Departure from Uxmal—Abala—The Road—The Curate’s Hacienda—Arrival at
Merida—Hotel de Diligencias—Bishop Preaching—Strange Scenes—Parting
with José—Departure from Merida—Coach and Passengers—Scenes of the
Road—Zibackchen—Accommodations—Arrival at Campeachy.
The reader will remember that the narrative of my journeyings terminated
at Uxmal. I finished making my observations of those ruins, and on the
4th of March embarked in a Yucatan coach and four, (four stout Indians,)
crossed the Cordilleras, and the same night slept at the Casa-real at
Muna, distant three leagues.
While waiting for my tortillas and eggs, I shall be pardoned for
expressing my acknowledgments to the major-domo of the hacienda at
Uxmal, to whom I was indebted for many kindnesses; and it will not be
amiss to add, that his was one of the best managed estates that I
observed in Yucatan.
The hacienda is built of hewn stone, taken principally from the ruins;
more of which the Indians are now engaged in bringing away for the
improvements the building is at present undergoing. It is about eighty
feet front, having one range of rooms, with a high and wide balcony in
front and rear, with a small chapel attached. In front is the
cattle-yard, with its stone and mortar troughs for water, and wells and
cisterns at the sides; the whole surrounded by a high stone wall, in the
front centre of which is an immense arch-way, set off with pinnacled
ornaments selected from the ruins.
There are a large number of Indians attached to this hacienda, who
appear well; and so does every thing else connected with it. Different
from many others, this establishment has an air of comfort and
prosperity, much to the credit of those who supervise its concerns. It
has its six hundred bee-hives, which are made of hollow logs, cut into
lengths of two feet each. They are well arranged under sheds erected for
the purpose—opened monthly, and the honey extracted. They do not yield
so much honey, or of so good a quality, neither are the bees as lively
as those of the north. Their bees have no sting. Great attention is paid
to the preservation of the wax, which is almost a staple in the country,
so much is consumed in the religious exercises.
On the following morning we were detained for the want of a mule, and as
it had been engaged at an early hour, I felt not a little annoyed at the
disappointment. To indemnify myself in some measure, I resolved to look
at the town; but it was all like other towns here. That which most
attracted my attention was seeing the Indian women, with their leathern
buckets, and coils of long rope about their heads, and earthen pots
under their arms, going to the well, which is in the centre of the
square, to draw water. I thought of Rebecca—of the custom among the
ancient Israelitish women, of performing the same duty—and of the lost
tribes; and I wondered if they did not stray this way, and found all
these large cities that are now tumbling to dust—and I was lost in
reflection, and—lost my way to the Casa-real. Making my course through
squatted Indians and these female water-carriers, who had led me out of
the path, as they have many a wiser man before, I discovered the
stopping-place and waiting mule much easier than a solution to my new
theory.
At ten o’clock we were ready once more to set off upon our journey, over
a rocky road, taking the former from choice, the latter from necessity.
After travelling four leagues, we passed through the small Indian town
of Abala. This place has a very neat white church, which was embellished
with two turrets, making a pretty appearance amidst the dulness of every
thing around it. There being no particular inducement to delay here, we
once more took up our march, and, at five o’clock, and two leagues
distant, we arrived at an hacienda belonging to one of the principal
curates of the province, (Isamul,) where we remained for the night. The
house, although plain, was so arranged as to be both convenient and
pleasant. It looked quite unlike any of the buildings for similar
purposes in the country, but resembled that of one of those comfortable
Dutch farm-houses, so common in Pennsylvania. It had a garden unusually
well cultivated, and great attention was paid to the fruit trees. I
noticed that great attention was given also to irrigation, and, all
things taken into consideration, it struck me as being a place where a
man might make himself comparatively happy. Among the inmates of the
house I observed a number of beautiful Mestizos, but they did not
outnumber those of the curate’s house in Valladolid.
