

ing,
enclosed of

but The bodies

standing, much mutilated. of

the to the the

serpents, according representations of

same design in the are

other parts of sculpture,

feathers.
covered with

The two one fifth

engravings represent about of

the facade the four fifths were en-

whole ; other riched

with the same mass of sculptured ornaments,

toward the the head tail the

and south end and of

in design
serpents corresponded and position with

the at the Had it been

portion still existing other.

our fortune to this a few sooner,

reach place years

we have seen the Don Simon

might whole entire.

told us that in 1835 the front the

whole stood, and

two were seen

serpents encircling every ornament

in the building. In its it a lively idea

ruins presents

of the
"
large buildings
and very well constructed

lime Bemal Dias ing

land-
of and stone" which saw on

at Campeachy, '' figures

with of serpents and of

idols on the walls."

painted

At the the fronting the

end of courtyard, and

entrance, is the facade a lofty building,

gate of of

two hundred feet long, on a

and sixty-four standing

terrace twenty feet high. The ascent

is by a
grand

bat feet flanked

rained staircase, ninety-five wide,
 304 INCIDENTS or TRAVEL.

on by a building front,
each side with sculptured

having three doorwajs, leading to

and each ments
apart-

within.

The height this building to the

of upper cornice

IS twenty-five feet It has thirteen doorways, over

each of which rose a perpendicular ten feet

wall

feet hi^ the

wide and seventeen above cornice,

making the height forty-two feet from the

whole

These lofily stmctures doubt

ground. were no

erected to
give grandeur and effect to the building,

a distance they to be turrets, but

and at appear only

four them now The fefade,

of remain. whole great

including the turrets, is

crowded with complicated

and are human

elaborate sculpture, among which

figures two are as

rudely executed: represented

on instruments, one being not un-

playing musical like

a harp, the in the nature a

small and other of

a third is in a his
guitar ; sitting posture, with

hands across his breast, tied by the

and cords, ends

over his Of the there

of which pass shoulders. rest

is out
distinct intelligible
nothing which stands and

like the the loaded as it is

serpent, and whole, with

ornament, the idea vastness

conveys of and cence
magnifi-

than that taste

rather of and refinement

This building has one feature. It is

curious

erected over, and completely encloses, a smaller one

date. The doorways,

of older walls, and wooden

lintels the latter are seen, the outer

of all and where

building is fallen, the the

ornamented cornice of

inner one is
visible.
 !":"
.i::i"iL'i"

"
I !

:' ""
 A GRAND VIEW.
305

From the the this building,

platform of steps of

looking across the courtyard, a grand view presents

itself, the buildings that now

embracing all principal

tower the the House the

above plain, except of

Dwarf The this

engraving opposite represents

In the foreground is the inner facade the

view. of

front the Monjas, a the

range of with portion of

the To tlie left,

range on each side of courtyard.

in the distance, the Casa de la Vieja, or

appears of

the Old Woman, the front

and, rising grandly above

the Monjas, are the House the Turtles, that

of of

the Grovemor, the Casa de Palomos, or the

of and

House the Pigeons.

of
/" The last the four the
of sides of courtyard, ing
stand-

on the the entrance, is in the

right of represented

Vol. L" a Q
306 INCIDENTS OP TRAVEL.

It is the most
plate opposite. entire of any, and,

in fact, wants
but little more than its lin-
tels,
wooden

some stones
have been
and which picked out

the fa^de below the to it

of cornice, make perfect

It is, too, the most

in design
chaste and simple and

it was to turn from

ornament, and always refreshing

the masses on the fa-

gorgeous and elaborate other

to this
^des curious and pleasing combination..

The ornament over the centre

doorway is the

most important, the m^st compUcated and elaborate,

and of that marked and peculiar style which acterizes

char-

the highest these ers.

build-
efforts of ancient

The ornaments over the doorways

other are

less more more In

striking, simple, and pleasing.

them there is in the centre a

face
all of masked

the tongue hanging out, by an

with surmounted

headdress between the horizontal bars is

elaborate ;

a
diamond-shaped ornaments,
in the
range of which

are distinctly
remains of red paint still visible, and

these bars is a head, w ith

at each end of serpent's
'

the mouth wide open.

 y.\^T of mon j as uxmal
/u;i'.i.K .
.

.s-jmi
Vr7 2 "-.:.,."
.^^
 PAINTED FACADES. 307

The the
engraving opposite represents southeast

comer this building. The the

of angle exhibits

face before the stone

great presented, with curving

at the On is a
upward projecting end. each side

succession of compartments, alternately plain, and

the form diamond lattice-work. In

presenting of

both there is an agreeable succession of plain and

in fact, it be difficult, in
ornamented, and, would

four facing a to have

arranging sides courtyard,

more at the same time more harmony

variety, and

ornament.
All these fafades were the
of painted ;

traces of the colour are still visible, and the reader

the must
have been
may imagine what effect when

this building was to its

all entire, and according

design, in its now desolate doorways

supposed

Maya Uke the

stood noble maidens, vestal vir^ns
the Romans, to keep the sa-
of cherish and alive cred

fire burning in the temples.

I a
description the
omit of apartments opening

this We them,
upon courtyard. made plans of all of

but they are in the mensions.

di-
generally much alike, except

The in is
number all eighty-eight.

In the last however, there is one

range presented,

different from the The to

suite all rest entrance

this is by the doorway,

suite centre and principal
308 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the opposite the interior

and engraving represents

It two thirty-
consists of parallel chambers, each

three feet long thirteen at

and wide ; and each end
both is a doorway
of chambers communicating with

feet long thirteen

other chambers nine and wide.

The doorways these are

of all ornamented with

they are the only ornaments found in

sculpture, and

the interior buildings in Uxmal. The

of any whole

rooms there is conve-r

suite consists of six ; and a

in the arragements not unsuited to the habits

nience

we life as they do
of what call civilized ; opening

this in the dry season,

upon noble courtyard, with

to from
vegetation
damp.
nothing apprehend and

they be by far the most

would comfortable residence

for future the Uxmal

any explorer of ruins of ; and

time I went to them I that we

every regretted could

not the facilities they

avail ourselves of offered.

With these few I take leave the Casa

words of

de las Monjas, that in the centre is

remarking only

the fragment a large stone like that on the terrace

of

the Casa del Gobernador, the Picote,

of called and

that, induced by die account Waldeck that

also of

the whole was once paved with sculptured turtles,

I a digging over the

passed morning all courtyard

below the accumulation earth,

found
slight of and

the kind. The

nothing of substratum consisted

stones, no
doubt once as a founda
of rude serving

tion for a floor cement,

from long
of which, expo

sure to the seasons, has now disap

rainy entirely

peared.
 HOUSE OF THE BIRDS. 311

At the back
of the last-mentioned the
range of

Monjas is another, or rather there are

several ranges
buildings, lower than the House the
of standing of
Nuns, in irregular order, much
and ruined.
To the first
portion of these we
gave the name of

the House of the Birds, from the its

circumstance of

being on the
ornamented exterior with representa-
tions

of feathers and birds

rudely sculptured. The
312 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

preceding engraving represents a part of these or-

naments.

The some large

remaining portion consists of very

rooms, are two fiftj-three feet long,

among which

fourteen twenty high, being the

wide, and about

largest, or at
least the in Uxmal. In one
widest of

them are the remains of painting well preserved, and

in the is an nearer to
other arch, which approaches

the the keystone than we had

principle of any yet

met
in our It is
with whole exploration of ruins.

to the if they be so
very similar earliest arches, may

Etruscans Greeks, Arpino

called, of the and as seen at

in the kingdom Naples, Tiryns in Greece.

of and

(See in the Appendix.)

engravings

From this buildings we descend to the

range of

House the Dwarf, known by the la

of also name of

Casa del Adivino, or the House the Diviner, from

of

its the its

overlooking whole city, and enabling occu

to be that
pant cognizant of all was passing around

him.

The this building is one hundred

courtyard of

thirty-five feet by It is bounded by

and eighty-five.

firom twenty-five to thirty feet

ranges of mounds

thick, now covered with a rank herbage,

growth of

but formed buildings.

which, perhaps, once
ranges of
In the is large like
centre a circular stone, those seen

in the the Picote.

other courtyards, called

The the front

plate opposite represents west of

this building, the on it

with mound which stands
The base is so fallen
ruined and encumbered with
u

K
 HOUSE OF THE* DWARF. 313

Stones that it is difficult to its di-

ascertain precise

bat, to oar measurement, it is

mensioos, according

two hundred thirty-five feet long, hun-

dred
and and one

fifty-five Its height is

and wide. eighty-eight
feet, to the top the building it is hundred
and of one

five feet. Though diminishing it its

and as rises,

is not but its

shape exactly pyramidal, ends are

It is stone,
rounded. encased with and apparently

from the
solid plain.

A the front in the

great part of presented engra-
ving

has fallen, now lies a mass the

and of ruins at

foot the Along the base, or

of mound. rather about

twenty feet the once

np mound, and probably reach

by now is a
ed a staircase, ruined, range of curious

apartments, nearly choked up with rubbish, and with

the beams in their over the door.

sapote still places

At the height feet is a

of sixty solid projecting
on a building loaded
platform, which stands with

ornaments more rich, elaborate, and carefully exe-

cuted,

than those other in Uxmal. A

of any edifice

doorway the The sa-

great opens upon platform. pote

beams are in their the interior

still places, and

is divided into two the outer one teen

fif-
apartments ;

feet seven feet deep, feet

wide, and nineteen

high, the inner one twelve feet four feet

and wide,

deep, feet high. Both are

and eleven entirely plain,

ornament kind, have no com-

without of any and munication

with any part of the mound.

The or means of communication with

steps other

this building are all and at the time of our

gone,

Vou I. "
R R 27
 314 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

we were at a loss to know how it had been

visit

but, from we saw we

reached ; what afterward, are

induced to believe that a a ferent

dif-
grand staircase upon

from met
plan any yet with, and supported

by a triangular arch, led from the to the door

ground

the building, if in
of which, still existence, would

to this
give extraordinary grandeur great mound.

The structure is a long

crowning and narrow

building, feet in front,

measuring seventy-two and

but twelve feet deep.

The front is but even in its decay

much ruined,

presents the most elegant and tasteftd arrangement

ornaments to be seen in Uxmal, no idea

of of which

be in but a large The

could given any engraving.

life death on the in

emblems of and appear wall

juxta-position, the belief in the

close confirming

existence of that by the tians

Egyp-
worship practised

all
Eastern before
and other nations, and re-
ferred

to as the Uxmal.
prevalent among people of

The interior is divided into three apartments, that

in the centre being twenty-four feet by seven, and

those on feet by They

each side nineteen seven.

have no communication two have

with each other ;

their doors to the east one to the

opening and west.

A narrow
five feet from
platform wide projects all

the four the building. The is

sides of northern end

decayed, the eastern

front, to this
and part of and

front a one hundred

ascends grand staircase and

two feet high, feet

seventy wide, and containing

ninety steps.
 H'JMAN SACRIFICES. 317

rhe opposite this front.

engraving represents

The are narrow, and the

steps very staircase steep ;

we had cleared away the trees, there

and after and

were branches to us in the

no assist climbing, as-
cent

descent were
difficult dangerous.
and and

The CogoUudo, the historian to,

padre referred

that he once these steps,

''
that
says ascended and

he to descend he his
when attempted repented;

failed him, he was in some danger." He

sight and

that in the the building,

adds, apartments of which

he ''
were the
" idols," that
calls small chapels," and

there they made sacrifices of men, women, and chil-

dren.

Beyond doubt this lofty building was a great

Teocalis, " El de los Kues," the tem-

ple
grande great

by the Uxmal,
of idols worshipped people of

by their most mysterious rites, the est

holi-
consecrated

their holy " The High Priest had in

of places.

his Hand a large, broad, Knife

and sharp made of

Flint. Another Priest a

carried wooden collar

wrought like a The to be

snake. persons sacrificed

were one by one the Steps, na-

conducted up stark ked,

as soon as laid on the Stone, had the lar

Col-
and

their Necks, the four took

put upon and priests

hold the hands feet. Then the high Priest

of and

Dexterity the Breast, tore

with wonderful ripped up

out the Heart, his Hands,

reeking, with and showed

it to the Sun, him the Heart Steam

offering and

that came from it. Then he turned to the Idol,

threw it in his face, done, he kicked the

and which

body down the it till it

steps, and never stopped
318 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

to the bottom, because they were

came very up-

;"
"
one had been a Priest, had
right and who and

been that they tore out the

converted, said when

Heart the Person it did beat

of wretched sacrifieed,

so that he took it from the Ground three

strongly up

or four times till it cooled by Degrees, then he

and

threw the Body, down the Steps." In

still moving,

the long that kens

dar-
all catalogue of superstitious rites

the man's history, I cannot imagine a

page of

more horribly than that the dian

In-
picture exciting of

his dress long hair

priest, with white and clotted

his at this
with gore, performing murderous sacrifices

lofty height, in full the throughout

view of people

the whole extent of the city.

From the top this we over the Casa

of mound pass

del Gobernador to the structure on the

grand marked

as the Casa de Palomos, or the House

general plan

the Pigeons, the front is in

of of which represented

the It is two hundred

engraving opposite. and

forty feet long the front is the

; much ruined, ments
apart-

arc filled, the centre the

and along of roof,

longitudinally, is a built
running range of structures

in a form, like the fronts some the

pyramidal of of

Dutch houses that us, but

old still remain among

more These are in

grander and massive. nine

built stone, three feet thick,

number, of about and

have them. These

small oblong openings through

openings give them somewhat the appearance of

from this the the ing

build-
pigeon-houses, and name of

is derived. All had once been

covered with
 i

#
 HOUSE OF THE PIGEONS. 319

hgures ornaments in stucco,

and portions of which

The is in as
still remain. view presented profile,

'the full front be on this

could not exhibited scale.

In the centre this building is an ten feet

of archway

leads into a one hundred

wide, which courtyard and

feet long one hundred fifty feet deep.

eighty and and

In the thrown down, is the

centre of the courtyard, and

same large stone so On the

often mentioned. right

is a buildings, on the left a

range of ruined similar

behind it the high

range, and rising mound repre-
sented

in the frontispiece in front, at the

; and end

the is a buildings,
of courtyard, range of ruined with

in the centre. Crossing the

another archway court-
yard,

and passing through this archway, we ascend

a flight now and reach another

of steps, ruined,

one hundred feet long by

courtyard, eighty-five

deep. On this too, is

each side of courtyard, a

buildings, at the is
range of ruined and other end a

Teocalis, two hundred feet in length, one

great

hundred twenty deep, fifty feet high.

and and about

A broad leads to the top, on

staircase which stands

a long narrow building, one hundred feet by twenty,

divided into three apartments.

There was a interest this

mournful about great

Entering the
pile of ruins. under great archway,

crossing two
courtyards, with buildings
noble ruined

on each side, and ascending the great staircase to

the building on the top, gave a stronger impression

departed than else

in this olate
des-
of greatness anjrthing

It a
city. commanded view of every other
320 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

building, iu lonely
and stood apart grandeur, seldom
disturbed by human footsteps. On to it
going up

Mr. Catherwood a deer, at

once started and another

time a hog.
wild

At the angle this building is a vast

northeast of

hi^, terraces, facing east west,

range of ruined and

hundred feet long the base,

nearly eight at and call-
ed

the Campo Santo. On one these is a ing

build-
of

two with some remains

of stories, of sculpture,

in a deep at the foot, the

and and overgrown valley
Indians was the burial-place this
say, of ancient

but, though for it

city ; searching ourselves, and fering
of-

a to them for the discovery, we never

reward

found in it a sepulchre.

Besides these there was the Gasa de la Vieja, or

the House the Old Woman, in

of standing ruins.

Once, the was high, I saw the

when wind remains

the front bending before its force. It is four

of wall

or five hundred feet from the Casa del Gobernador,

has its name from a statue

and mutilated of an old

woman lying before it.

Near by are other monuments lying on the

half buried (referred to in

ground, overgrown and

the Appendix), which were

pointed out to us by

the Indians on our first North this

visit. of

there is a circular mound of ruins, probably of a

building like that Mayapan. A

circular of wall

was to the is laid dovni

which said encompass city

on the so far as it can be traced beyond

plan ; and

this, for a distance in direction, the

great every
 CLOSE OF DESCRIPTION. 321

is but this brief

ground strewed with ruins ; with

description I I it indefinitely,
close. might extend

but I have it the

compressed within smallest possi-
ble

limits. We building
made plans of every and

drawings stone, this

of every sculptured and place

furnish for larger

alone might materials volumes

than these but I have so

; many and such vast re-
mains

to that I am to details
present obliged avoid

as as These it is hope at some

much possible. my

future day to a that

present with minuteness shall

the most but I trust that

satisfy craving antiquary,

I have done the some definite

what will give reader

idea the Uxmal. Perhaps, as we did, he

of ruins of

will
imagine the scene that must have been
sented
pre-

when all these buildings were entire, occu-

pied

by in fancifiil as
people costumes strange and

the ornaments on their buildings, and possessing all

those arts must have been

minor which coexistent

the perishable
im-
with architecture and sculpture, and which

stone has
survived.

The historic light beamed us at

Mer-
which upon

ida Mayapan does not this it is

and reach place ;

in the The
not mentioned any record of conquest.

but even through it a star

cloud again gathers, pears.
ap-

The Cogolludo that on the memora-

ble
padre says,

his failed as he was

occasion when sight going

down the the Teocalis, he found in

steps of great

one the or, as he it, one the

of apartments, calls of

chapels, offerings of cacao and marks of copal, used

Vol. L" S s
322 IMCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

by the Indians as incenae, burned there but a short

time before ; an he
evidence, says, e/some superstir

tion or idolatry
recently
by the Indians
committed

that He " God help those

of place. piously adds,

Indians, for the devil deceives them ea-

poor very

While in Merida I from Don Simon

procured

Peon the title to this estate. They were

papers

truly a formidable the

pile, compared with which

in a or
papers protracted chancery ejectment suit

seem a billet-doux, and, unfortunately, a

would great

thepi was in the Maya language but

portion of ;

there was one folio in Spanish, in this

volume and

was the first formal ever these

conveyance made of

lands by the Spanish It bears date the

government.

twelfth day May, 1673, is a testimo-

nial
of and entitled

favour to the Regidor Don Lo^

of royal made

renzo de Evia, four leagues land (desde los

of of

de Uxmal) from the buildings Uxmal to

edificios of

the south, one to the east, another to the west, and

to the for his distinguished

another north, merits

therein The
and services expressed. preamble sets

forth that the Regidor Don Lorenzo de Evia, by a

that he to his a
writing presented majesty, made nar-
rative

that leagues from da,

Meri-
showing at sixteen

three from the Ticul,

and sierra of the village of

were certain meadows Uxmal-

and places named

Tzemchan-Cemin-Curea-Kusultzac, Ex-
checaxek,

muue-Hixmon-nec, uncultivated belonging to

and

the 'the
Indians by
crown, which could not profit
 TITLE PAPERS OP UXMAL. 323

lor tillage and sowing, and which could only serve

for homed that the had a

cattle ; said regidor wife

it for him to
and children whom was necessary

for the the king in manner

maintain service of a

to his that he to
conforming office, and wished stock

the said horned

places and meadows with cattle,

them for that in the

and praying a grant of purpose

name his no injury to

of majesty, since could result

third but, "

the great
any person, on contrary, very

to God our Lord, because that

service toith ment
establish-

it the Indians in those

would prevent places

from the devil in the buildings

worshipping ancient

there, having in them their idols, to

which are which

they burn detestable sac-

copal, and other rifices,
performing
they doing day
as are every notoriously and

publicly'*

Following this is a
later instrument, dated the

third December, 1687, the preamble of which

of

the the Captain Lorenzo de Evia,

recites petition of

forth the grant above referred to, that an

setting and

Indian Juan Can had importuned him

named with

to the said
lands on account his
a
claim of right of

being a descendant the ancient

Indians, to
of whom

belonged that the Indian had

they ; exhibited some

that, it was
couftised papers and maps, and although

for him to justify the that he

not possible right ed,
claim-

to litigation, he, the Don Lorenzo de

avoid said

Evia, to him dollars for the

agreed give seventy-four

the land. The in-

troduces
price and value of said petition

the deed consent, or Juan

of quit-claim, of
324 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

Can, the formalities in

executed with all required

the case Indians (the of which appears

of original

among the other title papers), and prays a tion

confirma-

his former to be in
of grant, and put real and

The instrument the

corporeal possession. confirms

former the formal mo'^e

grant, and prescribes '^f ob-
taining

possession.

Under the deed the

of confirmation appears oeed

livery beginning, " In the

of of seisin, place called

the Uxmal its lands, the third day

edifices of and

the January, 1688," "c., "c.,

of month of and con-
cluding

with these words

"
In the
: virtue of power

by the title is to
and authority which same given

by the its terms,

me said governor, complying with

I took by the hand the Lorenzo de Evia,

said and

he me over Uxmal its buildings,

walked with all and

some doors that had rooms,

opened and shut several

cut within the space some trees, fallen

picked up

stones threw them down, drew from

and water one

the the Uxmal,

of aguadas of said place of and per-
formed

other acts of possession."

The that we have here two

reader will perceive

distinct, independent witnesses testifying that, one

hundred forty the foundation

and years after of

Merida, the buildings Uxmal were

of regarded with

reverence by the Indians ; that they formed the nu-

cleus

a
dispersed
of and scattered population, and

were to for the

resorted observance of religious rites

at distance firom the the Spaniards. Co-

a eyes of

saw
in the House the Dwarf the
"

golludo of marks
 OF THE ANTIQUITY OF UXMAL. 325

of copal
burned," "
the some
recently evidence of

idolatry the title

recently committed;" and private

Don Simon, never int^ided to illustrate

papers of

in history, besides incidentally

any point showing

that it was the the

"
ing
do-
poUcy of government, and

God to break the Indian customs,

service," up

drive from their

and the natives away consecrated

buildings, are be
proofs, which would good evidence

in a court
law, that the Indians were, at the time
of

to, El
referred openly and notoriously worshipping

Demonio, detestable
and performing other sacrifices

in these buildings. Can it be that

ancient supposed

in they were thus

edifices which worshipping, and

to they were clinging with such tenacity as

which

to to be driven were the buildings

require away, of

or
did they to them because
another race, cling

they to the forms

were adapted and ceremonies

from their fathers, because they were

received and

the same
in their fathers had ?
which worshipped

In there is but little as to the

my mind question

fair interpretation to be these acts,

I
put upon and

that, to the deed the

may add according of notary,

but one hundred fifty-four the

and years ago ruined

buildings Uxmal had " doors" be

of which could

" "

opened" and shut"

28
326 inCIDEJITB OF TAATSL.

CHAPTER XV.

Attacks iioiii Fever and Ague:" Final D^partore from Uxmai.^

Newyear*8 Day. of Ghaipa du. "

Painfiil Journey. "

"Fate
Ghetuliah. Arrival at Nobcacab. Concoune Indians. A
" "
of "

Gasa ReaL" Plasa.-" ImproYements." GhinclL"- A Nona,

-The

or WelL" Municipal Elections." The Democratic Principle. "

Installation of Alcaldes." lUness of the Cura of TicuL" Set oat

for Ticul." Intoxicated Carrier8."Accident" Arrival at Ticul.

Physician. Changed Appearance of the Cora.

"A wandering "

"
Betnm to Nohcacab." Take up Quarters in the Comreot "*"

Ancient Town of Nobcacab. "

Ruined Mounds." Rizins of Xcoch.

Mysterious WelL "

^Fine Grove. "
Circular Cavity." Mouth
"A

of the Well." Exploration of its Passagea." Uses of tiie Well.

to the Village.- Fatal Acddent." A HoiMe of ing.

Mourn-
"-Return
Ceremony El Yelorio.
"
of

The is now anxious to hurr}-

reader, perhaps,

from Uxmal, but he cannot be more anxious

away

to do so than we were. We had finished our work,

had on the day for our departure, had

resolved and

determined to devote the intermediate time to

getting

out of the wall and collecting together some orna-

ments

for having the Indians

removal, and, got

fiBiirly at we set some fetrewell

work, about making

Daguerreotype While the camera

views. working

a blazing sun in the the Monjas,

under courtyard of

I a note
from Mr. Catherwood
received advising

me that his time had come, that he had a chill,

was then in bed. Presently a heavy rsun came

and

dovvn, from I took in a damp

which refuge ment,
apart-

I was to so long that I

where obliged remain

became On return,
I had a
perfectly chilled. my
 FINAL DEPARTURE FROM UXMAL. 327

severe in the Dr. Cabot, pressed

de-
relapse, and evening

by the state things, out

of and of pure sym-
pathy,

joined us. Our servants went away, we

were all three pinned to our beds together, termined

de-
and
forthwith to leave Uxmal.

