TRAVELS

CENTRAL AMERICA
INCLUDING ACCOUNTS OF SOME

Regions Unexplored since the Conquest
FROM T H E F R E N C H Of

THE CHEVALIEE AETHUR MORELET
BY MRS. M. F. SQUIER
Introduction and Notes by E. Geo. Squier.

NEW YOKE:
LEYPOLDT, HOLT & W I L L I A M S .
1871.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by
LEYPOLDT, HOLT & WILLIAMS,
I n the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.

T H E N E W YORK PRINTING COMPANY,

81, 83, and 85 Centre
N E W YORK.

St.,

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

CITY OF CAMPEACHY.
MAP,

.

.

Frontispiece.

.

.

.

to face page

.

.

RUINS O F PALENQUE,

HIEROGLYPHICS FOUND AT OCOSINGO,

64
to face

CARVINGS FOUND AT PALENQUE,
.

.

19

97
98

LAGOONS O F CAMPEACHY,

136

ISLAND O F P E T E N ,

.

194

T H E A T R E O F GUATEMALA,

306

T H E H I L L S AND T I E R R A TEMPLADA,
CITY O F GUATEMALA,

. *

. to face 325
to face 379

CONTENTS.
i.
THE

LAGOONS,

PAGB

Campeacfiy—Surrounding Scenery—Fruits and Flowers—Cazones—Currency—Insect pests—Antiquities—Physical features of Yucatan—Acalan—Population—Social animosities—Preparation for departure—The Mediterranean of the New "World
—Primitive Navigation—Canoas and Cayueos—Embarkation—Waiting for a
Ptsfci-s—Disappointment—Off at last—El Morro—Eoadstead of Geiba—Priestly pastimes—The father and his flock—Champoton—Eeminiscences of the Conquest—
Island of Carmen—Sterility of the soil—Character of the peopie—The town of Carmen—Picturesque suburbs—The manzanilla—Vegetable wealth—Misplaced melodies—Climate of Carmen—Aboriginal relics—Night thoughts—Lagoon of Terminos
—Hydrography of the country—The river Usumasinta—Fishes—Start for the interior—Scorpions—Entomology on a large scale—Sunset—Boca CMca—A. maze of
waters—Gigantic forests—Storm—River navigation—Animated nature—Ma de Pajaros—A Mosquito Malakofl>—Bio Viejo—Retrospects—Palizada—Spanish American hospitality—Origin of the town—Its trade—Inhabitants—Surrounding swamps
and their inmates—The jacana—Logwood cutting and peonage—Mangos—Palma
real—Varieties of fish and turtles—Rattlesnakes—The deadly nahuyaca
19

II.
THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

Departure from Palizada—Pozol—A Boat race—Alilates—Ortega—Night adventures
—Magnificent foliage—The chorcha—A jaguar—Mosquitos—The buho—The nahuyaca again—Remedies against snake bites—Fida—Lagoon of Catasaja—Forest
solitudes—Village of Las Playas—Town of Santo Domingo—Magnificent scenery—
A true philosopher—Primitive habits—Custodian of the ruins—Vandalism of travellers—Installation in the Palace of Palenque—Speculations—Origin of the ruins—
Voices of the night—Lost!—An escape—The hocco—Adieu to the Ruins—Geological discoveries—The end of an exile
65

III.
THE

WOODS

OF

CAMPEACHY.

Return to San Geronimo—The logwood tree—Dye-wood cuttings—The laborers—The
Mayoral—Absence of roads—Peonage—Cattle raising—Aguadoras—Hacienda life
—General improvidence—Natural history of the country—Remarkable frogs—
Passport troubles—The Indians—Their alleged inferiority—Their ancient civilization—Humane policy of the Spanish crown towards them—Their condition under
the new government—Retrogression—Indians of the Tierras Calientes—Their
mode of life—Moral development—Superstitions—Education—Social condition—
Local attachments—Food—Reserve before strangers—Improvidence and laws to

Vlli

CONTENTS.
PAGS

prevent it—The Mita—The Indians of Los Altos, or Highlands—Their superior intelligence and industry—The future of the Indians of Central America—Doubtful
prospects—Probable extinction of t h e Whites
113

IV.
THE

U S U M A S I N T A

R I V E R .

Diurnal storms—Ford of San Geroniino—Alligators—Deer—The coyol palm—Savannas—Unbroken solitudes—Balancan—The snake's bane, or
platanillo—Tumuli—
Improvidence of the people—Pearl fishing in fresh water—Rio San Pedro—Nigh*
on the river—Storm—Inflammatory tendencies of the system under the t r o p i c s L a Cabecera—An European recluse—Tenosique—Excessive heat—Rapids of t h e
Usumasinta—Boca del Cerro—Unconquered Indians—The great river—Sickness—
Departure for Peten—Reflections on t h e country and its inhabitants
18?

V.
THE

F O R E S T .

The mystery surrounding Peten—Departure from Tenosique—Arrieros—Absence of
. roads—Perils of the saddle—Thorns and their torments—Encampment—Regularity
of the seasons—Festival of Saint Isidore—Indian customs—The commissariat—
Cannibalism—A character—Don Diego de la Cueva—His adventures, and how h e •
came to be in Tenosique—The forest—Variety of vegetation—Vines and their peculiarities—Palm trees—Insignificance of man before the grandeur of nature—Reflections—The aristolochia
grandifiora—Multitudes
of coleoptera—Paso
del Monte
—Torrent of Yalchilan—Drouth of the country—Dolores—Emergence from the
forest—Savannas—A nameless lake—Sacluc—Aspect of t h e country—Vanilla—
Lake of Itza—Town of Flores—Reported death of Don Diego
167

VI.
P E T E N .
T h e Itzaes of Peten—An historical episode—Visit of Cortez—Reduction of the Itzaes
—Destruction of the aboriginal temples and idols—Change of name—Illness—Goodnatured officials—Medical experiences—The pedagogue of Flores—A school of
practical natural history—Grand h u n t for beasts and birds—Discovery of a new variety of the crocodile—Anight adventnre with the reptile—Convalescence—Picturesque views—The Island of Peten—Town of Flores—Houses of the inhabitants—
Lack of commerce—General poverty—Arcadian simplicity—The evening tertulia
Costume—Music—A formal ball—A model padre—The Marimba—Specimens
of
native music—The seclusion of Flores—Origin of its name—Hospitality—Death of
a stranger—Voyage on the lake—Beautiful shores—A sugar mill or trapecJie—Indian towns and their inhabitants—Extent of t h e lake—Its aboriginal name—Fishes
—Cave of Jobitsinal—Topography of the district—Its political relations—Soil and
productions—Ancient prosperity—Communications with Yucatan, etc.—Geographical ignorance—Belize—Utter isolation of the country—Navigable rivers—Climate
—Maladies—General ignorance—Food—Population—Wild beasts—Deer—Tapirs—
Rabbits—Geomys mexicana—Birds—Reptiles—Fishes
again—Freaks of nature under the tropics—Insects—The nigua—Antiquities—Lake
Yax-Haa—Ruins on its
Islands—Terra-cottas—Mythical cities—Preparations for departure
135

CONTENTS.