At three o’clock, on the following morning, our feet were in the
stirrups; and bidding a kind adieu to our host, we were soon upon our
rocky path, under the light of a waning moon. It must not be supposed
that either the excellence of the road, or the particularly early hour,
held out many inducements for leaving such desirable quarters; but I was
anxious to reach Merida with the least possible delay. The distance was
six leagues to the city, which we reached, after passing through several
haciendas, encountering clouds of dust under a scorching sun, on the 6th
day of March. The appearance of the streets, as we rode through them,
was singular. The stores and houses were closed, and scarcely a person
was to be seen. It was evidently the much respected hour of siesta.
Clouds of the fine white dust of the streets filled the air. It was like
entering a city in the desert of Barca.
I stopped at the “Hotel des Diligences,” which had been opened during my
absence; and though I could not but feel some compunctions at having
thus deserted the amiable Doña Michaelé, yet as she only kept her house
purely for the accommodation of strangers, I felt my defection to be
less serious. The new hotel was liberally supplied with all the natural
advantages that are necessary to make its inmates comfortable. It was,
in fact, _un hotel Français_, and reminded me strongly of those to be
met with upon the borders of Switzerland, which, I am right glad to see,
are finding their way into this province. Perhaps there is no part of
the world where the traveller is more at a loss for accommodations upon
the road, than in Yucatan.
The jaded horses being provided for, I, as is my wont, soon made myself
perfectly at home, and as happy as I could. I was not a little rejoiced
to find that the hotel was provided with a bathing-room, a luxury of
which I was not long in availing myself. I came out completely
renovated, and with all convenient speed swung myself into a hammock and
forgetfulness.
On Sunday I attended public worship at the cathedral. The bishop
delivered his last of an annual series of ten sermons. “Heaven” was the
subject of his discourse. The church was well filled; the ladies, of
course, and as usual, constituting a majority of the numerous assemblage
that attended. They looked exceedingly well, though I could reconcile
myself with difficulty to their seating themselves upon the cold stone
floor. The words of the bishop, at the remote position which I occupied
in the church, were indistinctly heard; and, therefore, I am unable to
give any opinion of their merits. One thing is certain, their author
looked the prelate to admiration. It was rather an ungentlemanly or
thoughtless act of the commanding officer on parade in the adjoining
square, to fire a feu-de-joie during the preaching. It had the effect of
putting to rout many of the congregation, and drowning the bishop’s
voice, very much to his discomfiture. I had entertained much doubt
respecting the popularity of the church among the higher order and the
better informed people of Yucatan, and this went far to establish it. It
is policy, however, to keep it up as it is—but such examples as this
have quite a contrary tendency.
For the last ten days the city has presented a singular aspect. Stores
have been closing and opening. Processions, military and ecclesiastical,
have been the order of the day. Images, of all sizes and distinctions,
have been paraded through the public streets, and the churches crowded
with women. Prayers were uttered aloud in the public thoroughfares of
the city; and places of most resort, filled with both sexes, arrayed in
suits of mourning. Government officers received indulgences, and all
public labor was suspended. It was the enacting of the scenic shows of
the death and rising of our Saviour. At half-past eight o’clock this
morning, all the bells (and here are not a few) were put in motion. The
Saviour had risen, and all was life—as life is in Merida!
My preparations for leaving Merida were completed. It was now late in
the evening, the last night of my stay at Merida; and José had hung
about, for one petty excuse or other, although he was sick, with an
affectionate reluctance to leave me for the last time. The cause was
almost too prominent to escape notice; and the remembrance of his little
frailties, and they were remarkably few, was at once buried in oblivion.
He wanted to accompany me home, but his health would not permit; and I
was obliged to forego the indulgence of his wishes, and my own
inclination to enjoy the advantage of his faithful services. The time
has been when I have parted from a good old horse with an agitated
bosom, and could less have been expected upon this occasion? The truth
must be told; we both shed tears. I felt sincerely sorry to part with
him. Poor José, God bless him! all I can do for him now is to give him
my kind wishes, and to speak of him as he is—and to say to my countrymen
who may visit Merida, that if they want a boy upon whom they can depend
to follow them faithfully through the world, José is the lad to do it.
