WE ENTER THE CITY OF ITZA
We held no unnecessary converse with one another on the trail, not being
anxious to appear as chatterboxes before these silent natives; but when
we had camped for the night in another small clearing, which we reached
at dusk, we gathered in a group and in English talked over the day’s
adventures and our future prospects. Chaka came and sat with us after he
had indulged in a somewhat lengthy interview with Gatcha the chief, and
he looked rather solemn and thoughtful.
“My father was out hunting with a small party of twelve,” said he, “when
the Mopanes, who had long been lying in ambush, seized and assassinated
him. One warrior made escape and aroused the City, so Gatcha gathered
his men and gave chase. Before he left Itza, however, the chief tells me
that my Uncle Datchapa, believing me to be dead, as had my father,
caused himself to be proclaimed atkayma. That is bad, my friends, for
now Datchapa will not be glad to see me.”
“Is he as bad as that?” I asked.
“My Uncle Datchapa,” returned Chaka, slowly, “is an old man, and a wise
man as well. He has renown as a warrior and a statesman, and my people
respect him greatly. Also he is ambitious, and as a boy my mother warned
me to avoid him, lest he seek my death that he might succeed my father
as atkayma. Gatcha, who has no love for Datchapa, but fears him, tells
me my father also watched his ambitious brother carefully, being afraid
to trust him at the head of the army. Gatcha is not sure that my uncle
did not secretly send for the Mopanes and then induce the Atkayma
Tcheltzada to hunt with a handful of followers. If this is true—but I
hope it is not true—then Datchapa will be much disappointed when I
return.”
“Never mind,” said Paul, soothingly. “My brother Chaka is the royal
one.”
“Also is Datchapa royal,” was the reply. “He is my father’s brother. But
our laws forbid him to become atkayma as long as his brother’s son
lives.”
“Then we must be careful,” I suggested.
“It is not for myself, Cap’n Sam, that I fear,” returned Chaka, “but for
my white comrades. Datchapa, wicked and ambitious as he is, dare not
oppose me openly. But he is Chief of the Council, which directs our
laws, and he may show enmity to my white friends and try to arouse the
people to destroy them.”
“In that case,” said Joe, “I advise you to clap your precious uncle into
jail as soon as you arrive. It will be the safest plan.”
Chaka made no answer to this.
We now began to appreciate the advantages of the gauze protectors with
which Paul had supplied us, perhaps at Chaka’s suggestion. The natives
had promptly built smudge fires of damp forest leaves, in order to drive
back the hordes of mosquitoes and other insects that settled in the camp
as soon as we did. My, how those mosquitoes did sing! The Itzaex,
accustomed as they were to the pests, squirmed and swatted the
blood-suckers continually, while we in our armor and head-gear were
proof against attack. Chaka himself, who had seemed until now too proud
to pose before his people in any foreign attire, hastily assumed his
outfit and slept in it all night. Old Gatcha the chief, who proved not a
bad fellow on better acquaintance, frankly expressed his admiration for
our devices and asked if we had any more “cages” in the chests. Since we
could not accommodate him he lay down naked beside the smudge of a fire
and let the winged vampires bleed him at their leisure.
All were up bright and early next morning and so swift was our progress
during the day that when we again made camp Chaka assured us we were but
three hours’ journey from the capital.
During this day we passed no villages, being told that the great City of
Itza was the only congregation of dwellings on this side of their
territory. To the west and south were a dozen or more important towns,
with cultivated fields and orchards connecting them; but ages of warfare
with the fierce Mopanes had taught them the danger of establishing
villages in this district. Itza really served as a barrier, it being too
populous and powerful to be attacked.
Chaka estimated the total population of Itzlan at over fifty thousand
people, while the Mopanes could number no more than ten thousand, all
told. This border warfare, however, was regarded as a mere incident in
life by the Itzaex, who had other foes at the opposite borders of their
domain. Nor did they devote all their time to fighting; they were mighty
hunters and fishermen, as well as skilled in agriculture and certain
crude manufacturers. According to the youthful atkayma there were no
other tribes in Yucatan so powerful and civilized as the Itzaex, and I
am inclined to think he was right.
By the way, the similarity of the names Aztec and Itzaex has induced
some scholars to think they were originally one and the same race; but
the earliest conquistadors, who knew both people, declared that the
Itzaex were much the handsomer and more intelligent people, although
their buildings and civilization were somewhat inferior to those of the
race of Montezuma. We must take into consideration, however, the fact
that the Spaniards were never able to penetrate far into Itzlan, while
they conquered the Aztec territory with comparative ease—by the aid of
treachery and audacious trickery.
On the second morning we were up before the dawn and a brisk march
brought us presently to a broad, flat plateau that was very beautiful
and enticing, as its green fields and waving grain lay glimmering in the
sun. We were all glad to be out of the dark forests, and before long, on
mounting an incline, we saw before us the white, low buildings of a vast
city, built around the shores of a placid lake and shaded by groups of
magnificent trees.
