TZOTZILS AND TZENDALS
(1901)
We started out over the hot and dusty road, passing here and there
through cuts of the white earth, which is used by the women of Chiapa in
their lacquer-work. We soon reached the river, and, leaving our animals
behind, to cool before swimming them across, embarked with a dozen other
passengers, and all our baggage, in one of the great canoes, which we
by no means filled. Landing on the other side, with an hour to wait, we
walked down stream, and took a fine bath in the fresh cold, clear, deep
water. Just below where we were bathing, some indians had exploded a
dynamite cartridge, killing a quantity of fish, and the surface was
immediately spotted with their white, upturned bellies. A canoe-load of
four men put out to gather the fish, as soon as the shot was fired. Just
as they reached the spot, and were leaning over the boat to catch them,
the canoe overturned, and all the men were floundering in the water, up
to their necks, and the canoe was rapidly drifting down the stream. The
fish they get here are quite large, and seem to be a kind of cat-fish.
Strolling back to our landing-place, we were interested in the lively
scenes there being enacted. Under little arbors of leafy boughs, women
were washing clothing; crowds of children, of both sexes, were playing
on the sand or splashing in the water; half-a-dozen great canoes were
dragged up on the bank, and amid these a group of little brown fellows,
from ten to fourteen years of age, were swimming; here and there, a man
or woman squatted in the shallow water, dipped water over their bare
bodies with _jícaras_. Now and then the great ferry-boat, loaded with
passengers and with animals swimming alongside, made its crossing.
Presently our seven animals were swum across, and, after a moment's
drying, were repacked and saddled, and we were ready for our forward
movement.
[Illustration: ZOQUE COMPADRES GREETING; TUXTLA GUTIERREZ]
[Illustration: OUR FERRY-BOAT; CHIAPA]
Chiapa was formerly the great town of the Chiapanecs, an Indian tribe to
whom tradition assigns past splendor, but who, to-day, are represented
in three villages, Chiapa, Suchiapa, and Acala. They are much mixed with
Spanish blood, and have largely forgotten their ancient language. It is,
however, from them, that the modern state, Chiapas, received its name.
Chiapa, itself, is a city of some size, situated on a terrace a little
way from the river, with a ridge of hills rising behind it. The _plaza_
is large, and in it stands a market-building. Near by is a picturesque
old gothic fountain, built of brick. Market was almost over, but we were
interested in seeing the quantities of pineapples and cacao beans there
offered. To lose no time waiting for dinner, we bought bread and one or
two large pineapples, which we ate under the shade of the trees in the
_plaza_. The pineapples were delicious, being tender and exceedingly
sweet; our _arriero_ refused to eat any of them, asserting that they
were barely fit to eat, lacking sweetness, and being prickly to the
taste. The pineapples of Simojovel were to his liking; they are
sugar-sweet, leaving no prickly sensation, and anyone can eat three
whole ones at a sitting. After luncheon, we looked about for examples of
lacquer-work. In one house, we found some small objects and wooden trays
of indifferent workmanship. An old crone, badly affected with _pinto_,
the mother of the young woman artist, showed us the wares. With her was
the older sister of the lady-worker, who, after we had bought two of
the trays, asked whence we came. Upon our telling her that Manuel was a
native of Cordoba, and that I had come from the United States, without a
word of warning she raised her hands, turned her eyes upward, and gave
vent to a torrent of shrill, impassioned, apostrophe to her absent,
artistic sister: "_A dios, hermana mia_, Anastasia Torres, to think that
your art-products should penetrate to those distant lands, to those
remote portions of the world, to be the wonder and admiration of foreign
eyes. _A dios, hermana mia_, Anastasia Torres!" This she repeated
several times, in a voice high enough to be heard a block or two away.
Leaving her to continue her exclamations of joy and admiration over the
fate of her sister's workmanship, we returned to the _plaza_, where,
in a house near by, we found a considerable stock of better work,
consisting of decorated bowls, cups, toy _jícaras_, gourd-rattles, etc.
This brilliant work, characteristic of the town, is carried hundreds
of miles into the States of Oaxaca, Tabasco, Vera Cruz, and into the
Republic of Guatemala. At two o'clock we hurried from the town in the
midst of terrific heat. As we rode out, over the dry and sandy road, we
were impressed by the display of death; not only was there one cemetery,
with its whitened walls and monuments, but at least three other burial
places capped the little hillocks at the border of the town. One,
particularly attracted attention, as it resembled an ancient terraced
pyramid, with a flight of steps up one side.