The next
day it we the
rained again, and passed

hours in a disagreeable
packing up, always tion,
opera-

then so. The next day de-

parted,
and painfully we

forever, from the Casa del Gober-

perhaps

nador.

As we descended the Mr. C.

steps, suggested

that it was Newyear's day. It was the first time

this fact had itself; it scenes

presented called up

with our own miserable con-

dition,
strikingly contrasted

for the moment we have been

and would

to be at home. Our were in

glad coches readiness

the foot the terrace, we in the

at of and crawled ;

Indians us their we were

raised upon shoulders, and

in from Uxmal. There was no danger

motion of

our incurring the Lot's we never

penalty of wife ;

looked back; the interest we had felt in the

all

we only to away.
place was gone, and wanted get

Silent desolate as we found them, we left the

and

ruins
Uxmal, to be trees,
of again overgrown with

to fall, in few
crumble and and perhaps, a
ations,
gener-

to become, like over the

others scattered

country, mere shapeless and nameless mounds.

Our housekeeping household were

and again

broken Albino Bemaldo followed us,

up. and and

as the of the half hid-

we passed along edge milpd,
328 INCIDENTS OFTRAVEL.

den the was the figure

among cornstalks stately of

Chaipa Chi. She to be us

seemed regarding with

a Alas ! Chaipa Chi, the

mournful gaze. poor

white
friend ! never again she tor-
tillas
man's will make

for the Ingleses in Uxmal ! A

month ward
after-

she was borne to the santo the ha-

cienda.
campo of

The sun are beating her

and rain upon

Her bones soon bleach on the

grave. will rude

chamel
her one day, by
pile, and skull may perhaps

the hands some traveller, be con-

of unscrupulous veyed

to Doctor S. G. Morton Philadelphia.

of

Our departure from Uxmal was a

such complete

rout, that it had in it the crous,

ludi-
really something of

but we were not

in to it
condition enjoy at

the time. Notwithstanding the comparatively easy

movement the both Mr. C. I

of coche, and suffered

for, being hastily tied to-

gether,
excessively, made of poles

the the irregular

vehicle yielded under steps

the At the distance two leagues they

of carriers. of

laid us down a large tree, the

under seybo opposite

hacienda Chetulish, the domain Uxmal.

of part of of

As if in us, the Indians were

mockery of all out of

doors in holyday dresses, the

celebrating opening

the new
We a time for
of year. remained short

our to rest, in two houris

carriers and we
reached

the Nohcacab, were laid down the

village of and at

door the casa When

of real. we crawled out, the

Indians had borne on their

miserable who us
shoul-
ders

were happy us.

compared with

The three Ingleses was

arrival of an event with-
 VILLAGE OF NOHCACAB.' 329

out in the history the There

precedent of village.

was a to see us, increased by

general* curiosity

knowledge of the and unaccountable

extraordinary

for we were the

purpose which visiting country.

The its being a fete day had dravm

circumstance of

together into the the the

plaza all people of village,

an concourse Indians from the

and unusual of urbs,
sub-

most our door,

of whom gathered round and

those dared came inside to us as we

who gaze upon

lay in our hammocks. These

adventurous persons

were as were intoxicated,

only such particularly

number,
however, included on that day a
which

large the Noh-

portion of respectable community of

They to have just son

rea-
cacab. seemed enough of

left, or instinct, to know that they

rather of

by intruding white men,

might offend upon and

for it by ner
man-
made up exceeding submissiveness of

and good nature.

We at
first by the
were excessively annoyed

the the Indians

number of visiters and noise of out,
with-

kept a beating the tun-

who up continued on

kul, or Indian drum ;

but by degrees our left
pains

us, and, with the comfortable reflection that we had

from the Uxmal,

escaped pernicious atmosphere of

toward we were on our feet.

evening again

The casa
is the building in
real public every lage,
vil-

by the for the au-

provided royal government

dienzia like the

and other public offices, and, cabil-

do Central America, is intended to

of contain ments
apart-

for travellers. In the Nohcacab,

village of

Vol. I." T t
 330 '
INOIPBIfTB OF TEAVBl.

Jiowever, the arrival wai M tmre an

of straiigera oc-

"ttrrence that no apartment was asagnod oxpresriy

ibr their That given to nn was

accomoMdation.

the room the bailding, for the

principal of nsed great

the daring the it was

of village, and week
.occasions
as a but, fortunately
occupied pnblic schoolroom ;

for us, being Newyear's Day, thd boys had hxAj-

4M.y.

It was forty feet long twcfiaty-frre

about and wide.

The fomiture hi^ table

consisted of a very and

some low in honour the day the

very chairs, and of

doors were trimmed widi branches cocoanut tree.

of

The walls were and at one wis

whitewashed, end

an holding in his beak a teai^

eagle coiled serpent,

ing it his Under this were some

also with claws.

indescribable figures, a non,

can-
and sword, gun, and

warlike for the

altogether emblems peaceful vil-
lage

had never heard the hostile

which sound of

trumpet. On one the beak was a

side of eagle's

scroll with the

'* Sala Consistorial Republi-
words

cana, Afio 1828." The had the

other contained

words
''
El Systema Central/' but on the triumph

of the Federal the brush had been drawn over

party
it, in its
and nothing was substituted place, so that

it was to be in Central
all ready restored case the

party returned to On the hung a

power. wall pa-
per

containing a
"
to the in Spanish
notice public"

and the Maya language, his Excellency

that the
Governor State had
of the allowed to this village

the establishment of a first letters for

school of
 improvemeht. 331

teaching children to
read, write, count, the doc-
trines
and

the holy CathoUc that fathers

of religion ;

heads families their

and other of should send chil-
dren

to it, that, being by the

and endowed public

funds, it cost a to one.

should not medio real any

It was to or indi-
addressed vecinos, white people,

or Indians, tizoes.
Mes-
genos, and other classes, meaning

On one this room was the

side of principal quar-

lel, with the garrison, which consisted of seven diers,

sol-

three or four were down

militia, of whom with

fever On the was the

and ague. other prison with

its door, one in

grated and gentleman misfoitnne

looking through the grating.

This building one the

occupied all side of jdaza.

The was the one I had seen that

village only gave

any indications ''

improvement I
of ;" and certaiiUy

had not seen that it more. The

any needed jdaza

was the in at that time was

poorest appearance, and

worse than It had been laid out on a hill-

side,
usual.

and the improvement then on was ma-

going king

it level. There was a great pile of earth

thrown in the centre, the houses on one

up and side

had their foundations laid bare, so that they could

be by means ladders it was
only entered of ; and

to learn that the had

satisfactory alcaldes who ned
plan-

the improvement had themselves into as

got

trouble as our
do in ing
lay-
much aldermen sometimes

out new streets.

From the door the casa real two ob-

of striking
 332 INCIDBNTB OF TEAVEL.

in in
jects were sight, one of which, grand tions
propor-

lofdly was the I had

and situated, great church

the top the in from Ti-

seen'firom of sierra coming

the was the or well

This was an
cul ; other noria,

high stone a
: oblong enclosure with walls, and roof

leaves at one under a mule was

of palm end, which

a beam, drawing water

going round continually with

into a large basin from the

oblong cemented, which

women the were filling their

of Tillage water-jars.
In our out doors our Indian es-
stroll of carriers

us, came toward in a body,

.
pied and staggering uis

giving us to understand that they were at

oveijoyed
us, and congratulating us upon our recovery.
seeing

They had not

had a fisdr start the Indians
with

the but they had been by

of village, expeditious, and,

making good use of their' time and the money we

them, were as thoroughly intoxicated as the

paid

best in Nohcacab. Still they were as

good-natured

as one his tle

lit-
children, and, usual, each concluded

begging a
speech with medio.

The North American Indian is by drinking

made

insolent, ferocious, brutal, a knife in

and and with

his hand he is a dangerous but

always character;

the Indians Yucatan intoxicated

of when are
only

more docile All

and submissive. wear machetes,

but they never use them to do harm.

We to bearers to
endeavoured persuade our re-
turn

to the hacienda before their was

money all

length, to that it
spent, and at giving us understand

was in to they We
obedience us, went away.
 CONTESTED ELECTION. 333

them as they down the

watched reeled road, which

they to find hardly for one

seemed wide enough

turning to look back us

abreast, and make another

reverence, at
length, out our
and when of reach,

they sat
down in the
all stopped, road, and again

took to their bottles.

We had at Nohcacab at an interesting

arrived

The had just

and exciting moment. village gone

through the agony a During

of contested election.

the the last tant

impor-
administration of alcalde, various

causes, were the improvements in

among which

the had the feelings the

plaza, roused of whole

community, and a strong notion prevailed, larly

particu-

among the aspirants to office, that the repubUc

was in danger the were

unless alcaldes changed.

This feeling through

extended all classes, and,

through the interposition Providence, as it was

of

considered by the the were

successful party, alcaldes

changed, and the repubhc saved.

The Nohcacab are,

municipal elections of haps,
per-

more important than those of any other village

in the state.
The is aware the
reader of great

water in Yucatan that there are no

scarcity of ;

streams, or fountains, in the

rivers, and, except

no water but is
neighbourhood of aguadas, what

from Nohcacab has three

obtained wells. public

it has a thousand
wells, and population of about six

dependant them. Two these

entirely upon of wells

being larger more

are called norias, and ble
considera-

structures,
in the water
is drawn by
which
nu mCIBKllTS OF TRATKL.

is hav-
ing
males, and the third simply a poso, or weD,

merely a cross-beam over the month, at which

comer dravvs his own backet

each with and rope.

For leagues there is no water that

around except

fnmished by these All the Indians have

wells.

tbeif hots or in the

places of residence village, in
with-

reach the wells and when they go to work

of ;

on their milpas, which are sometimes several miles

distant, they are obliged to carry a supply with

them. Every woman who to the for

goes noria a

cantaro water carries a handful of com, ^o

of which
drops in a for that this
place provided purpose :

tribute is intended for the the

maintenance of mniesy

we two cents for the drinking

and paid of each of

oar horsesL
 PRINCIPLE.
335
THE DEMOCRATIC

The preservation of these wells are

cu^x"dy and

important the administration of the lage

vil-
an part of

Thirty Indians are elected every

government.

year, who are called alcaldes of the wells, and

business it is to keep them in

whose good order,

and the tanks constantly supplied with water.

They no but are

from cer-
receive pay, exempted tain

obligations and services, which makes the of-

fice
desirable no die
; and small object of political

struggle through which the had was

village passed,

to change the alcaldes the Buried

of wells. among

ttie Uxmal, the news this important

ruins of of tion
elec-
had not as.
iieached

Though practically some the

endaring,in respects,

of an aristocratic govemm^it, the In-

dians
appendages

who carried us on their shoulders, and our

loads on their backs, have as votes their

good as

masters
it was to have lost the
; and painful oppor-
tunity

the democratic in
of seeing principle opera^

tion the only true American

among and real native

the being, as we were told, in the

party ; spectacle

case the hacienda Indians, one im-

of of exceeding

not to say These, being

pressiveness, subUmity. cri-

or servants^
in debt to their masters their
ados, and

bodies to the
mortgaged, go up village unanimous

in
opinion and purpose, without partiality or
dice,
preju-
in favour or men
either of against particular

or measures they have no bank nor

; questions,

internal improvement, to no
questions of consider ;

discussions the talents,

angry about private charac-
336 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

ters, or public services of and, above

candidates ; all,

they are free from the degrading imputation man

of

for in they have the least idea

worship, general not

for they are All they have to do is

whom voting.

to into a box a little to

put piece of paper given

them by the master or domo, for they

major which

are to have a holyday. The danger is that,

only

in the they
confrision of greeting acquaintances,

their this hap-

pens,
may get papers changed ; and when

they invariably found soon

almost after
,are

some
hacienda pline,
disci-
committing offence against

for these independent electors are

which

to flogged by the domo.

pretty sure get major
In the the indifference to tinctions,
dis-
villages political

the discrimination the in

and of public

are no
less
rewarding unobtrusive merit, worthy ol

for Indian are

frequently
admiration, alcaldes elect-
ed

being aware that they have been held

without up

for the their fellow-citizens they

suffrages of ; pass

the day on the home

of election ground, and go

knowing it. The be-

fore
without anything about night

their term is to commence the aries

function-
retiring

go round the village and catch these uncon-

scious

favourites the them into the

of people, put ca-

bildo, keep them together that they

and all night,

be hand in the to the staves

may at morning receive

and take the oath of office.

These little were told to us as facts,

peculiarities

a I can believe them to be

and of such population

true. At events, the term the incumbent

all of offi-
 INSTALLATION OF ALCALDES. 337

cers was just expiring ; the next morniDg the gr^nd

the inauguration was to take

ceremony of place, and

the Indians were

going out of o"Sc6 actively enga-
ged

in hunting their successors bringing theui

up and

together in the Before we went in

cabildo. retiring

the to look at them. Most tliem

with padrecito of

had been brought in, but some were still wanting.

They were a large table, on lay

sitting round which

the their to beguile the te-

record of election; and,

diousness honourable imprisonment, they had

of their

instruments by them, which kept

called musical, up a

terrible Whatever were the

noise all night. stances
circum-

their election, their for the

of confinement

was, no doubt, a to
night wise precaution, ensure

their being in the

sober morning.

When we our door the next day, the

opened

was in to the
whole village commotion, preparatory

installing the
august ceremony of new alcaldes.

The Indians had debauch New-

slept oflF the of the

in dresses thronged the the

year, and clean plaza ;

ascending to the the

great steps church and form
plat-
in front were filled Indian ed
dress-
with women

in near the door was a la-

dies,
white, and group of

with mantas and veils, and the costume of the

in the The fresh

seiioras capital. morning air was

invigorating ; there were no threatening

and clouds
in the the sun was its beams
sky, and pouring early

the scene It was a triumph

upon of rejoicing. great

the humble trod their

of principle, and mules which

daily the beam the had

circle with of noria, red rib-

Vql L" Uu 29
338 ikcidbhts of travel.

their necks, hang half dollar

ands roond with and

two in token
shilling pieces, of rejoicing at the

change of the alcaldes of the wells.

At seven the took their

o'oloek old alcaldes seats

for the last dme, the

and administered oath of office

to their successors, a formed

after which procession
for the The led the
church. padrecito way, ac-
companied

by the new They were ed

dress-
alcaldes.
in black body-coats black hats,
and which, as we

had not seen things left Merida,

such since we

the dresses hats

among white and straw around

a strange costume. Then followed the In-

dian
seemed

his
officials, each with staff of office, and the

rest the in the Grand mass

of crowd plaza. was

said, after which the padrecito sprinkled the new

holy water, into his

alcaldes with and withdrew

room in the convent to take We fol-

lowed
chocolate.

him, the time

and about same the whole

body The
of new officers entered. white alcaldes

hands
all came up and shook with us, and while

the was his to his lips,

padrecito raising chocolate

the Indians one by one kissed his hand

went and

disturbing his use it. During this time

without of

he us what we thought the muchachas, or

asked of

girls of the village, whether they would compare

those our and, his

with of country, still sipping

an to the Indians, telling

chocolate, made address

them that, they were in to

although great respect

the Indians, in to the

other yet respect principal

they were but men

alcaldes small ; and, after much
 ILLNeSB OF THE CURA OF TIGUL. 339

he by telling them
Other good advice, concladed

that they were to execate the laws their

and obey

^superiors.

At we to
nine o'clock retarned oar quarters,

where, by reason our exertion, from the

either of or

course the disease, we had

regular of all a rence
recur-

fever, were to betake

of and obliged ourselves

to hammocks. While in this

our condition the pa-

drecito came in with a letter he had just received

from Tied, bringing intelligence that the cura had

a fatal was then dying. His

passed night, and minr

istro had to us at the us

written ruins, advising of

his indisposition inability to join us,

continued and

but, our at Nohcacab, we had no mation

inti-
until arrival

that his illness was

dangerous.
considered

The intelligence was most afflicting.

sudden and

It time we had him

was so short a since parted with

to at Uxmal, his kindness was so fresh in

meet again

thrft we have to him

our recollection, would gone

immediately, but we were fasten^ to our ham-

mocks.

His illness had created a great sensation among

Indians TicuL They that he was

the of ?aid going

die, it was a God for ging

dig-
to and that visitation of

bones in San Francisco this rumour

up the ;

became it and was not

wilder as spread, confined

Indians. An intelligent Mestizo lad ing

belong-
to the

to the village came over with the report, which

he to listeners, that the

repeated gaping poor cura

lay his back his hands on his breast.

on with clasped
 340.. imci'dents of tbatkl.--

ont, in a deep, ten

crying sepulchral voice, every

by the ^^Devoelve esos haesos."

minates watch,

^ Restore those bones.''

We heard that he had hitn

with accidentally an

English though we not

physician, could make any

English the name. Ourfever leave us in

of might
a few hours, the desperate hope that we
and with .

in time for Doctor Cabot'3 to be

might arrive skill

some use to him, or, if to bid him a last well,

fare-
of not,

we requested the to procure

padrecito coch6i

Indians by two in the

and o'clock afternoon.

Two fike days in were too

anccession rather

for the Indians In

much of about an
.Nohcacab.
hour one the to tell that,
of new
alcaldes came us

in the their
celebrating choice of new officers, the

independent had become tipsy that

electors all so

men be found for

competent could only one co-

Perhaps it have been difficult for

ch6. would the

to know their immediate

alcaldes whether tion
condi-

the fruit that day's

was really of celebration or

holding from Newyear Day, but

a over s the ef-
fect

was the same so

far as we were
concerned.

The the however,

alcaldes and padrecito, ciated
appre-

our
knew it was impos-
sible
motives, and utterly

for us to on horseback, so that,

go with great

by two the
exertions, o'clock requisite number

into the room. We

came reeling and staggering

were in our hammocks, it

still uncertain whether

be to at their
would possible go all, and appearance
 ROUGH TRAVELLING. 341

did eucourage as, for they to

not seemed unable

themselves on their feet, much

less us on
carry

tlieir However, we them out the

shoulders. got of

told them to the At

room, and get coches ready.

three we into the in

o'clock crawled vehicles, and

the time our had taken drink.

mean carriers another

It foolhardy to trust to men,

seemed ourselves such

as we had to cross the the

particularly sierra, most

dangerous in the but the

road country ; alcaldes said

they were hombres de bien, men of good character

that they be bifore the

and conduct ; would sober

first league was this

passed ; and with ment
encourage-

we The sun was hot,

started. still scorching

came in directly the back head.

and upon of my

My set on a full run, they

carriers off which continued
for a they their
perhaps mile, when moderated pace,

talking laughing the time, toward

and, and all even-
ing

they set me down on the I

ground. scrambled

out the the freshness the

of coch6 ; of evening air

was we till Doctor Cabot

reviving, and waited came

He had had a worse time than I, his

up. much

happening to be more intoxicated.

carriers

It was dark we the foot

nearly when reached of

the sierra, and, as we ascended, the clouds threaten-

ed

Before, it had been an to leave the

rain. object
as open and airy as possible, on account
cocho of

the heat, but now it was a to

greater object avoid

I had fastened down on

getting wet, and everything

the On the top the sierra the rain came

sides. of

on, the Indians harried down as fast as the

and
342 INCIDENTS OF T^'RAYEL.

darkness the ruggedness the road

and of would mit
per-

Tills care on horseback b"

road required and

daylight but as the Indians were now I

; sober, and

had in their sureness foot, I had

great confidence of

no at once I fek the

apprehensions, when all coche

over, in as I was, to help

going and, pinned unable

a frightful it came down its

myself with crash on
sida

My fear was that it over a

would go precipice ;

but the Indians on the held on, I

upper side and got

out The was

with considerable celerity. rain pour*

ing, It was so
dark that I see My
and could nothing.

were bruised, but^ fortunately,

shoulder and side none

the Indians were missing, and they

of all gathered

more frightened than I hurt

round, apparently was

If the had been worse, I not have

accident could

blamed them for in darkness, on

; such and such a

it was a how they

road, wonder could get along at

We the
all. righted coche, arranged things as
well

as we in due season
I was down
could, and set at

the door the I

of convent stumbled up the steps

knocked the door, but the

and at good cura was not

there to me. Perhaps we had too

welcome arrived

late, At the
and all was over. extreme end of the

long I saw a light,

corridor ray of and, groping my

toward it, a in
way entered cloister, which a num-
ber

Indians were busily works.

fire-
of employed making

The cura had been taken to the house

of
his we one them to
sister-in-law, and sent of over

our Very
gi.e notice of arrival. soon we saw a

lantern the long

crossing plaza, and recognised the
 A WANDERING PHYSICIAN. 343

the Brizefio, letter to the

gown of padre whose pa-

drecito had been the Qur It

occasioii of coming.

had been early in the there

written morning, whe^

was no hope but the last hours a vourable

fa-
; within six

had taken the h^d

change place, and crisis

Perhaps no two men were ever more

passed. glad

than the doctor at finding their journey

and myself

bootless. Doctor Cabot was even more

relieved

than I for, besi(les the that

; apprehension we might

too late, or barely in time to be at the

arrive present

cura's death, the doctor had that finding him

of un-
der

the hands one from it be

of whom would ne-
cessary

to extricate
him, his interference
and still

not
be
might effectual

As a matter of etiquette. Doctor bot

Ca-
profesaioaal

to upon the English

proposed call physician.

His house was he was in hif

shut up, and already
hammock, being himself from
suffering calentura,

for he had just taken a warm bath but be^

which ;

fore the door was we were that he

opened satisfied

was an Ingles. It a thing to

really seemed strange

meet, in this little in the interior Yucatan,

village of

one our own language, but the

speaking circuitous

by he had it was less

road which reached not

strange.

Doctor Fasnet, or Fasnacb as he was called,

was a small man, considerably upward

fifty.
of

Thirty before he had to Jamaica,

years emigrated

the West India Isl-

ands,
and, after wandering among

had gone over to the there

continent ; and
 344 INCIDENTS OP TRAVBL.

was hardly a in Spanish America in

coantry which

he had not the healing art

With an un-
practised controllable

to it had been
antipathy revolutions,

his lot to the his life in conn-

pass greater part of

tries rife them. After before

most with running

them in Colombia, Peru, Chili, Central ica,

Amer-
and

he had for Carrera

where prescribed when

the latter his honest as a

was pursuing calling pig-

driver, he found himself in Salama

unluckily

Carrera came it twelve hundred

when upon with

Indians, the death to the With

and cry of whites.

but thirty citizens

a garrison of soldiers and sixty

bearing arms, Doctor Fasnach was fain

capable of

to the defence ;
but, fortunately, Carrera
undertake

drew his Indians, Doctor Fasnet drew

off and off

himself, came into Yucatan, happened to

and settle

in Tekax, the town in the that

only state could

a He was flying from it, on

get up revolation. and

his to Merida, he was by the

way when arrested

cura's illness. The doctor's long in ical

trop-
residence

countries had him familiar their

made %vith

diseases, but his course treatment

of would not

be legitimate by
considered regular practitioners.

The cura's illness was

cholera morbus, attended

with excessive swelling inflammation the

and of

intestines. To these, Doctor

stomach and reduce

F. had a killed at the door, the

sheep and stomach

the covered flesh warm from the

of patient with

in a few minutes became taint-

ed
animal, which very

and was taken off, and a new layer

applied ; and
 CHANGED APPEARANCE OF THE CURA. 345

this was
continued till eight had been killed
sheep

the inflammation
and applied, and subsided.

From the house Doctor Fasnet we to

of went

the cura. The two had

change which weeks made
in his was Naturally thin,
appearance appalling.

his had frightfully him,

agonizing pains reduced and

as he lay on a cot a over him,

extended with sheet

he more dead than Uving. He barely

seemed was

by the feeble his hand, to

able, pressure of shrunken

that he our to that

show appreciated visit, and say

he had never to see us but the

expected again ;

happy faces those him more than

of around spoke

It was as over one

words. actually rejoicing
from the
snatched grava

The next we him His

morning visited again.

eye lighted as he inquired our ex-

sunken up about cavations

at Uxmal, a his
and smile played upon

lips as he to the the Indians

alluded superstition of
digging the bones in San Francisco. Our
about up

to him so that,
visit seemed give much satisfaction,

though we could not talk with him, we remained

at the house day, the day

nearly all and next we

to Nohcacab on horseback. Our to

returned visit

Ticul had us we found Mr.

recruited greatly, and

Catherwood equally improved. A few days' rest

had done for us we determined

wonders all, and

immediately to resume our occupations.