IX

VII.
T H E

H I L L S .

PAGH

Departure from Flores—The gift of the corregidor—In the saddle once more—The Savannas—Junteccholol—Voices of t h e night—Morning mists—Early reminiscences
—El Julek—The corrosol palm—King of the forest—Eancho of
Qhal—Wayfarers—
Eiver San Juan—Hacienda of Yax-Jie—Aspect
of the country—Division of t h e
waters—Lack of historical interest in the country—Among the hills—The calabash
—Detestable roads—Mahogany trees—Tierra fria—Town
of Dolores—Historical
episode—Pine forests—Peculiar climate of Dolores—Temperature—Fishes and reptiles—Singularities of the Indians—Their love of seclusion—Fruits—The avocate,
or alligator pear—The flora de la calentura—SGnvcity
of food—/The traveller's
fare—Mules and their intelligence—More magnificent palms—Parasitic plants—
Eiver Machaquilan—Change in t h e aspect of the country—Great pines—Town of
Poptun—Storm—More
bad roads—San Luis—The "governor"—The Indians—Their
aversion to agriculture—Excellent cacao—Annual religion—Justice in deshabille
—Indian oratory—Con etiological achievements—Venomous reptiles—Eattlesnakes
—Lizards—A shock to popular prejudices
247

VIII.
A D V E N T U R E

IN

THE

F O R E S T .

Indian porters—How t h e y are secured—A drunken revel—Departure from San Luis
—Order of march—Arrangements for t h e night—Our Indian guides—Their character and habits—Character of the country—Night in t h e forest—Bad roads—Eemarkable vegetation—Eio Santa Isabel—The peccary—Native provisions for travel
—Costume for w e t weather—Sagacity of the boa—The wood partridge—Eancho of
Chiehac—ISative physicians—Primitive lancets—Gloomy forests—Absence of life
—Footprints of the Lacandones—Night in a cavern—Dry bed of a lake—Station of
Campamac—Difficult
ascents—Eio Chimuclmcli—Natural
bridge—An encounter
—Sinister visitors—Apprehensions—Desertion of guides—Consultations—The interpreter found—Diplomacy—Eecovery of guides—Eejoicings—Eesumption of
journey—The summit of Leagua—Magnificent
prospect—Distant view of Cahabon
—Descent into the plain—Town ofCahabon—The cura—Housed in the c o n v e n t . . . . 281

IX.
THE

C A V E R N .

Cahabon—Picturesque views—Climate—Character of the people—Language—Physical traits—Costume—Marriage customs—The foundation of Cahabon—Zeal of t h e
early missionaries—Organization of the Christianized towns—Policy of the Dominicans—Eestraints of their code—Eetrogression of the Indians—Decline in n u m bers—The mechanic arts—Lack of commerce—The cura Balduini—Departure for
Lanquin—Character
of the intervening country—Alpine scenery—Grand reception
—Lanquin, its people and their peculiarities—Eemarkable cavern—El DuenO de la
Cu&oa—Nature's laboratory—Human relics—Indian superstitions—Sierra of Lanquin—Farewells!—Eesumption of journey to Coban
' . . . 30J

CONTENTS.

X

X.
LA

T I E R R A

T E M P L A D A .

PAGB

Review of Eoute—The table lands—Vast maize fields—Difficulties of the road—Public ranehos—Travellers'
offerings—Fondness of the Indians for fermented drinks—
Improved condition of t h e country—San Pedro Carcha—First view of Coban—
Beautiful approach—Liquid amber trees—Delightful climate—Productions—Plaza
of Coban—An embowered city—Hedge-rows—Population—Character of the people
—Industry and the arts—Costumes—Castes—The Ladinos—Pleasing
reminiscences
—An El Dorado for Naturalists—Birds—The imperial quetzal—Traditions
concerning it—Shells—Significant Indian names—The chase—New aspects of the forest—
Tree ferns—Hunting the quetzal—Monkeys—Mountains—Distant
volcanoes—Magnificent view—Health of Coban—Fruits and vegetables—The bananna—Coffee—
Commerce of Cobifo—The wilds of Chisec—Refugee Indians—The Bishop Las Casas—Tierra de Guerra—Eeduction
of the country—Change in its name—Foundation of Coban—Arms of the city—Teachings of its founders—Religious reminiscences
—The great church—Negro santos—Church
of Calvario—Confidences—A sentimental episode—Juana—Growth of an attachment—An illusion dispelled—Abrupt
departure from Coban—Juana's epistle
325

XI.
THE
C O R D I L L E R A S .
E o u t e from Coban to Guatemala—Difficulties of a start—Meteorological phenomena
—Town of Santa Cruz—Flowers—Town of Taltick—Tierra helada—The
Dona
Ana Guzman—A Taltick school and schoolmaster—Scanty fare—Sybaritic beds—
Valley of Fatal—Santa
Rosa—Mountain roads—Salama—A fiesta—Sugar estate
and refinery—A deserter—A caravansary—Work and wages—Armed travellers—
Rare plants—Solfatares—Hot springs—A precocious child—Motagua river—Suspension bridge—Pendant mosses—Storm and suffering—Glimpse of Guatemala—
Fording rivers—Chinauta—Ascent of the plateau of Guatemala—Entrance into
the city—Gloomy prospects—A good Samaritan—New use for a table cover
855

XII.
G U A T E M A L A .
Eain—Out again—Disappointed emigrants—View of plate'au and city—Giant volcanoes—Dangerous fort—Dreariness of the environs—Streets of the city—The grand
plaza—Public
buildings—Great fountain—The cathedral—Its treasures—Sculptures—Indigenous school of art—Paintings—Church of Santo Domingo—La Merced—San Francisco—Hospital—The cemetery—Strange burial ceremonies—Reminiscences of Spain—University of San Carlos—Ancient books—The F r a y Ximenes
—Mythical Academy of Natural History—The Economical Society—Gloomy aspect
of the city—Its flora—The curse of bells—Habits of the people—Serenos—Indian
women—Carrera—The public market—The massacre of 1840—The plateau of Guatemala—Absence of water—Aqueducts—Irrigation—Building materials—Plan of
dwellings—Rude furniture—Gardens—Horticulture—Uniformity in mode of life
—Absence of social enjoyments—Traits of the better classes—The women—Religious ceremonies—Food and meals—Cereals—The agave
amerieana—Pulque—
Costume—Theatre—Lack of hotels—Mesones—Education—General
demoralization
—The mechanical arts—Interior commerce—Foreign trade—Political condition—
Rafael Carrera—His origin—Rise to power—Character—Parallel with Rosas—Not
quite a presentation—The army—Visit to the Pacific—Morin—Conclusion..*.
379

