The Golden City. — Coast of California. — Cape San Lucas. —
Manzanillo. — Alligators and Sharks. — Acapulco. — San José de
Guatemala. — Escuintla. — City of Guatemala. — Indian pilgrims
from Esquipulas. — Ancient mounds on the plains of Mixco. —
Insurrection of Indians. — Decapitation of their leader. —
Preparations for the journey across the Continent to Palenque
and Yucatan.
In the forenoon of the third day of January, the “Golden City”
commanded by Captain Lapidge, left San Francisco for the Central and
South American Pacific ports.
We had on board, as passengers, several members of the Austrian
mission, originally embarked in the frigate Danube under their chief
Rear-Admiral Baron Petz, with instructions to make commercial treaties
with China, Japan, Siam, Guatemala, Chili and other Spanish-American
States. This part of the mission had been detached to visit Guatemala
and it was arranged that upon the completion of their duties in Central
America, they should rejoin the frigate in the Southern Pacific. Dr.
Scherzer, the author of the narrative of the voyage of the Novara, and
who had also published the journal of his travels in Central America,
was placed in charge of this service. He was accompanied by Baron
Herbert and Baron Ransonnet, acting as secretaries. I had already met
these members of the staff and it was a mutual pleasure to find that we
were proceeding to the same regions.
Soon after leaving the harbour we approached the rocks upon which great
numbers of seals were seen. They watched our movements with attention,
and in reply to the sound of the blows of our paddlewheels upon the
water, bellowed at us defiantly.
[Illustration: The “Golden City” passing the Seal Rocks.]
We at first steered a course near the shore, but finding that there
was a heavy ground swell, we kept about four miles out from the land,
a distance sufficiently close to enable us to have a good view of the
Californian hills. One night, large beacon fires were reported to be
observed on the heights of the southern extremity of Lower California.
The course was consequently altered towards a small bay within Cape San
Lucas, and a boat came alongside conveying passengers. It was very dark
and the signal fires threw a fitful glare upon the sea and our ship,
at intervals. As we followed the line of the coast, the scenery became
very grand as we approached the mountain ranges of Mexico. The weather
was fine, the sea, rightly called Pacific, was as smooth as glass, and
there was an effect of atmosphere which gave a marvellously beautiful
colouring to the slopes and valleys of the mountains.
Several days after our departure from San Francisco we entered the
little land-locked harbour of Manzanillo. When rounding the point
we disturbed several flocks of pelicans. They gathered speed with
a few flaps of their great wings and then swept over the water
noiselessly without further effort, altering the direction of their
flight until they were sheltered from observation by some intervening
rocks.[54] Manzanillo is one of the seaports of the city of Mexico,
and communicates with the capital by a road leading to Colima and
Guadelajara. Near the village there is a shallow lake called La Laguna
de Cuyutlan, in which exist an extraordinary number of alligators.
After our ship had anchored, some of the passengers went to look at
this quiet reptile-infested lagoon, which is separated from the sea by
a narrow strip of land. Captain Lapidge told us that a few years before
our arrival, there had been a long continuance of westerly winds, and
these together with an unusually high tide caused the sea to flow over
the isthmus into the lagoon. Numerous alligators then came out from it
and crossed over into the bay where they were immediately attacked by
sharks, which abound on this part of the coast. He said that a fearful
combat took place and for several days the bay was deluged with blood.
It had become dark before we returned from the lagoon, and we passed
through the Indian village situated near its banks. The women were busy
grinding, on rounded granite slabs, grains of maize; or cooking various
herbs and vegetables in small earthern pans. The interior of their huts
contained one room. The ground was usually bare, but in some instances
a few mats were laid down. The exterior was formed of long upright
poles or sticks closely bound together. The roofs, which were high and
sloped steeply downwards, were made of brushwood and palm leaves.
During the night we continued our voyage near the Mexican coast, and on
the morning of the 10th entered the harbour of Acapulco. In the crowded
market place we saw a strange medley of races, Indians, Negroes,
Ladinos, Mestizos, and Pintos who afforded ample occupation for the
artistic talents of Baron Ransonnet. The Indians were of moderate
stature and of a dark swarthy colour, their faces were broad, and
their hair was long, heavy and very black. All had peculiarly restless
eyes. We were interested in looking at the Pintos, a numerous race of
Indians inhabiting the hills of this part of Mexico, who are given that
name in consequence of the coloured spots on their skin. Some of them
were merely spotted, others had their feet or hands almost white and of
a disagreeable livid tint. In several, the dark red skin of the face
was completely covered with white round spots. These spots always begin
as blue marks and develop into sores, which afterwards heal into these
indelible white scars. The Indians say that this kind of leprosy is
inherited. In all other respects they were perfectly healthy.
