An Arrival—Unexpected Honors—Usurpation of Office—Prices
of Labor—Indian way of Living—A Sonato—An
Incident—Departure—Yacaba—Sonato at Tabi—Arrival at Sotuta—“Las
Ruinas”—A Benediction—Cantamayec—Turn Physician—Successful
Practice—The Reward of Merit—Route to Teabo—Its Curate—Mani—Arrival at
Ticul—Description of Ticul—The Church—Curate—Market-place—Pretty
Women—Convent—Occupations—Health—Roads—Sugar Estates—Ruins of
Ichmul—Departure—Cross the Cordilleras.
During my stay in the vicinity of Chi-Chen, the family of the major-domo
were expected to arrive from Valladolid. Accordingly, great preparations
were made to receive them. Arches were thrown over the doors, around the
corridors of the house, and erected across the road near by. The Indians
made ready, with their drums and fifes, and with other forms of
congratulation, to hail the approaching visiters. At sun-down on
Saturday evening the “coaches,” so well described by Mr. Stephens in his
travels in Yucatan, were seen coming along the road. The music
commenced; the bell of our little habitation lifted up its noisy tones
of gladness, and all was in commotion. They were soon at the door, and
carefully set down by the Indian bearers; and the contents of the
carriage, composed of women and children, crawled out upon their hands
and knees and hurried into the house. The “coaches” were now put aside,
and preparations made to have a joyful evening. In the morning (Sunday)
we learned that the Indians not only had an evening, as we supposed they
would have, but a whole night of dancing and singing. At daylight they
awakened me by coming into my quarters, for the purpose of going to
matins. The bell was ringing, the candles were lighted, the little boxes
opened, and the altar kissed. It was the work of a few minutes, when the
bell ceased, the candles were extinguished, the little doors closed;
and, by the time the last pattering of the sandal-footed Indian sounded
upon the stone floor as he left the house, I was once more asleep.
This morning, at the usual breakfast hour, I left the “vestry” for the
house. On the way thither I was met by the major-domo, who, I observed,
was very polite indeed—unusually so. He took my hand and led me into the
dwelling, where the best hammock was opened for my reception. I sat down
and took a swing. Presently the lady of the mansion, who had arrived “by
coach” the previous evening, made her appearance, dropping me one of her
sweetest courtesies, and passed out at another door. The children all
followed in slow procession, giving me a similar salutation; until,
eventually, I was left alone in silent astonishment. During this
ceremony the Indians were peeping in at the doors, apparently awaiting
their turn; and, sure enough, it came. They approached in single file,
to the number of some thirty, and, as they marched past, partially
knelt, and made all sorts of obeisances; which were acknowledged with as
much form as my inexperienced greatness could command. I was lost in
amazement. I began to survey the room in search of a mirror, to see what
change had taken place in my person; and the fact stared me in the face.
It was my black suit, that I had put on in the morning (not being on
fatigue duty to-day,) that had given this first impression of my
importance—having, heretofore, only appeared in my working guise before
them. In my future rambles, I shall benefit by my experience in this
little affair; and would recommend it to the careful consideration of
all who may hereafter travel in these parts. After breakfast I stepped
aside, and examined the coat more particularly, to ascertain how long
its newly discovered virtues might be expected to abide with it. I was
delighted to find that it would probably supply me with all the dignity
I should require during my residence in the country.
This (Sunday) has been a lovely day, so far as nature was concerned.
Nothing but the continuation of the dancing and the wild music,
interrupted at times by the revelry of drunken Indians, could be heard,
except the services at the church by the same actors! At vespers, the
principal officiate was so drunk that he dropped the incense-cup, and
broke it all to pieces. Unfortunately for his dignity, it fell upon my
foot; whereat I was so vexed, that I trundled the old reprobate most
unceremoniously out of the sanctuary, and performed the ceremonies
myself, as well as I knew how, and dismissed the congregation. If the
pope has any gratitude he will send me a cardinal’s hat, at least, for
this interference.