INTEODUCTION.
WHOEVER glances at the map of Central America will observe
a vast region, lying between Cbiapas, Tabasco, Yucatan, and the
Republic of Guatemala, and comprising a considerable part of each
of those States, which, if not entirely a blank, is only conjecturally
filled up with mountains, lakes, and rivers. It is almost as unknown as the interior of Africa itself. We only know that it is
traversed by nameless ranges of mountains, among which the
great river Usumaainta gathers its waters from a thousand tributaries, before pouring them, in a mighty flood, into the Lagoon of
Terminos, and the Gulf of Mexico. We know that it has vast
plains alternating with forests and savannas; deep valleys where
tropical nature takes her most luxuriant forms, and high plateaus
dark with pines, or covered with the delicate tracery of arborescent ferns. We know that, it conceals broad and beautiful lakes,
peopled with fishes of new varieties, and studded with islands
which support the crumbling yet still imposing remains of aboriginal architecture and superstition. And we know, also, that the
remnants of the ancient Itzaes, Lacandones, Choles, and Manches,
those indomitable Indian families who successfully resisted the
force of the Spanish arms, still find a shelter in its fastnesses,
where they maintain their independence, and preserve and practise the rites and habits of their ancestors as they existed before
the Discovery. Within its depths, far off on some unknown
tributary of the Usumasinta, the popular tradition of Guatemala

xii

INTRODUCTION.

and Chiapas places that great aboriginal city, with its white walls
shining like silver in the sun, which the cura of Quiche affirmed
to Mr. Stephens he had seen, with his own eyes, from the tops of
the mountains of Quesaltenango.
It is a region, therefore, of singular interest, appealing equally
to the geographer, the student of natural history, the antiquary
and the ethnologist. And lying, moreover, almost at our own
doors, rich in its resources and tempting in its natural wealth, it
must soon appeal to that restless spirit of enterprise and commercial activity which, not content with its past triumphs, longs for
new conquests and a wider field of exercise.
It is true that Cortez traversed a great part of this vast region
in his adventurous march from Mexico into Honduras. For nearly
two years he struggled among its deep morasses and almost impassable rivers, through its untracked wildernesses and over its high and
desert mountains, with almost superhuman courage and endurance.
But his brief letter to the King of Spain, giving an account of his
adventures, affords us only a faint notion of the country, and no
very clear ideas of its people. He reached the mysterious Lake
of the Itzaes, and left there his wounded horse, the image of which,
nearly two centuries later, the Spaniards found elevated to the
rank of a god, and invested with the powers which control the
thunder and the lightning. It was into this region, called by the
ominous name of Tierra de Guerra, the Land of War, that the
pious and devoted Las Casas,when the arms of Spain had failed,
endeavored, but with imperfect success, to carry the symbol of the
cross. Many an enthusiastic missionary found among its implacable inhabitants the crown of martyrdom. In vain did the Church
seek to bring it under the shadow of the faith, and plant the cross
on its savage mountains. Equally in vain did the royal cedulas
urge on the Audiencia of Guatemala, and the Governors of Yucatan the necessity of reducing it under the real as well as the nom

INTRODUCTION.

xiii

inal authority of the crown. Expedition after expedition was fitted
out in accordance with the imperial mandate, only to be utterly
cut off or driven back in disaster. and dismay. Nor was it until
near the close of the seventeenth century, in 1698, that the combined forces of the surrounding provinces were able to reduce the
famous stronghold of the Itzaes in Peten, and break down the
temples in which, until then, the religious rites of the people who
built the massive structures of Uxmal and Chichen-itza had been
kept up in all their primitive pomp and significance. The history
of this reduction was written by the chronicler Villagutierre with
all the minute detail, and in the spirit of Froissart and the historians of the Middle Ages; but it only exists in parchment cerements, and under the seal of a strange tongue, in the libraries of
the curious and the learned. But since he wrote, down to the
present day, neither historian nor traveller, priest nor soldier, have
ventured into the sinister region which resisted with equal success
the power of the Spanish arms and the still more formidable influences of the Catholic faith. The little knowledge once possessed of the country has been lost; the very names of its people,
once the terror of the adjacent colonies, have almost passed from
the memory of the present generation, and the Spanish establishments themselves, which /the genius of Ursua pushed forward into
the disputed territory, have been left to almost utter isolation and
forgetfulness.
Occasional references to the. country, in books of travel, or in
the transactions of learned societies, which have served rather to
show how small is our knowledge, than to add to our information,
are all that has been presented to the world concerning it, since
the days of Cortez and Ursua.* M. Waldeck skirted it in the
* Yery soon after the independence of the Spanish American colonies,
and before the exact relations of the several territories became established,

XIV

INTRODUCTION.

directions of Tabasco and Yucatan, and Mr. Stephens on the side
of Guatemala, but neither ventured into its interior. They heard
fearful accounts of the ferocity of its incommunicative inhabitants,
and have repeated to us the tragical stories connected with the
fate of the few daring adventurers whom tradition reports as having undertaken to solve the mystery of its fastnesses. Even in
Guatemala itself, within the nominal jurisdiction of which the
greater part of the unknown country in question is included, only
the vaguest notions exist of the remote district of Peten, and of the
great Lake of Itza, on an island of which, and on the site of the
metropolis of the Itzaes, Ursua founded a town which is now a
political dependency of the republic. Separated by one hundred
and fifty-six leagues of distance, involving a journey of twentynine days, ten of which are through an unbroken wilderness
which can only be traversed on foot, across rivers frequently unfordable, and wide tracts of country often inundated, and over
mountains so steep, that in some places they can only be ascended
Mexico disputed the political jurisdiction of Peten with Guatemala, and sent
thither a commissioner, Don Domingo Fajardo, who penetrated to its frontier
from the direction of Campeachy. He was unsuccessful in his mission, and
on his return published a report to his government, entitled Informe de Senor
Don Domingo Fajardo, dirigido al Gooerno Supremo de Mejico : Campeachy,
1828. This report, however, contains but little concerning the country. Some
years later, the district was visited by Colonel Juan Galindo, an officer of the
old republic of Central America, who wrote a letter from the town of Flores,
giving a brief account of the river Usumasinta, with some remarks on the Indians living on its banks. It was published in the Journal of the Eoyal Geographical Society of London, vol. iii -, pp. 5G-64. A subsequent letter, from Colonel Galindo, dated from Palenque, and published in the Bulletin de la Societe
de Geographie de Paris, for the year 1832, p. 198, gives an account of some
of the ancient monuments'of the district of Peten which fell under his notice. •
but neither this nor his previous letter from Flores, gives us any clear or satisfactory information concerning the country. To these sketches, it only remains to add the Memoir of the Pray Alonzo de Escobar, reproduced in the
Appendix to this volume, in order to exhaust the limited bibliography of tho
subject.