From the foothills, we struck up the flank of the great mountain mass
itself. Mounting higher and higher, a great panorama presented itself
behind and below us, including the Chiapa valley, with the hills beyond
it. It was, however, merely extensive, and not particularly beautiful
or picturesque. As we followed the slope towards the crest, into the
narrowing valley, the scene became bolder, until we were at the very
edge of a mighty chasm, which yawned sheer at our side. Following it, we
saw the gorge suddenly shallow hundreds of feet by a vast precipice of
limestone rock rising from its bottom. Having passed this, we journeyed
on up the cañon, lessened in grandeur, but still presenting pretty bits
of scenery. Up to this point, limestone had prevailed, but from here on,
we passed over various formations--heavy beds of sand or clay, lying
upon conglomerates and shales. The road wound astonishingly, and at one
point, coming out upon a hog's-back ridge, we found that we had actually
made a loop, and stood directly above where we had been some time
before. Near sunset, we reached the summit, and looked down upon the
little town of Ixtapa, upon a high _llano_ below, and seeming to be a
half-hour's ride distant. Descending on to the _llano_, we found it
intersected by deep and narrow gorges; following along the level, narrow
ridge, surrounded by ravines on every side, except the one from which we
had approached, we presently descended, along its flank, the bank of the
deepest of these _barrancas_. The sun had set long before we reached
the bottom, and through the darkness, we had to climb up over the steep
dugway in the sandy clay to the village, which we reached at seven. The
little room supplied us for a sleeping-place was clean and neat, the
floor was strewn with fresh and fragrant pine-needles, and the wooden
beds were supplied with _petates_. Leaving before eight, the following
morning, we travelled through a beautiful cañon, with an abundant stream
of whitish-blue water, tumbling in fine cascades among the rocks, and
dashing now and then into deep pools of inky blackness. Having passed
through it, our bridle-trail plunged abruptly downward. From it, we
looked upon a neighboring slope, cut at three different levels, one
above the other, for the cart-road. Passing next through a small cañon
of little beauty, but where the air was heavy with an odor like vanilla,
coming from sheets of pale-purple or violet flowers, on trees of eight
or ten feet in height, we reached San Sebastian, where we found our
_carretero_, whom we supposed to have reached San Cristobal the day
before. Rating him soundly, and threatening dire consequences from his
delay, we resumed our journey. We were also worried over our _mozo_,
who started from Chiapa at noon, the day before, with our photographic
instruments, and whom we had not seen since, although there were several
places where we would gladly have taken views. From here, for a long
distance, the road was a hard, steep climb, over limestone in great
variety--solid limestone, tufaceous stuff, concretionary coatings, satin
spar, and calcite crystals. Having passed a small pueblo, or large
_finca_, lying in a little plain below us, we looked down upon
Zinacantan. The descent was quickly made, and passing through the
village, without stopping, we made a long, slow, ascent before catching
sight of our destination, San Cristobal. It made a fine appearance,
lying on a little terrace at the base of hills, at the very end of the
valley. Its churches and public buildings are so situated as to make
the most impression; on account of its length and narrowness, the town
appears much larger than it really is. We entered at one end, and then,
practically, paralleled our trail through it to the centre, where we
stopped at the Hotel Progreso, at 3:30 in the afternoon. We went to the
palace, and made arrangements so promptly that we could have begun work
immediately, if the _carretero_ and _mozo_ had not been behind. As it
was, we waited until next day, and were warned by the _secretario_ at
the _jefatura_ that there would not be enough light for work before nine
o'clock. In the evening, we called on Padre Sanchez, well known for his
study of the native languages, and the works he had written regarding
them. He is a large man, well-built, of attractive appearance, and of
genial manner. He has been _cura_ in various indian towns among the
Chamulas, and he loves the indians, and is regarded as a friend by them.