There are about eighty Indians attached to this estate. Their wages is
one dollar per month and a sack of corn, which contains about two
bushels, worth here from thirty-seven and a half to fifty cents per
sack; but the amount of wages varies in different parts of the country.
In some sections laborers are employed by the job—so much for cutting
down wood, the work being measured out; so much for planting an acre;
and in the same way for taking in the crops, &c., the prices of which
are regulated by custom; but they are all under as abject bondage at
present as if they had been born slaves. Their wages, low as they
are—owing to the few wants of these people—more than cover their
necessary expenses; but the taxes, and the feasts of the church, absorb
all the surplus. I have known an Indian to expend his month’s pay, and
all he was possessed of besides, in the purchase of candles and trinkets
for a single festival day; the former to burn before, and the latter to
decorate, his tutelar saint.
They are permitted to build their huts on the lands of the estate
without cost. Among those I visited, the best were miserable enough;
consisting merely of poles driven perpendicularly into the ground, to
support a thatched roof. Although plenty of soil is allowed them, they
cultivate nothing for themselves Everything around them indicates
indolence and squalid poverty.
In my rambles in the neighborhood of the hacienda, I discovered, at
about the distance of a mile, a sonata, situated in a dell of the most
romantic appearance; the sides, rising to the height of a hundred feet,
are circular, and are formed of broken and cragged rocks, overgrown with
trees, bushes, and vines. The water is about ten fathoms deep, clear and
good; and always remains without fluctuation except once or twice a
year, in seasons of heavy rains or extreme drought. There appears to be
but one place at the margin where the water is accessible. A part of a
stone wall is here perceptible, and also steps beneath the surface. Less
romantic places than this have made more than one chapter in the
mythology of the ancient Greeks.
While I was thinking that this might be the scene where many a tender
tale of love may have been whispered, a thousand years ago, by the
simple swain and artless damsel who dwelt near its margin—that here the
proud cacique may once have loitered with the lovely mistress of his
affections—while I was meditating over the probability, the almost
certainty of these things, something of a parallel nature was, in
reality, transpiring in my immediate vicinity. My right-hand man, José,
whose peculiar propensity has before been hinted at, was pouring out his
heart to a beautiful Indian girl a few rods distant, and she was
listening to his story of love with all the attention that the most
faithful passion could deserve. They were not, however, permitted to
dream themselves into an undisturbed state of happiness. It is said that
love is jealous as well as watchful. They had been observed by a rival,
who suddenly breaking in upon their stolen moments, threatened total
annihilation to all their blissful anticipations. José manfully
contended for his rights; but, had I not come up at the critical
instant, there is no telling to what extent the rupture might have been
carried. My presence, however, soon allayed the excitement. It was not
difficult to discern that José was the preferred one. I learned from him
that the fair cause of his trouble was from the neighborhood of Merida,
an old acquaintance; and that pledges of love had long since been
exchanged between them; but circumstances had removed her from his
vicinity, he knew not whither, until the present accidental meeting had
again thrown them into each other’s arms. Such being the case, I
promised to intercede with the major-domo in their behalf, which I
subsequently did, but without the entire success that I had anticipated.
Having concluded my visit at Chi-Chen, and my curiosity being fully
satisfied, I was ready at an early hour to continue my journey westward.
The Indians, to the number of fifty or sixty, had collected to witness
our departure. They had been very civil to us during our stay; and, to
express our acknowledgments, I knew no better way than to make them a
few presents, with which they appeared to be highly pleased. We took
leave of our kind host and hostess with regret. They had taken great
pains to make my stay comfortable among them, and I shall always
remember them with gratitude. By eight o’clock we were out of sight of
castles and palaces, and buried in the thick woods of the country. Our
route lay over a narrow stony path, through the small Indian town of
Piste to Yacaba—a distance of about nine leagues; where we arrived at
two o’clock, rode up to the Casa-real, and dismounted in the square. The
church occupied one side of it, and public offices and dwellings the
others. The square is spacious, and comprises nearly the whole town.