At midnight on the 13th, we arrived off San José de Guatemala. Captain
Lapidge lowered a boat and put us on board the nearest vessel, which
we afterwards found to be a North German barque called the Gelert.
Although the sea was smooth she was rolling heavily. The Golden City
also gave some deep lurches, and it was difficult to get in or out of
the boat. Baron Ransonnet left us with the intention of proceeding to
Panama. Finally Dr. Scherzer, Baron Herbert, and myself, made the best
of our position and slept—or endeavoured to sleep—for the rest of the
night upon the deck of the Gelert.
The view from the barque when the sun rose above the horizon, was of
a character not to be forgotten. The great range of volcanoes which,
commencing in the North in Alaska, runs like a backbone near the
Pacific Coast through the entire length of the American continent to
the southern limits of Patagonia, is here very remarkable. The great
mountains of Agua and Fuego, rising respectively over twelve and
thirteen thousand feet above the sea, were immediately opposite to us.
The volcano of Pacaya was on the right, and, on the left, were the
distant volcanoes near the Lake of Atitlan.
Our landing was accomplished without difficulty, and in the forenoon
we left San José for the capital in an open carriage, with three good
horses harnessed abreast. The road ran in a straight line through the
forest which covered the low tropical plain, extending for a distance
of forty miles from the sea to the base of the hills. Occasionally
we passed the huts occupied by the mixed race descended from African
negroes and Indians, who have been given the name of Zambos.
It would be difficult to account for the existence of a race of African
descent, dwelling near the Western coasts of the Pacific, if we did not
possess the statements of the Spanish historians, and their explanation
of the circumstances which necessitated the introduction of negroes for
the purpose of working in the mines or plantations, and to take the
place of the Indians who died in great numbers in consequence of the
severity of their treatment by the conquerors. The features of these
Zambos, resembled those of the aboriginal race of Indians, but the hair
was like that of the negroes on the West coast of Africa.
At the village of Masagua, we saw several Indians who had come down
from the hills. They were men of unusually diminutive stature, all
of them being under five feet in height, but they were well-formed,
muscular and active. The town of Escuintla was reached after sunset,
and towards midnight I went to the Plaza to see the numerous groups of
Indians, who were resting there for the night on their way to a church
festival that was going to be held several days’ journey eastwards.
The moonlight was extraordinarily brilliant, and the Indians evidently
considered that its influence was dangerous, for they carefully avoided
it, and sheltered themselves amongst the trees, or within the deep
shadows cast by the walls of the church. The platform in front of the
beautiful façade of that building, was surrounded by colonnades of palm
trees. Beyond, but seemingly close at hand, were the gigantic forms of
the twin volcanoes of Water and Fire.
Before daybreak we arrived at the village of Amatitlan, situated on
the borders of the lake of that name near the base of the volcano of
Pacaya, and in the morning we saw before us the plateau upon which
stands the city of Guatemala, five thousand feet above the sea.
Gradually we found that we were accompanied by Indians belonging to the
various villages near the road, who were on their way to the market
place, carrying on their backs heavy loads of wood, crockery and
vegetables.
As we approached the gates of the city, our horses increased their
pace, and the scene became very animated. Hundreds of Indians joined
us from all directions, and ran by the sides of our carriage. The
bells of the numerous churches were ringing for prayers. We passed the
castle, the market place crowded with Indian women selling their wares,
and the cathedral. Priests and sisters of mercy were hurrying along
the streets; groups of soldiers carrying old-fashioned muskets, were
lounging near their barracks. Our horses became excited and broke into
a gallop, and finally, with great noise and speed, we drove up to the
doors of the Hotel Aleman, and were soon installed in comfortable rooms
opening into the central court or patio, which forms such an agreeable
feature in all well-arranged Spanish inns.
Soon after our arrival Colonel Miguel Garcia y Granados, one of the
Government officials, called upon Dr. Scherzer and gave us a vivid
report of the political condition of the Republic. The Indians of the
provinces between Guatemala and the Mexican frontier were in rebellion.
