THE ATEPETL.
Many persons imagine that all Indians are alike, and that the men
acquainted with the manners of one tribe knows them all. This is a
serious error, which it is important to dissipate. Among the Indians,
properly so called--that is to say, the aborigines of America--will
be found as many differences in language, dialect, &c., as among the
nations of the Old Continent, if not more. The number of dialects
spoken by the Indians is infinite; the manners of one nation form a
complete contrast with those of another living only a few leagues
away; and any person who, after travelling for some time in the Far
West, asserted that he was thoroughly acquainted with the character of
the Indians and their mode of life, would be quite deceived; and more
serious still, would deceive those whom he pretended to instruct.
The Indians are divided into two great families: the cultivating
Indians--that is to say, those who are sedentary and attached to
the soil they till; and hunter or nomadic Indians, who have a great
resemblance to the Touaricks of Africa and the Tartars of Asia. The
hunting Indians, known as _Indios Bravos_, inhabit leathern huts, easy
of transport from one place to another, and only remain stationary so
long as the country supplies them with the necessary forage for their
horses, and the game indispensable for the men. The tame Indians, or
_Indios Mansos_, on the other hand, are permanently established at a
carefully selected spot; they have built actual houses, in which they
shelter themselves and keep their winter provisions. These Indians,
though they follow the customs of their fathers, recognise the Mexican
laws, obey them ostensibly, are apparent Christians, though they
secretly practise all the rites of their old faith; and their chief
assumes the title of Alcalde. In a word, they are nearly as much
civilized as the majority of the creoles.
The confederation of the Papazos was composed of several nations,
combining both Indios Mansos and Indios Bravos. The latter, though
harmless, and consequently nomadic, had, in the heart of unexplored
forests or the gorges of the Sierra Madre, their winter villages--a
collection of huts made of branches, and covered with mud, where, in
the event of war, their squaws found refuge, and which served them,
after an expedition, to hide the plunder they had made.
The Gilenos, whose powerful nation was composed of one hundred and
eighteen distinct tribes, each of which had its private totem or
standard, formed the principal branch of the Confederation of the
Papazos. The Gilenos are essentially agricultural. At a period which
it would be impossible to state with certainty, because the Indians
do not write anything down, but trust to tradition, the Comanche
nation, which proudly calls itself the "Queen of the Prairies," and
asserts, perhaps justly, that it is descended in a straight line from
the Chichimeques, the first conquerors of Mexico, was divided into two
parts after a council held by the chiefs, for the sake of terminating
a dispute that threatened to degenerate into a civil war. One half the
nation continued to wander in the immense prairies of the Far West,
and retained the name of Comanche. The other tribes settled on the
banks of the Rio Gila, gave up hunting for agriculture, while retaining
their independence, and only nominally obeying the Spaniards and
Mexicans. Eventually they received the name of Gilenos, from the river
on whose banks they originally settled. But, although separated, the
two divisions of the Comanche nations continued to maintain friendly
relations, recognised each other as springing from the same stem, and
helping one another whenever circumstances demanded it.
The Gilenos piously preserved the faith of their fathers, maintained
their customs; among others that of never drinking spirituous liquors:
and never permitted the Mexican Government to establish among them that
system of annoyance and rapine under which it mercilessly bows the
other Indian Mansos. The Gileno villages are distinguished from all
the others by their singular construction, which admirably displays the
character of this people. We will attempt to convey an idea of them to
the reader.
Stronghand had pointed out to the majordomo clusters of storied houses,
suspended as it were from the flank of the hill. But these houses were
only built temporarily, and in case of an attack on the village would
be immediately destroyed. The hill, doubtless in consequence of one of
those natural convulsions so common in these regions, was separated
into two parts by a quebrada of enormous depth, which served as the bed
of an impetuous torrent. On either side of this quebrada the Indians
had built an enormous construction, of pyramidal shape, upwards of
two hundred and fifty feet in height. These two towers contained the
lodgings of the inhabitants, their granaries and storehouses. More
than eight hundred beings, men, women, and children, resided in these
singular buildings, which were connected together at the top by a
bridge of lianas, boldly thrown across the abyss. These towers could
only be entered by a ladder, which was drawn up each night; for as
a last and essential precaution, the doors were sixty feet from the
ground, in order to guard against surprise.
Nothing could be more curious or picturesque than the appearance
offered at a distance by this strange village, with its two massive
towers, having ladders for stairs, up and down which people were
constantly moving. A few days previously, for greater safety, and to
guard the village from a surprise, the chiefs had a trench dug, and
a palisade erected, composed of stakes fastened together by lianas.
The Indians had taken this precaution, to prevent their horses, on
which they especially calculated for the success of the meditated
expedition, being carried off by surprise, as so frequently happens on
the border.
The travellers were conducted with great ceremony by the chiefs,
who had come to receive them at the entrance of the village, to the
square, on one side of which stood the "Ark of the First Man;" on the
other, "The Great Medicine Lodge, or Council Hut." During the ride the
majordomo fancied he saw among the crowd several individuals belonging
to the white race, and mentioned it to his comrade.
"You are not mistaken," the latter replied; "several Mexicans reside in
the village and trade with the Indians; but that must not surprise you,
for you are aware that the Gilenos are mansos. Stay, here is a monk."
In fact, at this moment a stout, rubicund monk crossed the square,
distributing blessings right and left, of which the Indians seemed to
take but little notice.
"These worthy Frayles," the hunter continued, "lead here a rather
monastic life, but in spite of the trouble they take, they cannot
succeed in making proselytes. The Comanches are too attached to their
religion to accept another; still, as they are too savage to be
intolerant," he added, ironically, "they allow these poor monks entire
liberty, on the express condition that they do not interfere with them.