INTRO D U CTION.

XV

by rude ladders formed by notching the trunks of forest trees, and
placing them against the declivities, to say nothing of the total
absence of shelter and provisions, and the danger of attack from
hostile Indians—in view of these circumstances, it is not surprising that even that part of the country which is under a qualified
Spanish authority, is in all essential respects a terra incognita, and
has so long escaped the explorations of travellers.
How long it would have remained a terra incognita, had its
exploration and illustration depended exclusively on the people
and governments of the surrounding States, it is not worth while
to inquire. The darkness which enshrouded it would probably
have been permitted to thicken and become more and more profound, had not the author of the following volume crossed the
Atlantic, and plunging boldly into its recesses, brought it, with its
physical characteristics, its quaint people, and its natural history,
within the circle of modern knowledge, and under the light of
modern intelligence.
Within a few years M. ARTHUR MORELET, a French gentle-

man of leisure and extensive scientific acquirements, conceived
the idea of exploring this secluded and unknown region. His
project was encouraged by the Institute, and was successfully accomplished. He next paid a visit to Gautemala, and returned
to France with a most extensive and valuable collection of objects
and specimens, in every branch of natural history, and with
abundant notes on the country and its people. His collection was
deposited in the Museum of Paris, and was found to be made up
of many new and rare varieties of animals, reptiles, insects, and
plants, which were described in the Comte Rendu of the Institute,
and in the various scientific publications of the day. But his geographical observations, and the information which he had collected
in his travels, on subjects of more general and popular interest, were
allowed to remain locked up in his own mind and in the notes of
1*

XVI

I N TROD U C T I 0 N .

his explorations, until, recently, he was prevailed upon to present
them to the world. But even then his modesty of character led
him to prefer a private publication to a public issue, whence it
has resulted that in France itself, his work, entitled, u VOYAGE
DANS L'AMERIQUE CENTRALE, L'ILE DE CUBA, ET L'YUCATAN," in

two volumes of 337 and 330 pages respectively, is little known
beyond the circle of his individual acquaintances and personal
friends. Yet it is far too varied and important, and has too clear
an appeal to American interests, to be allowed to remain in the
comparative obscurity to which the mistaken delicacy of its author would condemn it. In presenting the work, however, in an
English translation, it should be explained that the chapters containing an account of M. Morelet's voyage across the Atlantic,
and his tour through the island of Cuba, have been omitted, as of
subordinate interest and importance. His narrative is taken up
from the point where, departing from Campeachy, he really entered on untrodden ground, and commenced the series of original explorations ' recounted in this volume, which are second
in extent and value to none that have been carried out through
individual enterprise, on this continent, during the present
century.
They cover the vast delta of the Usumasinta, extending to the
ruins of Palenque on the west, and thence eastward to the singular terrestrial basin of the mysterious Lake of Itza or Peten..
From this centre they were extended southward, through a vast
wilderness, and the hitherto untraversed and undescribed province
of Vera Paz, to the city of Guatemala—comprising altogether a
journey of upwards of three hundred leagues, in considerable
part performed on foot, and under difficulties and exposures of a
formidable character. In conjunction with the explorations of
Messrs. Waldeck and Stephens in Chiapa and Yucatan, and of
other later investigators to the southward, in Honduras, San Sal*

xvii

INTROD UCTION.

vador, Nicaragua, and Costa Bica,* those of M. Morelet were
necessary to a complete view of Central America, using t h a t designation in a geographical sense, as including that portion of t h e
continent lying between t h e Isthmus of Tehuantepec and that of
Darien.

W e have now a very good general knowledge of this

important and interesting region taken as a whole, and a very
accurate and detailed account of many of its parts, and it cannot
be doubted that the share which M. Morelet has taken in its exploration and illustration, will meet with t h a t recognition and credit,
on this side of the Atlantic, due to his zeal and intelligence.
E.

GEO.

SQUIER.

NEW YORK, January, 1871.

* The titles of the principal works referred to here are as follows :
1.—Voyage Pittoresque et Archeologique dans le Province d'Tucatan
(Amerique Centrale) pendant les Annees 1834 et 1836, par Frederick de "Waldeck. Paris, 1838.
2.—Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapa, and Yucatan, by John
L. Stephens. 2 vols. New York, 1841.
3.—Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, by John L. Stephens. 2 vols. New
York, 1843.
4.—Nicaragua; Its People, Scenery, Monuments, and Proposed Interoceanic
Canal, by E. G. Squier. 2 vols. New York, 1852.
5.—History of Yucatan from its discovery to the close of seventeenth century, by C. St. John Fancourt. London, 1854.
6.—Die Republik Costa Rica in Central Amerika, etc., von Dr. Moritz "Wagner und Dr. Carl Scherzer. Leipzig, 1856.
7.—"Waikna, or Adventures on the Mosquito Shore, by E. G. Squier. New
York, 1S56.
8.—Travels in the Free States of Central America, Nicaragua, Honduras,
and San Salvador, by Dr. Carl Scherzer (from the German). London, 1857.
9.—Explorations and Adventures in Honduras, etc., by William V. "Wells.
New York, 1857.
10.—The States of Central America; their Geography, Topography, Climate, Population, etc., etc., by E. G. Squier. New York, 1858.
11.—Seven Years' Travel in Central America, Northern Mexico, etc., by
Julius Froebel (from the German). London, 1859.

TheMajorJO^ppTji^%ilTJtU(kilBnwtlwa^SI

TEAYELS I I CENTRAL AMERICA.
i.
T

H

E

L.

^

<3

O

O

JNT

S.