A large force of them under the leadership of an Indian, named
Serapio Cruz, were marching towards the city, and a battle between
them and the Government troops was imminent. He also mentioned some
interesting facts with respect to the late President Carrera. Carrera
was a remarkable instance of native capacity. He was an uneducated
Indian of obscure birth who, by sheer force of character, energy, and
courage, was, at an early age, placed at the head of large bodies of
Indians during the various revolutionary outbreaks which succeeded the
declaration of Independence from Spain. Finally he became President of
the Republic and governed the people with such obstinate determination
and firmness of will that, in a few years, he was able to place the
whole country under a steady system of control. In doing this he was
assisted by the fact of being an Indian and having, consequently, great
personal influence over the natives. He also received the support of
the priests for, like all Indians, he was extremely fanatical.
Colonel Garcia told us that Carrera always had on his writing table
a toy representing Louis Philippe with his hat in his hand. This toy
had a rounded base and was so weighted that, when it was touched, it
rolled backwards and forwards, and would thus represent Louis Philippe
constantly bowing hat in hand. Carrera when engaged at his official
work would frequently make the toy move, and then would say to those
that stood near him “It was in that way, by too much bowing, that
Louis Philippe lost his throne, I shall take care that I do not make
the same mistake.” Carrera was not only supported by the priests, but
also by the Spaniards, who knew that he alone could keep the Indians in
subjection. Latterly he spoke much of the Indian chief Cruz, and said
that he was the only man in the State who was to be feared.
During our residence in Guatemala, I was fortunate in having the
acquaintance of Don Francisco Gavarrete, who held a post under the
Government and was well informed upon all subjects relating to
the Indians. He was also, I understood, the proprietor of some of
the lands within which were the sculptured monoliths and idols of
Quirigua. At the Museum in the city there was a good collection of
Indian antiquities which had been found within the territories of
the Republic, including several idols from Copan and Santa Cruz del
Quiché. When examining these I was accompanied by him and he directed
my attention to certain objects of importance. Many of them were well
carved and it was clear that the sculptors were able to work and shape
the hardest stone with accuracy and skill.
There was a small idol, made of hard green stone, which had been
found hidden behind the high altar of a church near the town of
Gueguetenango. Dr. Scherzer, who during his travels in Central America,
had learnt much about the religious customs of the natives, told us
that the priest of a church situated amongst the hills near Atitlan
had noticed an Indian girl, who was one of his parishioners, showing
an unusual fervour in her devotions, and he tried to find out the
cause. He, at last, discovered that she had buried an idol in the
ground close behind the church beyond the altar, so that although she
appeared to be praying to what was before her in the church, she was
actually addressing her requests to the idol outside. This priest
considered that his Indians were by nature idolaters and that it was
not practicable to prevent them from returning to their ancient habits.
Señor Gavarrete said that in the Department of Vera-Paz the Indians
had still the custom of erecting somewhere near the churches small
idol-houses in which they kept the image of a saint. To this they
offered sacrifices of meats and flowers, and at certain seasons they
were accustomed to keep watch or guard at the door throughout the night.
It is more than strange that nothing has been discovered in the course
of the explorations of the various ancient sites in this part of the
continent, which throws any light upon the methods employed by the
Indians, for the purpose of carving and shaping granite, green marble,
and hard lava. No mason’s implement of any kind has been found. A
few copper chisels appear to have been used for some purpose which
is unknown. They could not apparently have been of much service in
working stone, for the edges were rounded and the metal was soft. This
question as to the system adopted by the Indian sculptors in producing
such excellent work, is as inexplicable now as it was to the Spaniards
in the sixteenth century.
Señor Gavarrete asked me to accept a fine obsidian spear head which had
been found amongst the ruins of Quirigua. This black volcanic glass is
admirably adapted for cutting and wounding purposes. I had previously
picked up in an ancient earthwork outside the city, several fragments
of the same substance, which had evidently been placed on the edges of
wooden daggers or swords which inflicted jagged and dangerous wounds.
Obsidian knives were used by the Aztec priests when offering human
sacrifices to their gods. The spear head was in form and in the method
followed for chipping the mineral into the requisite shape, similar to
the large arrow heads made by the Indians in the western parts of North
America, where obsidian is obtained near the volcanic ranges of the
Sierra Nevada.