On leaving Uxmal we had directed our to*

steps

Nohcacab, not
from attractions in the
ward any

itself but on account the.

place of ruins which
Vol. I. "

^Xx
 INOIDBNTS OF TRAVEL.
.346

we had heard as in that

of existing hood
neighbour-

; and, after ascertaining their position, we

that they be to the best

considered could visited

by this our head-quarters.

advantage making place

We had the being detained there

prospect of some

time, as the casa was low, damp,

and, real and

moreover, our apartment was for

noisy, and, wanted

the by the the

schoolroom, advice of padrecito we

determined to it,
and take our in
abandon up abode

the convent

This was a long stone bailding in the rear of

the on the same high table-land,

church, standing

the from its

overlooking village, and removed ances
annoy-

bustle. In the immediately

and part ing
adjoin-
the were two large
church and convenient ments,
apart-

that, in detecting
except quick all which

bring on a recurrence fever we

could of and ague,

noticed on one water

side puddles of and green

from the the

mould, constant shade of great wall of

the on the door one the

church, and of of rooms

was "Here died Don Jos6 Trufique:

written, may
his rest
in
soul peace."

In these rooms we On
established ourselves. one

us we had the was

side of padrecito, who always

lively, on the or Indian

gay and and other six eight

or sextons, who were drunk. fore

Be-
sacristans, always

the door was a broad high

platform, running

the a little beyond it

all round church, and was a

for our horses. Opposite the door

walled enclosure

the was a thatched or kitchen, in

of sacristia cocina,
 these Indian
which church miuisters cooked ^^^
Albino Beraaldo
and slept

It is bj historical that
ascertained account,
,fi^
the time the conquest ai^ Indian town ^
of exists

this immediate biearing thd

neighbourhood, name
qf
Nohcacab. This is
na|ne cqmpouiidefl qf t\H(^p
Maya literally the
words, signifying gi^eat place ""f
land; frpip the
good aiul numerons s^nd ei(traoj?4tr
isi reason, to ber
nary ruins scattered avound, there
lieye that it w^ the heart a
of rich, and what WA^

once an immensely In
pc^ptulous country. the urbs
sub-

are numerous large

and mounds, grand ei^oagb

tP excite astonishment, bpf: evei^ more fallen

aiyl

overgrown thap tjbpse Sail Francisco, i^

of and,
"ct, inaccessible.
almost

The in the samQ

village {stands relative positio""

to these rains that Ti^l 49es to the riuns of

Sai^

Francisco, like that, in it oi^

and, my opinion stands

the Indian town, it

the offskirts of old or rather oa-

the for in the itself,

cupies part of very site, village

the some the Indians,

within enclosures of of are

the like those in the

remains of mounds exactly sub-
urbs.

In 'm
making excavations the plaza, va^es

are brought tp
md vessels of pottery continually
light, in the the house the
and street wall of vyhere

lived is a head dug

padrecito's mother sculptured up

fifteen
years ago"

The this is
whole of region retired s^nd oppip^r-

The is
without the line
atively unknown. village

it does Ue the
of all the present main roads; not vn
348 IlfCIDBNTB OF TRAVEL.

to is not
way any place of general resort, add worth

at on its own account Notwithstanding

stopping

die commencement improvements, it was the

of

most backward thoroaghly Indian

and of any vil-
lage

we had Merida was too far for the

visited. off

Indians to think bat few the

of; of vecinos ever

it, Ticnl was their thing

Every-
reached and capital.

that was deficient in the they told us

village

was to be had at Ticul, the sexton, who went

and

over once a for the holy was

week wafer, always

some
for us.
charged with errand

The first
which we was
place proposed visiting

the Xcoch, in the beginning

ruins of and very of

our in this we found that

researches neighbourhood

we were new The

upon entirely ground. attention

the had never been turned to the

of people subject
of the in the Xcoch was but
ruins neighbourhood.

a league distant, besides the buildings,

and, ruins of

it an or
contained ancient poso, well, of mysterious

the fame
and marvellous reputation, of which was

in This was to be a
everybody's mouth. well said

vast subterraneous structure, adorned with sculptur-

ed

figures, an
immense table stone,
of polished and

a with columns supporting a vaulted roof,

plaza and

it was to have a led

said subterraneous road, which

to the Mani, twenty-seven distant.

village of miles

Notwithstanding this reputation

wondrous and

the the details,

publicity of and although within

three Nohcacab, the intelligence we re-

miles of ceived

was so vague and uncertain that we were at

 A MYSTERIOUS WELL. 349

a loss how to our for

make arrangements exploiing

the Not a man in the had ever

well. white place

it, though had looked in at the

entered several mouth,

that the had taken their breath,

who said wind away

they had not to in. Its fame

and ventured go rest-
ed

the accounts the Indians, which,

entirely upon of

to us through interpreters, were very sed.

confu-
coming

By the kindness the

active of padrecito and

his brother, the nevv alcalde S^anda, two men were

brought to ns who were most familiar

considered

the they that it be im-

possible
with place, and said would

to enter it by men
except employing several

one or two days in ladders, at events,

making and, all

they it be to the descent

said would useless attempt

the snn had the to this

after crossed meridian ; and

onr friends knew

all and counsellors, who nothing

about
it, Knowing, however, their dila-
tory
assented.

manner doing business, we them to

of engaged

be on the at daylight. In the mean time we

ground
in inclu-
ding
got together all the spare ropes the village,

from the the

one noria, and at eight o'clock

next we set out.

morning

For a league we followed the at

camino real,

distance we saw a little on the left,

which opening

where one of our Indians was for us. lowing

Fol-
waiting

him by a narrow just we

path opened, again

found soon the

ourselves among ruins, and reached

foot the high towered the

of mound which above

itself from the House the

plain, conspicuous of

Dwarf at Uxmal, and is in the

which represented

30
 The in this
engraving above. gronnd hood
neighbour-

was open, and there were the remains of sev-

eral

buildings, but in
all prostrate and utter ruin.

The cerro alone, the that

great stands only one

now above the plain.

The are fallen,
rises sides ail

though in some the

places remains of steps are visi-
ble.

On the half there is

south side, about way up,

large tree, facilitates the to the

a which ascent top.

The height is or feet. One

about eighty ninety

building is is left
comer of a all that ; the rest of the

top is level
with
The
and overgrown grass. view

an immense
commanded wooded plain, and, rising

it, toward the the

above southeast great church of
 ENtHAHrOE TO THE WELL. 351

Nolicacab, On the west the baildings

and ruined of

Uxmal.

Returning in the same direction, we a

entered

thick in which we dismounted tied

groTe, and our

horses. It was the finest we had seen in the

grove

wkhin it was a or
country, and great circular cavity

iYi the twenty or thirty feet deep, with

opening earth,

trees bttshes ont the bottom

and growing of and

the level the It

sides, and rising above of plain.

was a 'and had a fanciful,

wild-looking place, terious,
mys-

fearfol for in
and almost appearance ; while

the grove all was close and sultry, and without a

breath lesif was this

of air, and evetj still, within

the branches leaves were

cavity and violently tated,
agi-

as if by an invisible hand.
shaken

This was the entrance to the or

cavity poso, well,

its was to bear out the

and appearance wild enough

accounts we had heard it. We descend^

wildest of

to the bottom. At one corner was a natu-

ed rude ral

in a mass limestone low

opening great of rock,

and narrow, through which rushed constantly a

current the branches

powerful of wind, agitating

leaves in the area This was the

and without.

the on our first to

mouth of well, and attempting

it the was so that it

enter rush of wind strong made

fall back for breath, the ac-

counts
us gasping confirming

we had heard in Nohcacab. Our Indians

had for torches long the castor-oil plant,

strips of

the ignited more thoroughly, aod

which wind only

these they led the It was one of the

with way.
352 INCIDENTS OF TEAVBL.

told us this that it was impossible

marvels of place,

to enter twelve This hour

after o'clock. was

we had not the

already past; made preparations

were to be
which said necessary, and, withoat

knowing how far we be to

should able continue, we

followed our Indians

guides, other coming after us

with coils of ropa

The entrance was three feet high four

about and

or five It was so low that we

wide. were obliged

to on our hands feet, descended

crawl and and at

an fifteen degrees in a di
angle of about northerly

The in the recesses the

rection. wind, collecting of

cave, through this force

rushed passage with such

that we breathe as we had

could scarcely ; and all

in us the fever we
seeds of and ague, very much

doubted the on, but was

propriety of going curiosity

than discretion, we In the

stronger and proceeded.

floor the was a track, worn two or

of passage single

three inches deep by long-continued treading of

feet, the was incrusted a

and roof with coat of smoke

from the flaring torches. The labour

of crawling

through this the body bent,

passage with and against

severe beginning,
the rush of cold air, made a rather

if we had the
and, probably, undertaken enterprise

we have turned back.

alone should

At the distance a hundred fifty or two

of and

hundred feet the to an irregular

passage enlarged

cavern, forty fifty feet ten or fifteen

or wide and

high. We longer felt the

no rush of cold wind, and

the temperature was warmer. The

sensibly sides
 INTERIOR OF THE WELL. 353

and roof were of rough, broken stone, and tbrougb

the centre ran the same worn path. From this paa"-

branched to the left,

sage others off right and and
in
passing
it, at on^ the Indiana held
along place

their torches down to a block

of sculptured stone.

We had, course, that

of already satisfied ourselves

the cave or it lead to,

passage, whatever might was

the work of nature, had

and given up all expeetatioQ

of seeing the great monuments of art vvhich had

been described to us but the this block

; sight of en-
couraged

us with the hope that the accounts might

have some foundation. Vqry soon, however, our

hopes on this head were if not

materially abated,
destroyed, by the Indians had scribed
de-
reaching what

as a mesa, or table. This had been a great

item in the accounts, was described as

all and made

by hand highly It was a huge

and polished. simply

block the top of which

happened to
of rude stone,

be but in a nature. yond

Be-
smooth, entirely state of

this into a large regular

ir-
we passed opening of an

form, being had been bed

descri-
circular what

to us as a
Here the Indians
plaza. stopped

flared their torches. It was a

and great ed
vault-

a high
chamber of stone, with roof supported

oy enormous pillars, which were what

stalactite

the Indians had called the columns, and though

different from we had the

entirely what expected,

the torchlight, heightened by

effect under and the

figures the Indians, was

wild of grand, and almost

for our trouble. This lay

repaid us all plaza at one
^
Vol. I." Yy
354 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

in it some
side of the regular path, and we remained

to for the the

minutes refresh ourselves, closeness of

the heat were becoming most

al-
passage and and smoke
"
intolerable.

Farther a high, broken

on we
climbed up piece

descended by a low, narrow

of rock, and again

through we were to
opening, which obliged crawl,

from its the heat

and which, own closeness, and and

the torches, the labour

smoke of and of crawling

through it, was so hot that we were

panting with

thirst This brought us to a

exhaustion and ged,
rug-

hole, three or
four feet in eter,
diam-
perpendicular

barely large for a foothold,

widi steps enough

in the We descended some culty,

diffi-
worn rock. with

the foot came a ledge

and at out upon of

ran on the to a height,

rock, which up right great

on the left was a deep, A

while yawning chasm.

few logs were laid the this

rude along edge of

chasm, which, with a for a as a

pole railing, served

bridge, the torchlight thrown into the

and, with

below, a the
abyss made wild crossing-place ; sage
pas-

then turned to the right, contracting to

about

three feet in height the same in de-

scending
and width, and

We were to betake
rapidly. again obliged

to
and the heat became
ourselves crawling, again

insuflferable. Indeed, we went on some

with prehensions.
ap-

To faint in one those narrow

of sages,
pas-

so far from a breath be

removed of air, would

to die there. As to a man it

almost carrying out,

impossible for us to do more than drag

was either of
 THE BASIN. 365

himself I believe that there have

along, and could

been no help from the Indians.

This fifty feet,

passage continued or sixty when

it doubled on itself, as before,

still contracted and

descending. It then to a
still rapidly enlarged rather

cavern, took a direction,

spacious and southwest

there was another hole,

after which perpendicular

leading, by means a ladder, to

of rude and rickety

a low, de
steep, crooked, and crawling passage,

it into a large broken

scending until opened ber,
cham-

one was a deep hole or basin

at end of which

of water.

This be accurate
in
account may not perfectly all

details, but it is Probably

the not exaggerated.

the ascents scents,

de-
some of turnings and windings, and

the truest faith-

are omitted ; and and most

ftd description be it be
that could given of would

really the most extraordinary.

The in a deep, basin,

water was stony running

overhanging rock, with a laid

under a shelf of pole

over which the Indians leaned

across on one side,

to dip it their calabashes; this if

up with and alone,

we had wanted other proof, was confirmation that

had been as a
the place used well.

But the moment

it was a matter little
at of very

to us living being had

consequence whether any

drunk from it before the it was

ever ; sight of more

to than or We were ping

drip-
welcome us gold rubies.

black
with sweat, with smoke, and perishing

It lay before us in its basin,

with thirst. stony
366 INCIDENTS OFTRAVEL.

inviting, but it was out

clear and completely of

basin deep that

reach; the was so we could not

the our hands, we had no

reach water with and

kind to dip it In our

vessel of any out widL entire

ignorance the character the we had not

of of place,

the Indians had

made any provision, and only

brought they were told to bring. I

what crawled

down on one dipped a little one

side, and up with

hand; but it was a this

scanty supply, and with

water before us we were to

go
compelled away with

our thirst Fortunately, however,

unsatisfied. after

back the first

crawling through narrow passage, we

found some fragments a broken

of water-jar, with

the Indians brought

which returned and us enough

to
cool our tongues.

In down we had
going scarcely noticed anything

the before but, having

except wild path us; now

knowledge the labour

some of place" the was not so

we inquired for the

great, and passage which the

Indians had told us led to Mani. On it,

reaching

we turned following it tance,

dis-
off, and, after a short

found it by
completely stopped a natural clo-
sing

the From the best information

of rock. we

all the led to Mani,

could get, although said passage

we were that the Indians had

satisfied never at-
tempted

to it It did not
lead to the
explore water,

nor out the cave, and our guides

had
of never en-
tered

it before. We them for the ftiture to

advised

this some in their

omit and other particulars stories

the but from the

about well ; probably, except pa-
 USES OF THIS WELL. 357

drecito, to we
and others whom communicated what

we saw, the next travellers hear the same ac-

will

comits that we did.

As we we a little m
advanced, remained while

the before to
cooler atmosphere exposing ourselves

the toward the in an

rush of cold air mouth, and

hour a half from the time we

and of entering,

into the outer

emerged air.

As a mere cave, this was but as a

extraordinary ;

or for an it
well watering-placo ancient city, was

beUef, for the

past except proofs under our own

Around it were the a

eyes. ruins of city without

any other means of and, what rarely

visible supply,

happened, the Indians it was matter tionary

tradi-
with of

knowledge. They that it was not

covered
dis-
say

by them it was by their fathers they

; used ;

did not
know it began to be They as-
when used. cribe

it to that remote they to as

people whom refer

the antiguos.

And a to induce the belief

strong circumstance

that it was once by the inhabitants a

used of lous
popu-

is the deep track worn in the For

city, rock.

the has been desolate, or occu-

ages region around pied

by a few Indians during the time

only of ing
work-

in the Their footsteps

milpas. straggling would

have that deep tracL It

never made could only

have been by the ued

long-contin-
made constant and

tread thousands. It must

have been
of made

by the a
population of city.

In the the entrance we found

grove surrounding
358 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

in the hollow a stone,

some water collected of with

which we slaked our thirst and made a partial ab-

lation

it was extraordinary that,

; and somewhat

though we were barely fix"m illness, had

recovered

been to
exerted oorselves greatly, and exposed rapid

heat we never
alternations of and cold, experienced

bad from it
any effects

On our to the we found that an un-

return village fortunate

had during our

accident occurred absence ;

a had been run by a horse, thrown

child away with

killed. In the in
off, and evening, company with

the the brother the we went

alcalde, of padrecito,

to the or It was an
velorio, watching. extremely

dark a ken
bro-
night, and we stumbled along stony and

till we the house

street reached of mourning.

Before the door were a a large

crowd of people, and

at find a were
card-table, which all who could place

At the moment our

seated playing cards. .
of val,
arri-

the was ter

laugh-
whole company convulsed with

at some good thing which one them had ut-

of tered,

was for our benefit;

and which repeated a

scene at the threshold a house

strange of of mourn-
ing.

We the house, was

entered which crowded

women, hammocks for

with and were
vacated our

use, these being in cases the seat honour.

all of

The house, like most those in the

of village, con-
sisted

of a room at The
single rounded each end.

floor was the thatched

of earth, and roof with

long leaves the From the

of guano. cross-poles

hung a few hammocks, in

small and the middle of
 A FATAL ACCIDENT. 359

the room a table, on lay the body the

stood which of

It had on the same it wore

child. clothes which

the happened, torn

when accident and stained witii

blood. At one the face the was

side of skin scratch-
ed

from being dragged on the the

off ground ; skull

was there was a deep the

cracked ; and gash under

ear, from the blood was On

which still oozing.

the head was a lighted It

each side of candle. was

a
white child, three years old, and that morning
had

been tha house. The a wom-

an
playing about mother,

tall frame, was

of uncommonly and muscular plying
ap-

to the flow blood. She had

rags stanch of

set out that her family for Cam-

morning with all

the intention to that

peachy, with of removing

An Indian woman went before on back,

horse-
place.

this another.
In the
carrying child and urbs
sub-

the the horse took fright ran

of village and

away, throwing them all ofi"; the servant and one

but this one was dragged

child escaped unhurt;

distance, in two hours died its

some and of wounds.

The were but there

women quiet and grave, outside

laughing, jesting,
was a continual and uproar, which,

the dead before our eyes,

with child seemed rude

heartless. While this was on, we heard

and going

the gay voice of the padrecito, just arrived, contrib-

uting

largely to the jest, he came in,

and presently

to the himself to us,

went up child, and, addressing

lifted the head, showed us the wounds, told what

up

he had done for it, that if the doctor had

and said

been there it have been or if it had

might saved,
360 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

been a man, but, being so its bones were

young, very

tender then he lighted a straw threw himself

; cigar,

into a hammock, looking us, in

and, around, asked

a tone that was intended for the

of voice whole

company, what we thought of thie girls.

This ceremony is
of el velorio always observed

there is death in a family. It is intended, as

when

the told us, divertirse, or to amuse

padrecito para and

distract the family, keep them from to

and going

At twelve is
sleep. o'clock chocolate served round,

at daybreak but in some the cer-

and again ; respects emony

is different iii the case of grown persons and

that 6f In the latter, as they believe that

children.

t is that God takes it imme-

diately
child without sin, and

to himself, the death is a

subject of rejoicing,
the is in jesting,
and night passed card-playing, and

But in the case

story-telling. of grown persons, as

they are not so sure becomes the they

what of spirit,

have no jesting or
story-telling, and only play cards.

All this seem but we judge

may unfeeling, must not

others
by known to Whatever
rales only ourselves.

the ways hiding or it, the

of expressing stream of

rans deep in bosom.

natural affection every

The the no tears, but

mother of child shed as she

by its head, its from

stood stanching wounds time

to time, did not seem to be its

she rejoicing over

death. The told us that

padrecito she was poor,

but a woman. We inquired

very respectable about

the her family, her

other members of and especially

husband. The had

padrecito said she none, nor
 A aUEBTIOIf ANSWERED. 361

was a
for his
she widow; and, unfortunately standard

we was the father

of respectability, when asked who

the he laughingly, "Quien ?"

of child, answered sabe

" Who knows ?" At ten he lighted a long

o'clock

bundle at one the burning at the

of sticks of candles

head the we went

of child, and away.

Vol. L" Z z
31
362 INCIDBNT8 OF TKAVBL.

CHAPTER XVL

Kuins of Nohpat. "

A lofty Mound. "
Grand View. "
Sculptured

Human Figure. "

^Terraces. "
^Huge sculptured Figure. "
Other

Figures." Skull and

Cross-bones. "
Situation of Ruins. "
Jour

ney to Kabah. "

Thatched Huts. "
at the Ruins. "
Return
^Arrival
to the Village. "
of the Indians. "
^Valuable vant."
Ser-
^Astonishment
Festival Corpus Alma." A Saints. How
of plurality of "

to put a Saint under Patronage. "

A Procession. "
^Fireworits. "

A Ball. "
Excess of Female Population. "
Dance.
^A

The day we set out

for
next another rained city

It lay on the to Uxmal, was the

road and same

I had on first retmn

firom Ticul,
which visited my

known by the name Nohpat. At the distance

of of

league turned firom the to

a we
off main road the

left, following in fifteen

and, a narrow milpa path,

minutes reached the field One

of ruins. moona

high the rest,

holding a
rose above aloft ruined

building, in the At
as shown preceding engraving.
 RUINS OF NOHPAT. 363

the foot this we dismounted tied oar horses.

of and

It was one hundred fifty feet high on the

and slope,

two hundred fifty feet long the base.

and about and at

At the top, the the building it,

mound, with upon

had fallen one

separated and apart, and while side

still supported part of the edifice, the other ed

present-

the a Cocome,
appearance of mountain sUde.

our told that the had happened

guide, us separation

only the floods the last season. We

with of rainy

on the fallen the top,

ascended side, and, reaching

found, descending on the a

south side, gigantic case,
stair-

but the stone

overgrown, with great steps still

in their The
places, and almost entire. ruined

building on the top a

consisted of single corridor,

but three feet five inches the

wide, and, with ruins

Nohpat our feet, we looked out a

of at upon great

desolate
plain, studded with overgrown mounds, of

which we took the bearings names as known

and

to the Indians toward the west by

; north, startling

by the the buildings their height

grandeur of and

the no decay this

above plain, with visible, and at

distance as a
living were the
seeming perfect city,

Uxmal. Fronting us the Casa

ruins of was great

del Gobernador, so near that we

apparently almost

looked into its doors, have guished

distin-
open and could

a man on the terrace for

moving ; and yet,

the first two our at

Uxmal, we
weeks of residence

did not
know the this
of existence of place, and,

the that had been at

Ux
wanting clearings made "
 3"4 INCIDB1IT8 OF TRAVEL.

no it was from the terraces or

mal, part of vbible

tniildings there.

Descending the monnd, we by the

passed aronnd

side of the staircase, and rose upon an elevated form,

plat-

in the which was a huge

centre of and rude

stone,
like that the in the
roand called picote court*

at Uxmal. At the base the was a

yards of steps

large flat stone, having it a

sculptured upon colossal

human figure in bas-relief, is in

which represented

the following The stone measures

engraving. elev

XX XX
.XX
en leet four inches in length, three feet ten in
and

breadth, lies on its back, broken in two in the

and

middle.
Probably it once erect at the base
stood oi

the but, thrown down broken, has lain for

steps, and

ages its face to the to the floods

with sky, exposed

of the rainy season. The is

sculpture rude and

worn, the lines were difficult to

and make out.

T^Hft Indians it figure king

said that was the of a ol
 TERRACES AND RUINED BUILD INOS. 365

doubt it was inteoded

the antiguos, and no as a

some lord or
portrait of cacique.

At a
distance to the the court-
short southeast of yard

was another platform or terrace, about twenty

feet high two hundred feet on two

and square, sides

were buildings
of which ranges of standing at right

One had two

angles to each other. of theui stories,

and trees growing out of the walls and on the top,

forming the most we had seen in

picturesque ruins

the As we it Doctor Cabot

country. approached

was a tree at the corner to on the

climbing up get

in a bird, in doing so,

roof pursuit of and, started

a lizard, went bounding the

gigantic which among

trees
and along the cornice till he buried himself in

a large fissure in the front.