The extent of this great City of Itza amazed us all, and Chaka smiled
proudly as he pointed out the royal palace, the great temple, and the
strong walls and gateways.
On nearer approach the whiteness of the buildings became more grimy and
weather-stained and the houses were found to be generally small and
greatly scattered. We afterward learned that Itza has a population of
nearly twenty thousand, which is certainly an extensive settlement to be
hidden in the wilds of Yucatan. The walls included not only the
buildings but the lake itself, and were thick and strong if not very
high.
Beyond the city we saw for the first time the sierras, the highest
mountains in the peninsula. It was mainly a range of rounded knolls,
most of them being covered with verdure and easily accessible. Directly
in the center, however, were four small rocky peaks and one towering one
that seemed to rise into the clouds. The sides of the latter mountain
seemed precipitous and formed of straight walls of rock.
Runners had been sent forward and before we reached the walls of Itza
people came pouring out of the nearest gate in a dense throng, every eye
being set in our direction. There was no confusion or excitement
apparent—I wonder if an Itzaex ever _could_ get excited?—but they
plainly showed their interest in their newly discovered youthful atkayma
by trooping out to meet him.
And Chaka received a right royal welcome.
Men, women and children “bit the dust,” as Archie said, by prostrating
themselves before him. The boy looked very handsome in his gleaming
copper skin and the single heron feather set in his hair, and he walked
into his hereditary kingdom as proud as a peacock, as well he might.
Just within the gates stood an impatient group clad in flowing robes
embroidered with colored feather work. I think I omitted saying that
most of the people of the city wore single loose robes similar to the
togas of the ancient Greeks or the burnous of the Egyptians. Only those
engaged in hunting or upon an expedition of war cast aside all covering
but the loin cloth.
A curious fact which I observed was that all the robes were of colors or
tints. Among the common people dark blues and purples were much
affected. The merchants and middle classes, including the warriors, wore
greens and yellows. The nobility adopted delicate shades of lavender,
rose and saffron. I saw no red, as yet. Pure white was reserved for the
royal family alone, and the foremost figure in the group I have
mentioned was an old man arrayed in soft flowing white and bearing over
his arm another garment of like texture and color.
As Chaka entered the gate this ancient dignitary—I knew at once it was
his precious Uncle Datchapa—raised an arm to bar his way and gazed
shrewdly into the young man’s countenance. It did not take long to
convince him, for in a moment he threw the extra robe over Chaka’s head
and then knelt before him as the others had done. All the group, members
of the nobility and the royal council, followed suit, and there they
remained until the new atkayma bade them rise.
It seemed to me that we, Chaka’s friends and comrades, were somewhat
important and distinguished ourselves, and entitled to consideration;
but old Datchapa and his backers disregarded us utterly, affecting to
ignore our presence. We stuck stubbornly at the atkayma’s heels and
except for his uncle, whom he retained at his side, all the other big
bugs were forced to fall into the procession behind us.
A procession it really became now. Musicians were present who blew weird
sounds upon reed flutes and beat tom-toms to keep us all in step. The
streets were lined with spectators, who uttered no cheers of welcome but
fell on their faces automatically as Chaka approached and rose again
when he had passed on. It seemed as if we tramped miles and miles before
the royal progress finally reached the shores of the lake, where stood
the palace. It was a great, rambling building, two stories high and
built of blocks of rough marble with pillars and ornaments showing much
clever carving.
Chaka mounted the broad steps to the entrance and then turned and
addressed the crowd. He told them how he had been carried away from
Yucatan nine years before and of how he had managed to return. He
praised his “white brothers” for their noble assistance and introduced
Allerton to them especially, placing his hand on Paul’s shoulder in
token of his friendship. He then expressed his joy at beholding again
his native land, his sorrow at the terrible death of his beloved father,
the former atkayma, and his intention of ruling his people wisely and
with consideration. He called upon them to prove their allegiance and
pledge their support at all times to their royal ruler, the Child of the
Gods, who promised to protect them in return.
They answered the speech by raising their right arms and shouting a
single word: “Kaym!”[2] in unison, after which the throng quietly
dispersed.
Posed just before the entrance door to the palace I had noticed three
interesting figures which, during the proceedings, had remained
motionless as statues. They were all three tall and imposing, with
sharp, thin features and alert eyes. Their robes were of a blood-red
color and had a cape or broad collar of white. Upon their heads they
wore high, round, brimless hats of white feather-work, the first
headdresses of any sort I had seen.
Chaka now turned to this trio and knelt humbly before them. One after
another placed a hand upon his bent head and muttered a few words, after
which they all three turned and disappeared through a small doorway.
The atkayma remained kneeling for several moments, while we stood
watching him. Then he soberly regained his feet and motioned to us to
approach.
“Follow me closely,” he said in English. “There is danger all about you,
so try to be discreet, my brothers.”
Then he entered the broad arch that led into the palace.