During the latter part of the month numerous groups of Indians passed
through the city on their return from the pilgrimage to Esquipulas.
The festival of the church at that place occurs annually on the 15th
of January. It is estimated that upon an average over eighty thousand
Indians are present upon that occasion. Esquipulas became an important
shrine in consequence of a wooden crucifix, black from age, having
been found buried in the ground near that town. It was supposed by
the Spaniards that it must have been lost by one of their missionary
priests when passing through that part of the province at some early
period soon after the conquest. This black crucifix was placed in the
sanctuary, and from some cause which has not been ascertained, it was
soon held in the highest veneration by the natives.
Indians assembled there in great numbers from all parts of the country,
and travelled great distances in order to be present at the festival,
and to take part in the performance of the religious ceremonies.
At the Cathedral in Guatemala we frequently saw the pilgrims kneeling
before the shrines and showing much devotional respect to certain
images. These natives were invariably grown up men and women.
They journeyed on foot, carrying with them their provisions and
water-gourds. They seemed to be desirous of avoiding all contact or
conversation with others. Their conduct was quiet and unobtrusive.
It was their custom to pass silently through the city. At the doors
of each church they stopped for a few moments, and then entered and
knelt before the altar. After the completion of these acts of worship,
they proceeded on their journey across the plains towards the huts and
villages scattered over the slopes of the distant hills. They never
halted in the street, or took any part in the daily movements of the
inhabitants.
The pilgrimage is also undertaken by Indians from the distant regions
of Central America. Many of them traverse hundreds of miles. There is
something in the devotional nature of these ignorant aboriginal people
which escapes the comprehension of those who observe them. I noticed
that the Indians varied considerably in stature and complexion. The men
who dwelt among the Cordilleras seemed to be of a finer race than those
who were settled on the plains, and were much darker in the colour of
their skin.
The most attractive spot in the city was the market place. Within the
square, crowds of people, Indians and Ladinos, were daily assembled,
all of them buying, selling and carrying on the ordinary traffic, with
a silence and listless indifference which was in strong contrast with
the life and animation of the cities in the United States. It was a
constant pleasure to observe the movements of the younger Indian women,
who in their appearance and demeanour, were far superior to the men.
This difference arises from their habits and employment. The women
have a certain kind of dignity in their manner, caused, in a great
measure, by their usage of carrying water jars and pans of crockery
poised upon their heads. They therefore walk slowly and hold themselves
upright. This custom which begins from early childhood, and forms part
of their daily life, has the result of giving them good figures and a
particularly graceful movement.
The men, on the contrary, have a crouching appearance, caused by the
method in which they have been accustomed, from boyhood, to carry
their burdens. They relieve the pressure of the weight on their
backs by means of a broad band passed over the forehead and thus,
by bending forward, the load is made less oppressive. The men and
boys consequently contract a stooping posture, and this presents
an unfavourable contrast to the women, whose bearing is precisely
the reverse. There is another circumstance which has its influence
in shaping the figures of the women. They carry all small things on
the open palm of the left hand, which is thrown back and held well
raised up. In fact the same causes which affect the appearance of the
Indians in North America are present here, but with the difference
that there it is the squaw who contracts the stooping and bent figure,
through carrying her children and other burdens, and it is the man who
maintains the upright figure and dignified manner.
On the plains a few miles to the west of the city, in the direction of
the village of Mixco, there is a large and extensive group of ancient
Indian mounds of whose construction or purpose nothing is known. They
have never been scientifically examined and I was not able to ascertain
that any plans had been made of them. No author has alluded to them
unless by a mere passing notice, and yet they seemed to throw more
light upon the question of the Toltecan or Aztecan migrations than any
other remains of ancient antiquities. Possibly no previous traveller in
this part of Central America had also seen the mounds of Cahokia, near
the eastern banks of the Mississippi, or he could hardly have failed to
have observed that their resemblance is so great, and indeed so evident
as to place it almost beyond doubt, that the builders of the mounds
at Cahokia were of the same race as those that dwelt on the plains of
Mixco.
As it would be highly improbable that any nation would migrate from
lands abounding with means of food, comfort and warmth to what must
have been, at that period, the comparatively inhospitable regions of
North America, the tribes that constructed these mounds must have
originally migrated from the valley of the Mississippi.