Campeachy—Surrounding Scenery—Fruits and Flowers—Oazones—Currency—Insect
pests—Antiquities—Physical features Qf Y u c a t a n — A c a l a n — Population—Social animosities—Preparation for departure—The Mediterranean of t h e N e w World—Primitive Navigation—Canoas and Gayucos—Embarkation—Waiting
for a Padre—Disappointment—Off at last—El Morro—Roadstead
of Ceiba—Priestly
pastimes—
T h e father and his
flock—Champoton—Keminiscences
of the Conquest—Island of
Carmen—Sterility of the soil—Character of t h e people—The town of Carmen—
Picturesque suburbs—The manzanilla—Vegetable
wealth—Misplaced melodies—
Climate of Carmen—Aboriginal relics—Night thoughts—Lagoon of Terminos—
Hydrography of t h e country—The river Usumasinta—Fishes—Start for the interior—Scorpions—Entomology on a large scale—Sunset—Boca Ohica—A maze
of waters—Gigantic forests—Storm—Kiver navigation—Animated
nature—Isla
de Pajaros—A
Mosquito MalakofF—Rio
Viejo—Eetrospects—Palizada—Spanish
American hospitality—Origin of the town—Its trade—Inhabitants—Surrounding
swamps and their inmates—The jaeana—Logwood
cutting and peonage—Mangos—
Palma real—Varieties of fish and turtles—Rattlesnakes—The deadly
nahuyaca.

NEXT to Merida, Campeachy is the principal city of Yucatan. As a town it has nothing remarkable to distinguish it,
except perhaps the triple line of crenated walls by which it
is surrounded. Its principal square is simply ugly, its cathedral is mean, and it is without a single monument worthy of
the attention of the traveller. But it is pervaded throughout
by a spirit of order and repose which contrasts strongly and
favorably with the ostentatious negligence of cities like Havana. Nature, furthermore, has given it a position unsurpassed
in riant beauty by that of any other city of tropical America.
Nothing can be more charming than its environs, where a population of ten thousand souls are dispersed beneath the shad-

20

THE

LA GO O N S .

ows of a magnificent vegetation, which extends from the shore,
studded with palms, back to the amphitheatre of green hills
which circles round the inland horizon. From the heights of
la Uminencia, whence the Mexican artillery cannonaded the
city in 1843, one may form a very clear idea of the place and
its surroundings; but to comprehend fully its natural beauties
of position, it is necessary to climb the hill of San Francisco
at sunset. From this point, the whole plain is mapped out
before the delighted spectator, whose eye traverses a panorama
of white houses, cultivated fields, and emerald verdure, terminated by the blue rim of the Gulf, against which the towers
of the town and its indented walls stand out with surprising
sharpness. From here also, may be traced all the windings of
the river San Francisco, to which geographers have given an
imaginary importance, and which they have wrongly placed to
the westward of the town.^
* M. "Waldeck, who-visited Campeachy in 1835, mentions a curious fact
connected with the city which seems to have escaped the notice of other
travellers. It is that the calcarious rock which underlies it was mined by the
ancient inhabitants, in every direction, so that the entire town stands over a
series of subterranean vaults, something like those under Paris, on the left bank
of the Seine. ; 'It is difficult to say," continues M. "Waldeck, "if these ancient quarries or galleries were what tradition represents, the abodes of the
people by whom they were excavated. Certain it is, they bear no marks
of smoke nor other evidences of occupation by man. What seems most
probable is, that, at least in some of their parts, they were catacombs or
depositories of the dead. I was supported in this supposition by observing a
number of horizontal openings in the walls of the various chambers, seven
feet in depth, and about twenty inches in diameter, which seem to have been
designed for the reception of the dead. The inhabitants of Campeachy themselves do not know the extent and windings of these gloomy galleries, the
roofs of which often break through, occasioning serious damage. Such an occurrence took place but a short time previous to my visit, in the middle of the
street del Mottle. Fortunately the gallery which fell in, did not extend under
the neighboring houses, so that the damage was not great."—{Voyage dans
V Yucatan, p. 10.) In another place, M. Waldeck mentions that good water is
not to be obtained in Campeachy, except from cisterns in which it is collected
during the season of the rains. This circumstance, taken in connection with
the well-known fact that the ancient inhabitants of Yucatan often constructed

FRUITS

AND

FLOWERS.

21

Near the gate of Santa Ana is a fine promenade, lined
with orange trees which are attended to with a degree of care
hardly to be looked for in a place surrounded by so many
natural walks of greatest bea.uty. The cultivation of fruits
and flowers, however, is by no means common. They are left
to the unaided production of nature, who lavishes them, at
certain periods of the year, in boundless profusion. But I
was unfortunate in the time of my visit, and found but few
flowers of interest or beauty in bloom. Among these, however,
studding the hedges, were the fibrous cleomecz, and along the
beach the anthemis, with its fragrant leaves, the square-stalked
thistle, and a kind of cactus, \h& jjitaya^ which climbs the trunks
of adjacent trees, and suspends its flowers and fruits from
their branches—the most beautiful, and in fruit the most luscious, among all the numerous varieties of this plant; and
finally the Mexican poppy, a kind of papaveracece peculiar to
the tropics, suspending its golden petals in the streets of the
city. Among the fruits most abundant were the caimito and
the anona^ both of which were new to me. The first named
is round, of the size of an apple, with a smooth skin of a violet color, red pulp, and a taste like that of the strawberry.
The tree which produces it (chrys. ophillum of Jacq.) is
distinguished by its leaves, which are of lustrous green on
their upper, and rusty brown on their inferior surfaces. The
anona {a. muricata, L.) belongs to a numerous family of delicious fruits which abound under the tropics, and which have
no analogy with any of those of our climates.' The kind to
which I now refer, from its form and color, has received in
the French colonies the name of coaur de boeuf, or ox-heart.
The rind is thin, covering a white, unctuous pulp of a peculiar but delicious taste, which leaves on the palate a flavor of
perfumed cream.
vast subterranean reservoirs, or senotes, for water, may throw some light on
the origin and purposes of the excavations under the city.—T.

22

THE

LAGOONS.

We found in Campeachy a passable inn. Its fare was the
best which the country afforded; but, on the very first day, my
suspicions were aroused as to the nature of a certain dish
which occupied a conspicuous place on the table, and which
the cook said was the flesh of the cazon. Further than this,
he was not inclined to be communicative. The same afternoon,
however, as I strolled along the beach, I observed a fisherman
towing behind his boat some variety of sea monster which
I almost instinctively connected with the suspicious dish at
the inn. " Pray tell me," I inquired, " what fishes are
those ?" The man looked up in astonishment, and when I reiterated the question, replied, " Why, do n't you see that they
are cazones?"
" Hold, my friend," I interrupted, "your
cazones are veritable sharks !" But my fisherman was in no
degree surprised at the announcement; he only shrugged his
shoulders, ejaculated " como no?"—why not?—and went on
with his work. I was not long in finding out that sharks of
all kinds and colors constitute a prime article of food in Campeachy, where they are eaten fresh and salt, roast, fried, and
stewed, in all forms and on all occasions. And to avoid exciting alarm or shocking a prejudice which strangers may have
in regard to them, the word tiburon, which is the true Spanish for shark, has been banished from the gastronomic vocabulary of the good people of Campeachy! I subsequently
visited the public square, and there, among the fruits and fowls
and vegetables offered for sale by long files of Indian women
seated on the ground, I still found the inevitable cazon, the
monarch of the market! He should be emblazoned on the
arms of the city.
In the larger part of Spanish America the smallest coin
is the medio, equal to about six cents. But in Campeachy,
where silver is scarce and relatively of greater value, the medio is not sufficiently small to meet the wants of petty trade.
So they cut it in halves and quarters, the first called cuartillos,

CLIMATE — I N S E C T S — A N T I Q U I T I E S .