We were prepared for a cold night, and had it, though no heavy frost
formed, as had done the night before. In one day's journey, the
traveller finds towns, in this neighborhood, with totally different
climates. Here woolen garments are necessary, and in towns like Chamula
and Cancuc the indians find the heaviest ones comfortable. Our rating of
the _carretero_ had an effect both prompt and dire; when we left him,
he hastened to hire carriers to bring in the more important part of our
load; these, he insisted, should travel all night, and at eight o'clock
we found them at the hotel. In the darkness they had stumbled, and our
loads had fallen. Whole boxes of unused plates were wrecked, and, still
worse, many of our choicest negatives were broken. At nine o'clock the
missing _mozo_ appeared with the instruments; it is customary for our
carrier to keep up with the company, as we have frequent need of taking
views upon the journey; this was almost the only instance, in the
hundreds of leagues that we have travelled on horseback, over mountain
roads, where our carrier had failed to keep alongside of the animals, or
make the same time in journeying that we mounted travellers did.
[Illustration: THE JAIL; SAN CRISTOBAL]
[Illustration: TZOTZIL MUSICIANS IN SAN CRISTOBAL JAIL]
Though there had been an early mist, there was no lack of sunshine, even
before seven. Still, we did not go to the palace until nine o'clock, the
hour set. San Cristobal was formerly the capital of the state, and its
public buildings are more pretentious than usual in _cabeceras_. The
place in which we did our work was a building of two stories, filling
one side of the plaza. We worked in the broad corridor of the second
story, outside of the _secretario's_ office, from which our subjects,
mostly indians who had come to pay school-taxes, were sent to us for
measurement. The market-place of San Cristobal is characteristically
indian. Not only do the two chief tribes which frequent it--Tzotzils and
Tzendals--differ in dress, but even the different villages of each wear
characteristic garments. The Tzotzil of Chamula differs from his brother
of Huixtan and San Bartolome; the Tzendal women of Tenejapa, Cancuc and
San Andres may be quickly recognized by difference in dress.
Most interesting are the Tzotzils of Chamula. Though looked upon by the
_mestizos_ of San Cristobal as mere brutes and savages, they are notably
industrious. They weave heavy, woolen blankets and _chamaras_; they
are skilled carpenters, making plain furniture of every kind; they are
musicians, and manufacture quantities of harps, guitars, and
violins; they braid straw, and make hats of palm; they are excellent
leather-dressers, and give a black stain and polish to heavy leather,
which is unequalled by the work of their white neighbors. Men wear lower
garments of cotton, and heavy black woolen over-garments, which are
gathered at the waist with woolen girdles. They wear broad-brimmed,
low-crowned hats, of their own braiding, which they adorn with long,
streaming, red and green ribbons. Their sandals are supplied with
heel-guards of black leather, the height of which indicates the wealth
or consequence of the wearer. These indians of Chamula have a love of
liberty and desire for independence. The most serious outbreak of recent
times was theirs in 1868, when, under the influence of the young woman,
Checheb, they attempted to restore the native government, the indian
life, and the old-time religion. Temples were erected to the ancient
gods, whose inspired priestess the young woman claimed to be; but three
hundred years of Christianity had accustomed them to the idea of a
Christ crucified; an indian Christ was necessary, not one from the hated
invading race; accordingly, a little indian lad, the nephew of the
priestess, was crucified, to become a saviour for their race. Their
plans involved the killing of every white and _mestizo_ in all the
country; in reality, more than one hundred men, women, and children,
in the _fincas_ and little towns, were killed; San Cristobal, then the
capital city, suffered a veritable panic, and it took the entire force
of the whole state to restore order.
[Illustration: TZOTZILS; HUIXTAN]
[Illustration: TZOTZIL WOMAN; CHAMULA]
The Tzendals of Tenejapa are picturesque in the extreme. Their dark
skin, their long black hair, completely covering and concealing the
ears, their coarse features, and the black and white striped _chamaras_
of wool--which they buy from the weavers of Chamula--form a striking
combination. They do but little weaving, their chief industry being the
raising and selling of fruits. Most of the men carry a little sack,
netted from strong fibre, slung at one side. Among other trifling
possessions in it, is generally a little gourd filled with a green
powder, which they call _mai_, or _pelico_. It consists chiefly of
tobacco, with a mixture of lime and chili, and is chewed, no doubt, for
stimulating properties--to remove the weariness of the road, and "to
strengthen the teeth," as some say.