I was employed for several days in making a rough survey of this Indian
settlement and took measurements of the inclosure. The ground plan was
made in the form of an extensive and irregular parallelogram about
twelve hundred yards long and five hundred yards wide. The mounds upon
the sides of the greatest length vary in their dimensions. Some of them
are very large and exceed forty-five feet in height. The most important
are those platform earthworks at each end of the inclosure upon which
may have been placed the principal communal buildings, or the houses of
the Caciques. There was also a mound of an exceptional shape, situated
in the interior which, from its position, may have been intended for
purposes similar to those that existed within the embankments of Fort
Ancient in Ohio.
When Carrera was President of Guatemala he wished to know for what
object these mounds were built, and he therefore gave orders that
one of the largest of them should be thoroughly examined. It was
ascertained, contrary to expectation, that it was not a burial place.
The only thing found in it was a large and well carved granite
grindstone of the same shape as those at present used by the Indians
for grinding maize. The results of Carrera’s excavations appeared
to establish the conclusion that the mounds were chiefly raised for
the purpose of placing dwellings upon them; and this is also, I was
informed, the opinion of the natives living in the neighbourhood.
[Illustration: ANCIENT INDIAN MOUNDS NEAR GUATEMALA.]
In the meanwhile from day to day the capital had been disturbed by
rumours of the movements of the advancing insurgents, and it was
difficult to make any decided plans with regard to my journey in the
interior. It was considered by the Government authorities that it would
be highly imprudent for me to attempt to pass through the disturbed
provinces, as the natives were known to have become unsettled and
excited. It was therefore with great satisfaction that I heard that the
Indians were coming near and that a decisive battle was imminent. The
President Don Vincente Cerna had taken all proper precautions, and had
placed the troops under the command of his most able officer, General
Solares.
On the twenty-third of January we were informed that the rebels were
approaching, and that an action between the forces was expected to
take place immediately. Baron Herbert and myself then went into the
adjoining country with the hope of obtaining a distant view of the
operations. In the afternoon we heard the firing of guns from the
castle announcing to the people that the Indians were defeated, and,
to prevent there being any doubts upon the subject, messengers arrived
from General Solares bringing with them the head of his opponent. This
practical method of assuring the inhabitants of the success of the
Government troops had a good effect. It was afterwards made known that
the Indians had been surrounded at an early hour and taken by surprise
whilst they were amongst the ravines. Serapio Cruz fought desperately
but was killed and decapitated.
Thus ended the Indian rebellion, and a period of considerable local
anxiety. A political revolution is an event which may be expected to
occur frequently in Spanish-American republics, but a rising of Indians
in rebellion or, as it is called, a “Guerra de Castas” (war of races),
is a far more serious matter, as was proved by the occurrences that
happened at the time of the revolt of the Indians in Yucatan, in 1847,
when their war cry was “Death to all Spaniards.”
At a dinner given at the English legation upon the evening of the
conclusion of the insurrection, the subject of the state of the
Guatemalan provinces was considered, with reference to the expediency
of my intention to travel alone through the disturbed districts.
Many of the members of the foreign legations were present.[55] It
was thought that the Indian population near the Mexican frontier
and amongst the remote parts of the Cordilleras would be, for some
time, in a restless and excitable condition, and might be inclined
to show their revenge for what had lately happened, by killing any
white man who should attempt to pass through the country or who
should by misadventure fall into their power. I was however informed
by a Spaniard who understood the character of the native races
that, although this opinion was true with respect to Spaniards, an
Englishman would probably travel over the Cordilleras with safety. I
accordingly lost no time in completing my preparations for the journey.
There was a difficulty in obtaining a good ambling mule, without which
long rides over a rugged country would be necessarily fatiguing.
Fortunately the Duke de Licignano, who was residing in Guatemala,
was willing to part with one of his trained mules, and it was with
great satisfaction that I saw this well-bred animal brought into the
courtyard of the inn, and placed under the care of my guide.
I received from the Government an official passport or letter of
recommendation to the Corregidors under their jurisdiction, which I
hoped would be of service as far as the frontier.
Mexico was reported to be temporarily in a lawless condition, but
I expected to find upon my arrival within its boundaries, that the
authority of the republic was sufficiently established to enable me to
proceed without any serious obstacles to the ruins of Palenque.