23

and the latter chicas. After the chicas, the grains of the
cacao come in to balance exchanges, in the proportion of from
80 to 160 grains to the medio, according to the crop—five
grains being the lowest expression of the monetary system.
The climate of Campeachy is hot, and during the rainy
season insalubrious, the principal complaints being intermittent fevers, and occasionally the terrible vomito or yellow fever.
Both town and country are furthermore infested by insects,
which multiply prodigiously under the combined influences of
heat and humidity. Roaches, scorpions, centipedes, and mosquitos throng everywhere; the latter especially in such numbers, as to render many parts of the coast absolutely uninhabitable. The forests too, are full of a variety of ticks (Ixodes)
called garrapatas, which bury their heads and claws under the
skin so deeply as to render their removal impossible, without
leaving some portion of their body behind to fret and fester in
the flesh. On their native bushes they are thin and meagre
in the extreme, not nearly as thick as a grain of flax seed, but
when they fasten themselves on men or animals, they soon fill
themselves up with blood, and become round as a bead, with
only little projections in the place of feet, and another scarcely
perceptible projection indicating their mouth. Then they are
helpless as drunken gluttons, and fall an easy prey to the first
barn-yard fowl that comes along. They can not endure tobacco, and if the exposed parts of the person be washed with
an infusion of the plant, their attacks may pretty certainly
be prevented. Alcohol has nearly the same effect in keeping
them off, or in detaching them after they have fastened on the
body. *
There existed in Campeachy, at the time of my visit, a
* This enumeration of the reptiles and insects which infest Campeachy,
quite justifies the native name of the country, which, according to Waldeck,
> derived from the Maya can or cam, serpent, and petche, garapata.—T.
s

24

THE

LAGO ONS .

valuable' collection of American antiquities, got together by
two intelligent priests, the brothers Comacho. Among the
interesting specimens which it contained, were many earthen
figures and vases, still retaining traces of paint and varnish, instruments of music, numerous articles of ornament, axes and
lance heads in silex and obsidian, etc., etc. A n examination
of these articles convinced me that the plastic art and skill in
design, among the ancient people of Yucatan, were much in
arrear, even at the time when architecture had reached a remarkable degree of development. The most interesting article
in the collection, and one considered by the Campeachy archaeologists as commemorating an actual event, was a group in
terra-cotta, representing a man, naked with the exception of a
cincture around his loins, holding in one hand a cord bound
around the arms of another figure, apparently that of a criminal, who kneels before him in an attitude of resignation, while
in his other upraised hand, he holds an axe or sword, edged
with flints, as if about to strike. Besides these, there are two
other figures; one that of a magistrate or judge, easily recognized by his various insignia of office, and the other a young
girl, who does not appear to have reached the age of puberty.
As it is well known that in Yucatan, as also in Mexico, the
aboriginal law punished with death any forcible attempt
against young virgins ; it is not difficult to divine the significance of the group. The figures are in red clay, well burned,
and of tolerable workmanship. This interesting relic was
found in a tomb, at some distance in the interior, by the side
of a skeleton, of which I saw the skull. I t had a notch near
its base, which it may be supposed was made in the act of decapitation.
But among the objects to which the pious brothers more
especially directed my attention, were some arrows which had
pierced an English traveller, who had undertaken to journey
overland to Peten. They were still marked with his blood.

WANT

OF

PORTS.

25

I afterward learned that the name of the unfortunate man was
Brown, and that his murderers were not the ferocious Indians
who figured in the legend told about him in Campeachy, but
two Spaniards of Tabasco, who, to obtain possession of a diamond of which they believed him to be the possessor, waylaid him in the forest, and killed him with arrows, in order to
divert suspicion. They found no diamond, but only a small
sum of money, which they hid at the foot of a tree, whence it
was taken by a third bandit, who had watched their movements.
I encountered the assassins at Palizada, where they were living undisturbed, engaged in speculations in logwood, notwithstanding that their guilt was well known to the authorities.
My stay in Yucatan was * not sufficiently long, nor my
travels in it sufficiently extended, to justify me in saying
much about the country or its inhabitants. Although the
peninsula occupies a happy position at the entrance of the
Mexican Gulf, not far from the great commercial centres of
the New World, nature has denied it an essential condition of
development and commercial prosperity, namely, good harbors.
A single port, that of Laguna, on the island of Carmen, and a
single river, the Usurnasinta, both situated at the extreme
western corner of the State, are alone worthy of mention.
Yet the one will only admit vessels of light tonnage, and the
other barely touches on a distant and almost unknown portion
of its territory. The coast bordering on the Gulf is uniformly
plain, except on the west, where it is relieved by little sierras
which only extend into the sea to form shoals, on which the
surf beats in an unbroken and almost impassable line. Here
the sea is shallow, and the anchorage bad. On the side of the
Atlantic the shore is lined with a succession of little islands
and reefs, through which approach is equally difficult and dangerous. As a consequence of all these disadvantages, navigation
is almost impossible,^nd commerce is reduced to a petty coasting trade, which barely meets the necessities of the country.
2

26

THE

LAGOONS.

Going inland, we find, as we approach the undefined limits
of Guatemala and Tabasco, only a wooded solitude, frequently
destitute of water, which separates the peninsula from the body
of the continent. It is, nevertheless, in this direction that
we must look for the ancient fertile province of Acalan, and
the ruins of that industrious city, peopled with merchants,
who chose the ablest among themselves for rulers, and who,
at the time of the visit of Cortez, extended their traffic to the
utmost limits of Central America.^
There still exists, in that direction, a road or trail leading
to Peten, through a labyrinth of gigantic forests, but as it
terminates in a poor country, with a scant population, utterly
isolated from the world, it confers no benefit on Yucatan.
Yet in spite of all these deficiencies, the State, under a wise
government, has, until lately, maintained a respectable position in the Mexican confederation ; but now it seems as if internal discord and a war of castes may soon reduce it to the
miserable condition of its unfortunate sisters.
In ancient times, when the population was much larger
than now, it was very equably diffused over the country; but
since the conquest it has gradually concentrated on the side of
the Gulf, notwithstanding that the soil in that direction is
poorest and the country generally possessed of fewer resources. This has probably resulted, less from calculation or
predilection, than from the ancient restrictions on commerce,
inducing a system of contrabandage, for which this coast is
most favorable. The country may therefore be divided into
two districts, of unequal populations, separated from each
other by a chain of hills which commences at the little bay of
Champoton, and extends obliquely across the peninsula to Sal* The commerce of Acalan, according to the early chroniclers, consisted in
cotton, cacao, slaves, shells, resins and perfumes to be burnt in the temples,
fat pine to be burnt for light, colors and dyes for use in festivals and in war,
etc., etc.