When we had exhausted the stock of those who came to pay their taxes,
it was suggested that we would find good subjects in the jail. This
occupied what was once a fine old convent, built around a large
open court, and connected with the church, which, judging from its
elaborately carved façade, must have been beautiful. On presenting our
credentials to the officials, an order was given, and all the pure-blood
indians, one hundred at least, were lined up before us for inspection.
There were Tzotzils from Chamula, and Tzendals from Tenejapa, and among
them many excellent faces, showing the pure types, finely developed.
Having made our inspection, and indicated those whom we should use, we
looked about the prison. The prisoners were housed in the old rooms of
the monastery, each of which was large enough for six or eight persons.
In these rooms, each prisoner had his personal possessions--good
clothing, tools, cherished articles, instruments of music. Those who
cared to do so, were permitted to work at such things as they could do,
and the product of their labor was sold for their benefit. Some braided
palm into long strips, to make up into hats; others plaited straw into
elaborate, decorative cords or bands for hats; some wove _pita_ into
pouches; some dressed leather. Almost all were busily employed. Freedom
of conversation and visiting was permitted, and there was no particular
hardship in the matter of imprisonment, except the inability to go
outside. We were impressed with the fact that, in appearance and manner,
few, if any, of these indian prisoners, particularly the Chamulas,
showed any signs of criminal tendencies. In fact, they were as clean,
as frank, as docile, as intelligent, as any persons we might find in
Mexico. A little curious to know the charges on which they had been
committed, we inquired, and discovered that some had fifteen or twenty
points against them, among which were such trifling charges as murder,
manslaughter, arson, rape, and highway robbery. We thought best not to
inquire too closely, but it is doubtful, whether any of the subjects
here incarcerated under these long and dreadful lists of charges, are
guilty of anything except insurrection--a final struggle for freedom.
[Illustration: POSITION OF REST; TZENDALS, TENEJAPA]
[Illustration: TZOTZILS FROM HUIXTAN]
There were various signs of the approach of Holy Week, and the landlady
at our hotel, and her various helpers, were busy manufacturing incense
for that occasion. This was made in sticks, as thick as the thumb, and
six or eight inches in length, of a black color. Besides copal, leaves
and other materials from various kinds of odorous plants were employed
in its fabrication; the incense thus made is really fragrant, and it
would be interesting to know whether it is, in part at least, of indian
origin. In three days we had completed our examination of the men, but
not a woman had been produced for examination. On the fourth day, we
reiterated our demands to the authorities, and Don Murcio, the janitor
or messenger, who had been put subject to our order, was almost frantic.
He declared that to secure the women we needed would tax every power of
the government; that they refused to come; that his mere appearance in
the market caused a scattering. Finally, we told him, that if he would
provide twenty-five Chamula women, we would get the Tzendals in their
villages, as we passed through them. Encouraged, by having one-half of
our demand abated, he made another visit to the market. Soon we heard
excited voices, and a moment later Don Murcio came rushing up the stairs
with both arms filled with black _chamaras_. It is the custom of the
indian women, when they come to market, and settle down with wares to
sell, to fold their heavier garments and lay them on the ground beside
them. Don Murcio had gathered up the first of these he came to, and fled
with them to the government palace, while the crowd of angry women,
chasing along behind, expressed their feelings vigorously. Putting the
garments out of reach, the women were told by the officials, that each
would receive back her property as soon as the strangers made their
desired measurements. While we were dealing with the first cluster, Don
Murcio sallied forth, and returned once more with garments and women. In
this way, the work proceeded, until the final lot were in our hands.
Not to unnecessarily increase their terrors, we had refrained from
photographing, until the final company had been secured. We had told the
officials of our plan, and as these later ones were measured, they were
told that they must wait for their garments until the last one was
measured, and until the gentleman had done some other work. When all had
been measured, it was explained to the six of seven in the group, that
they were to go down into the _patio_, where a picture would be taken of
the company. That they might be properly prepared for the picture, their
garments were returned. Suspecting no treachery, Don Murcio led the
way, and one of two police officers accompanied the forward part of the
procession, while Louis brought up the rear, in expectation of making
the portrait. All went well until the first two or three had entered the
_patio_, when the rest suddenly balked, and started to run out onto the
street. Hearing the confusion, I started down and caught one of the
women as she neared the doorway, while Louis held another, and each of
the police officers, and Don Murcio, seized a prisoner. So violent,
however, were the struggles, and so loud the outcries of the woman whom
I held, that I released her, which was the unintended signal for each of
the other guards to do the same, and our group vanished and all thought
of gathering a second was given up in desperation.