Many of the houses are uninhabited and going to ruin. It had rained
heavily during the morning, and the rooms of the Casa-real, as usual,
did not present a very favorable aspect to the wet and fatigued
traveller. However, we got our horses taken care of, and succeeded in
obtaining a tolerable breakfast. By five o’clock the inhabitants began
to leave their hammocks, and made their way to the Casa-real, knowing,
apparently, by instinct, or some faculty peculiar to the inhabitants of
small towns, that strangers had arrived. In this instance, we were glad
to see them; for we were sadly in want of a dry place to rest in. They
offered to do every thing for us. We told them our wants, by showing
them the rooms of the Casa-real. They promised to get others, appeared
glad to serve us, and treated us with great politeness. Off they
started, as we supposed, to fit us out for the night; and that is the
last we ever saw of them. This is mentioned merely to show a marked
characteristic of the people. A stranger, with a sanguine temperament,
in this province, must suffer!
We were obliged, as usual, to depend upon ourselves for quarters; and,
after much research, and disturbing the quiet of many poor old women in
their hammocks, we found a store-house, in which we became somewhat
comfortably accommodated for the night. Shortly after sunrise, on the
following morning, we continued our journey to Tabi, a distance of two
leagues. At this place we spent an hour in visiting a sonato, one of the
most celebrated in the country. It had been the scene of some _miracle_,
the particulars of which we were unable to learn, and is therefore held
in much reverence by the Indians. The circumference is about fifty feet,
and it is about seventy to the surface of the water from the top of the
ground. The water is said to be about a hundred feet deep, and has a
subterraneous channel, the extent of which is unknown. A small chapel is
erected upon its border. In the absence of all rivers in this country,
these watering-places, or natural wells, seem to be one of the most
striking gifts of God’s beneficence. Near this chapel is a tree of the
mammee species, peculiar to the province, of extraordinary dimensions,
growing, apparently, out of a solid rock.
This town is principally inhabited by Indians. The few whites here, as
is usual in many other places, principally maintain themselves by
selling small articles, cotton cloth, and liquors to the Indians. Save a
church, there were no public buildings in the place. No animation or
purpose was to be seen among these listless Indians, who in that, as in
other particulars, resembled all of their race whom I had yet seen.
We continued our journey on to Sotuta, a distance of three leagues,
where we arrived at eleven o’clock, over a good road, upon which the
Indians were at that time engaged in working out their road-tax.
This is a pleasant town, having a fine square, neatly laid out, with
much regularity, and well built. While we were at breakfast, seated on a
long wooden bench (the usual table of the Casa-real) saddle-wise, with
our customary company, ten to twenty Indians squatted (after their
manner) about us, we were waited upon by the curious of the place. They
wished to know who we were, and where we were going? To which we gave
satisfactory answers. They offered us their best services, as usual, and
left us. Soon after they left, the curate called, and was so kind as to
offer us his house, and all the appurtenances thereto appertaining, of
which, however, owing to our limited stay, I did not think it worth my
while to accept. Knowing that I wished to see all that was interesting
in his curacy, he, the dear soul, carried me a league, through a burning
sun, to see what he called “las ruinas.” I walked to them cheerfully
enough, for I anticipated something of an exciting nature. On reaching
them, they proved to be merely the walls of a badly built house, which
had pertained to a hacienda, and which was not over fifty years of age.
When he first called my attention to them, I thought he was playing off
a practical joke; but it was not so; it was a sincere desire to please.
Short-sighted mortal! his day-dreams had never been disturbed by a
knowledge of the pyramids, palaces, and castles of Chi-Chen! By a visit
to the convent, however, on my return, I was fully indemnified for all
my disappointment, by the good things which appear always to concentrate
in these places; and I soon forgot our fatiguing walk to “las ruinas,”
by a swing in the hammock.