PHYSICAL

ASPECT

OF

COUNTRY.

27

amanca, where it terminates. We know but little of the terrestrial basin of Peten, but we know that to the east of it
the country is better watered, less stony and more fertile. In
the direction of Tabasco the country becomes level, and as we
approach the Lagoon of Terminos assumes a new and peculiar
character. Here it is only a wide alluvion, traversed by numerous rivers, and interspersed with marshes, entitling it to
the designation of the Delta of Yucatan. This delta is full
of precious woods, which gave their name to the town of Campeachy, once the principal entrepot of the logwood trade, as
is attested by the story of the filibuster Grandmont, who, in
1684, after surprising the place, burnt more than a million
logs of the wood which he found there, as a grand bonfire in
honor of St. Louis! The subsequent establishment of the
port of Laguna, on the island of Carmen, deprived Campeachy of this traffic, which is now almost exclusively carried
on through the Lagoon of Terminos.
Except within the narrow limits which I have indicated,
Yucatan is dry and sterile ; so much so that the aborigines
were obliged to profit by the cavernous nature of the country for their supply of water, which, disappearing rapidly
from the surface, was collected in vast subterranean reservoirs
called senotes. Without this natural and providential provision, the country would have been uninhabitable. The senotes,
however, are not always wholly natural. Many have been
vastly extended, if indeed they were not entirely excavated by
man. That of Bolonchen, for example, astonishes us with its
vastness, and the great extent and complication of its galleries.
The Spaniards have in no respect equalled the great public
works of utility of their predecessors.
The census of 1846 gives 546,000 as the population of
the peninsula, aside from a large number of nomads who fled
from the registration, estimated at from 30,000 to 40,000.
This is only about twelve inhabitants to the square mile. Most

28

THE

LAGOONS.

of these are Indians, who, notwithstanding three centuries of
contact with their conquerors, still maintain their blood pure.
They constitute the entire laboring population of the country ;
trade and most of the mechanical arts being in the hands of
foreigners, (chiefly European Spaniards), and the Creoles. A
deep antipathy exists between these two classes, and is equally
strong if not as demonstrative between the Indians and the
whole race of foreigners and mixed bloods.^
To return to myself and my voyage. It was now the
early part of March, and the mean range of the thermometer
was from 82° to 84° of Fahrenheit; often reaching 98° during
the day. The sun shone down from a brazen sky, and the
reflection of its rays from the burning stones of the streets,
and the white walls of the city, becanie insupportable. Furthermore, I began to experience the pernicious influence of
the climate; my limbs were oppressed with indescribable languor ; my appetite diminished, and a feverish tendency was
manifested in every part of my system. These symptoms
would have roused me to movement, even if my interests and
feelings had been averse. But all combined to hasten my
departure. As Campeachy was the last point where I could
hope to obtain conveniences for my expedition, I improved
my time in making such preparations as my experience suggested were necessary. I exchanged my trunks for two boxes
of equal size and weight, which, slung the first on one side and
the second on the other, would make a fair load for a mule. I
next abandoned every article, whether of clothing or conveni* Since M. Morelet traveled in Yucatan, these antipathies have broken
out in hostilities and a bloody and unrelenting war of castes, which have resulted in the establishment of a de facto aboriginal authority over the whole
country except the large towns and sea-ports. Here the Creole population
have thus for maintained themselves, but the advance of the Indians is constant, and unless checked by foreign intervention must soon result in their absolute ascendancy and the total destruction of all the inhabitants of Spanish
or mixed blood.—T.

THE

MEXICAN

MEDITERRANEAN.

29

ence, not absolutely necessary; I bought a hammock, purchased
drugs and consulted doctors; and sending Morin (whom it is
time I should introduce to the reader, as a Frenchman born,
half sailor, half valet, with the advantage of two years' experience in these countries) to secure a passage in the first craft
that floated for Carmen—1 say, having done all this, I formally called on my friends and bade them adieu, and then returned to my inn, to feast on cazones, and await the result of
Morin's mission.
The Gulf of Mexico, the Mediterranean of the New
World, is exposed for six months of the year, from the
autumnal to the vernal equinox, to violent storms, and is beset
with dangers. During the same interval, on the other hand,
the coast is inviting and salubrious. But when the north
winds cease, at the beginning of the rainy season, and the sun
blazes down on the land in the plenitude of its strength, a
rapid fermentation of the soil commences, especially in the
vicinity of the forests, evolving gases equally oppressive to
the senses and deleterious to health. An invisible poison fills
the air, and then, however serene the sky, or beautiful the
country may appear, the stranger should avoid these tempting
shores, until the cold winds from the north have checked decomposition and purified the atmosphere.
•
Communication between the different ports of the Spanish
coast washed by this inland sea, is by no means frequent or
regular. During the best season of the year, it is hazardous
coasting along its shores; and the voyager, in sailing from
cape to cape, and harbor to harbor, has to pursue a cautious
and circuitous course. The little boats, used in this timorous
navigation, still bear the Indian name of canoas.
They are
seldom of more than thirty or forty tons burthen, rarely have
decks, and are rigged in truly primitive style, with lateen sails.
On the rivers, the cayaco is most in use. I t is a kind of rude
canoa, hollowed from a single log, and is more frequently

30

THE

LAGOONS.

propelled by poles and paddles than by sails.* These frail
vessels constitute the entire domestic marine of the country,
and notwithstanding the caution with which they are navigated,
they are far from safe. The natives never embark in them
when the weather is threatening, and when surprised by a
storm, they fly from it like frightened sea-gulls, and seek
shelter in the mouth of some creek or river, or in some one of
the numerous little bays with which the shore is indented. In
this hesitating and fragmentary manner, the traveller may
coast along the continent from Punta de Salinas, the eastern
extremity of .Yucatan, by way bf Sisal, Campeachy, Champoton, Carmen, Coatzacoalcos, and Alvarado, to Vera Cruz.
But he will find it by no means an excursion of pleasure.
As I have said, Morin kept watch on the maritime movements of Campeachy, and finally succeeded in finding a boat
ready to sail for Laguna on the island of Carmen, in which I
at once engaged passage. I should have preferred an inland
journey, as one likely to have a greater scientific interest;
but apart from its difficulty, not to say danger, it would have
required a larger expenditure of time than I had at my command. So I determined to proceed by water.
The sky was clouded when we embarked, and Morin predicted bad leather, but our apprehensions were soothed by
seeing other boats leaving the port as usual, favored by a
breeze from the north-east, which rippled the surface of the
water, rarely rough before Campeachy, owing to the bar outside which effectually breaks the force of the waves. We
were fully an hour in launching our crazy bark and getting
up our primitive sail. The little scene greatly amused my
acquaintances, who watched our movements from the mole,
whence they waved their adieus and wishes for a pleasant voy* The woods of which these are usually constructed are the cedar,
mahogany, and ceiba. I may remark here, as a singular coincidence, the
analogy between the Maya cayuco, and the Turkish caiaque.