[Illustration: TZOTZIL BROTHERS; CHAMULA]
[Illustration: TZENDAL FATHER AND SON; TENEJAPA]
The morning had thus passed; animals for the further journey had been
ordered for ten o'clock, and were really ready a little before three.
For once, however, _we_ were not prepared. It was our custom to pack the
busts in petroleum boxes; these boxes, each holding a five-gallon can of
oil, are of just the size to take a single bust, and they are so thin
and light, yet at the same time, so well constructed, that they served
our purpose admirably. In small indian towns, they are frequently
unobtainable, but in the places where _mestizos_ live, it had been
always easy to procure them, at prices varying from ten to twenty-five
cents each. In a town the size of San Cristobal, it should be easy to
get them; to our surprise, we found that they had been in such demand,
for carrying purposes by public workmen, that the supply was small and
the price outrageous. We had left the securing of the boxes and the
packing of the busts to our plaster-worker, and, though we knew he had
had difficulty, imagined that he had secured all needed, and that the
busts would be all ready. Diligent search, however, had secured but two
boxes, and ridiculous prices had been demanded for those. All of us took
to the streets, visiting stores and private houses, and at last five
boxes were secured, though they were a dilapidated lot, with bad covers.
For these we paid an average of sixty-two cents each. Realizing the time
and labor necessary for securing boxes, stuff for packing, and for the
work of putting up the busts, we dismissed our horsemen, and arranged
for leaving the next morning. In fact, night had fallen before our work
was done. Leaving a little before eight, we had a magnificent mountain
ride. For a league or more, we rose steadily over a cart-road; keeping
at a high altitude, and, with but little of ups and downs, we journeyed
through fine pine forests, with oaks mingled, here and there, among the
pines. We met quantities of Chamula and Tenejapa indians on their way to
market. The Chamulas carried chairs, loads of well-tanned skins, and
sacks full of little, round wooden boxes, well and neatly made, while
the Tenejapes were loaded with nets of oranges, _limas_, and
_ahuacates_. We were sorry to leave the village of Chamula to one side,
but lack of time forbade our visiting it. It was amusing to note the
terror of our _arriero_ on the road. Until we passed Cancuc, he was
constantly expecting attack from the dreadful indians of Chamula,
Tenejapa, and Cancuc, telling us that such attacks might be expected at
any time, but particularly in the early morning and in the dusk of
evening. What indians we met were most gentle, and answered our
salutations with apparent kindness. After a long journey on the high,
smooth road, we finally began descending into a pretty valley, and soon
saw the great town of Tenejapa, below us, on a space almost as level as
a floor, neatly laid out, and still decked with the arches erected for a
recent fiesta. The _agente_ of the town had been warned of our coming,
by telephone from the _jefatura_, and received us warmly, a little
before one o'clock, giving us a large and comfortable room in the
municipal building, supplied with chairs and benches, and a table,
though without beds or mats. We were here delayed by the slowness of the
old man, who had been furnished at San Cristobal for carrying our
instruments. By three o'clock, all was ready, and the twenty-five women
were summoned. They gave no kind of trouble, and by six o'clock the work
was done. Women here braid their hair in two braids, which are wrapped
about closely with cords, making them look like red ropes; these are
then wound around the head and picturesquely fastened. The _huipíls_ of
cotton are short, and decorated with scattered designs, worked in color,
and loosely arranged in transverse bands. Belts are of wool, red in
color, and broad, but not long. Over their shoulders the women wear,
particularly in cool weather, a red and blue striped cotton shawl or
wrap. The red worn--whether in belts, wraps, or hair-strings--is all of
one shade, a dull crimson-red. As night fell, dozens of little bonfires
were lighted in the plaza, made from cobwork piles of fat-pine. People
were already gathering from other pueblos for market, and many of them
slept through the night in the open market-place. The band played a
mournful piece, repeatedly, during the evening, and some rockets were
fired--no doubt, the tailing-off of the late fiesta.