Beyond this was terrace, having on

another it

buildings trees. Mr. Cath-

ruined ovei^own with

was tempted to them on ac-

count
erwood sketch merely

of their picturesque effect, and while we were

on the they to us the most touching

ground seemed

interesting
of any we had seen but as they
and ; con-
tribute

to illustrate the
nothing architecture and art

these we do not them.

of unknown people, present

Leaving this by
neighbourhood, and passing many

buildings and mounds, at the distance

ruined of six

or seven hundred feet w^ an

reached open place,

forming the interesting

most curious and part of this

field It was in the three

of ruins. vicinity of mounds,

lines drawn from to form

which each other would a

in the
right angle, and open space were some sculp-
366 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

tared fallen, some them

monnments, shattered, and of

half buried. Strange heads bodies lay broken

and

so that at
first we did not
discover
and scattered,

their but, by
connexion; examining carefully, we

found two fragments, from the the

which, shape of

broken to be
of one block,
surfaces, seemed parts one

them a huge head, the

of representing and other a

huger body. The latter we set in its

up proper sition,
po-

some difficulty, by
and with means of poles,

the Indians took from their

and ropes which san-
dals,

we
got the other part on the top, fitted in
and

its as it had once The following

place, stood. en-
graving

this monument. It was a

represents solid

block stone,
four feet three inches high,
of measuring

one
foot inches thick, a man
hu-
and six and represents

figure in a the face,

crouching posture, with

having a hideous turned over the

expression, shoul-
der,

behind. The headdress is a

almost tion
representa-

the head a beast, the ears, teeth,

of of wild eyes,

jaws being distinguishable. The

and easily sculpture

is the
rude, and whole appearance uncouth and ugly.

Probably it was one the idols by the

of worshipped

people of this ancient city.

There were the same

others of general charac-
 SKULL AND CROSS-BONES. 367

ter, the was more

defaced
of which sculpture and

besides these, there were monuments

worn; and, of

a different half buried, dispersed

character, and

but had
without apparent order, which evidently

an to each other ; after some tion,

examina-
adaptation

we
made out what we considered the ment
arrange-

in they had and

had them set
which stood, up

to our
The following en-
according combination. graving

these stones.
They from
represents vary

one foot four inches to one

foot ten inches in length.

Each stone is two feet three inches high. The

is the The
subject skull and cross-bones. sculpture

is in bas-relief, the
and carving good, and still clear

distinct. Probably this was the holy

and place of

the the idols or deities

city, where were
presented

to the the death

people with emblems of around

them.

The lie on the common lands the

ruins of village

Nohcacab, least so the that

of at say alcaldes of

but Don Simon Peon that

place, claims they are

witliin the boundaries the hacienda Uxmal,

old of of

and the settling the is the

of question not worth

expense a The Nohpat is

of survey. name com-
pounded

two Maya
of words, which signify a great
368 mciDBiiTB or tratsl.

lord this is the informatioii I was

or seSor, and all

to this If we had
able collect about ancient city.

it on oar
former journey we have
met with shonld
it a thoroogh
planted ourselves, and given explora-
tion*

The buiidings were

mounds and vestiges of

as numerous as those Uxmal, but they

perhaps of

were The day was like the finest tober

Oc-
all ruined. of

at home, as a bom the heat the

and, relief of

there was a constant breeze.

Bdn, and refirediing

The was or trees barely

country open, studded with

to the landscape, and give

enou^ adorn picturesque

beauty to the It was cut by numerous

ruins. up

like a fine
paths, and covered with grass piece of

at
home, for the first time in
upland and and only

the we found in a mere

country pleasure ramble

over fields. Beraaldo came out

from the village

a loaded Indian at the moment

with precise when

we dinner, it was the

wanted and altogether one of

most days that

agreeable and satisfactory we passed

among the relics of the antiguos.

The day, being the January,

next eighth of we set

out for the Kabah. Our direction

ruins of was

on the to Bolonchen. The scent

de-
south, camino real

from the table on the con-

great rocky which vent

was on this broken,

stands side rough, and pre-
cipitous.

We through a long street having

passed

on thatched huts, by
each side occupied exclusively

Indians. Some had a picturesque appearance, and

the follows one them.

engraving which represents of

At the the
end of street, as
well as at the ends of
 JOURNEY TO KABAH. 369

the three other principal streets, which ran toward

the cardinal points, were a small chapel and altar,

at the inhabitants the might

which of village offer

on leaving it, thanks for their

np prayers and safe

return. Beyond, the was bordered on

road stony,

both by trees bushes but as we

sides scrubby and ;

advanced we passed through an open country, ed

adorn-

large forest trees. the distance two

with /At of

leagues we turned by a on the left,

off milpa path

soon found trees, bushes,

and very ourselves among

thick, foliage, the fine

and a overgrown which, after

field Nohpat, we as the

open of regarded among cissitudes
vi-

our fortunes. Beyond we saw through

of

lofty having
an opening a mound, overgrown, and

it the a building like the House the

upon ruins of of

Dwar^ towering above every other object, and pro-

Vol. L " a a
^A
370 INCIDENTS OF TKAVBL.

the lost deserted city

claiming site of another and

Moving on, through in the trees, we

again, openings

had a
its front
a gUmpse of great stone edifice, with

We had hardly our

apparently entire. expressed

before we saw at a few

admiration another, and

horses' length a third. Three buildings at

g^at
fa9ades that distance, by
once, with which, at and

the imperfect we had of them, showed no

glimpses

imperfection, We were taken

and seemed entire.

by Our were
surprise. astonishment and wonder

we were almost as much

again roused ; and excited

as if this was the first we had seen.

ruined city

Our a for us, dif-

ficulty
guides cut path and with great

on till we found at the

we went ourselves

foot an terrace in front the nearest

of overgrown of

building. Here we the Indians a

stopped ; cleared

for our horses, we them,

place secured and, climbing

a fallen the terrace, large

up wall of out of which

trees were came out the

growing, upon platform, and

before us was a building its its

with walls entire,

front more fallen, but the that it

remains showing

had once been more decorated than

richly any at

Uxmal. We the terrace, the

crossed walked up

its doors, through

steps, and entering open ranged

Then we descended the back

every apartment.

terrace, rose a high having

and upon mound, a great

stone different from we had

staircase anything seen,

and, groping our way among the trees, on to

passed

the next the third a fa9ade

; and presented almost

entire, with trees before it on the top.

growing and
 RPINS OF KABAH. 371

if nature had to their

as and rain combined produce

On the we had
most picturesque effect. way ses
glimp-

buildings, from us by a thick

of other separated

a hard but
growth of underwood ; and after most

interesting morning's work, we to the first

returned

building.

Since We first set out

in we had
search of ruiiis

not been taken so by During the

much surprise.

time our at Uxmal,

whole of residence and until my

forced to Ticul, fortunate intimacy

visit and with

the cura Carillo, I had not even heard the ex-

of istence

a It was un-^
of such place. absolutely

known the Indians us

having con-
; and who guided ducted

us to these buildings, of the rest seemed

all

as ignorant as They told us, in feet, that

ourselves.

these were but we not believe them we

all ; could ;

felt that more lay buried in the

confident woods, and,

tempted by the and novelty what we saw,

variety of

we determined not to go away until we had ered

discov-

So far, we began at Nohcacab,

all. since we

had " done a a day, but we had now

up" city a great

field labour before us, we saw at once that it

of and

was to be difficulties.
attended with many

There was no rancho, no habitation

and of any

kind nearer than the The buildings selves

them-
village.

offered good shelter; with the necessary

they be
clearings could made extremely agreeable,

on it was
and many considerations advisable again

to take our the but this ar-

up abode among rbins ; rangement

was not its dangers. The sea-

without
372 INCIDENTS OF TRATKL.

"1 Norte to have no daj

8on of seemed end ; every

the foliage was so thick that the hot

there was rain ;

dry the before another

son could not moisture rain

came, the was in a

and whole country enveloped

damp, Besides,
unwholesome atmosphere. ily
unluck-

for it in the
us, was a season of great abundance

the com had been

good the Indians
village ; crop ;

had to eat, did not care to ready

Al-
plenty and work.

we had found difficulty in hiring them ;

it

would require constant ui^ing and our continual

to them from day to day. As to

presence secure

them to it the
getting remain with us, was out of

We determined, therefore, to
question. continue

our residence at the convent, go out to the ruins

and
day.
every

Late in the to the

afternoon we
returned village,

in the had levee The

and evening a
of visiters.

sensation we had in the had

created village gone

on increasing, the Indians posed

indis-
and were really

to for us at The
work all. arrival of a stran-
ger

even from Merida or Campeachy was an ex-

traordinary

event, no Ingleses had been

and ever

seen there before. The that had

circumstance we

come to work among the ruins was in-

comprehensi
wonderful,

Within the the

memory of oldest

Indians these remains

had never been disturbed.

The account the digging the bones in San

of up of

Francisco had them, they had

reached and much

conversation with each other and with the padre-

cito about us. It was a thing, they

strange said,
 ASTOlflSHllENT OF THB INDIANS. 373

men faces, a language they

that with strange and

not had come them to

onderstaud, among
--".ould
disinter their as their
ruined cities ; and, simple

ancestors the Spaniards first came

when among

them, they said that the end of the world was nigh.

It was late the next

day we the
when reached

We before the Indians,

ruins. could not set out

for they disappoint us we

might altogether, and

do they came, but, once on the

could nothing until

we soon had them at work. On both

ground, sides

we though from
watched each other closely, some-
what

different they from inability to

motives : utter

our we from
comprehend plans and purposes, and

the fear that we no out them.

should get work of

If one us they to listen if we

of spoke, all stopped ;

they to us. Mr. Cather-

moved, stopped gaze upon

drawing tripod, sextant, com-

wood's materials, and pass

were Doctor
very suspicious, and occasionally

Cabot filled the measure their

up of astonishment

by bringing down a bird as it flew through the air.

By the time they were

fairly broken in to know

they had to do, it was to return to

what necessary

the village.

The labour was the next

day
same repeated with

men but, by
a new set of ; continual supervision and

to done.
urging, we managed get considerable work

Albino was a valuable auxiliary ;

indeed, without

him I hardly have on at We had

could got all.

fairly discovered his intelligence we left

not until

UxmaL There had a beaten track to move in,

all

32
374 INCIDBNT9 OF TRAVEL.

but on the little things were constantly occur-

ring
road

in be an ingenuity a ity
fertil-
which showed and

resource that us from many ances.

annoy-
of saved

He had been a at the siege

soldier, and of

Campeachy had a in a fleshy

received sabre-cut

the body, intimated that he

part of which rather

was in an
direction the
moving opposite when sabre

him. Having for his

overtook received neither pay

nor
for his he was a little
services pension wound,

disgusted fighting for his coun-

with patriotism and try.

He was by trade a blacksmith, ness,

busi-
which

on the DoSa Joaquina

recommendation of

Peon, he had to enter our service.

His
given up

were first brought

usefulness and capacity clearly

out at Kabah. Knowing the the In*

character of

dians, their language, being but few

speaking and a

degrees from them by blood, he

removed could get

out of them twice as much as I Him,

work could.

too, they could ask questions about us, lighten

and

labour by the indulgence humour,

of social and very

soon I had to instructions to

only give as
what

was to be done, leave the

work and whole ment
manage-
it to him. This doubled force,
of our
effective

as we could work with two sets Indians in dif-

ferent
of

places at the same time, Albino

and gave a

much greater value than that of a common servant

He had one bad habit. Which was that of getting

the fever This he fall-

ing
and ague. was constantly
into,
and, with all our
efforts, we
could never

break him it, but, him

of unluckily, we never set a
 FESTIVAL OF CORPUS ALMA. 375

In the mean time Bemaldo sus-

good example. tained

his the
culinary reputation; and, avoiding

bad habit Albino his masters, the

of and while all

were
lank as the dogs that
rest of us village of

his to burst
country, cheeks seemed always ready

open.

While we were at the the

working ruins, people

in the were losing no time. On the

village eleventh

began the fiesta Corpus Alma, a festival

of of nine

days* in honour Santo Cristo del

observance of

Amor. Its was by the

opening announced ringing

bells firing nately,

fortu-
of church and of rockets, which,

as we were away at the ruins, we avoided

hearing; but in the came the procession

evening

the baile, to we were formally invited

and which

by a the the
committee, consisting of padrecito, calde,
al-

a more
important than
and much person

El Patron del Santo, or the Patron

either, styled of

the Saint

I have that Nohcacab was the most

mentioned

backward thoroughly Indian of we

and any village

had With this Indian

visited. strongly-marked

its is
character, church government somewhat culiar,
pe-

differs, I believe, from that the

and of all er
oth-

Besides the favourites

villages. smaller saints,

individuals, it has ones, have

of nine principal who

been as
San
selected special objects of veneration :

Mateo, the Santa Barbara, the

patron, and patroness

the Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion ;

of village ;

Nuestra Senora del Rosario El Senor del Trans-

;
376 INCIDENTS OF TBATEL.

figilracion; ElSenorde Misericordia; San Antonio,

the "1 Santo Cristo del Amor.

patron of souls, and

Each these as in
of saints, while acting patron eral,
gen-

is the care a in
abo under special of patron

particular.

The a is
process of putting saint under patronage

Among the images distributed the

peculiar. around

the one is to
walls of church, whenever observed

attract as,
for instance, if In-
dians
particular attention,

are found frequently kneeUng before it,

and

making offerings, the padre^ requires of the cacique

twelve Indians to serve take care of the saint,

and

are
These are furnished ac-
who called mayoles. cording

to the they a head,

requisition, and elect

but from their own

is the
not number, who called

to them is intrusted the

patron, and guardianship

the The in his

of saint. padre, robes of office, ministers
ad-

an is by
oath, which sanctified sprinkling

them with
holy water. The is sworn to
patron

watch over the interests the to take care

of saint,

of all the candles and other offerings presented to

him, to see that his fete is

and properly observed ;

the mayoles are sworn to the the

and obey orders of

in things touching the

patron all custody and ser-
vice

the One these to

of saint of saints, whom

a had been was El Santo

patron assigned, called

Cristo del Amor, the having to

addition reference

the love the Saviour in laying down his life for

of

man. The the Saviour being

circumstance of rev-
erenced

as a saint was as new to us as that of a sabit

 THE PROCESSION. 377

having a It was the fiesta this

patron. of saint

was now and to we were

which celebrated, which

formally invited. We the invitation, but,

accepted

having had a hard day's we were taking

work, sup-
per

leisurely, the came in a hur-

ry
rather when patron

to tell us that the procession was

ready, and the

for us. Not to

saint was only waiting wishing put

him to this inconvenience, we hurried through our

meal, to the
and proceeded church.

The had formed in the body the

procession of

the head it, in the doorway, were

church, and at of

Indians bearing the cross. Upon our arrival

it be-
gan

to move a loud the rection

di-
with chant, and under

the Next to the cross were four

of patron.

Indians, bearing on a barrow the figure the

of saint,

being that the Saviour on the cross, a

of about

foot high, fastened a broad back

and against wooden

a a looking-glass
with canopy overhead, and small

on This was followed by the

each side. patron

his the the

and mayoles, padrecito and ourselves,

or white people of the village, a long

vecinos, and

train Indian men women, bareheaded, in

of and

dresses, bearing long lighted

white and all candles.

Moving down the the a

great steps of church with

loud the cross the figure the

chant, and and of saint

the light hundreds

conspicuous under of of candles,

the d'oeil the was

coup of procession solemn and

imposing. Its was toward the house the

march of

on turning the street that led to it,

patron, and, up

we a rope
it for a
noticed stretched along perhaps
Vol. L " b b
^B
 378 mOIDEllTS OF tbayel.

hundred a piece
fireworks
yards, and presently of

was set
by them the idas, or
off, called goers, and

known by ns as flying
pyrotechnists among pigeona

The flaming ball along the rope backward

whizzed

forward, fire on the heads the

and scattering of

people underneath, and threw the whole procession

into laughter. The was har-

ried
confiision and saint

into a the filed

place of security, and people off

on each side of the rope, out of reach of the sparka

The went with

idas off universal applause, and

that the the had been

showed custody of saint not

in hands. This over, the

placed unworthy chant

was and the procession moved on till it

resumed,

the house the at the door

reached of patron, of

which the padrecito chanted a salve, and then the

borne The house a

saint was within. consisted of

long room, having at one a temporary

single end

flowers, at the a table,

altar, adorned with and other

on were
dulces, bread,
which spread cheese, and

both for
various compound mixtures eating and

drinking.

The was set on the in a few

saint up altar, and

the led the through a door

minutes patron way, op-
posite

that by we had into an

which entered, oblong

one hundred feet loug forty

enclosure about and wide,

having an leaves The

arbour of palm overhead.

floor was hard

of earth, and seats were
arranged

the All the followed,

around sides. vecinos and we,

as strangers and attendants the his

of padrecito and

fiunily, were to the being

conducted principal places,
 THE BALL. 379

row
large two
a of wooden arm-chairs, of which

were by the
occupied padrecito's mother and sister.

Very soon the seats were by

all occupied whites and

Mestiza women, the the

and whole enclosure, with

a for dancing, filled

exception of small space was
up

Indian the
with servants and children sitting on

ground.

Preparations were immediately for dancing,

made

die ball by the the

and was opened patron of saint

This was
in his
patron not very saintly appearance,

but a most man

in his deportment
really respectable

in his had been the best

and character, and youth

bull-fighter the had ever

village produced.

He began the dance the toros. The

with called

brother the as master of the cer-

emonies,
of padrecito acted

a called out
and with pocket-handkerchief

the ladies one the dancing

after other, until every

lady had had her turn.

present

He then took the the act-

patron's place, patron ing

Bastonero in his out

as stead, and called again

lady to dance. It was a bal

every who chose cham-

in no was required, the

petre, which costume and

brother the had us,

of padrecito, who opened upon

black dress-coat,
as alcalde elect, with a white pan-
taloons,

fur hat, danced in drawers, straw

and shirt,

hat, leather on the soles

and sandals, pieces of of

his feet, nearly up to the

with cords wound round

the leg.
calf of

When he had finished we were to take

solicited
380 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

his however, though with some diflS-

place, which,

culty, we avoided.

I have not
is a
yet mentioned, what subject of re-
mark

throughout Yucatan, was

and particularly man-
ifest

this ball, the excess female

at great apparent of

This excess was to be

population. said estimated

the rate two to one;

but it was
at of although an

interesting I was for

subject, and seeking statistical

information was to I
which said exist, could not tain
ob-

information in to it I
any authentic regard

have no doubt, however, that there are many more

than one woman to one man, which the men

say

Yucatan a to live in. Perhaps

makes great country

this is one reason the is

why standard of morality

not high, to
very and without wishing reflect upon

our friends in Nohcacab, as this was a ball, I

public

cannot help that the

mentioning one
of most sonally
per-

attractive lady-like looking

and women at

the ball was the a man,

amiga of married w^hose

had left him the best dressed guished

distin-
wife ; and most

lady was the daughter the

young of padre
died in one our rooms,
who of and who, strictly

never to have had daughters;

speaking, ought any

in instances so numerous as not to be

and noticed

by the husbands
people, without wives and wives

husbands to-
without were mingling unrestrainedly gether.

Many the
of white people could not speak

Spanish, the was

and conversation almost exclusive-
ly

in the Maya language.

It was the first time we had in

appeared society,
 A DANCE. 381

we were lions fact, to

and really great "

^in equal an

Whenever we
entire menagerie. moved, all eyes

were turned upon us; when we spoke, all were

we in
silent; and when spoke with each other

EngUsh, laughed. In the interlude for

all ments,
refresh-

they had seen us eat, that they want-

and aU ed

was to see us dance. The told us

padrecito

we be to come out A dance was

should obliged

introduced Saca or
"
take
called el suyo, out your

own," brought us out The then

which all patron

out the the a heavy

called mother of padrecito, old

lady, dancing days were long over, but

whose since

went through her laughter,

she part convulsed with

then out
her son, the to
and called padrecito, who,

the great merriment of the whole company, tried to

the but, once self

him-
avoid challenge, started, showed

decidedly the best dancer at the ball. At

en
elev-

the ball broke mour

hu-
o'clock up with great good

the lighted their torches,

; vecinos and all went

home in a body, filing at

different The
off streets.

Indians to take their the

remained places, and pass

in the ball-room, dancing in honour the

night of

saint

Every besides numerous we had

evening, visiters,

the baile for When we did not

recreation. go,

Albino did. His intelligence as our

and position

head man him a degree

gave of consequence, and
him the he
admitted within arbour, where ly
complete-
his best
eclipsed masters, and was considered the

dancer in the the

place except padrecito.
3812 INOIPENTS Of tRAVBL.

CHAPTER XVIL

Roiim Kabah.-" General DescriptioiL^Plaii of the Rums."

of

Great Teocalia^^Ruined Apartmenta." Grand View. " ^Tenace

and
BoDdinga." Rangea of BuUdinga. " EieioglyptdcB. "
A rich

Facade." Wooden Lintel8.--4insal8r StiiictiHrea.-^Apartmeiita^

Jto." Rankneea TrojMcd Vegetation." Edifice caDed the Cb*

of

Miy eatic pile of Buildinga. Apartmenta, kc.

cina." -^ "

^A tary
soli-

Arch. Snccesaion ^Buildings. Apartmenta,

"A of rained "

ftc" Prints of the Red Hand. " Sindptitred IJnteL -^

Instm-

by the Ahorigimla for Carrinf Wood.

menta med -^Ruined
8traetore.*-Omament in Stucco." Great mined Bailding."Gii"

Chamber, dec. Sculptured Jambs." Another Witneas for

rioua "

these Cities." Last Visit to Kabah." Its recent Discor-

rained

Agreat Chamel Honse." Funeral Proce8sio" A Ball by

ery." "

Dajli^t." The Proceasion of the Candle8.-^losing Scene.

In the mean time we omr work at bah,

Ka-
continaed

daring our intercourse the dians,

In-
and, all with

we were inquiring for

constantly other places

In this we were by the

of ruins. greatly assisted

indeed, but for him, the

padrecito ; and channels

information to us through him, some

of opened

are
in these
places which presented pages would

have been discovered. He had

perhaps never ways
al-

Indian sextons,
from the most
eight selected

the inhabitants, to take care

respectable of of

the not fo assist at

church, who, when wanted

masses, or funerals, were lounging

salves, constantly

our door, tipsy, to be

about always and glad called

in. These sextons knew Indian in the

every lage,
vil-

and the in he had his or

region which milpa,

cornfield ; and through them we were continually

 IGNORANCE OF THE INDIANS. 383

inquiries. All the the

making rains scattered about

are known to the Indians the

country under gener-
al

"Xlap-pahk/' means in Spanish

name of which

^ in English ** The
paredes viejas," and old walls."

information was in so
we obtained general confused

that we were to form idea the extent

unable any of

or the We no
character of ruins. could establish

standard of comparison, as those who told us of one

were, not
familiar so
place perhaps, with any other,

that it was to see had

necessary all ; and we one

the which can hardly be

perplexity, magnitude of

in die ignorance the

conceived, extraordinary of all

Indians, in to the
people, whites and regard raphy
geog-

their own immediate A

of neighbourhood.

they had never though but a few

place visited,

leagues distant, they knew from

nothing about, and,

the difficulty the tion

juxtaposi-
extreme of ascertaining

it was hard to the

of places, arrange plan of

a so as to To some I
route embrace several. made

those from I
preliminary visits ; which expected

most turned out not worth the trouble of going to,

from I but Uttle,

while others, which expected proved

interesting. Almost on
extremely every evening,

to the convent, the hurried

returning padrecito

into our room, the

"
buenas
with greeting, noticias!

otras !" "

news ! more !" at
ruinas good ruins and

one time these came in so fast that I

noticias sent

Albino on a two days' to " do" some

excursion liminary
pre-

visits, who returned with a

report justify^
ing his judgment, bruistd leg
my opinion of and a
384 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

from a
disabled him for
climbing over monnd, which

sdme
days.

As these be burdened, I
pages will sufficiendy

shall omit all the preUminary visits, and present

the long line in the in

of ruined cities order which

them for the

we
visited purposes of exploration.

Ghichen the we heard in Mer-

was only place of

ida, the we knew

and only place of with absolute

before we for Yucatan but

certainty embarked ; we

found that a vast

field lay between
of research us

it, not to delay the I

and and, reader, proceed at

once to the Kabah.

ruins of

The the the

engraving opposite represents plan of

buildings this It is not from

of city. made actual

measurements,
for this have
would required clear

ings from the difficulty Indians,

which, of procuring

it have been impossible to but

would make; the

bearings were taken the from top

with compass the

the teocalis, the distances laid

of great and are

down to best judgment

according our
with the eye.