On the 7th of April, after experiencing a touch of the fever, to which
all strangers are subjected in this country, I left Merida, by coach,
for Campeachy. It started at five o’clock in the morning, with three
passengers; an elderly woman and man and myself composing the load. The
team galloped off at the rate of ten miles the hour, and changed horses
every hour during the route. The coach was one of four which were
imported from Troy; and, as a sample, was well worthy of the high
reputation the Trojan carriages enjoy throughout the United States; but
the horses and harness were in shocking bad keeping.
The driver was an Indian; besides whom were two other attendants, who
were needed, for the unskilful hands of the Indian, and the wildness of
the horses, made the vehicle go on all sides of the road. It was no
uncommon occurrence, to be brought up against a stone wall at the side
of the road; and, in one instance, we were foul of an Indian hut, which
frightened the inmates to such a degree that they ran out, supposing it
to be an earthquake. By combining the skill and strength of our whole
party, we succeeded in getting the horses and coach again upon the
highway.
We stopped at a village to take breakfast, and passed through several
towns on the road, but they afforded nothing worthy of remark. The
country through which our route lay, presented the same aspect as other
parts we had visited. The fields were still covered with weeds, to burn
which the proprietors of the soil were only waiting for dry weather.
This is the only preparation the soil receives prior to sowing it. The
progress of the coach afforded us much amusement, by the fright which it
appeared to occasion to all animated nature in our way. This line of
coaches had been only a short time established, and its whirling along
among people and cattle, had a similar effect that a locomotive has
among the animals and their owners in the wilds of the far West. Nothing
would stand before it. Away went horse and rider, mule and packs, to
secure a safe retreat in the bushes, at the alarming sound of our
approach. Our arrival in the town brought out the whole population, and
the Indians would come round the coach aching with curiosity, their
countenances expressive both of fear and admiration.
Dinner was procured at a town called Zibackchen, and we remained here,
for the want of horses, during the night. Our dining apartment was a
billiard-room, where we sat down to a small table, four in all; our
conductor making one of the number. Our elderly male companion had
evidently seen better days. He was much soured at the appearance of the
viands placed before us; and well he might be, for, agreeably to my
recollections, they were shockingly bad, and dirty withal. There was but
one knife; and that was used for the purpose of scraping the forks; and
yet, the charges were most extravagant. This, too, is the depôt, under
the personal supervision of the owners of the coaches, as we understood;
the principal of whom is the Secretary of State! He, at least, ought to
know the fact, and cause the evil to be abated. If I were upon those
terms of intimacy that would warrant the freedom, with the kindliest
motives, I would not hesitate to inform him of the existence of this
crying evil. Our restiff fellow-passenger had spent some little time in
New York, and was continually drawing comparisons; and, in his vexation
at the things around him, expressed his opinion that Yucatan would never
excel that State. This was a point upon which I felt no great
disposition to cavil.
I walked through the town at four o’clock. The streets were deserted,
the houses closed, and the people in their hammocks. At five, men were
lounging about, and the ladies making their toilet, either at the
windows or doors. This is a large town, and well built; but not more
than one-half of the houses are occupied.
Early in the evening hammocks were slung in the billiard-room, (the
place that had been the scene of our recent dinner,) and all my
fellow-passengers and myself, without distinction of party or sex,
conductors and Indians, turned in for the night.
At four o’clock, next morning, we were called; chocolate was served, and
we were soon off by the light of—our cigars; our lady passenger keeping
up the supply from an ample depository in the folds of her hair. The
road was extremely stony, but it was now undergoing repairs and
improvements. We arrived at Campeachy at nine o’clock; a distance from
Merida of forty leagues, and were set down at the Traveller’s Hotel,
immediately in front of the bay. Here is a fine view of the open
roadstead, in which lie at anchor one Havana packet, and some four or
five schooners. Near the shore are a number of canoes, engaged in the
coasting trade.
[Illustration: CAMPEACHY.]
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