[Illustration: CLOSE OF MARKET, TENEJAPA]
Market had begun in the morning, as we prepared to leave, but the
great plaza was not more than half-full, and there was little that was
characteristic. Noteworthy, however, were the great loaves of salt made
at Ixtapa; about the size of old-fashioned sugar-loaves, they were
shaped in rush-mats, and showed the marks of the matting on their
surface; saws were used to cut off pieces for purchasers. The _agente_
said that it was not good, being mixed with earth or sand. He, himself,
came from the neighborhood of Tapachula, where quantities of salt are
made from the lagoon water. The salt-water and the salt-soaked earth
from the bottom of the lagoon are put into vats and leached, and the
resulting saline is boiled in ovens, each of which contains an _olla_.
The industry is conducted by _ladinos_, as well as indians, but the salt
is poor.
It was 8:45 when we started, and almost immediately we began a hard
climb over limestone, giving a severe test to our poor animals. At the
summit we found a group of indian carriers, who, as usual, stopped
at the pass to rest and look upon the landscape. The view was really
beautiful, the little town lying in a curious, level valley, which was
encircled by an abrupt slope, and which had been excavated from an
almost level plateau. For some time, we followed this high level, but
finally plunged down into a deep gully, where our road passed away
to the left in a dry gorge, while to the right, the valley deepened
abruptly by a great vertical wall. When we reached the point of sudden
deepening, in the gorge below, we saw water, bursting in volume from the
cliff's base. Dismounting from our horses, and climbing down, we found
a magnificent arch of limestone over the emerging stream, the water of
which was fresh and cold, and clear as crystal. The shallow portion of
the valley marks the ancient level of the stream. In some past time, the
stream had sunk, cutting a subterranean channel under its old bed, which
was left high and dry. The deep part of the valley may be due to the
falling of the roof of rock above the subterranean stream. Following up
the ancient valley, we presently turned into one of its old tributary
gorges, coming out into a country well-wooded with pines and oaks. The
whole country hereabouts is composed of monoclines, all the crests
presenting one long, gentle slope, with rocks dipping with the slope,
and one abrupt short slope, cutting the strata. The roads, for the most
part, follow along the edge of these monoclines, making them unusually
long, though easy. The rocks over which we passed were an olive
shaly-sandstone, with notable concentric weathering, limestone, and here
and there, red sandstone, abundantly green-spotted. Indians, everywhere,
were burning over fields, preparatory to planting, while the day was
clear, the smoke rose in clouds, and at many places we suffered from
these field fires. Twice we passed a point just as the flames leaped
from one side of the road to the other, and rode between two lines of
blaze. The fire, burning green branches and stalks, caused thousands of
loud explosions, like the rattle of musketry.
Long before we were near it, we caught sight of Cancuc, the beautiful,
perched upon its lofty crest. In San Cristobal, our journey had
been matter of conversation among the _mestizos_ and many and dire
predictions had been made. "Ah, yes, it is easy for these gentlemen to
do this work here in the _cabecera_, but let them get to Tenejapa, and
Cancuc--there it will be another matter; they will be killed upon the
journey; if they reach Cancuc, they will never leave the town alive."
The town is built on the edge of a ridge, which drops in both
directions, leaving barely room for the placing of houses. From it, we
looked out in every direction over a magnificent landscape. Cancuc is
famous for the insurrection of 1712. Curiously, like the outbreak at
Chamula in 1868, it was due to the visions and religious influence of a
girl. Maria Candaleria was the centre and impulse of the whole movement.
Dr. Brinton has thrown the incident, which abounded in picturesque
details, and which caused the Spanish government great difficulty, into
a little drama, which bears the name of the inspired priestess.
[Illustration: TZENDAL MAN AND WIFE; TENEJAPA]
[Illustration: TZENDALS; TENEJAPA]
We were now within the district of my friend Valencia. Two years ago,
when we passed through the country of the Mixes, he was the _jefe
politico_ of the District of Yautepec; he had been transferred to this
state and this district, with his _cabecera_ at Ocosingo. That town lay
far from our course, and we had written Señor Valencia, that we planned
to pass through his district, but had not time to visit the _cabecera_.