On this the
plan reader will see a
road marked
" Camino Real to Bolonchen," on the left
and a
path
"
Path to Milpa." Following this to-
marked path ward

the field the teocalis is the first

of ruins, ob-
ject
that meets
his
eye, grand, picturesque, ruined,

trees, like the House the Dwarf

and covered with of

at
Uxmal, towering above every other object on the

It is one hundred feet

plain. about and eighty

square at the base, in a form to

and rises pyramidal

the height feet At the foot is

of eighty a range of
 t "!'
^1
OBNXSALFLAN

or TBS

RUINS OF KABAH.
ajCoM.

Note. This Plan "mw

akateked
'V from the top
Woody htnd. 'y* of the prm-
dped Teocalu.

i Aft/pa. j

Teocalia a buildmg
with

ontheaummU.

Com from which the

Sculjttvr^fl Beame

tnkeu.

^U^obout^^'
3^yk0tjN^384.
 A MOUND. ^RUINED BUILDINGS. 387

The are fallen,

ruined apartments. steps all and

the a loose stones, difficuk

sides present surface of

to except on one side, where the ascent is

climb,

by the trees. The top

rendered practicable aid of

a
I it for the first
presents grand view. ascended

time toward evening, when the son was

about set-
ting,

the buildings were length-

ened
and ruined casting

over the At the

shadows plain. north, south,

the was bounded by a hills.

and east view range of

In the field ruins was a in

part of of clearing, which

deserted the indication

stood a rancho, and only

that we were in the man was the distant

vicinity of

church in the Nohcacab.

village of

Leaving this mound, again taking the milpa path,

following it to the distance three or four hun-

dred
and of

we the foot a terrace twenty

yards, reach of

feet high, the is trees

edge of which overgrown with ;

this, we on a two hundred

ascending stand platform

feet in by one hundred forty-two feet

width and

deep, facing us is the building in

and represented

the On the the

plate opposite. right of platform, as

we this building, is a high struc-

approach range of tures,

trees, an mense
im-
ruined and overgrown wkh with

back built on the outer

line the
wall of form,
plat-

to the bottom the terrace.

perpendicular of

On the left is buildings,

another range of ruined not

so as those on the in the centre

grand right, and of

the is a twenty-seven feet

platform stone enclosure

seven
feet high, like that the
square and surrounding

at
Uxmal but the layer the
picote ; of stones around
 388 INCIDENTS OF TRAYBU

base on we found
was scnlptiired, and, examination,

line hiero^yphics. Mr. Catherr

a continnons of

drawings these as they lay

wood made of scattered

but, I them in the in

about, as cannot present order

which they stood, they are omitted altogether.

In the the is a stone

centre of platform range of

"3r(y feet twenty in leading

steps wide and nomber,

to terrace, on the bnilding.

an upper which stands

Thb bnilding is one hundred fifty-one feet fix"nt,

and

the we saw it we were with the

and moment struck

ornament its facade.

extraordinary richness and of

In the buildings Uxmal, a ex-

all of without single ception,

to the runs over the way

door-
up cornice which

the fe9ades are plain stone but this was

of ;

fit"m the foundation, two layers

ornamented very

the lower to the top.

under cornice,

The that a this

reader will observe great part of

faqade has fallen toward the however,

; north ^id,

a twenty-five feet
portion of about remains, which,

though not itself the

entire, shows gorgeousness

decoration this fa9ade was once

of with which

The represents this part,

adorned. plate opposite

as it the over the top

exactly stands; with cornice

fidlen.

/" The ornaments are of the same character with

'
those at
Uxmal, incompre-
alike complicated and

from the fact that the

nensible, and every part of

facade was even to the

ornamented with sculpture,

now buried the lower the

portion under cornice,

have a
whole must presented greater appearance of
 k'A HA 11

I'.f.tii','/ ("'rritt.ih'm /'(./"./'

 LINTELS. SINGULAR STRUCTURE. 389

than building at
Uxmal. The cornice
nchness any

the doorways (which is on

running over stamped

the cover this tried by the severest rules

of work),
of art recognised among us, would embellish the

known era, a mass

architecture of any and, amid

barbarism, it
of of rude and uncouth conceptions,

as an by American builders
stands offering worthy

of the acceptance of a polished people.

The lintels the doorways were these

of of wood ;

fallen, the rated

deco-
are all and of all ornaments which

them now No doubt they

not one remains.

in beauty the rest

corresponded of sculpture with

the facade. The now

lies a mass bish
rub-
of whole of

at the foot the

and ruin of wall.

On the top is a at a
distance, as
structure which,

indistinctly through the trees, had the

seen ance
appear-

a as we it
of second story, and, approached,

reminded us of the towering structures on the top

some the buildings at

Palenque.
of of ruined

The access to this structure was by no means

There was no or
easy. staircase other visible

means of communication, either within or without

the building, but in the rear the had

wall and roof

fallen, in some high

and made places mounds ing
reach-

to the top. Climbing these tottering

nearly up

fabrics was not

free from danger. Parts
which peared
ap-

had not the buildings

substantial security of

according to true
constructed principles of art ; at

times it was impossible to discover the supporting

the disorderly masses held by

power, and seemed up
 390 INCIDENTS OF TRAVBL.

\ an hand. While we were the

mvisible clearing off

trees the a shower came

upon roo( up suddenly, and^

as we were hurrying to descend take in

and refiige

one the below, a the

of apartments stone on edge of

the down it.

cornice gave way and carried me with

By fortune, was a
great good underneath mound of

ruins which reached nearly to the roo^ and saved

me from a fall that have been most

would serious,

if not
"BLtal, in its The
consequences. expression

on the hce an Indian as he saw

of attendant me

was a faint own.

going probably reflection of my

The structure on the top this building is

of about

fifteen feet high four feet thick,

and and extends

over the back the front

wall of range of apartments,

the length the In it

whole of edifice. many places

has fallen, but we were now more than

struck when

at a distance its to the

with general resemblance

structures on the top of some of the ings

build-
ruined

at
Palenque. The latter were this
stuccoed ;

was more It
of cut stone, and chaste and simple.

not have been intended for use as

could any part

of the edifice ; the only purpose we could ascribe

to it was that ornament, as it improved the

of ap-
pearance

the building seen

from a distance,
of and

set it on near
off with great effect approach.

I have that we were by

said somewhat excited

the first the facade this building. As-

cending
view of of

the in the doorway

steps and standing of

the centre we broke out

into an
apartment, mation
excla-

At Uxmal there
of surprise and admiration.
 ^ KABAH

Casta
MffTJf^r
tifCmtf^MfWfHJ'* mil^t^
,m
 APARTMENTS.
391

the interiors the apartments

was no variety : of all

the Here we were with a

were same. presented

The
nceae entirely new. plate opposite represents

the interior this It two

of apartment consists of

the one in front being twenty-

parallel chambers,

seveii feet long ten feet inches

wide, and
and six

the the same length, but a few inches nar-

rower,
other of

by a door in the centra

communicating

The inner room is two feet inches

raised ei^t
higher than the front, the ascent
is by two
and

stone out a block of stone, the

steps carved of sin^e
lower one being in the form a
The
of scroll sides

the are as is
of steps ornamented with scolpture,

the the doorway. The de-

sign
also wall nnder whole

is as a mere matter
gracefrd and pretty, and,

taste, the is Here, on the

of effect extremely good.
first day oar we ont onr
of arrival, spread provisions,

ate to the the former tenant His

and memory of

own domains fiumish us water,

could not with and

we were from the Nohcacab.

supplied wells of
In the but one doorway
engraving appears on

each the the front the two

side of centre, wall at

ends having fallen. On both this centre

sides of

doorway were two doorways into

other opening

apartments. Each two

apartment contains cham-
bers,

the back one but there are no

with raised,

stepsy the is a
and only ornament row of small lasters
pi-

about two feet high the door, run-

under and ning

the length the

whole of room.

Such is a brief description the "cade front

of and
392 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

these formed not more than one

apartments, and

the building. At the rear the

third of and under

were two the

same roof ranges of apartments of

dimensions those just described,

same with and

having a area
in front. The
rectangular whole

formed a though having

edifice nearly square, and

less front, a mass, as thick as

with great solid nearly

the for the centre it

one of corridors, wall, covered

as
feet as the Casa del Gobema-
nearly many square

dor, from its lavishness ornament,

and probably, of

more stone. The rest the

contained sculptured of

building, however, was

in a more
much ruinous con-
dition

than that At both the

presented. ends wall

had fallen, the the front,

and whole of other with

the the filled the so

roof, and ruins up apartments

that it was
difficult to out the
extremely make plan.

The the terrace on this latter is over-

whole of side

w itli trees, some have taken

grown of which root

the fragments, are out the terior

in-
among and growing of

of the chambers.

The some idea the

sketch opposite will give of

in the tropical
manner which rankness of vegetation

is hurrying to destruction these interesting

remains.

The tree is the or the leaves

called alamo, elm, of

those the ramou, form in that coun-

which, with of try

the fodder for horses. Springing

principal up

beside the frout its fibres into

wall, crept cracks and

became branches, as
crevices, and shoots and which,

the trunk rose, iji to it, unset-

struggling rise with tled

and overturned the wall, and stiJl grew, carry-

^:x: *!.'
"

M..
'J
"""LI.

..
,"
.. ;; \
vri;:i'- -
f^/-' /"-'"
y^m^^mm^m^^
-^-^
-'
-'.
'-J J^'j
^i-'j-j
j,_j ^
,"'j
S'ji'j
.^
jij(j"L/

KA M A 11
896 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL

the the building fell, but, fortunately, the mu-

night leteers

leaving their be-

hind
escaped unhurt, and, mules

them, in the darkness the best

and rain made of

their to Nohcacab, that El Demonic

way reporting

the Kabah.
was among ruins of

On the left this is a leading

of mound staircase

down to the area Casa No. 2, on the

of and right

is a buildings, having no
grand and majestic pile of

to it, en-
name assigned and which, perhaps, when tire,

was the most imposing structure at

Kabah. It

at the base one hundred forty-seven

measured and

feet on one one hundred and six on the

side and

three distinct
other, and consisted of stories .or

ranges, one on the roof of the other, the second

than the first, the third than the

smaller and smaller

having a broad in
second, on each side platform

from. Along the base on

four the was
all of sides

a the ways
door-
continuous range of apartments, with

by the fronting
supported pillars, and on side

the rear Casa No. 1 inter-

esting
of was another new and

feature.

This was a to the

gigantic stone staircase, rising

roof, on which stood the second range of ments.

apart-

This
staircase was not a solid mass, resting

against the wall of the mound, but was supported

by the half a triangular from the

of arch springing

and resting against the to leave

ground, wall so as

a under the staircase. This

passage staircase was

interesting not
for its own the
only grandeur and

its but as
novelty of construction, explaining what
 RANGES OF BUII^DINGS. 397

had before been in to the

; unintelligible regard prin-
cipal
in the House the Dwarf Uxmal.
staircase of at

The this are fallen,

steps of staircase nearly all

the: ascent is as on an inclined The

:and plane.

buildings' on. the top are the

" ruined, and many of

doorways so that there was barely

encumbered room

to into them. On one

crawl occasion, while clear-
ing

this so as to make a came

around plan, rain on,

I was obliged to into one ^11 the In-

dians,
and crawl with

in the dark, a damp

and. remain
.breathing
jand unwholesome atmosphere, pent up and almost

for more than an hour.

stifled,
The doorways the ranges on the north side
.'. of

this the area Casa No 2.

jof mound opened upon of

The. is hundred
platform of this area one and seventy

long, one hundred ten broad, is

"feet and and eleva-
ted

ten: feet from the: It had been

ground. planted

com, little The

with and required clearing. plate

the front this building, the

opposite represents of and

or stone
found thrown down in the
picote, great all

areas, is on one in the

courtyards and exhibited side

The edifice upon an upper race

ter-
:engraving. stands

forming breastwork for run-

; a which, and ning

the length, one hundred

whole and sixty-four

feet, is their doors

a range of apartments, with open-
ing

the The front the

upon area. wall and roof of

this have fallen.

range nearly all

A from the centre the

ruinea staircase rises of

to the this forms the

platform roof of range, which

in front of the principal

building.
platform

34
898 IlfCIDEMTS OF TBAVBL.

This like that last is

staircase, mentioned, sap-

by the half a triangular like

ported of arch, precisely

The front
the other already mentioned. whole

was ornamented with sculpture, and the ornaments

best are over the doorway the centre

preserved of

being the
apartment, which, underneath staircase,

be in the
cannot exhibited engraving.

The building, it be seen, has

principal will pillars

in two its doorways. At this for the first

of place,

time, we met with pillars used le^timately, ing

accord-

to the known as a
rules of architecture, support,

they to the interest the

and added greatly which

here disclosed to us
other novelties presented.

These however, were but feet high,

pillars, six

square
blocks stone
rude and unpolished, with of

for They the ar-

capitals and pedestals. wanted chitectural

in
majesty and grandeur which other

is the
styles always connected with presence of lars,
pil-

but they were not out in

of proportion, and,

fact, were to the lowness the building.

adapted of

The lintels over the doors are stone.

of

Leaving this building, an

and crossing overgrown

at the distance three

and wooded plain, of about

hundred fifty we the terrace

and yards reach of

Casa No. 3. The this terrace, too, had

platform of

been corn, was

planted with and easily cleared.

The the front the

plate opposite represents of edifice,

we first came it, beauti-

which, when upon was so

fiilly by trees that it was to be

shrouded painfiil

to disturb them, we branch

obliged and spared every
1 1 r.t-"

*li
 A SOLITARY ARCH. 399

did the While Mr. Cather-

tliat not obstruct view.

his drawing, rain came on,

wood was making and,

he not be to his camera lucida in

as
mig^t able get

he his the
position again, continued work, with tection
pro-

an India-rubber an Indian hold-

ing
of cloak and

an over the The was

umbrella stand. rain of

that met in
sudden and violent character often with

tropical in a few flooded the

cHmates, and minutes

The the from the

whole ground. washing of water

terrace in the
upper appears engraving.

This building is by the Indians la Casa de

called

la Justicia. It is one hundred

and thirteen feet

long. There are five twenty feet

apartments, each

Icmg jmd nine wide, and all perfectly plain.

The

firont is die in the between

plain, except pillars wall

the doorways indicated in the engraving; and

in fi'ont, at the on the back are

above, end, and

rows forming a in-

elegant
of small pillars, simple and not

ornament

Besides these, there are on this the

side of cam-

ino real the buildings, but in a

remains of other all

there is one monument,

ruinous condition, and per-
haps

more interesting than that has

curious and any

been It is a lonely the same

presented. arch, of

form the having a

fourteen
with all rest, span of

feet. It on a disconnected
stands ruined mound,

from structure, in
grandeur.
every other solitary

Darkness rests its history, but in that tion

desola-
upon

the it
and solitude, among ruins around, stood

like the a Roman triumph.

proud memorial of
400 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

r X^T^

Perhaps, like the Titus, this day

arch of which at

the Sacred Way at

Rome, it was to
spans erected

commemorate a victory over enemies.

These were ail the this

principal remains on
side

the camino real ; they were

all to
which our dian
In-
of

us, two men-

guides conducted and, excepting tioned

hereafter, they were to that

all of which, up

knowledge but the

time, any existed ; on other side

the by trees, were the

of camino real, shrouded

trembling tottering buildings

and skeletons of which

bad once been than these.

grander
 AN EXPLOIT. 401

From the top the teocalis we had

of great out

first these Following the

glimpses of edifices. cani-

ino to a in a the tri-

umphal
real point about range with

there is a narrow leads to

arch, pa^ which

two buildings by a fence for a

enclosed milpa.

They are but little They

small, and ornamented.

at to in front
stand right angles each other, and of

them is a in is a large broken

patio, which orifice,

like the a cave, a tree

mouth of with growing near

the it My first to this

edge of visit place was

marked by a brilliant exploit on the part of my

horse. On dismounting, Mr. Catherwood found

for his horse, Doctor Cabot his into one

shade got

the buildings, I tied to this tree,

of and mine giving

him fifteen twenty feet halter as a for

or of range

Here we left them, but on our return in

pasture.

the horse was

evening my missing, and, as we
posed,
sup-
but before we the tree I
stolen ; reached saw

halter to it, knew that In-

dian
the still attached and an

be more likely to the halter

would much steal

leave the horse than versa. The halter

and vice

was drawn down into the the cave,

mouth of and

looking over the I saw the horse hanging

edge, at

the just by
other end, with rope enough, stretching

his head to keep a foothold at one

and neck, side

the cave. One his was

of of sides scratched and
dirt, it as if every bone in
grimed with and seemed

his body must be broken, but on him out we

getting

found that, some the he

except scarifications of skin,

was not at hurt in fact, he was the reverse^

all ; quite

Vol. I." E e e
402 INCIDENTS or TKAVBL.

never better than on onr retarn to the

and moved

village.

Beyond baildings, Indians knew

these none of the

of any rains.
Striking directly from them in a

direction through thick

westerly a piece of woods,

being to see hot from

without able anything, servation
ob-

taken from the the teocalis,

top of and

passing a small rained building a staircase

with

leading to the roof, we a terrace,

reached great per*

haps hundred feet long hundred feec

eight and one

This terrace, besides bemg

wide. overgrown with

trees, was covered with thom-badies, the ma-

and guey

or Agave Americana, as diaip

plant, with points

as
it impossible to
needles, which made move out
with-

cutting the way at every st^.

Two buildings this terrace.

stood upon overgrown

The first was two hundred seventeen feet long,

and

having seven doorways in front, to

all opening single

the centre one, had two

apartments except which

thirty feet long. In the rear were

apartments, each

doorways a
other apartments, with opening upon

from the centre a buildings

courtyard, and range of

ran at terminating in a laige

right angles, ruined

The the this

mound. wall of whole of great pile

had been more than either the ings

build-
ornamented of

before the first, but,

presented except nately,
unfortu-

it was more dilapidated. The doorways had

lintels, most
have fallen
wooden of which

To the this building is one hun-

dred
north of another,

forty-two feet in front thirty-one feet

and and
 SCULPTURED LINTEL. 408

deep, doable a
with corridors commuDicating, and

in the centre
leading to the
gigantic staircase roof,

ott which are the ruins of another building. The

doors two centre apartments open the

of under arch

this In that on the

of great staircase. right we

found the the hand

again prints of red ; not a single

or two, or three, as in but the

print, other places,

was covered with them, bright tinct

dis-
whole wall and

as if but
newly made.

All the lintels over the doorways are of wood, and

in their
all are still places, mostly sound and solid.

The 4oorways were encumbered with rubbish and

That the was filled to

ruins. nearest staircase up

three feet the lintel in un-

within of ; and, crawling der

on his back, to measure the Mr.

apartment,

Catherwood's was by a lin-

tel,
eye arrested sculptured

on he the most
which, examination, considered

interesting we had found in Yucatan.

memorial

On return that day from a to three more

my visit

before, he
ruined cities entirely unknown claimed

lintel in interest to
this as equal and value all of

The day I them, de-

termined
them together. next saw and

immediately, at trouble or cost, to

any

them home me but this was oo easy

carry with ;

Our discussion in
matter. operations created much

the The belief was that we were

village. general

for No one
believe that we
searching gold. could

in business
were expending money such a without

being sure it back

of getting again ; and remember-
ing

the fate Falenque, I was

of my castings at afraid
404 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

to have it known that there was

anything worth

carrying away.

To them oat by our own efforts, however,

get

was impossible after conferring the

; and, with pa-

drecito, we procured a good set of men, and went

down for the

with crowbars purpose of working

them out the Doctor Cabot, had been

of wall. who

to the for days by illness,

confined village several

turned out on this great occasion.

The lintel two beams, the

consisted of and outer

one was in two lengthwise. They lapped

split over

the doorway a foot at

about each end, and were as

firmly as stones
in the building, having
secured any

been built in the was For-

tunately,
when wall constructed.

we had two the doorway

crowbars, and

being filled both inside

up with earth and out, the

men were to the beam,

enabled stand above and use

the to They began inside,

crowbars advantage. and

in two hours the lintel directly

about cleared over

the doorway, but the were firmly

ends still secured.

The beams were ten feet long, to keep

about and

the from falling it

whole wall and crushing th^m,

was to knock the

necessary away stones over the

centre, an in to the base.

and make arch proportion

The was four feet thick over the doorway, creasing

in-
wall

in thickness the inner

with receding of the

arch, and the whole was a solid mass, the mortar

being as hard the As breach

nearly as stone. the

it became dangerous to it
was enlarged stand near ;

the had to be thrown the

crowbar aside, and men
K A li Alf

Vol I i \xqf 40
 A TRYING TIME. 405

down trees, they as a sort

cut small which used of

battering-ram, at the mortar

striking and small

stones
for filling on loosening the
used up, which

larger stones fell. To save the beams, we con-

structed

an inclined two or three feet

plane above

them, the inner

resting against wall, which caught

the stones them As the breach in-

creased
and carried off.

it became dangerous to
really work under

it, one the men to do longer.

and of refused so any

The beams were but if the

almost within my grasp,

mass fall, it
ragged above should would certainly

bury the beams the men too,

and either of which

be disagreeable. Fortunately, we had the

would

best set that ever came out to us

from
of assistants

Nohcacab, their was in the cause.

and pride enlisted

At length, hope, having broken a

almos^ against

to the the inner beam was

rude arch almost roof,

out Still the were

got uninjured. others not safe,

but, labour, fortune, the

with great anxiety, and good

three at length lay before us, their

whole with sculp-
tured

faces We did no more that

uppermost. work

day had hardly our but, from

; we changed positions,

the it was one the most

excitement and anxiety, of

trying times we had in the country.

The day, knowing the difficulty

next and risk

that must their transportation, we had the

attend

beams for Mr. Catherwood to draw.

set up

The this lintel, ted

indica-
plate opposite represents

in the as three bat

engraving pieces of wood,

two, that on which the

originally consisting of only
ir

h
 406 INCI DENTS OF TRAVEL.

figure is being through the by

carred split middle

sofme unequal pressure of the great superincumbent

The top the outer was worm-eaten

wall. of part

decayed, from the trickling water,

and probably of

following some in the ornaments,

which, channel

touched only this part ; all the rest was sound and

solid.

The is a human figure a

subject standing upon

The face was worn,

serpent scratched, and obUt-

the headdress was a feathers,

erated, plume of and

the the figure ornaments

general character of and

was the same that the figures found on the

with of

at
Falenque. It was the first we bad
walls subject
discovered bearing a in
such striking resemblance

details, so together the ers

build-
and connecting closely

these distant
of cities.

But the interest this lintel was the car-

great of ving.

The beam hieroglyphics

covered with at

Uxmal was faded worn. This was in

and still ex-
cellent

the lines were tinct

dis-
preservation ; clear and

the cutting, test,

; and under any and without

to the by it was exe-

any reference people whom cuted,

be as indicating
would considered great skill

in the art on
and proficiency of carving wood.

The that the to a true

consciousness only way give

idea of the character of this was the

.
carving pro-
duction

the beams themselves, determined to

of me

labour nor to have them trans-

ported
spare neither expense

to this had finished

city ; and when we our

whole exploration, we were satisfied that these were

 FATE OP THE LINTEL. 407

the most
interesting the
specimens country afforded.

