THE LAND OF WAR
The first thing these four missionaries,--Las Casas, Luis Cancer, Pedro
de Angula, and Rodrigo de Larada,--had to do was to learn the language
of the country, which was called the Quichi. It was no easy task, for
none of them were young,--Las Casas, their prior, being now sixty-one
years of age. The Bishop of Guatemala, a great scholar, was their
teacher, and day after day this little company of monks might have been
seen, sitting with the Bishop, like boys at school, learning
conjugations and declensions.
Las Casas was also busy writing a book,--which, however, was never
published,--in which he tried to show that the only way to convert men
was to convince the mind by reasoning and win the heart by gentleness.
The authorities of the province laughed at him and challenged him to try
it, by declaring that if he succeeded in subduing any tribe by these
methods, they would at once set free their slaves. Las Casas boldly took
up the challenge and selected for the trial a part of the country
called "The Land of War."[1]
Alvarado had carried on a terrible war in Guatemala. Thousands of
Indians had been killed, tortured, and made slaves. The people of the
district where Las Casas intended to try his experiment were a hardy,
warlike race, and their country was a land of steep mountains, deep
ravines, and many furious mountain torrents. They had fought desperately
for their liberty. Three times the Spaniards had attempted to conquer
them, and each time had been driven back. They were a terror to the
white men, and not a Spaniard dared to go near them. It was rightly
named The Land of War. Yet it was these turbulent, unconquerable people
whom Las Casas now declared he would Christianize and make subject to
Spanish rule. He would take no soldiers with him and would accept no aid
of any kind. All that he asked was that when his work should be
accomplished, they might be left free, only paying tribute, as all
subjects did, to the crown. To this the governor of Guatemala agreed.
By this time the fathers could both write and speak the Quichi language
well, and they went to work to compose in verse an account of the
creation, the fall of man, the birth, life, and miracles of our Lord,
and His death upon the cross. These verses they set to music, for the
Indians were fond of songs.
There were certain Christian Indians that traded with the people in the
Land of War, going to them at regular intervals. The fathers chose some
of these traders and taught them the songs. They learned very quickly,
and also played an accompaniment on their musical instruments. When they
were ready they started, with an assortment of all kinds of articles
such as the Indians particularly liked,--knives, scissors, little
looking-glasses, and so on.
As they had been instructed, the four peddlers went first to a great
native prince. His people all came flocking to buy, and when the
business of the day was over, they took pains to win his favor by making
him a present.
After supper they took out their musical instruments and began to play
and chant the verses they had learned. Hundreds of dusky warriors,
attracted by the sweet strains, sat about in the moonlight and listened.
Next night many more natives came, and when the song was ended, the
chief asked to have it explained. This was just the opportunity the
traders had been waiting for. They told the chief that they sang only
what they had heard, and that only the _padres_ could explain the
verses.
"Who are the _padres_?" asked the chief. In answer to this question,
they told him they were men who dressed always in white and black, wore
their hair like a garland about the head, did not eat meat, never
married, did not seek for gold, and sang the praises of God day and
night.
The chief was much struck by this description, especially by the fact
that the _padres_ did not seek gold, his experience with Spaniards being
that they loved gold above everything else in the world, and that all
the miseries the Indians had suffered at their hands had been caused by
their insane desire to possess it.
At last, though it was a difficult matter to persuade these Indians to
allow any Spaniard to enter their country, they decided to send the
young brother of the chief out with the traders, and if he should find
these _padres_ all that had been represented, he was to invite them to
come and tell them of their religion.
Great was the joy in the little convent when they saw the prince coming
with the Indian traders. They did their best to make him welcome, and
after a few days, when he was ready to return, Father Luis Cancer was
sent with him.
What was the good father's astonishment to find crowds of people coming
to meet him, arches erected for him to pass under, and the roads swept
before his feet!
The Indians built a church for him at once,--made of the trunks of
trees, roofed with palmetto leaves,--and all came, wondering and
admiring, to see what he would do.
Faithfully he taught them, until the chief accepted Christianity, with
his own hands overthrew their idols, and was baptized and given the name
of Don Juan. His people soon followed his example.
Father Luis also visited other parts of the country, and when he
returned, after several months, to his companions there was great
rejoicing over the results of his labors.
Las Casas himself now went into The Land of War, taking with him Father
Pedro de Angula. Just as they reached Don Juan's town the young prince,
his brother, came home from the neighboring district of Coban, bringing
with him his bride, a princess of that tribe. With him were a number of
the Coban princes. There were great festivities for many days, but in
the midst of the rejoicing the Coban princes, angry that the
bridegroom's family and tribe had become Christians, secretly stirred up
some of the people to burn the church, managing carefully to conceal
their own share in the matter. Don Juan at once rebuilt the edifice,
however, and no other unpleasant incident occurred during the whole stay
of the Spaniards in the country.
While in The Land of War Las Casas went further north, and whenever he
returned was always welcomed. As the people became Christian, he
realized that in order to teach them, it would be necessary to get them
together in towns, where many could be reached by one man. After much
difficulty, this was accomplished and several such towns were built, Don
Juan's town being called Rabinal.
After a time Las Casas sent for Luis Cancer, who when he came brought
with him a contract, signed by the governor, securing the practical
independence of the Indians of The Land of War.
Word now reached Las Casas that both the Bishop of Guatemala and
Alvarado had come to Santiago, and he resolved to go down and meet them.
He wished Don Juan to accompany him, and this the chief was quite
willing to do, but wanted to take something like an army with him, and
was with difficulty persuaded to have only such a retinue as would serve
to show his rank and importance.
Father Ladrada, the only monk left at the convent, on being notified
that all these visitors were coming, built more huts, put up tents, and
laid in a store of provisions for their entertainment. Immediately upon
their arrival, the Bishop came to the monastery and had a long
conversation with the prince. So much struck was he with the Indian's
knowledge of the Christian faith, and with his dignity and intelligence,
that he asked Alvarado to come and see him also. Although this great
captain held the life of an Indian of no more worth than that of a dog,
yet he was so pleased with the prince, that wanting to make him a
present, but having nothing with him for that purpose, he took off his
own red velvet cap and placed it upon Don Juan's head.
They took their distinguished visitor about the town, having first asked
the merchants to make their shops as attractive as possible and, if the
prince expressed a fancy for any article, to let him have it and send
the bill to the Bishop. Don Juan, however, preserved his Indian
stolidity, viewing the displays with perfect gravity, and neither
showing surprise nor expressing admiration. Only once did he remark upon
anything that he saw. He asked about a picture of the Virgin Mary, which
was displayed in one of the shops, and when it was offered to him
accepted it, afterwards placing it in his chapel at Rabinal.
Las Casas and Father Ladrada went back with Don Juan, intending to go
further north into the district of Coban for the purpose of establishing
there a permanent mission among the natives.
In 1538 the Bishop of Guatemala sent for all the Dominicans, to consult
with him about securing more workers. At this council it was decided to
send Las Casas to Spain to plead for more Dominicans and Franciscans to
come out. He took with him Father Ladrada and Father Luis Cancer, whose
Indian converts were greatly grieved to part with them; but the clerico
comforted them with the promise of a speedy return.
FOOTNOTE:
[1] "Tierra de Guerra," The Land of War, was located in the present state
of Vera Paz, in northern Guatemala.