While I was here enjoying myself, during the heat of the day, an Indian
brought in a bundle, containing a shroud, intended for some deceased
person. The curate apologized; ordered his robes, in which he was soon
enveloped; had a candle lighted, to which was affixed a silver cross;
gave it to me to hold; took his book, and read over a benediction,
occasionally sprinkling water upon the cloth intended for the dead. This
was done in an off-hand style, and the Indian was quickly dismissed.
It was with some difficulty that I was enabled to tear myself away from
my kind host; and it was late before we started for Cantamayec, four
leagues distant, where we intended to sleep. Before sundown, however, we
bade him adieu, and passing over a rocky path through the woods, we
arrived at our stopping-place at nine o’clock.
Little had we anticipated the cool reception we were doomed to meet, or
we should have remained with our reverend friend of Sotuta. On reaching
the Casa-real of this most miserable town, we found it occupied by
half-breeds and Indians, making themselves merry and drunk, upon the
occasion offered them by some one of the innumerable feast-days with
which their calendar is crowded. The prospect for us, we observed on
dismounting, was not very flattering. We stated to them that we were
travellers; and wished a privilege with them at the Casa-real for the
night, and at the same time offered them money, to remunerate them for
their aid in procuring food for ourselves and horses; but we could
obtain nothing. Their reply was, that the Casa-real and its yards were
full, and that there was no food or water to be had. This was bringing
affairs to a crisis. The prospect was that we were to “hang out” during
the night. Remonstrance was thought of; but experience had long since
taught me that remonstrance with these people was vain. A man in the
crowd was observed with _trousers on_; and with him I thought something
might be done, but I was made to perceive that trousers are only the
uniform, but not an evidence of civilization. A squally night was before
me, and no prospect of a shelter. I thought of trying “the plenipo”—à la
Stephens—but my starred and striped blanket was in tatters, and I had no
“half dollars.” Sunken as I was in the abyss of trouble, my magical coat
never occurred to me. At a complete loss what to do, we walked about the
town, in anticipation of some favorable accident, followed by a
concourse of idle Indians. We were about returning to our horses in
despair, when, passing a hut, with its only door half opened, we saw an
old woman lying in her hammock, sick. I thought of the “medico.” With
this ray of hope to encourage me, I entered, blessing the house and its
inmates, with the best Latin I could muster. A dim light was burning in
a calabash, which stood in the corner. In the centre of the room were
some half-extinguished embers, with the few cooking utensils which the
_cuisine_ of this country require, being near them. A girl was engaged
in making some cooling drink for the invalid; and, upon the whole, I
felt that my prospects were looking up. So I drew up a stool to the side
of the hammock, and looked the “medico” at the invalid, to the best of
my abilities. The Indians from without were collecting around; I talked
in a very deliberate tone, as if just bursting with a plethora of
science, felt the pulse, and examined the tongue! At this stage of
proceedings, an Indian bent down to my ear, and asked, in a low voice,
if he should go for food for our horses? I graciously consented. I
showed my pocket compass, the nearest approach to a surgical instrument
of any thing I had about me, made a few more learned remarks upon the
pathogenetic and therapeutic properties of matter, and advised the
patient to bathe her feet and hold her tongue.
The fire upon the floor was rekindled; eggs and tortillas were soon
placed before us, and I venture to say, that no catechumen in medicine
ever received his first professional fee with more delight, than I did
mine on this occasion. The patient declared herself to be much better.
So was I. I soon began to feel myself “at home.” José made ready our
hammocks, drove the intruding Indians out of the house, and, in a few
moments, we buried all our cares and troubles in deep and undisturbed
slumbers.
Awaking early in the morning, I found the patient much improved, if I
might be permitted to judge from her nasal achievements; and, thinking
it would be a pity to disturb her, I determined not to wait for any
farther fee, but directed José silently to fold our hammocks, and
putting them under our arms, we left the premises, and made our way to
where our horses were quartered. Every thing being ready, we were soon
in the saddle, and, without much regret, left the town; but not without
a sincere wish that the patient, whose comfort had been so unexpectedly
identified with mine, might rapidly recover.