I had the in dry

sculptured sides packed grass and

hemp bagging, intended to

covered with and pass

them through the but the

village without stopping,

Indians for that left them two days

engaged purpose

on the to heavy I
ground exposed rain, and was

to have them brought to the convent,

obliged where

the was taken out

dried. The first morn-
grass and ing

one or two hundred Indians at at the no-

work

came in a body to look at them. It was sev-

ria up eral

days before I them but, to

could get away, my

they at length left the on the

great relief, village

Indians, I brought them me

shoulders of send with

to this The con-

safely city. reader anticipates my clusion,

if he have but a
and shade of sympathy

the he mourns over the fate

with writer, melancholy

that them but a time their ar-

rival.
overtook short after

The discovery these

accidental of sculptured

beams, in we had
and a position where no reason

to look for things, induced us to be more care-

such

ftd than ever in our examination of every part of

the building. The lintel over the corresponding

doorway the the was

on other side of staircase still

in its in but
place, and good condition, perfectly

there was lintel

plain, and no other sculptured

the Kabah. Why this

among all ruins of lar
particu-

doorway was so distinguished it is impossible to

The this to the

say. character of sculpture added

interest that was

and wonder of all connected with
408 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

the these American There is

exploration of mins.

the iron or
no account of existence of steel among

the on this The

aborigines continent. general and

belief is, that the inhabitants had no

well-grounded

knowledge these How, then,

whatever of metals.

they carve that the hardest kind ?

could wood, and of

In that large canoe first known to

which made

Columbus the existence of this great continent,

fabrics the from they

among other of country which

came, the Spaniards hatchets

remarked of copper,

as it is for "
hewing Bemal Dias,
expressed, wood."

in his account the first the Spaniards

of voyage of

the coast
Guacaulco, in the Empire ico,
Mex-
along of of
'' It was a Custom the Indians this
says, of of

Province invariably to Hatchets per,

Cop-
carry small of

bright, the Handles

very and wooden of which

were highly as intended both for Defence

painted,

Ornament. These were by to be

and supposed us

Gold, were, Course, inso-

and of eagerly purchased,

that three days we had

micch xoithin amongst us pro-
cured

hundred,
above six and were, while under the

Mistake, as our Bargain as the

well pleased with

Indians their Beads." And in that

with green col-
lection

interesting from Peru before

of relics referred

to, in the Mr. Blake Boston the

possession of of " ex-
istence

by-the-way, from the

of which, unobtrusive

its owner, is hardly known to his

character of bours
neigh-

in his own in that

city "

collection are several

knives, one is a
copper of which alloyed with small

of tin, sufficiently
hard to
portion and cut wood.
 ORNAMENT IN STUCCO. 409

In in the same district, Mri Blake

Other cemeteries

fomid instruments
several copper resembling modem

it is not improbable, were

designed
chisels, which,

for In the
carving wood. my opinion, carving of

these beams was done the instruments

with copper

known to have the itants,

inhab-
existed among aboriginal

it is not to
and necessary suppose, without

and even
against all evidence, that at some remote

time the use iron was known

period of of and steel

on this that the knowledge had come

be-
continent, and
lost the later inhabitants.
among

From the terrace a large structure

is seen
great

at a distance indistinctly through the trees, and,

it out to an Indian, I him to

pointing set out with

examine
it Descending the trees, we soon
among

lost it but, the direction,

sight of entirely, pursuing

the Indian a his

cutting way with machete, we

came a building, however, I discover-

ed,
upon which,

was not the one we were in It

search of. was

feet in front, the

about ninety walls were cracked,

the base the

and all along ground was strewed with

sculptured stones, the carving of which was

equal

to we had Before the door I

any seen. reaching

through fissure in the into

crawled a
wall an ment,
apart-

at one in the I saw

end of which, arch, an

enormous hornet's nest in turning to take a

; and
hasty leave, saw at the a large orna-
opposite end ment

in stucco, having a hornet's nest at-

also tached

to it, the being bright

painted, colours still

and vivid, and surprising me as much as the sculp-

VoL. I." F F F 35
 410 I1I0IDBNT8 OF TKATBL.

tared beams. A had fidlen, it had

.
great part and

the havmg been deatioj-

appearance of wantonly

ed The below this fragoEient

engraying represents

The ornament, to have been

when entire, appears

intended to two large facing

represent eagles each

other; on each are seen drooping

side plumes of

feathers. The the

opposite end of arch, where

hung the hornet's nest, had stucco in the

marks of

same form, once a corre-

and probably contained sponding

ornament.

Beyond this was the bailding we had

great which

set out to find. The front was in

still standing,

some
places, particularly on the corner, richly orna-
mented

but the back was a heap In

; part of ruins.

the centre was a staircase

leading to the
gigantic

top, on which there was another building with two

 SCULPTUItED JAMBS. 411

the outer one fallen, the inner

ranges of apartments,

one entire.

In descending on the other side over a mass

of

I found at one comer a deep hole,

ruins, which parently
ap-

led into a but, down, I found

cave, crawling

that it to the buried door a

conducted of chamber

on a
It had a
new and curious plan. raised platform

four feet high, in the inner cor-

ners
about and each of

lai^e
was a
rounded vacant place, about enough

for a man to in the back was

stand ; part of wall

the hand. They seem-

covered with prints of red ed

fresh, the seams creases were so tinct,

dis-
so and and

that I attempts with the

made several machete

to one but the was so

get print off entire, plaster

hard that failed.

every effort

Beyond this was another building, so unpretending

in its
appearance with the first, that, but
compared

for the in to be found

uncertainty regard what might

in these I hardly have

every part of ruins, should no^

ticed it. This building had but one doorway,

which

was but on into it I

nearly choked up ; passing no-
ticed

on the jambs, buried, a

sculptured nearly truding
pro-

corner a feathers. This I im-

mediately
of plume of

to be a headdress, that be-

low
supposed and

was a human figure. This,

sculptured again,

was new. The jambs the doors

entirely of all we

had hitherto seen were By inspection

plain. closer

I found on the jamb a

opposite corresponding stone,

but buried. The top both

entirely stone of was

but I found them by, determined

missing, near and
412 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

immediately to excavate the that were buried,

parts

the but it was a more cult

diffi-
and carry whole away ;

business than that out the beams. A

of getting

descended from the to

soUd mound of earth outside

the back the the way

door-
wall of apartment, choking

to a few feet the top. To the

within of clear

doorway was out the for the In-

dians
whole of question,

had their hands to

only with which scoop out

the mass. The was to dig

accumulated only way

down beside stone, then it from the

each separate

the it out. I
wall with crowbar, and pry was enga-
ged

in this two days, the

work entire and on sec-
ond

the Indians to it. They had

wanted abandon

dug down to the bottom, one man in the

nearly and

hole to longer. To keep

refused work any them

together lose day, I was to

and not another obliged

labour late in the

myself; and afternoon we got out

the stones, for levers, lifted them over

with poles the

set them the back

mound, and up against wall.

The these two jambs as

plates opposite represent

they facing in the doorway. Each

stood each other

two stones, as indicated in the

consists of separate

In the is one foot

engravings. each upper stone

five inches high, the lower one

four feet
and six

inches, both are two feet three inches

and wide.

The two figures, one

subject consists of standing,

the kneeling before him. Both have un-

and other natural

faces,
and grotesque probably containing

some The headdress is a lofty

symbolical meaning.

feathers, falling to the heels the

plume of of stand-
V I I.
 AJonrf
FCiuKei^ood.

KABAU

J\fP.irr on fomb of
Docfrway i v.
^ /

\ "
"
1
"

^
 K All A 11

I'ii/urt onjarnJt of Doonvuy.

Vol2PaQe41?
 ANOTHER WITNESS FOR THESE RUINS. 413

figare his feet is a row hiero-

glyphics.
iDg ; and under of

While toiling to bring to light these buried stones,

I little thought that I was raising up another ness

wit-

to for the builders these

speak of ruined cities.

The in the first

reader will notice engraving a on
weap-

in the hands the kneehng figure. In that

of

same large canoe before to, Herrera

referred says,

the Indians had "

Swords Wood, having
made of a

Gutter in the fore Part, in were

which sharp-edged

Flints, fixed a sort Bitumen

strongly with of and
Thread." The same is described in
weapon every

account the it is in
of aboriginal weapons ; seen

every museum Indian it is in use

of curiosities, and

at this day the Indians the South Sea ands.

Isl-
among of

The borne by the figure

sword represented

in the is the kind described

engraving precisely of

by Herrera. I was not

for testimony to
searching

establish any opinion or theory. There was est

inter-

in these
enough exploring ruins without ing
attempt-

to do so, this witness

and rose unbidden.

In lifting these stones out the holes

of and set-
ting

them the I had been

up against walls, obliged

to the moment it ished

fin-
assist myself, and almost was

I found that the fatigue had

and excitement

been too for me. My bones a

much ached ; chill

over me
I looked for a tm
crept ; around soft stone

lie down but the was damp,

upon ; place cold and

was threatening. I horse,

and rain saddled my and

I I barely keep I
when mounted could my seat
414 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

had no horse to know

spurs ; my seemed my tion,
condi-

and went on a slow walk, at

nibbling every

bush. The fever came on, I was to

and obliged

dismount lie down a bush but the

and under ; gar-

drove me At length I the

rapatas away. reached

and this was my

last to Kabah but I
village, visit ;

have finished a description its

already of ruins.

Doubtless more lie buried in the the

woods, and

next beginning we left if he be at

visiter, where off,

imbued interest in this his

all with subject, will push

investigations farther. We were in

much poping

the dark./ Since the hour their desolation

of and

wo came them, these buildings had

upon remained

Except the cura Carillo, first in-

formed
unknown. who

us them, no man had wan-

of perhaps white dered

We the
through their silent chambers. were

first to throw the their

open portals of grave, and

they are now

for the first time to the
presented pub-
lic.

But I can do little more than state the fact

naked

their The hangs over

of existence. cloud which

their history is darker than that

much resting over

the Uxmal. / 1 can them that

ruins of only say of

they lie on the common lands the Noh-

of village of

Perhaps they have been known to the In-

dians
cacab.

from time immemorial but, as the

; padrecito

told us, the the to Bo-

until opening of camino real

lonchen th^y were to the white

utterly unknown

inhabitants. This through the ancient

road passed

discovered the buildings,

city, and great overgrown.
 RECENT DIfiCOVERY OF KABAH. 415

in some towering the tops the

and places above of

trees. The discovery, however, not the

created

the intelligence it had never

slightest sensation ; of

reached the capital ; and though, ever since the

covery,
^dis-
the were to
great edifices visible all who pass-
ed

the not a man in the had

along road, white village

turned to look at them, the

ever aside except padre-

on the first day our in, but

cito, who, of visit, rode

dismounting, in to a to
without order make report

The Indians them, as the

us. say of of all other

that they are the the but

ruins, works of antiguos ;

the traditionary the is that a

character of city of

to the Xlap-pahk scatter-

great place, superior other ed

over the country, coequal and coexistent with

Uxmal there is a tradition a

; and of great paved

stone, in the Maya

way, made of pure white called

language Sacb6, leading from Kabah to Uxmal, on

the lords those sent to

which of places messengers

fro, bearing letters on the leav^

and written and

bark of trees.

At the time Mr. Catherwood, tor

Doc-
of my attack,

Cabot, Albino were

down fever. I
and all with

had a recurrence the next

day, but on the third I

to move The was

was able about spectacle around

for From die long

gloomy sick men. continuance

the season our rooms in the convent were

of rainy

damp, com we kept in one comer for

and which

the horses had

swelled and sprouted.

Death was us. Anciently this coun-

all around try

was so healthy timt Torquemada ''

Men die
says,
416 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

for there are none those ties

infirmi-
of pure old age, of

that in lands if there are

exist other ; and slight

infirmities, the heat destroys them, so there is

and

no a there but the times

need of physician ;" are

better for Doctor Cabot,

much physicians now, and

if he had been to to it, have

able attend might en-
tered

into an Ad-
joining
extensive gratuitous practice.

the front the

of church, and connecting

with the convent, was a great charnel-house, along

the wall was a row At the top

of which of skulls.

a forming the the the

of pillar abutment of wall of
 A O^VAY CHARirXI. BOVSE. 417

Maircase was a lai^ vase

fall, the was
piled and cross

them. Within the was

surmounted with enclosure

bones sev-
a promiscuous assemblage of skulls and eral

feet deep. Along the wall, hanging by

cords,

the bones individuals in boxes

were and skulls of

baskets, or tied in names

and up cloths, with ten
writ-

them, as at Ticul, there were the ments

frag-
upon and,
dresses, some the had
of while of skulls still

to them the long black hair women.

adhering of

The floor the church was interspersed

of with

long of cement, which

patches covered graves, and

the was a box a case,

near one of altars with glass

were, the bones a woman, the

within which of wife

a lively we were in the

of old gentleman whom

habit day. They were

of seeing every clean and
bright as if the
polished, with skull and cross-bones

in front, the legs arms laid on the bottom,

and and

the disposed in the

ribs regularly order, one above

as in life, having been so by the

other, arranged
husband himself; a it
strange attention, as
seemed,

to a deceased wife. At the the case

; side of was a

black board, a inscription (in

eontainkig poetical

Spanish) by him.
written

**Stop^aioftia!

Look it yovself in this minor,

And in its pale reflection

Behold jFOur end !

This eclipsed crystal

Had brilliancy
splendour and ;

But the dreadful blow

Of a fatal destiny

Fell upon Manoela CanUo.

Vol.. L" G G G
418 IlfCIDBlfTS OP TEATSL.

Bom in Nohcacab in the year 1789, married at die same to

TiDafe

Yictoriano Machado in 1808, and died on the fint Aognst, 1833,

of

a of 25 years, and in the forty-fourth her

after onion of age.

He implores yoor pious prayers.**

The husband wrote

widowed several stanzas

more, but not them on the black board

could get ;

for distribution,
and made copies private one
of
is in hands.
which my

Near this were the bones a brother

of of our

friend the cnra Ticul those

of and of a
child, and

in the the in the

choir of church, embrazure of a

large were rows of skulls, all labelled

window, on

the forehead, startling inscriptions.

and containing

I took me in the face

up one, and staring were the

"
Soy Pedro Moreno : un Ave Maria
words, y un

Padre nuestro
Dios, hermano." "
I Peter
por am

Moreno : an Ave Maria Paternoster for God'.^

and

brother." Another " I Apolouo Bal

sake, said, am
 ROWS OF HUMAN. SKUXLS. 419

a Paternoster an Ave Maria for God's

che: and

brother." This was an

sake, old schoolmaster of

the had died but two before.

padrecito, who years

The handed me another,

padrecito which said,

**I am Bartola Arana : a Paternoster," "c. This

was the a Spanish lady he had

skull of whom

known, beautiful, but it not be dis^

young and could

tingnished from that the Indidn

of oldest and ugliest

woman.
*' I am Anizetta Bib," was that a
of pretty

Indian he had
young girl whom married, and who

died but a I took them one

year afterward. all up

by one; the knew them one was

padrecito all;

young, another old ; one rich, another poor ; one

beautiful but here they were

ugly, and another ; all

alike.
Every bore the name its owner,
skull of and

begged a
all prayer.

One *' I am Richard Joseph de la Merced

said,

Truxeque Arana, died the twenty-ninth

and wl\p

April the 1838, I am the

of of year and enjoying
kingdom God forever." This was the a
of skull of

dying had to
child, which, without sin, ascended

heaven, not the prayers of man.

and needed

In one was a box, black,

corner mourning painted

a border, the an un-

with white containing skull of cle

the On it was
in ish,
Span-
of padrecito. written
" In this box is the Friar cente
Vi-
enclosed skull of

Ortigon, died in the Cuhul in

who village of

the 1820. I beseech thee,

year pious and charitar

ble to intercede God for his re-

reader, with soul, peating

an Ave Maria a Paternoster, that he

and
4t0 IVCl^BEIITS or TKATmi.

be fipom if lie l"e

mmj rrietsed pncgatoij, should

there, to the kingdom heaves.

sad may go enjoy of

Whoever the be, Giod his

reader may will reward

26th July, 1827." The bore

chanty. of writing

the naBM Joana HeniaDdex, the 6[ the

of mother

deceased, an lady then living in the hoose

old ""f

tke mother of the padrecito.

Accustomed as we were to hold (he bones

sacied

of the dead, the a de{Muted

slightest nemori^ of

to bringing it
"friend accidentally presented view with

a an harshly
shade of sadness, snch exhibition grated

the feelings. I the these

"pon asked padrecito why

were not to rest in he

"ikulls permitted peace, and

is bat too true, that ia the

answered, what perhaps

diey are forgotten hot dug

"grave ; when up aad

in labels on them, they the

placed sight with remind

their former their

"living of existence, of uncertain

state that their be in

"
souls /nay purgatory "
and

to their friends, from the

appeal as with voices grave,

to for them, have for

pray and masses
said their

souls.
It is for this reason, from ing
feel-
and not any

wantonness or disrespect, that the

of skulk of

the dead are thus over the On

exposed all country.

the November, at the the

second of celebration of

fete in de lo$ Jieles

commemoration difuntas, all

these are brought together into

skulls and put the

tumulo, a sort bier hung black lighted

of with and

by blessed is for
candles, and grand mass
said their

souls.

In the the door in

afternoon padrecito passed our
hfs looking in^ ke did;
r^ibes, and, as
nsnstify saidi
'"^Voy i boscair un mtrerto," **I am for a
going corpse.*^

Tke the was the

platform of church canpo saMo ;

day the was his

everj grave-digger at work, aaidl

soon the left us we heard the

after padrecito chant

heralding the faneral I weet oaf,

procession. and

saw it the the leading

coming up steps, padrecito

it the fnnera) The

and chanting service. corpse

was brooght into the the

chnrch, and, service over;

it was borne to the The were 9^

grave. sacristans

intoxicated that the let it fall in its

j with neeH

twisted. The it holy w"-

padrecito sprinkled widi

ter, the over, went

The Indiana
and, chant away.

the looked at me with an expressioiir

aroand grave

face I not
They had lokl th#
of could understand.

that we had brought deatb into the

padrecito vvt-

lage. In a
I a wonr-
spirit of conciliation smiled at

an near me, a hiigh. f

and she answered with

carried my smile slowly around the whole circle;

as met theirs, burst into a laugh,

my eyes all and

the body lay distorted in the

while uncovered and

I With these death is-

grave went away. people

the Hfe. ** Voy a descaii-

merely one of accidents of

**I to "Mis
sar," am going rest," trabajos son acaba-

dos,** ** My labours are are the the

ended," words of

Indian as he Hes down to die but to the

; stranger

in that death is the king terrors.

country of

In the mean time was treading lighdy

pleasure

the heels death. The fiesta Santo Cris^

upon of of

to del Amor was on, it was to

still going and con-

36
422 IVCIBEVT8 OP TEATKL.

dnde day a baile de dia, ball hj

the next with or

dajlight, at the it began, in the hooae

place where

the We were bosj in

of patron. making [v^qian-

ticMis for departore from Nohcacab, though

oar and,

I was the only one of oar

itrong^y solicited, party

to Early in the the was

able attoid. morning saint

in its at one the room, the akar was

place end of

fresh flowers, the for dan-

adorned with and arboor

dng was leaves to it

covered with palm protect

from the son. Under a in the was a

shed yard

Indian women tortillas,

crowd of making and pre-
paring

dishes kinds for a

of varions general village

feast At twelve the ball began, a litde be-

fore
o'clock

two the disappeared from

padrecito my side,

soon the ball broke to-

ward
and after up, and all moved

the house. When I the

entered, padrecito

was in his before the image the

robes of saint, ing
sing-

a The Indian was it

salve. sexton perfuming

incense, the dancers their

with and were all on

knees before it, a lighted in her

each with candle

hand. This over, came the de las

procession velas,

or the The cross led the then

of candles. way ;

the figure the a

drunken Indian sexton
of saint,

it incense. The in ta-

king
perfuming with padrecito,

his behind it, took arm

place my and carried

me along ; the patron of the saint supported me on

the We were the in the

other side. only men cession.
pro-

An irregular troop women followed,

of all

in their ball dresses, bearing long lighted

and can-
dles.
Moving on to the we the
church, restored
 A STRANGE PROCESSION. 423

to his set the in

saint altar, and up candies rough

tripods, to be for mass the next

wooden ready grand

At this time a discharge was

morning. of rockets

heard out,
I saw
without, and going another strange

We had this
procession. all the women ; was com-
posed

men, have for a

entirely of and might passed

iubilee over the downfall temperance. Nearly

of

were more than half intoxicated I

all ; and noticed

that some had kept during the

who sober whole of

the fiesta were at last. The

overtaken procession

was by files them in car-

preceded of couples, each rying

two for the some

plates, purpose of receiving

the dishes by the bounty the

of provided of patron.

Next came, borne on barrows on the shoulders of

Indians, two long, boxes, the the

ugly emblems of

custody of the saint, one of them being

and property

filled wax as for the

with received offerings, ropes

fireworks, belonging to the

and other property saint,

which were about being to the house the

carried of

now to their the

person entitled custody ; and other

had these things, was to

contained and remain with

its keeper as a sort holy heirloom. hind

Be-
present of

these, on the Indians,

also shoulders of were

two men, by in large

sitting side side arm-chairs,

with their necks, and holding on des-

perately
scarfs around

to the arms of the chairs, with an sion

expres-

face that to indicate a

of seemed consciousness

that their their fellow-citizens

elevation above was

duration, for their dian

In-
precarious, and of uncertain

carriers were
reeling and staggering under their
424 laCIDENTS OF TEATSL

toad These were the hermaiiM

and agua ardiente.

de la or brothers the mass, the last bent

incum-
misa, of

the the keeper the box hk

of office of of and

to it was to be delivered over.

successor, whom

Moving on with uproarious noise and confusion*

they were set

down the the
under corridor of quartd.

In the mean time our women

from
procession of

the had the took their

church arrived, musicians

places under the corridor,' and preparations were

immediately for dance. Cocom,

made another who

had as our to Nohpat, had

acted guide and repaired

the locks keys our

boxes, master cer-
and of was of emonies;

the first dance over, two Mestiza

and

a The
girls commenced song. whole village seemed

to the the moment there

given up pleasure of ; were

features to the taste, but there were

offend sight and

women
dressed in there an
pretty prettily ; all was

freedom from
air of abandonment and care that en-
listed

feelings as the
sympathetic ; and padrecito

myself returned to the convent, the

and chorus

us on the sweet
from the
reached steps, soft and

blending women's to
of voices, and seeming spring

from the bottom heart,

of every

*'
Que bonito es el mundo ;

Lastima es me muera."
que yo

"
How beautiful is the world ;

It is a that I must die."

pity
 A P P E N D I X. V O L. I.

THERMOMETRICIL 0B8EBTATI0N8.

Tbmpebature Merida, to taken by the

of according obserrations cim

Don Eusehio Villamil, for one beginning on the 1st September,

year, of

1841, and on the 31st August, 1843. The

ending of obserrations wen

taken a Fahrenheit thermometer at in the

with six morning, midday, and

six In the The thermometer in the in

erening. stood shade, an apartment

wen ventilated.
426 APPENDIX.
APPENDIX. 427
4M APPBNBIX.

-I
="5^3-5

:-iiJil 1

H
O Iiil-llll
Q
O

o
D
X
^1

GQ
Q 3ef"
0 3 U ffi

"

5 ^
4J d d

3 G " ii
1 B J - I" U
"
ffl
IS)
j3
E-
V^ fc ^_ W ^^
Bj
O tiO o o o
"^

sal
g O " U L" U H sk H

J
a S
-3 .1
IB V3

. ^ . ^
s

" " ' "

g

u S.
I "

o V ^ " o ^ H H
 AemnpiK. 439

POPULATION OP TUCATAM.

Statemknt five depanmenti into

showing tlie number of inhaUtaoti in the

which the state is dirided, disHngnishing the sexes; tiken firam the eHi-

sns made by order the government on the 8th of April, 1841.

of

Merida
. .
48,606 ESJ6" 1071269
33,915
331915 37,983 70,8"8
.bamal . .

Tekax 56,197 64,697 122,824

. .

"alladoUd 45,863 46,996 92,"79

.

Campeachy 39,017 40,639 79,656

472,876

rC"yis." "
Thb census is not very exact, because, having
probably eos-

tl"nally the fear new and delestftig

of contribntiona, military service, every

ledoces as far as the number of his family in the lists

one possible pared
pre-

for file censns. It appears to me that the total Tit-

population of

oatam may be fixed at 525,000 souls."" P. Dm R.

" The best information I have been to to that

enabled obtain goes show

fall 600,000 J. B. Ja.

the population of the state cannot short of souls.""

"TSTCM ADOPTED BY THE ANCIENT BUILDERS OP TUCATAM IN COVBRmaTEBIR

ROOMS WITH BTONB EOOPS.

The No. 1 represents the arch to Inihe description

engraving referrad ot

the Monjas at Uxmal ; and as the stones are not horizontal, but
quite stand

nearly at angles to the line of the arch, it how near

right shows an proach
ap-

was made to the real principle on whidi the arch Is

constructed.