They have even permitted them to build a chapel, a very poor and simple
edifice, in which a few passing adventurers offer up their prayers; for
the inhabitants of the village never set foot in it."
"I will go to it," said Paredes.
"And you will act rightly. However, I will do this justice to the four
monks who, through a love of proselytism, have confined themselves
to this forgotten nook, of stating that they bear an excellent
reputation, do all the good they can, and are generally beloved and
respected by the population. This praise is the more valuable, because
the Mexican clergy do not enjoy a great reputation for sanctity."
"But now that war is declared, what will become of these monks?"
"What do you think? They will remain peacefully, without fearing insult
or annoyance. However savage the Indians may be, they are not so
savage, be assured, as to make the innocent suffer for the crimes of
the guilty."
"Forgive me, Stronghand, if I remark that I notice, with sorrow, in
your mode of expressing yourself, a certain bitterness which seems to
me unjust. The secret sympathies of an honest man ought not, in any
case, to render him partial."
"I allow that I am wrong, my friend. When you know me better, you
will be indulgent, I doubt not, to this bitterness which I frequently
unconsciously display in my language. But here we are at the square,
and other more urgent matters claim all our attention."
The plaza, which the travellers now reached, formed a parallelogram,
and rose with a gentle ascent to the foot of the tower on the left of
the village. Several streets opened into it, and the houses built on
either side of it had an appearance of cleanliness and comfort which
is but rarely found in Indian villages; and if this pueblo had been
inhabited by white creoles, it would certainly have obtained the title
of _ciudad_. In front of the council lodge stood three men, whom it
was easy to recognise as the principal chiefs of the village by their
hats of raccoon skin, surrounded by a gold golilla, and the silver
mounted cane, like that of our beadles, which they held in their right
hand. The Mexicans, among other customs they took from the Spaniards,
have retained that of investing the Indian chiefs with authority.
This investiture, generally performed by a delegate of the governor of
the province, consists in giving them the hat and stick to which we
have referred. These three chiefs, therefore, ostensibly held their
power from the Mexican government, but in reality the latter had only
obeyed the feudal claims of the tribes assembled at this village, by
conferring the authority on these men whom their countrymen had long
previously recognised as chiefs.
The procession halted before the alcaldes, or, to use the Indian term,
the sachems. The latter were men of a ripe age, with a haughty and
imposing mien. The eldest of them, who stood in the centre, had in
his look and the expression of his features something indescribably
majestic. He appeared about sixty years of age; a long white beard
fell in snowy flakes on his chest; his tall form, his broad forehead,
his black eyes, and his slightly aquiline nose, rendered him a very
remarkable man. He did not wear the Indian costume, but that adopted
by the hunters and wood rangers; a blue cotton shirt, fastened round
his hips by a leather girdle, which held his arms and ammunition, wide
_calzoneras_ of deer hide buckled below the knee, and heavy boots,
whose heels were armed with formidable spurs, the wheel of which was as
large as a saucer.
In conclusion, the personage we have attempted to describe did not
belong to the Indian race, as could be seen at the first glance; but
in addition, the fine, elegant, nervous type of the pure Spanish
race could be noticed in him. The majordomo could not check a start
of surprise at the sight of this man, whose presence seemed to him
incomprehensible at such a place and among such people. He leant over
to Stronghand, and asked him, in a low voice, choked by involuntary
emotion,--"Who is that man?"
"You can see," the hunter replied, drily, "he is the Alcalde Mayor of
the pueblo. But silence! The persons surrounding us are surprised to
see us conversing in whispers."
Paredes held his tongue, though his eyes were obstinately fixed on the
man to whom the hunter had ironically given the title of Alcalde Mayor.
A little to the rear of the chiefs, a warrior was holding a totem of
the tribe, representing a condor, the sacred bird of the Incas. A
crowd of Indians of both sexes, nearly all armed, filled the square,
and pressed forward to witness a scene which was not without a certain
grandeur. So soon as the procession halted, Sparrowhawk dismounted and
walked up to the sachems.
"Fathers of my nation," he said, "the Great Bear of our tribe has
returned, bringing with him a paleface, his friend."
"He is welcome," the three chiefs answered, unanimously, "as well as
his friend, whoever he may be; so long as he pleases to remain among us
he will be regarded as a brother."
The hunter then advanced, and bowed respectfully to the sachems.
"Thanks for myself and friend," he said; "the journey we have made was
long, and we are worn with fatigue. May we be permitted to take a few
hours' rest?"
The Indians were astonished to hear the hunter, a man of iron power,
whose reputation for vigour was well established among them, speak of
the fatigue he felt. But understanding that he had secret reasons for
asking this, no one made a remark.
"Stronghand and his friend are at liberty to proceed to the calli
prepared for them," one of the chiefs answered: "Sparrowhawk will guide
them."
The two adventurers bowed respectfully, and, preceded by Sparrowhawk,
passed through the crowd, which opened before them, and proceeded to
the calli appointed for them. Let us state at once that this calli
was the property of Stronghand, who inhabited it whenever business
or accident brought him to the village. By the order of the chiefs,
however, it had been prepared for the reception of two persons. So
soon as the travellers reached the calli, Sparrowhawk retired, after
whispering a few words in the ear of the hunter. The latter replied by
a sign of assent, and then turned to the majordomo, who was already
engaged in unsaddling his horse.
"You are at home, comrade," he said to him; "use this house as you
think proper. I have to see a person to whom I will introduce you
presently. I will, therefore, leave you for the present, but I shall
not be absent long."
And without awaiting an answer, the hunter turned his horse, and
started at a gallop.
"Hum!" the Mexican muttered, so soon as he was alone, "all this is not
clear; did I do wrong in trusting to this man? I will be on my guard."