We named the towns through which we planned to pass, and begged him to
send orders directly to the local authorities, instead of trying to
communicate with us. This he had done promptly, and during our stay in
his district, everything was done for us without delay. The _agente_
at Cancuc is a new official, but a man of sense, and sympathy for the
indians, among whom he lives. We arrived at half-past three and had our
_mozo_ been on time, might have done some work. The _agente_ showed
us the historic picture in the old church; it is the portrait of a
clergyman, whose influence did much to quell the insurrection in 1713.
More interesting to us than the old picture, were groups of indians,
kneeling and praying. When they knelt, they touched their foreheads and
faces to the ground, which they saluted with a kiss. Having assumed
the attitude of prayer, they were oblivious to all around them, and,
curiously, their prayers were in the native language. The town-house was
placed at the disposition of our party, but the _agente's_ bed, in his
own house, was given to me. As I sat writing at the table in his room,
the whole town government--a dozen or so in number--stalked in. Most of
them wore the heavy black _chamaras_ made by the Chamula indians. These
were so long that they almost swept the ground. The faces of the men
were dark and wild, and their hair hung in great black shocks down upon
their shoulders and backs. In their hands they held their long official
staves. Advancing to the table where I sat, in the order of their rank,
they saluted me, kissing my hand; arranging themselves in a half-circle
before my table, the _presidente_ placed before me a bowl filled with
eggs, each wrapped in corn-husks, while the first _alcalde_ deposited a
cloth filled with a high pile of hot _tortillas_; a speech was made in
Tzendal, which was translated by the second official, in which they told
me that they appreciated our visit; it gave them pleasure that such
important persons should come from such a distance to investigate the
life and manners of their humble town; they trusted that our errand
might be entirely to our wishes, and that, in leaving, we might bear
with us a pleasant memory. They begged us to accept the poor presents
they had brought, while they assured us that, in them, we had our
thousand most obedient servants. And this in Cancuc--the town where
we were to have met our death! At night, the fires on a hundred hills
around us made a magnificent display, forming all sorts of fantastic
combinations and outlines. In the evening, the son of the _agente_, who
had been to Tenango with a friend, came home in great excitement. He was
a lively young fellow of eighteen years. At the river-crossing, where
they arrived at five in the evening, a black cow, standing in the river,
scared their horses so that they could not make them cross; the boy
emptied his revolver at the animal, but with no effect; it was clearly
a _vaca bruja_--witch cow; an hour and a half was lost before they
succeeded in getting their horses past with a rush.
[Illustration: THE TOWN GOVERNMENT; CANCUC]
The morning was spent in making pictures. While still in Yucatan, we
heard about the music of Cancuc, and among our views was one of the
musicians. These are three in number, and they head processions at
fiestas; the drum, like that we saw at Tuxtla, is cylindrical, with two
heads; the _pito_ is the usual reed whistle; the _tortuga_, a large
turtle-shell, was brought from Palenque; it is hung by a belt to the
player, and is beaten on the lower side with two leg-bones of a deer.
The Cancuc dress is simple. Men wear the breech-clout, and, when they
carry burdens, little else; at other times, they wear short, cotton
trousers which hardly reach the knees. The chief garment is a _camisa_,
of native cotton, with a colored stitching at the neck and along the
seam where the two edges join; this _camisa_ is of such length that,
when girded, it hangs just to, or a little below, the lower edge of the
trouser leg. The belts are home-woven, but are made of cotton which is
bought already dyed a brilliant red or yellow. Women wear woolen belts
made by Chamulas; their _enaguas_ are plain, dull blue in color; their
_huipíls_ are a dirty white, with a minimum of colored stitching. The
chief industry at Cancuc is raising pigs for market.
At 1:15 we started from the town, and rode down the crest of long,
gently-sloping ridges, which seemed interminable. The rock over which we
passed was red sandstone, mottled and streaked with green, red shale,
and occasional patches of conglomerate. Crossing a little stream by a
pretty bridge, we made an abrupt ascent, and soon saw the little town,
Cuaquitepec, at the base of the opposite hill.
We met many indians carrying great ovoidal jars which were made at
Tenango, and which are chiefly used for carrying _chicha_. This is a
fermented drink, made from the sap of sugar-cane, and is much used
throughout this state and the adjoining parts of Central America. We
inquired of a girl who carried such a vessel, what she had, and asked
to try it. She gave us a sip in a wee gourd-vessel, holding less than a
wine-glass. Knowing nothing of the price of _chicha_, we gave her six
centavos, with which she seemed well satisfied. A little later, deciding
to test the drink again, we stopped a man, who had a vessel of it, and
again were given the little cup. On stating that we wished a centavo's
worth, we were much surprised to have him fill a great _jícara_ for
the price mentioned. It seems the little vessel is carried only for
sampling, and that a sale is made only after the purchaser has approved
the quality.