Throughout every part of Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan,

the same method

is to be traced with alight modifications. The stones

Ibrming the side walls are made to overlap each other untH the walls al-

mo8| meet above, and then the narrow ceilings are covered with a layer
of

flat In case the stones were laid in horizontal buyers, the

stones. every

arches, as understood by us, being unknown to the

principle of constructing

builders. This accounts for the extreme narrowness

aboriginal readily of

their rooms, the not exceeding twenty feet, and the

all widest width more

finequenlly being from to ten feet. In a few cases the

only six covering

is the two meet so as to form a angle. At

stone wanting, and sides sharp

Palenque the buildere did not cut the edges of the stones, so as to form an

their differing in this from that in

even surface, practice respect adopted

Yucatan, in instance the of the arch are made

where every sides perfectly

have curve, the inner

straight, or a slight with surfaces smooth.

be interesting to inquire if any exists between the

may now similarity
'It
Aamicon those the in
method and observed among nations of antiquity
 430

Europe Asia. A true ajch is formed of a series

and of wedge-like stones

or bricks, each other, and all bound firmly together by the

of supporting

the centre one upon them, which latter is therefore distinguish-

ed
pressure of

by the name keystone.

of

It would that the as thus defined, as by the Romans,

seem arch, and used

was not known to the Greeks in the early their history,

periods of wise
other-

a language so as theirs, and

copious of such ready application, would

not haye wanted a name properly Greek by which to distinguish it The

 APPENDIX. 431

nse of both arches and vaults appears, however, to have in Greece

existed

previous to the Roman though not to have been in

conquest, general

practice. And the former use of a even before the Tro-

jan
made contrivance,

war, by which they were enabled to gain all the advantages of our

archway in
corridors or hollow in
making galleries, and which, ance,
appear-

resembled the pointed arch, such as is now termed Gothic. This

was by cutting away the superincumbent stones at an angle

effected of

45" the horizon.

about with

Of the different forms and curves of arches now in use, the only one

by the Romans was the and the use of this constitutes

adopted semicircle ;

one leading distinction between Greek and Roman architecture, for by its

the Romans were enabled to execute works of lar bolder con-

struction
application

than those the Greeks: to erect bridges and aquseducts,

of and

the durable
and massive structures of brick. On the antiquity
most of

the the Egyptians, Mr. Wilkinson has the following

arch among remarks:

**
There is reason to believe that some of the chambers in the pavilion of

Remeses III., at Medeenet Haboo, were arched with stone, since the de"

the part of thoir show that the fallen roofs

had this
vices on upper walls

form. At Saggara, a stone arch still exists of the time of the second Psa-

erected six hundred years before our era nor

maticus, and, consequently, ;

can one, sees the its construction, for one moment doubt
any who style of

that the Egyptians had been long accustomed to the erection stone
of

It is highly probable that the small quantity of wood in Egypt,

vaults.

the this kind of roofing, led to the invention

and consequent expense of of

the It in their tombs as early as the commence-

ment
arch. was evidently used

the dynasty, or about the year 1540 B.C.; judging

of eighteenth and,

(rom some the drawings at Beni Hassao, it seems to have been known
of

in the time the first Osirtasen, whom I to have been

of suppose rary
contempo-

Joseph-"" Manners and Customs Anc. Egyptians, ii.,

with oftkt vol. p.

116, 117, 1st series.

The to the Pyramid Gizeh is in form

entrance great at somewhat similar

found in Yucatan; it of two immense stones

to the arches consists granite

immense in a forming a sharp angle.

of size, meeting point and

Of the No. 2 the in the Tl"

accompanjring plates. represents arches walls of

fiom Sir W. Gell's AigoUs; No. 3, an arch (called Cyek^

lyns, copied
 APPENDIX.
433

Arpino, in the Neapolitan Territory No. 4, the most commoi

pcm) at ;

fbrin of arch used by the ancient American builders. A striking resemi-

blance will doubtless be observed, indeed, they may almost be considered

identical; it may be that at Medeenet Haboo, fonns a

and added, which part

of the ancient Egyptian Thebes, a similar contrivance was observed by Mr.

Catherwood. From this it will appear that the true of the arch
principles

were not by the Egyptians, Greeks, er Etruscans^ or by

understood ancient

the American builders. It might be supposed that a coincidence of this

go far to esublish an ancient

strongly- marked character would connexion

between all these but, denying that such have been

people; without may

the case, the probabilities are greatly the other way.

This most simple mode of covering over a void space with stone, when

single blocks not be employed, would itself

of sufficient size couM suggest

to the most barbarous as as to the most refined people. Indeed, in a

well

lately in the Ohio Valley, two circular were dis-

covered,
mound opened chambers

the walls being logs, the

and are still preserved, made of and rooft
formed by stones rising to a point, on precisely the same as
overlapping plan

the Treasury of Atreas at Mycenae, and the chamber at Orchomenus, bniR

by Minyas, king BoBotia. No inference as to common inter-

of origin or

communication can with safety be drawn from

Lational such coincidences,

or from any coincidence between the pyramidal structures this

supposed of

Continent and those of Egjrpt, for no agreement exists, that both are
except

called pyramids.

In the Egyptian Pjrramids the sides are of equal lengths, and, with oat

(Saccaia), oompoeed of straight lines, is not c"e

exception which case

Vol. L" Hhh 37

434 APPENDIX.

the American Continent The are nerer equal,

with any pyramid of sides

frequently ciures and lines, and in no instance

are composed of straight

fi"nn a apex.
sharp

YESTIOIA PHALLICJB RfiLlOIONIS PROUT QUIBU8DA1C MONUMXNTIS AMERICANIS

(Vid. tom, i., 181.)

iNDiCAMTiTR. "
pog,

Hjec monumenta ez nndecim Phallis constant, omnibus plus miniisTre

fractis, dispersis, atqne solo semiobratis,

duonim circiter vel trinm
nndiqne

mensoram
habentibos. Non ea nosmetipsi reperimos neqae illis
pedum

hanc Phallicam antem, has regiones ante per-

naturam attribnimns ; nobis

fasBc monumenta
Indi ostenderunt, quodam nomine ap-
errantibos, eadem

lingoa ipsorum yim

habente, ac supra dedimus. Qni-
peUantes eandem

bns hsec Phallicse his etiam in terris, vestigia pntanda

auditis, religionis,

judicavimus. Monumenta attamen de hue us-

que
esse tunc primum quibus

locuti bene libidinem denotant, sed po-

sumus, non, ut sciunt eruditi,

tiuB, dignissimum, nostra etiam continente vis genitalis cnl-

quod memoria

tum, Europee Asieque nationibus commnnem, per

omnibus psene antiquis

Ctuam autem
hie Phallorum
symbola nota olim viguisse. cognationem

his Americas indicare yideatur, non nos-

trum
cultus populis cum aboriginibus

tantum litteris his ex-

est, qui visa vel audita mandamus, paginis

ponere.

ANCIENT CHRONOLOOT OP YUCATAN; OR, A TRUE EXPOSITION OP THE METHOD

USED BY THE INDIANS FOR COMPUTING TIME. "

TransUUed from the script
Manu-

Don Juan Pio Perez Gefe PoUtico Pete YuaUan,

of ^ of ,

1". Origin Period 13 Day" (triadectOeriias).

oftht of

The inhabitants of this peninsula, which, at the time of the nrriral of

the Spaniards, was called Mayapan, by its first inhabitants or settlers

and

Chacnouitanf divided time by calculating it in the same manner as

almost

their ancestors the Tulteques, differing in the arrangement

only particular

of their great ages (siglos).

The 13 days, resulting
fh"m their first
period of chronological tions,
combina-

became their sacred number, to introducing it in-

geniously
afierward which,

in their reckonings, they made all those divisions

suboidinate

they devised to their calendar to the course so that the

which adjust solar ;

da3rs, years, and ages were counted by periods of thirteen numbeis.

It is that the Indians, before they had their

very probable corrected com-
putation,

used the lunations (neomenias) to regulate the annual course of

the sun, (senalando) 26 days for each lunation; is little

counting which a

more or less than the time during which the moon is seen above the hori-

"on in of its revolutions dividing this period into two 13 days,

each ; of

them as to the first the fint 13 days during

which served weeks, giving
 APPENDIX 435

the new moon is seen till it is full to the second, the teen,
thir-
which ; and other

during which the moon is decreasing until it cannot be seen by the

naked eye.

In the lapse of time, and by constant observations, they a better

obtained

knowledge of the solar course, perceiving that the 96 days, or two periods

13 days, did not give a lunation, that the year not be

of complete and could

exactly by lunations, inasmuch as the solar revolutions do not

regulated

coincide with those of the moon, except at long intervals. Adding this

knowledge to more correct data, they finally

principles and constructed

their calendar m accordance with the course of the principal luminary,

preserving always their periods of 13 days, not in

order to make them agree

the the moon, but to use them as and

for
with apparent course of weeks,

their chronological divisions.

It must not be that the weeks the ancient Indians were

supposed of

similar to ours, that is to say, that they were the revolution of a period of

days, each having a name: they were only the revolution or

particular

thirteen in arithmetical
successive repetition of numbers applied sion
progres-

to the twenty days the The being of 28

of month. year composed

weeks and one day or number, the course of the years, on ac^
additional

count that excess, followed the arithmetical progression of the thirteen

of

weekly numbers ; so that if a year commenced with the number 1, the next

would commence number 2, ao on to the close of the 13 years,

with and

formed an indiction, be hereafter.

which or week of 3rears,as will explained

r*. TktMmtk.

*" Month" is called in the Yucateco language ""U," means also

which
**
the moon;" and this corroborates the presumption that the Indians went

on from the computation of lunations to determine the course the sun,

of
"*
the moons." But in some manuscripts, the name
calling months of

Uinal in the Utnalob in the is given to the eighteen

singular and plural

the this comprehensive term to the

months which compose year; applying

to one the names assigned to the twenty days

series, and each of particular

that composed the month.

The day was iCtn, "

the sun and the particular names by which
called ;"

the 20 days the were designated are in the ing

follow-
composing month stated

table, in they are divided into sets five, for the better under-
which of

etaoding of the subsequent explanations.

Ift. id. Sd. 4t]i.

Kan. Mnluc. Gix (Hix). Ca-uac.

Chicchan. Oc. Men. Ajaa(Ahau).

Gtuimf (Cimi). Chuen. Gtnib(Cib). Ymix.

Manik. Eb. C^ian. Yk.

Been. Edmab. AkbaL

436 APPENDIX.

As those in nnmbei'with the dajs of the immth, it fol-

lowed
names corresponded

the the first daj the befaig known, the names

that, name of of year

the firat days the months were equally known; and

of of all successive

distingaished fiom each other only by adding the nnmber of the

they were

to they reqieetiTdy betooged. But the week consisting of

week which

thirteen days, the month necessarily consisted of a week and seven days;

that if the began the first nnmber a week, it

so month with of ended with

the seventh number of the week ensuing.

[In to know the number of the week cone^onding with the fint
order

day it is neoessaiy only to know the number

of each month respectively,

the begins, to seven, but

of the week with which year and add successively

subtracting thirteen whenever the sum of this addition exceeds thirteen,

the following for the first days of the

which gives series ei^^teen months :

1, 8, 3 (15-13), 9, 3 (16-13), 10, 4, 11, 5, 13, 6, 13, 7, 1, 8, 8, 9, 3,

supposing

the first day of the year to be the first day of the week, and generally taking

ibr the first number of the series the number of the week by which the year

begins.]

4". IV 7Mr.

To this day the Indians call the year Jtuh or Hoah^ and, while heathens,

they it on the 16th of July. It is worthy of notice that their

commenced

having to it begin from the day

progenitors, sought make precise on which

the sun returns to the this on his to the

zenith of peninsula way southern

regions, but being destitute of instruments for their astronomical tions,

observa-

and guided only by the naked eye, erred only forty-eight hours in vance.
ad-

That small difference proves that they to determine,

endeavoured

with the utmost attainable correcmess, the day on the luminary

which passed

the most culminating point of our sphere, and that they were not ignorant

of the use the in the most tempestuous days the

of gnomon of rainy seasoiu

Hiey divided the into 18 as follows

year months, :

1st, Pop, beginning on the 16th of July.

2d, U66, beginning on the 5th of August.

3d, Zip, beginning on the 25th August.

of

4th, Zodz, beginning on the 14th September.

of

5th, Zeec, beginning on the 4th October.

of

6th, Xul, beginning on the 24th October.

of

7th, Dze-yazkin, beginning on the 13th November.

of

8th, Mol, beginning on the 3d December.

of

9th, Dchen, beginning on the 23d December.

of

10th, Yaaz, beginning on the 12th January.

of

nth, Zac, beginning on the 1st February.

of

12th, Gtuej, beginning on the 2lst February

of

13th, Mac, beginning on the 13th March.

of

14th, Kankin, beginning on the 3d of April

 APPENDIX. 437

15th, Moan, beginning on the 22d of ApriL

16th, Pax, beginning on the 12th May.

of

17th, Kayab, beginning on the 1st of Jane.

18th, Camkii, beginning on the Slst June.

of

As the 18 months 20 days but 360 days, and the com-

mon
of each contained

365, five days were at the end

year consists of supplementary added

each of no which, for that reason,

of year, which made part month, and

M "". Num. Day*.

they "days name," zona kaba kin. They called them also
called without
7"r.

or Jtuibs be interpreted two different The

ueofob uayeb which may ways.

be deriyed from means

"
bed" or
"
word iMzyod may uay^ which chamber,"

that the Indians believed the to rest during those days; or

presuming year

be derived from to be
%ui^ may equally another signification of uMf, viz.,

destroyed, corroded by the juice of or ley

wounded, caustic plants, with

and other strong

liquids. And on this account the Indians feared those

days, believing them to be unfortunate, and to danger sudden

cany of

deaths, and For this reason these five days

plagues, other misfortunes.

were assigned for the the feast the Mam^ ther."

"grandfa-
celebration of of god

On the first day they him about, feasted him

carried and with great

on the second they diminished the on the third

magnificence; solemnity;

they brought him down fh"m the him in the the

altar and placed middle of

temple; on the fourth they him at the threshold or door; the

put and on

fifth, or last day, the ceremony of taking leave (or dismissal) took that
place,

the new year might commence on the following day, is the first
which of

the month Pop^ corresponding the 16th of July, as by the

with appears ceding
pre-

table. The description the Mam be in Cogolludo.

of god may seen

The division of the into 18 20 days have

jrear months of would given

the sum of 360 days the first day the falling Kan^ the
only ; and of year on

last have fallen on Akbal^ so as to begin again the next

would year with

the same Kan^ making all the years alike. But as, in
order to complete

the they added five days, the result was that the year which com-
year, menced

in Kan in LamuU^ the last of the first series of five days the
ended ;

in Afklu^, the. first of the^cond five

ensuing year commenced series of

days; the third commenced in Qiz^ the first of the third series; and the

fourth in Cauac (the first ending in AkbalC)^ the last of the fourth series of

five days so that the fifth year again began

with Kan, It has also been
;

stated that the year consisted 28 weeks of 13 days each, and one
of of ditional
ad-

day; so that, if the year commenced the number one the

with of

week, it ended the same number, and the ensuing year began
with with

number two; and so on through the thirteen numbers of the week, thus

forming, the four initial days, the or indlction,

with week of years, of which

we shall speak hereafter.

The following is the the twenty days in the 18

order of each of montlis
438

T"vtf"

Ymix. Ooimt. Cknes. Qjaih.

Tk. Bianik. Eb. CaboL

AkboL LaxnaL Ben.

Hierealanf daft, JjUercalary iagt. Inierzalarf 4

KaiL Maine. Gix. Cj

Chkchan. Oc. Men. Ajan.

OolmL Chaen. GUib. Ymix.

Manik. Eb. Caban. Yk.

J^9t%"t Ben. K""yna^, Akbsl.

y. Thg BiamstOt.

The connexioo between the daja or of the nate

desig-
nomben week which

the beginning the year, and the fbor initial or firtt days the
of of se-
ries

fiTe, is so iniimatft that it is Teiy difficoh to iMercalate an

of tional
addi-

daj ibr the bissextile,

without
disturbing that oonelatiTe the
older of

initials is followed in the denominatioD the

which constantly of years, and

fiMms their indictions, or weeks. But as the bissextile is neeessaiy to com-

plete

the coarse, and as I hare noC any eeitain knowledge the

soUr of

manner in
which the Indians effected that addition, 1 exhibit the
will meth-
od

adopted by the Mexicans, their being to

compatation ray analogous

that of Tncatan, which in its

probably emanated torn Mexico.
origin

Yeyta asserts, in x. his "Hiitoria Antigna de Mexico," that the

ch. of

bissextile was by the the 18

made adding at end either of montfis or (tf the

if" dajrs, a day was mnked with the hiero-

snppieawfltaiy which same
 iiPPENDIX. 439

as the one but " diffo"nt number of the week, Tiz.,

glyphic preceding, with

But in that numerical order by

with the succeeding number. each way

the follow till they form the is turbed;

dis-
which years each other week of years,

the fifth thus be designated by the number 6 in-

stead
since year would

5, the the 4 to 6 be thereby interrupted.

of and regular order of years

These interruptions, fourtn it impossi-

ble
recurring every year, would render

to preserve that continuous

harmony (on which rests the whole system

of the Indian between tne numbers of the week which nate

desig-
computation)
the its successor, as in the succession
ending year and shown unifonn

of the four initial days.

In order to that inconvenience, it is necessary to suppose that the

prevent

Indians, they intercalated the additional day at the end of the 18

whether

the five days, did not only give to it the

months or after supplementary

hierogljrphic as to the day immediately but also

same number and preceding,

designated it by or in that it might not be

some peculiar sign number, order

confounded with any other.

In a treatise by Akennan, the is that the dians,

In-
published opinion expressed

the their 52 a days in lieu of

at end of cycle of years, added week of

the bissextile days had been This has not the

which neglected. method

defect of disturbing the numerical the but that deranging

order of years, of

the the fpnr initial days, as has been tion

designa-
series of which, stated, gives

to the years.
It will be seen by the table indictions, that
of each cycle

consists of four complete weeks of formed by one

years, series of each of

the four initial signs, each week of years commencing with number one and

ending with number thirteen; consequently, if, at the end of each a

cycle,

week of days be added, the first day the be the 14th

of ensuing year would
in the series the 90 days the (instead being the 1st, 6th, Uth,
of of month of

or 16th), thus abandoning the regular series of the fbur initial days,
and

rabstiruting others, changing them again at each new cycle.

6*. X"lin, "r Cfde.

The Indians made (painted) a small wheel, in they the

which placed

four hierogljrphics the initial days, Kan in the JiMue in the

of east, north,

Oix in the west, and Canac in the to be in that Some

south, counted order.

suppose that when the fourth year was accomplished, Kan

and was again

in a Kahm^ or lustre of four that three

order, years, was completed ; others,

revolutions of the wheel, its four signs, (sign)

with were reckoned, with one

more, which made 13 years, and that this the Katun;

completed others,

again, that the four or indictions, the

complete weeks of years, constituted

Katun and this is Besides the small they

i probable. wheel aforesaid,

made another great wheel, which they also buk xoc, in

called and which

they placed three revolutions the four the

of signs of small wheel, making

12 beginning to count by the first Kan, to

signs ; and continuing reckon all

until the fourth naming of the same Kan, was included, thus
which making
440 APPENDIX.

ddrteen aad fixniiig one indtetton, (of jTMim); the

yetn, or week

b^gan JUMec, in the same, fcmed the next

reckoning with ending which

thirteen; and ao on, tili thej eame to Canac, fimned a Katun.

which

r". CSf At MMiM Crcl" ^ 81 Fmti, "r Alw.

Ml

At In the idea has been giyen of what

pieoeding explanations sufficient

the indiction the 68 bj the Indians

eonstltoted and cycle of years, called

Kahm, the tuts are briefly here, that the reader may not be
reci^itiilated

fluigned hereafter new explanations.

with

1st The name indiction is to one of the fiyor weeks of

of glTen each

the cycle of 53
years composing years.

9d. The American was formed by the course of 13 numbers, ap"

week

indiscriminately to the 90 days the month.

plied of

3d. It has been that as the was fimned 98 weeks and

explained, year of

one day, by this the each fi^Uowing the

overplus years succeeded other,

their to 13, in to form a week, or in-

diction
oorrelatiTe order of numbers up order

fiir if the had been of exactly 98 weeks, the num-

bers
; year composed
'never
the new have formed a because
of years would coirelative week,

they have the number 1, and finished with 13; by

would commenced with

the one begins the first, and terminates in the

other method, year with

same; the commences the number 9, and also' finishes

second year with

it; and so on successiyely, until the 13 are completed.

with

4th. It has also been that the Indians, seeing that 18 months
explained

90 days did not the sum 365, in to them

of make up of order complete

five days more from this, the 90 days were divided into
added ; resulting

four and the first of of these, being "an, Miduc^ Gix,

portions, each and

Cauac, became initials, forming in turn the beginning the by

of years

courses four fifth Kan. But

of years, every year commencing again with

as the were of 13 numbers, there in each three

weeks composed were week

the four initials initial by this excess

revolutions of and one more, of one

initial to have its own thus the indiction, or

causing each week : week,

began Kan also the Kan so that the

which with concluded with same ;

next indiction might commence with Muluc^ the initial, and in its
second

turn with the same ^fuly" and so on until each one

conclude ; continually,

the initials had formed its own indiction, or to it its name,

of week, and given

the 59 is the the four weeks 13

whole composing years, which sum of of

each, as may be seen in the following table.

years
 APPENDIX. 441

Ord"
of ike yean
in tke cfde of
52, divided iiUo fmr vndUUom^ of weeks of
tke 1841 kofpens to be the first of one these it is
years f and as year of cydes,

taken as tke starHng-point,

This 53 was by the Indians Katun^ and at its con-

clusion
period of years called

feasts were and a monument was raised, on which

great celebrated,

large as is by the ITa^^tm, for

a stone was placed crosswise, signified word

a memento of the or Kaiimes, that had elapsed. It should

and record cycles,

be that the this period, the initial days of the

observed, until completion of

did fall the same numbers the week for

years not again upon of ; which

reason, by them, it was at once known what year of that

merely citing

was at; being aided in this by the wheel or table on which

cycle arrived

the years were engraved

in hieroglyphics.

9^, Of the great

Cfde SIS Years, or Jjaa Katwee.
of

Besides the of 53 years, or Katun, there was another cycle culiar

pe-
cycle great

to the Yucatecos, who referred to its for dating their

periods princi-
pal

epochs and the most events their history. It 13

notable of contained

of 34 years each, making together 313 Each or

periods years. period,

4^ Katiun, was divided into two the first 30 years, which was
parts ; of

included in a square, and therefore called amaytwn, lamayte, or lamaytun ;

and the four formed, as it were, a for the

other of years, which pedestal

first, and was chek oe Katun, or lath oe Katun, which means

"
stool"
called

or "pedestal." They considered those four years as intercalated; there-

fore

believed them to be unfortunate, and called them u yaU Jaab, as they

did the five days the to they likened them.

supplementary, of year, which

From this the first 30 from the last four, arose the er-
separation of years

ssneous belief that the Ajaus only of 30 years, an error into

consisted which

almost all have fallen who have on the but if they had
written subject ;

counted the years which a noted the tions

declara-
compose period, and positive

of the manuscripts that the Ajaues consisted of 34

years divided as

they not have their on this

above stated, would misled readers point

It is incontrovertible that those periods, epochs, or ages, took the name

442 APPIHDIX.

"f 4^ "fi"S b6ea"M Aflj bqgiii to be eoontadfioBL Hit dif i

and nomben were taken from yean had eofuaa^ tka

which natfaflir poi-

oda of 94 years coold nerer have an arithmetical but

oider, aoeeeeded each

oCheracooidiDgtotbeniaibefBl3,n,9,7"6^9^1tl%l^^^^"^ Aa

the IndiaM wtfabliiihfd the munbar 13 aa the ihat, itia thataoBg

pw^aBb
nwnafkahlt efent had happened in that year, became^ when the SpaniaA

came to tfaia peninanTa, the Indiana reckDoed then the 8lh aa the lat, that

being the date at dieir ancestors came to aetde it; Indian

which and an

writer propoaed that they ahonkl abandon that Older alao, and hcfin coonl-

ing from the nth, solely becnue the conquest had happened in that Now

if the 13 4iae Kaiim began on a second day of the year; it mat be that

yearwhichbeganonl9aNUK,andthel8th"fteindietion. TimllAjm

coflBmence in the year of 10 OmuK, iriiieh h^ipcBa n

would aA" period of

9A years, and ao on wUh the zest; taking notice that aUsr that Iqpaeef

to the nomber in the cooisa the AjHM|

jaara we come respective maiked of

t^ich is first; that they oonaiat 91^ and aa

placed proving of no^ aopr

have believed, of 90 yeaia.

tk"9tarrfamL"rdl4aB,mwku^tk"t3aAjim"$mmtmamiiB%i4m
the 19 Cauac, being the 19a MM"tim.
of year ofthefint

The fundamental departure from to the Ajaoa

point of which adjiut with

the years of the Christian era, to const the periods or cjrdea have
whieh

elapeed, and to make the years by the Indians in their historieB

quoted

agree with the same era, is the our Lord 1309, to

year of whieh, aeeovding

all sources of iaibrmation, by the testimony Don Cosme de

confirmed of

Bnigos, one of the a (but have

conquerors, and writer whose obaervatione

been lost), was the in fi;U the 7 Canac^ ila day

year which givingin second

the commencement of 8 Ajau; and from this, as finom a root, thaft

all pie-

and have followed it to the table

ceded are
adjusted according of them

has been this the have been

which given; and as agrees with all series that

found, it is hi^y that it la the

probable correct one.