We were now on the road to Teabo, a distance of about seven leagues,
where we arrived at two o’clock in the afternoon. We experienced no
little difficulty in finding the town, owing to the numerous paths that
presented themselves leading to the haciendas and ranchos in the
vicinity, and owing to the town being almost buried among the small
trees and bushes by which it was surrounded. Our confusion was ten times
more confounded by the directions of the Indians; and, finally, we were
obliged to have recourse to the pocket-compass. This is an article with
which every tourist in untravelled countries should provide himself. He
will find it an invaluable guide when he is alone; and it will prove as
efficacious as one ghost, at least, in controlling the services of these
superstitious people.
The Casa-real being occupied by muleteers, I got permission of the
polite owner of a store near by to deposite our trappings, and to make
my toilet in one corner of his establishment. For this purpose a heap of
corn was removed, which so facilitated my preparations, that I was soon
in a condition to pay my respects to the town. After I had made some
examination of it, however, I concluded that, my time had been wasted.
It was, like all the others, as dull and inanimate as the rocks upon
which it stood. As I had always discovered, if there were any thing of
interest in these places, it radiated from the curate, I bent my steps,
in the evening, towards his house. He was a fatherly-looking old
gentleman, received me very kindly, ordered the best room in the convent
to be made ready for my reception, and a good supper to be prepared. He
talked much of his curacy, and seemed to be devoted to the people, as
they evidently were to him. Good order was observable about his house,
which is rarely to be met with in the like places. He showed me his
library, which was composed of about twenty volumes of Latin and Spanish
books. After passing a very pleasant evening with this good old man, I
bade him adieu and retired to my room, which was decorated, or furnished
rather, on all sides, with the symbols of the church, such as crosses,
sculls, images, &c.; but which did not, so far as I could discover,
materially affect my repose during the night.
Early in the morning, after taking chocolate, which my kind host had
provided, we were mounted and on our way to Ticul. We passed through a
number of small towns, one of which was Mani, about three leagues from
Teabo, and formerly the capital of the province. The only fact connected
with the history of this place, of interest to the traveller, is one of
a character kindred to that which has given an infamous immortality to
the Calif Omar, and, in later days, to Cardinal Ximenes; a man who lived
in an age, and professed a religion, which should have taught him
better. This was the place, as I learned while at Merida, where the
ancient history of the Maya people was destroyed, by order of a
Franciscan monk named Landa. These books were thought by the inquisitor
to contain some heretical matters; and, with a bigotry and stupidity
which we can now hardly allude to in terms sufficiently moderate to be
printed, he directed those books to be taken out and burnt in the public
square. This history was written in hieroglyphical characters, and its
destruction has doubtless deprived posterity of the key to the whole
history of the Maya nation.
We arrived at Ticul after a fatiguing ride, under a hot sun, at half
past two o’clock in the afternoon, on Saturday, the 19th of February.
Our coming was anticipated, and good apartments were prepared for us in
the convent, where we were comfortably accommodated, and fully resolved
to remain until we had become thoroughly recruited. José was about worn
out, and the horses’ feet were in a sad condition. My trousers were
torn, my boots were cut up, and my altogether ruinous condition was more
in sympathy with the country which I was visiting, than accorded with my
taste or my comfort. In this condition, I thought it would be no more
than an act of prudence to lie by for a few days to repair damages. I
amused myself meantime in strolling about the town, which I found
decidedly pleasant. It had a life and activity about it that I had not
before seen for a long time. I saw the sun set this evening behind the
Cordilleras; it was a beautiful and imposing sight.
This town is large and well built, though not very compact; enough so,
however, to make it a very desirable place of residence. It is town and
country, beautifully intermingled. It has a fine open square, church,
and market-place, and several stores.
The church, occupying one corner of the square, is built in the form of
a cross, and has a well-proportioned dome to set it off. The mass of
devotees that assemble here daily are decently dressed and good-looking.
