[58-*] Stephens' Travels in Yucatan, Vol. II., page 303.
[59-*] The hostile Indians (_sublivados_) so often spoken of by Dr. Le
Plongeon in his communications, are a body of revolted natives,
variously estimated at from 50,000 to 140,000. They are called Indians
of _Chan-Santa-Cruz_, from the name of their chief town, in the
south-eastern part of the peninsula. During political troubles in 1847,
a formidable rising of Indians against the whites took place in Yucatan,
which has not yet been subdued. Nearly every year the frontier towns and
plantations bordering upon the territory of these rebels, suffer from
their attacks; their inhabitants are slain and their property is
destroyed. So formidable is this enemy that at one time their soldiers,
said to be supplied with English arms, advanced to within 15 miles of
the city of Mérida. As matters stand to-day, about two-fifths of the
territory of the state is in their power, and a large number of the best
plantations in the peninsula are deserted.
A friend, Sr. Dn. Andres Aznar Pérez, of Mérida, a gentleman of large
public spirit and much knowledge of this subject, informs the writer
that "the principal Indian leaders in the revolution of 1847, were the
cruel Cicilio Chi', and Jacinto Pat, the latter assassinated for his
sympathy with the whites. Crecencio Poot (spoken of by Dr. Le Plongeon),
is one of their later leaders. I am well convinced that the revolt of
our Indians will never be brought to an end by force, as has been thus
far pretended. I call this unfortunate race noble, and well it deserves
the title if we follow dispassionately the sufferings it has had to
endure from the remote times of the conquest until the present, with
habits so moderate, so frugal, so mild, that only the inhuman treatment
of civil as well as religious authorities has been able to exasperate
them. Theirs have been always the sufferings, the labors--never the
enjoyments--that accompany enlightenment and healthy morality." An
extended and unprejudiced account of this rebellion has just been
published at Mérida, called "_Historia de las Revoluciones de Yucatan_,"
by Sr. D. Serapio Baqueiro, in two volumes, which covers a period from
1840 to 1864. For years a constant military surveillance of the main
avenues of approach from the eastern and south-eastern sections of the
state has been maintained at a great expense to the government without
affording adequate protection against periodical hostile incursions.
[63-*] This idea was better expressed by our learned associate, Mr.
Haven, in Proceedings of this Society, No. 55, page 56, in commenting
upon the works of Brasseur de Bourbourg.
[74-*] See Relacion de las Cosas de Yucatan, de Diego de Landa. By
L'Abbé Brasseur de Bourbourg. Paris, 1864, page 327.
[89-*] Stephens' Travels in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan, vol.
I., page 158.
[89-[+]] Id. vol. II., page 349.
[89-[++]] Encyclopædia Britannica. Boston, 1859: _Article_ Sculpture.
[90-*] Relacion de las Cosas de Yucatan, de Diego de Landa. By L. Abbé
Brasseur de Bourbourg. Paris, 1864, page 347.
[90-[+]] Id. 197.
[90-[++]] Id. 199.
[90-§] Id. 183.