**
At the each Ajan S[atnn, 94
end of or period of yeaiBy" aaya a mann-
 APPENDIX. 443

"great feasts were in honour of the thei"o^ and a

script, celebrated god

statue the was with letters and inscriptioiiB^" It must be

of god put up,

supposed that these were expressed by means of signs or hieroglyphics.

The use this was very great and importance, cause

be-
of cycle of advantage

for the 8th Ajau was to in their histories in

when, example, referred

describing some event it was necessaiy to distinguish from

which others,

the 8th Ajau was as a distinct date, it was that

established and understood

the 312 had made the Katun, in to re-

turn
years elapsed, which up whole order

to the same number; this was more clear, if the writer explained that

a Katun had is the sum total of the thirteen Katunes,

widz elapsed, which

or the They had various quoting the as by

great cycle. modes of iijoues,
saying generaUy the beginning, middle, or end of such an Ajau, or bj

mentioning the the Katun had elapsed, without stating the

jean of which

month or day of the year, or by specifying all the particulars of the epoch,

the and day. Such is the passage in which is noticed the

year, month,

death doubt Ajpuia. It is that he

of a certain, without very notable, said

died in the 6th 13 Ajau, the first day the was 4 Kan
year of when of year

the east end the wheel, in the day 9 Ymix, 18th the Zip.
at of of of month

This date being so circcmistantial, we will trace it out, that it may serve as

an example.

Looking at the series of years which belong to the 13 Ajau, and which

we have above, it be seen that 12 Cauac falls in the year 1488,

given will

the day of that being, therefore, the beginning the 13th

second year of

Ajau; that the 1493 is the from the beginning of the said Ajau,
year sixth

and that its first day is designated as 4 Kan, which is the title of that year,

**
18th the Zip." As this begins on the 35th of
August,
of month month

the 18th corresponds with the 11th of September. Let us see now whether

this 18th day (alls on 9 Ymix. The first that

month of year commenced

with 4 Kan, since 4 Kan designates that year (see the rule given
in treat-
ing

the We find the numbers (of the to the first

of months). week) annexed

days the following by 7 to dec.

of months successively adding each month,

(or, is the same thing, by the rule buk The the Ist
which xoe). number of

day of the 1st being in this case 4, the number the 1st day of the
month of

2d be 4+7=11, that the 1st day the 3d viz.,

month will and of of month, of

Zip, be 11 7" 13s5. That begins, therefore, in that year, with

will month
-f
5 Kan, and the following days are.
444 APPENDIX.

Thus the 11th September was the 18th Zip, which does fall on 9
of of

Ymix, the date in the MS. This date

and accords with given appears,

therefore, to have been very correct.

Ofth"Origimoftki$Cfek.

The origin and use of this species of age, epoch, or cycle, and (the time)
it are not known. Neither the Mexican nor Toltecan
when commenced,

authors, nor those corrected the system for the tion

computa-
who chronological

time, ever it, nor had their writers any know^^dge of its ence.
exist-
of used

The few incomplete exist in this peninsula

and manuscripts which

make no mention it; so that there is neither record nor even

of conjecture
to us, unless there be on the in the written
guide something subject work

by Don Cristobal Antonio Xiu, son the King of Mani, by order of the
of

then to the Cogolludo, in his

govenunent, which, according padre existed

time, some allege to be even yet extant

and

It appears that the Chevalier Boturini had some knowledge, though

only

imperfect, that of reckoning time inasmuch as Don Mariano

of mode ;

Veytia, in the his "

Historia Antigua de Mexico," tran-
scribes
second chapter of

literally the Boturini gives at 132 of the

explanation which page

he under the title of

"
Idea of a New History
work which published of

North America," and

"
that the Mexican Indians, when they reckon-
ed
says,

in their the first their indiction number 1, as, for

calendar sign of under

instance, Ce Tecpatl (1 Tecpatl), it was that it was (so placed)

understood

one time in four because they then the initial

only every cycles, spoke of

characters of each cycle ; and thus, according to the contrivance of their

painted wheels, Ce Tecpatl was but once the commencement the four
of

cycles" [meaning" began a but once in four But the fact

cycle cycles.

is not so: both in the Mexican the Yucatec 52

and calendar, every cycle of

years begins with the same initial the

*'
for
character of year] ; which rea-
son,

any character of those initial signs in their history means that

placed

four Indian 52 have 208

cycles of years each elapsed, which makes years

before they can occur as initial, because, in this no is

again way, account

taken are in the body the four

of characters which of cycles ; and though

the same are found there, they have not the same
characters value."

Ve3rtia affirms that he did not find

any similar explanation, or anything

alluding to the Boturini, in the

system of any of ancient monuments which

he had or examined, or by Indian historian,

collected mentioned any not

even in
order to designate the the But
epochs of most remarkable events.

I be Jsve that, in answer to this remark Veytia, it be that Botu-

rini,
of may said

as Veytia states had the in

elsewhere, examined calendars used old

times by the Indians of Oaxacac, Chiapas, and

Soconusco,
and these

being similar to that of the Yucatecos, it is not to

unreasonable suppose

that they, like the Yucaiecos, by than the cans

Mexi-
computed cycles greater

and that Boturini took from them the idea, though con-
employed ;
 APPENDIX. 445

fused inconect, of our Ajaos, or g:reat qrdes. This incorrectness

and
from his not the mechanism of their
might arise either understanding mode

owing to the defective by the Indians, or

of computing, explanation given

from the Boturini had before him being mutilated, or.

manuscripts which

Anally, from the fact that the Indians in those had a ticular
par-
possible provinces

custom of counting by of four indictions, or of 906 years,

cycles

which, notwithstanding the difference observed in their calculation, and the

number of years which it produces, have a great analogy with the Yuca-

teco cycles of 312 years. The only thing for Boturini be cen-
sured,
which may

if the Mexicans had no knowledge that cycle, and did not use it,
of

was the ascribing of it to them as being in common use for the tion
computa-

of the greater periods of time.

The similarity between the names the days in the calendar

great of of

Oajaca, Chiapas, and Soconusco, and those the Tucatecos, has been
of

mentioned, and appears clearly by comparing the latter those the

with of

said provinces, which Veytia has transcribed in his history, xi., at

chap,

the end.

Oajacan Ghanan, gh being as ir, is the the Yuca-

pronounced same with

teco Kan or Kanan (yellow); Molo or Mulu, Muhic; Chue, Ckueni

Aghual, AkbaloT AJcual; Ygk, Ykg Lambat, lAtmai; Ben Hix, Be-en
and

Oix or Hix. These analogies, and the fact that some the Yucateco
and of

names have no known signification, induce the belief that both calendars

had a common origin, with only such alterations as the priests made on

account events or for other reasons alterations our dians

In-
of particular ; which

adopted, leaving the other signs unchanged, either because they

were accustomed to them, or because their signification, now foigotten,

was then known.

The Indians of Yucatan had another of but as the

yet species cycle;

method foUowed by them in using it cannot be found, nor by

any example

an idea of its nature might be imagined, I is

which shall only copy what
literally of it in a viz.: "There
said manuscript, was another number,

which they called Ua KtOun, and which served them as a key to find the

Katunes. According to the order of its mareh, it falls on the days tha
of

Uofeb jaabf and revolves to the end of certain years : Katunes 13, 9, 5, 1,

ID, 6, 2, 11, 7, 3, 18, 8, 4."

38
446 " PPIHDIX.

OKA. UagrobJtablioBeofteiuuaMtglvcBtotlieftm
d^ri 10 kit flm d" AjM oTM
ofllw jretf, tad "tao 1^ jcan of ]FeM"

fmeMtaimngt/^yami^ UiCkriitimmtf fl" MMI^ "lt JpMTS ^Mf """

mitAj;2'ltf/lAim^4kMmmmmndtktmemUi0iftft^

A"i"italb"l*a Ajva tk^M^

IakL Uid.

C".uac. b. 3. Cauac. 3. Ajau.

S4 4. Ajau.
3. A^au. 1006 13. Cauac. L Ajau.
I. Ajau. 103S 11. Cauac. 1% Ajau.

Oaaac. Ajau. 9. Cauac. 10,

96 IL 13, 1066 A|ait,
ISO 9. Cftuac, 10. A|au, 1060 7* Caiue, 6L A|"B*
Cause. 8, 5. Cau"(L 6, A^aiL
144 T A]au. 1104

168 5. Cauac. 6. Ajau. 11^ 3. Canac 4. A^iL

in 3. Cauac. 4* Ajau. 1153 1. Ctaac 5. Ajaii.

1. Cauac. 9, Ajau, n^- Cauac. M3, Aiau,

"1176
*12. Ajau, IW* 10, Cauac, 11. Ajau,
3" 10. Cauae. IL Ajau- 12^ 8. Cauac, D. Ajau,

9, A $. Cauac. 7*
268 "L Cauac, J an, 1348 Ajau,
6. CaQae, 7* i%n 4, Cactac, 6. Ajau,
Ajau.
4. Cauae" 6. Ajau. 1G96 % Cauac. 3, Ajau.
3. Cauac. 3, Ajau, vsm 13, Cauac, 1. Ajau,
384 13, Gaiiac. 1. Ajau. 1344 11. Cauac, 13. Ajau.
4D8 IL Caoac. 12. Ajau, 1368 9, Cauac, 10, Ajau.
4^ 9. Cauac. 10, 1393 7, Cauac, 5, Ajau.
Ajau.
456 7* Caoae. 8. Ajau. 1416 Q. Cauac. 6, Ajau.

480 5. Oanac. 6. Ajau. 1440 3. Canac. 4. Ajftu.

d04 3. Capac. 4, 1464 1, Cauac 2l Ajau.
AJau^
5^ i. Caoac, 2. Amu. *1488 *\t. Cauac *13. Ajau.
Caoac. "13, Ajau. 1513 10. Cauac 11. A^au.
"12.
51% 10. Cauac. 11, Ajau, 1536 8, Cauac 9, Ajau.
6. Caiiac. 9' 1560 6, Caoac 7, Ajau.
600 A]au.
"24 6. CatiaC' 7. A^au. I5S4 4. Cauac ^ Ajau.
648 4. 5, Ajau. 160^ fl Cauac 3,
Caaac. AJau,
67S2 2. Caiiac?. 3. A^au. 163S 13, Cauac 1. Ajiu.

696 13, Canac. 1, A^au^ 1656 11, Cauac 13. Ajau.

720 IL Cauac, 12, Ajaun 16S0 9, Cauac 10, Ajau.
1704 7, Cause. 8, Ajau.
744 9. Cauac. JO, Ajau,
8. 5. Cauac 6,
768 7. Cauac. Ajau, 1728 Ajau,
7"2 5. Catiftt^, 6, Aiau, 1753 3. Cause 4, Ajau.

816 3. Cauac 4. A^au. 177G 1. Cau"c ^ Ajau.

840 L Cauac. 2. Ajau^ "laoo *12. Cauac "13, A;au.

Caoac- 10. Cauac n, Ajau.

*864 *12. "13. Ajau,
OOQ
10, Gauic^ 11, A^au, 1848 8. Cauac, 0, A/an.

912 8. Cauac. % Ajau, ISTS 6. Cauac 7, A|au,

6. Cauai^. 7, Ajau. 1896 4. Cauac 5,
i^jflu.
960 4. Caaatr. ft. Ajau.

From the series it is maniftst that from te birth of Chrial

preceding
 APPENDIX. 447

Che beginning this hare 6 great cycles, one epoch, and

until of cycle, elapsed

17 (years) the first epoch of the first cycle requiring a year, as

of another;

has been stated.

AdditiomU Not* at End DimJ.P. Ptr*"'" Estag.

ttf

Since this was I have had an of seeing

exposition written, opportunity

th" above Chevalier Boturini, in the

work, quoted, of which, speaking of

Toliec Inuians, he says :

AAer their through Asia, they the Continent

peregrination reached

(America), and to Hutchuetlapallan, the first city New Spaij^

penetrated of

in which their wise men convened 130 and some years before the birth of

Christ; and seeing that the civil

did not agree with the astronomical year,

and that the days wefe they determined to in every

equinoctial altered, add

four one day, in to recover the hours were (annually)

years order which

lost. And it is that they effected it by counting one of the sym-

supposed bols

the last month the twice (as the Romans did their sextile
bis-
of of year with

days), disturbing their order, because or taking away

without adding

(a sjrmbol) destroy their thus they made the

would perpetual system ; and

commencement of the civil year to agree with the vernal equinox, which

was the principal and governing part of the year.

He adds, that although the intercalated day had not a place

in the order

of the symbols of the days of the 'but was thrust in, as it were, like an
year,

interloper, still it gave a name (or character) to the bissextile having

year,

most feasts reserved to it, which, even in the third age, were sano-
solemn

tioned by the or king of those and they were held in

emperor provinces;

honour the XinteudUj *'

lord the
of god of year," with great preparation of

viands and sumptuous

dances, in the lords alone danced sang;
which and

for this reason they

"
the and dances the lords."
and were called songs of

In the same bissextile was held the tha

year solemn ceremony of piercing

the men, it being for the high-priest to eze*

ears of girls and young reserved

cute that function, by godfathers and godmothers.

assisted

In the 27th the observations he says, that there was in ths

paragraph of

third age another mode of intercalating, applied only to the ritual calendar,

that, in not to disturb either the perpetual order of the fixed

and order

feasts, the feasts, among the bols

sym-
or of sixteen movable which circulated

the days the by (or for the sake counting twice the bol
sym-
of of year, of)
the last the bissextile year, which caused them much anxi"
of month of

account the displeasure their it was held better to re-

ety on of of gods,

wrve the 13 bissextile days for the end of the cycle of 58 3rears; which

(days) are distinguished in their wheels or tables by thirteen ciphers,

(painted) blue or some other colour; they belonged neither to any

of and

nor nor bad they or individual liks

month any year, particular symbols,

the days. It was them as if there were no days, nor were

other with such

they dedicated to any of their gods, on which account they were reputed
448 APPBHDIX.

*imfiiitiiiuile." Tk0iriM^orihotelSd"fiWMatfBeor]

ftiliBg,lbrfetrdiilthemilddKNi]deonetoaBCBd; BordiddHjattaf

waim fiwd, as the ilie WIS eztiiigDidwd throiigh dM iri^

begin, the ecwmoey of the new iiie wm oekbraied.

cyde whcQ

But M an these were matlen idnting only to fUes and sncrffiees (not to

the troe dds taftoealittagbndMi I

eompotatkmof time)^ mods of

to the natural beeanae it would hcfe greatlf dcfaaged the i

year,

bf^ghmhigs the ftet is

eqfoinoxes, and of the yean; and i

bf Oie efacnmstaaoe diat ttm days thus tiHawlalwl (althe end of the
qrda)
hndnoneofdMsymbc^ belonging to dM days of the year^i

dwni bisssxtlles at the endof endi ^ '

calendar accounted ^n^
tiKmgh bf a diflteent of dM ehrfl WiwnHW, (aa 1
older, whi^

w"ra nwn pioper iar the TCgolatta of pobUe afitni

aoesiale)

MM ALMAiTACyAnnnmn) accobooio to tu cnnovoLOoiCAL ciLCOLjfUMror

TBS AMCiBHT ivnuiia or TUOATi",FonTn THina 1811 amd 181% nrnMr

nuM no naai.

OiacrMfiMf." The notes or remaifcs mU, Im^ a lodry day, Iri^ "
yafcr

U Im^ an daj, dial the Indians had teir daya of food

nnlncky sIgnlQr
and of ili Ibitiine, like soms of the natioos of ancient Enrape; aldioogh It

is easily that the of their days of ill fortune is ezcesstfei

perceived namber

still they are the same foond by me in three ancient almanacs which I

have examined, and found to agree veiy nearly. Ihaveappliedthemtothe

namber, not the name, of the day, becanse the annooncements of rain, of

dec., must, in belong to the fixed days the

planting, my opinion, of month,

and not to the names of particular days; as these each jrear are changed,

and torn apon the four Kan^ Mtduc, Oix, Camac,

primaries, and chiefs of

the year. In another however, I have it laid down

place, seen as a rule

that the days Chicckan^ Cimi or Kimi, Oe, Mm, Akau, Akbal, the
and are

days of rest in the month; and this appearB probable, as I see no reason

there should be so great an excess of days of ill fortune. In the

why manacs
al-

cited above, this order was not observed, either from ignorance or

excessive superstition.

Thus the days on which the burner takes his fire, kindles it, it free
gives

it, are to the 3d, 4th, 10th, Uth

scope, and extinguishes subject and of the

days Ckicckan, Oe, Mm, and Akaut as they for that on the
say, example,

8d Chicchan the burner takes his fire, on the 10th Chicchan he begins, the

4th Chicchan he gives it scope, and the 11th Chicchan he it;

extinguishes

the same may be Oc, Men, Ahau from

said of and ; which we aee that

these epochs are movable, as the days 3, 4, 10, 11 do not ftll

and always

OB the same days of the but to the

month, only according combinatfoa of

the weekly numbers with the days referred to.

 APPENDIX. 449

It may be who is this burner that takes his fire, kindles it,
asked, permits

it to destroy, it 1 To this 1 cannot as I have been

and extinguishes reply,

to find an of the mystcr)- perhaps the days specified

unable explanation ;

might be days of sacrifice, or some other act of superstition.

"
1st INDIA!) MONTH, FOP," OP TOE YEAR 1 KAN.

Pup. July.

Jtlun Kan, utx licii u Pop (good, as

cutal.
the beginning of Pop). 16
Ca Chicchan, uiz u tial (good for
pakal
17
planting).
Ox Ctuimf, lob kin (an unlucky day\ 18
Can Manik, utz u tiai (good for
pakal
19
planting).
Ho Lamat, utz kin (a day). 20
good
Uac Muluc, utz kin (b Muluc a
; good
day). 21
Uuc Oc, utz u tial ahguehob (good for

hunting; lor the 22

settlers).
Uaxxac Chuen, kin, leal ikal u
yutz chi
bal tok (goo"l day; 23
without wind).
Bol")n Kb, u lob kin (9 Eb; a bad day). 24

Lahun Been, kin (10 Bccu;

yutz a good
day). 25
Buluc Ilix, kin (11 Hix; a
yutz good
day). 2G

Laiica Men, kin (12 Men a

yutz ; good
day). 27

Oxlahun Cluib, u lob kin (13 Gtuib; an

day). 28
unlucky
Elun Caban, u lob kin (1 Caban; an un-
lucky
day). 29

Ca Kd/.n(ib, kin, licil u

yutz zihil ahmiatz
ycicl ahdzib hunob ("good day; in
which
arc bom writers and wise
30
menV
Ox Cauac, kin (a day). 31
yuiz good
Can Ahau, kin ti
yutz aluiehchob; yal-

cab u kak ah toe (a good

day for the

nobles the burner the fire Aug.l

; gives scope).
llo Ymix, n lob kin (a bad day). 2

Uac Yk, u lob kin (an day). 3

unlucky
Uuc Akbal, yutz kin (a day). 4
Rood

UO, 2d INDIAN MONTH.

450 APPENDIX.

uo, 3d INDIAN MONTH (ContiDaed).

ZIP, 3d INDIAN MONTU.

ZODZ, INDIAN MO.N'TII.

'ItH

J^^.
'.), Kan, ku, kin licil
uiz u zian u chac u cutal zoj (good;
church day, of rain, "c.). li

10, ( 'hirchaii, u lob kin, u hoppol u kak (a bad day

ahtoc :

the tire begins). 15

 APPENDIX. 45]

zoDZ, 4Ta INDIAN MONTH (Continned).

452 APPENDIX.

XDL, 6th INDIAN MONTH.

DZEYAXKIN, 7tII INDIAN" MONTH.

 APPENDIX. 453

MOL, 8th INDIAN MONTH.

454 APPENDIX.

ZAC, IItH INDIAN MONTH.

 APPENDIX. 455

at'F.J, 12tU INDIAN MONTH.

MAC, l3Tn INDIAN MONTH.

456 APPENDIX.

KANKIN, 14th INDIAN MONTH.

 APPENDIX. 457

PAX, 16th INDIAN MONTH.

39
458 APPENDIX.

CUMKU, 18th INDIAN MONTH.

"
XMA KABA KIN," OR INTERCALAlW DAYS.

The next commence 2 Muluc, the following one

year would with wiih

3 Hix, the fourtli 4 Cauac, the fifth with 5 Kan and so on

year with ; con-
tinually,

the completion of the 13 numbers of the week of

until years,

the day Kan; after which the Muluc,

which commences with weeks of

Hix, Cauac follow, in

such manner that, after the lapse 52 the
and of years,

again begins 1 Kan, as in the Re-

specting
week of years with preceding almanac.

the bissextile, I have in the

already manifested my opinion chro-
nology

the Indians.
of

The translation the names the months and days is not as it

of of easy as

bccau^^e are not at in use,

would appear, some present and others, again,

from the diflerent to them, and from the their

meanings attached want of

true cannot be correctly understood; however, be this it

pronunciation, as

may, I shall enilcavour to decipher them as nearly as possible, and accoi-d-

ing to the the language, beginning with the

present state of months.

1. Pop, mat cane. 2. Uo, frog. 3. Zip, a tree. 4. Zotlz, bat. 5. Zee,
of a

G. Xul, end or 7. Dzeyaxkin I know its

obsolete. conclusion. ; not tion,
significa-

although the meaning of

is summer. " Mol" to reunite. 9
yaxJdn
 APPENDIX. 459

Chen, a 10. Yax, first, or Yaai, or blue, though, as the following

well. green

is Za"^ I believe this be Yaax. 11. Zac, 12.

month white, should white.

duez, a deer. 13. Mac, a lid or cover. 14. Kankin, sun,

yellow perhaps

because in this April the is

month of atmosphere charged with smoke;

to the being down burned, the light the is

owing woods cut and of sun

darkened, 5 P.M. it throws but little light. 15. Moan,

and at appears red and

its forgotten. IG. Pax, instrument

antiquated, and signification any of

17. Kayab, 18. Cumku, a thunder-clap, or like the

music. singing. noise

a cannon, is heard in the tlie ing,

dry-
report of which woods while marshes are

or from some cause. Uayebhaab, Xma kaba kin,

other which signifies

bed, or the or days name, were the

chamber of year, without appellations

to the intercalary days, as they to no to

given appertained month which a

name was given.

Tnaulatian tht 20 Daft.

of
1. Kan, or twisted hemp it
string yam of ; also means anything yellow,

or fruit timber for 2. Chicchan, if it is Chi-

and proper cutting. obsolete ;

it or little. 3. duimf, Cimf, death dead. 4.

chan, signifies small or or

Manik, but if the be divided, it

obsolete, word may would signify wind

that for Man is to to buy, ik is 5. Lamat,

passes ; pass, and wind. obsolete,

not 6. Muluc, it be the

undersVood. obsolete ; although, should primitive ot

it reunion. 7. Oc, that be held in the

miducbalf will signify which may

the hand. 8. Chuen, disused; some say it is equivalent to board.

palm of

9. "b, ladder. 10. Been, 11. HLx, not

obsolete. used, although, combined

it as in Hlxcay, Hihixci, 12.

with others, signifies roughness, rasp, rough.

Men, builder. 12. Gluib.or Cib, wax or 14. Caban,

gum copal. obsolete.

15. Edznab, IG. Cauac, disused, it to be

obsolete. although appears the

17. Ahau, king, 24 the day in

word cacau. or period of years ; which thLi

therefore they it Ahau Katun. 18. Ymix,

period commenced, and called

it to be the same as Yxim, com or 19.

obsolete ; although appears maize.

Yk, 20. Akbal, word disused and unknown.

wind.

This is the to those days.

signification given

Peto, 14th April, 1842.

END OF VOL. L