The curate is a middle-aged man, who has read much, and figured
considerably in the late political revolutions of the province; and is,
probably, more conversant with the history of his country than any man
in it. Some of the most interesting ruins of the country are within his
curacy, and he was the only person I encountered in the country who had
devoted much time to an examination of them. He received me very
cordially, and was exceedingly kind and attentive during my stay.
The market-place is small; but it is well supplied, and kept clean. It
was rather a strange sight to me to see cattle butchered in the open
streets and public thoroughfares of the town, as is the custom here.
This town enjoys a notoriety for its pretty Mestizas, or half-breed
Indian women; which, as far as I am able to judge, it justly deserves.
They are well formed, and have regular features and brunette
complexions, which are in fine contrast with their long black hair and
simple loose dress. Their dresses are always neat, and hang from the
shoulders without being girded at the waist. They are trimmed off by the
fair hands of the wearers with ornamental borders, &c., &c.
The convent in the rear of, and immediately adjoining the church, is an
immense pile of stone, built in 1624, and was formerly inhabited by
monks of the order of St. Francis. The only habitable part of this vast
structure, at present, is occupied by the curate, the padre, and myself.
A suite of three rooms were given to me; but, in my humble way, I made
two suffice. Its blackened walls, its spacious halls and corridors,
dilapidated casements, its numerous squares and gardens, all going to
ruin, presented the same melancholy picture that is to be seen in all
the principal towns in the province.
A large portion of the inhabitants are Mestizos, who are orderly and
well to do in the world. Their houses, in the borders of the town, are
comfortable; and the wide-spreading palm, growing near, gives to them
quite a picturesque appearance. They manufacture hats for exportation,
and earthenware for home use.
The health of the town is good. This may be attributed not only to the
climate, but to the uniform temperance of these people, both in eating
and drinking.
The roads to and from the principal towns are kept in excellent order.
Portions of them, in the immediate vicinity, with the low stone walls at
the sides, covered with vegetation, resemble those of England.
In the adjoining districts, there are several large sugar plantations.
Near the town of Tekax, considerable attention is paid to the
cultivation of sugar, which is raised entirely for domestic consumption.
The ruins of Ichmul are situated about a half league north of the town
of Ticul. The padre, with a few friends, accompanied me to visit them.
What was my surprise, on arriving at this place, to observe a succession
of mounds, or tumuli, extending many miles around, in every direction,
as far as the eye could reach—the sepulchres, perhaps, of millions! who,
in their turn, possibly, have looked upon similar appearances, that
exist no longer, with the same thoughts as we give utterance to in
beholding these! The grounds are now covered with grass and trees—a
range for cattle! Some of these mounds were forty feet high. Several of
them had been opened by the direction and under the superintendence of
the curate, and within were found rooms, and skeletons deposited in a
sitting posture, with small pots at their feet, which was the position
in which the ancient Mexicans were in the habit of burying their dead.
The walls and ceilings were quite perfect. Large pieces of hewn stone
and pillars were lying scattered around these places, affording ground
for the presumption that they were formerly portions of a once great and
populous city.
On our return with the padre, we dismounted at his house; our horses
were led through it, and myself into it, where, seated in a hammock, I
partook of refreshments, and spent a very pleasant hour with my kind
cicerone. I then took my leave, returned to the convent, rode through
the long hall, and dismounted at my parlor door.
February 23d, at seven o’clock in the morning, I bade adieu to my good
friends of Ticul, and we continued our journey. It was a delightful
morning; our route was along the foot and across the Cordilleras; which
we ascended by a narrow, rough, and cragged pass. We were obliged to
dismount shortly after we commenced the rise, as the steep and slippery
rocks make it not only difficult but hazardous, and we were glad to lead
our horses over in safety. The prospect from the summit was beautiful
and picturesque. Our descent was rather more easy and rapid; and we
reached the town of Nohcacab, three leagues distant, at half past eight
o’clock. Here we took a hasty breakfast, procured a guide, and were
again on the road to Kahbah, distant three leagues, for the purpose of
looking at the ruins which we learned were to be seen at this place.
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