Reaching Cuaquitepec at five, we rode up to the town-house, that the
authorities might know that we had passed. The place is small and
dwindling; there are relatively many _ladinos_, and few indians. They
were expecting us, and seemed disappointed at our refusal to stop.
The shell of the old church, almost ready to fall, suggested past
magnificence. The little modern structure, at its side, is suited to the
present needs. We were vexed at the wanton sacrifice of a great
tree, which had stood near the town-house, but whose giant trunk was
prostrate, and stripped of its branches. A man on foot showed us the
road beyond the town, and it was moonlight before we reached Citala,
where we planned to sleep. Of the town itself, we know nothing. The old
church is decaying, but in its best days must have been magnificent. The
_presidente_ was absent, but his wife, an active, bustling intelligent
_ladino_, expected us, and did everything possible for our comfort.
Eggs, beans, _tortillas_ and coffee made up the supper. A room,
containing a bed for me, and _petates_ on the floor for my companions,
was waiting. When a light was struck more than a dozen great cockroaches
were seen running over the wall, none of them less than two inches and a
half in length, and of the most brilliant orange and dark brown. In the
morning, a fine chicken breakfast was promptly ready, and the woman had
summoned a _cargador_ to be ready for our starting. She said that in
this town there is a considerable indian population, and that these
Tzendals are tall and strongly-built, in comparison with those of
Cuaquitepec, and other neighboring towns. She regretted that we could
not wait until her husband came, as she had sent him word of our
arrival, and was expecting him. We assured her that she had done
everything which he could possibly have done, had he been present, and
that we should, with pleasure, report our satisfaction to the _jefe_.
[Illustration: INDIAN CARRIERS RESTING]
[Illustration: DRIVING PIGS, NEAR CANCUC]
The _cargador_ whom she supplied, was a comfort, after the wretched
sluggards whom we had lately had. With our instruments upon his
shoulders, he trotted, like a faithful dog, directly at our side, from
start to finish, never showing the least weariness or sense of burden.
Both foot _mozos_ and _arrieros_ through this district carry a mass of
_posole_ with them on a journey. Unlike that which Eustasio and his
Zapotec companions carried, the mass here is pure corn, white and moist,
being kept wrapped in fresh banana leaves; at every brook-side, a
_jícara_ of fresh water is dipped, and a handful of _posole_ is squeezed
up in it till thoroughly mixed, when it is drunk. It tastes a little
sour, and is refreshing. At 11:15, we passed the bridge over the stream
on which Chilon is built, and a moment later drew up at the town-house.
Here we regretted that our serious work with the Tzendals was done.
We were received royally, and told that our house was ready. This was
really so, a pretty little house of three good rooms having been cleaned
and prepared for our use. We lay down and napped until the good dinner,
which had been started when we had first been seen upon the road, and
some time before we reached the village, was ready. Sitting on the porch
of our little house, and looking out over bushes, full of roses, in the
garden before us, we rested until the greatest heat of the day was past,
when we started, and pushed on over the three leagues that lay between
us and Yajalon, where we arrived at near sunset. The town is large, and,
in great part, indian. The women dressed more gaily than in any other
Tzendal town which we have seen; their _huipíls_ were decorated with a
mass of bright designs, worked in colored wools or silk. Here we saw our
first Chol, a carrier, passing through the village with his load; in
order to make a start upon our final tribe, we had him halted, to take
his measurements and picture. At this town, we stopped at a sort of
boarding-house, or traveller's-rest, close by the town-house, kept by
a widow with several children. We impressed upon this good woman the
necessity of having breakfast without fail at five o'clock, as we wished
to make an early start, stopping at Hidalgo for work during the hotter
portion of the day, and pressing on to Tumbala at night. The poor
creature kept me awake all night, making her preparations for the meal,
which was to be a masterpiece of culinary art, and at four o'clock
routed us all out with the report that breakfast was waiting on the
table. It was a turkey-breakfast, too.