CURIOUS

CUSTOMS.

31

age. Although we were really strangers, without knowledge
of each other's history or purposes in life, I nevertheless felt,
in parting from them, as if I were leaving old and trusted
friends.*
The padre of Carmen had taken passage in our canoa ;
but the padre lingered among the good things of Campeachy,
and was in no hurry to get away. So we were obliged to lie
off, a cable's length from the shore, idly waiting for his arrival.
Meantime the night came on, dark and threatening, and big
* M. "Waldeck, apparently not as fortunate as our author in his Campeachy acquaintanceships, is emphatic in his characterization of the manners
and morals of the people, which, he says, " are as loose as in most other parts
of Spanish America, where the priests have naturalized libertinage." He adduces also, as an evidence of the indelibility of the past practices of the Indians, and of present intellectual barbarism, that'during his stay he was one
night roused from sleep by an outrageous clamor, the firing of guns, the ringing of bells, the shouts of men, and the barking of dogs, the occasion of all
being, not the sudden attack of an enemy as he had at first supposed, but a simple
eclipse of the moon! " The ancient Mexicans believed that the phenomenon
of an eclipse was occasioned by one of the heavenly bodies devouring either
the sun or moon, as the case might be; and in order to frighten the aggressor
from his prey they raised violent shouts, beat their dogs to make them howl,
and shot their arrows in the air, in the direction of the suffering luminary.
Hence the surname of Illuicamina (who shoots his arrows to heaven) given
to the first, or huehue Montezuma. The spectacle which I witnessed in Campeachy was a simple repetition of this practice ; only firearms were used instead of bows and arrows—evidence that the people of to-day have not been
wholly without advancement in civilization!"—(Voyage dans V Yucatan, p.
14.) Nor was the mode of celebrating national anniversaries or the memory
of the saints less objectionable to M. Waldeck than that of terminating an
eclipse. a It is impossible to give an idea of the infernal noise produced by
the cannons, bells, muskets, bombas, chants of the priests, and shouts of the
populace, on the occasion of the festival in honor of St. Francis. It was sufficient to wreck the tympanum of those whose ears had not become accustomed
to these abominable charivaris. This mode of rejoicing well illustrates the
ignorance and barbarism of the people. A nation accustomed to think, does
not manifest its joy in this manner. In Europe the mass of the people are
content with quiet amusements; but in Mexico the festivals of the saints
are not celebrated with prayers, but with the firing of guns ; and the holier
the saint, the more formidable the rumpus."—-lb.f p. 1G.

32

THE

LAGOONS.

drops of rain fell at intervals, an acknowledged bad indication
at this season of the year. The crew became impatient, and
notwithstanding their habitual respect for the ecclesiastical
gown, I have no doubt heartily wished our padre to the devil.
As it was, they relieved themselves by a torrent of promiscuous imprecations, in the midst of which I quietly slipped
down into the hold, and adjusting myself as comfortably as possible between the bags of rice which wrere stowed there, sought
escape from all annoyances in slumber. But the heat was
suffocating; in a few minutes I was wet with perspiration, and
fairly gasping for breath in the close mephitic atmosphere,
while a thousand unknown insects flitted against my face, and
crawled over my person. It was a disagreeable novitiate, and
a sorry promise for the. future ; but I was forced to submit,
or shamefully abandon the enterprise on which I had set out
with such high anticipations of pleasure. After a time, which
seemed to me to be an age, I heard a hail, and there was a
movement as of some person coming on board. When it
ceased I felt the boat turn, then lean over on one side, as if
bending under a well-filled sail. Directly a wave broke over
us, making every timber tremble beneath the blow. I thought
our departure under such a state of the sea was rather a
dangerous proceeding, but as everything soon became quiet
again, and the sound of the waters subsided into a mere murmur, I dismissed all alarm, and gradually fell asleep. At
daybreak I was roused by the gruff voice of the patron, and
the inquiry, " Senor, will you go ashore?" "Have we
reached San Filipe, already?" I ejaculated, and scrambled out
on deck, in a state of agreeable excitement, without waiting
for a reply. What was my surprise and disappointment on
seeing before me the familiar mole, the grey walls and the
sleepy-looking clock towers of Campeachy ! I turned to the
patron, and my face must have expressed my chagrin, for he
exclaimed in a consolatory tone, " Ah ! Senor, we are better

DEPARTURE

FROM CAMPEACHY.

33

off here this morning than we would have been on the rocks
of the Morro /" There was 'no denying that proposition, but
the assurance was a poor recompense for my sufferings during
that weary night. I need not say that I lost no time in getting off to the mole again, where I encountered the friends
from whom I had separated so formally the afternoon before.
They received me with a burst of merriment, in which I was
fain to join, with the best grace possible under the circumstances.
The storm that had prevented our departure continued for
three days. It was however the last of the season; and
when it ceased, the azure bosom of the Gulf regained its repose, which it retains for six months, while the sun crosses the
equator and advances toward the tropics. And when we
finally set sail, the sky wore a look of permanent serenity;
the temperature was fresh and bracing; and the crew were gay
and noisy under the exhilarations of fine weather and the
prospect of a safe and speedy voyage. As we glided out of
the harbor, the city with its background of green hills, and the
surrounding country full of cocoa groves, and sprinkled over
with cottages, mellowed under the morning sun, all combined
to form a tropical scene of incomparable softness and beauty.
Nor w,as the harbor itself without its interest. All the fishermen of the city and its neighborhood, profiting by the calm, were
out in the bay in pursuit of cazones, and a thousand luminous
little sails glittered on its blue surface like stars in the firmament.
The coast from Campeachy to the village of Champoton,
distant fourteen leagues, presents a succession of steep, wooded
hills, the bases of which are hedged with rocks. Among the
most remarkable of these is the Morro. " Here," said the
patron of the boat, pointing to the neighboring shores, " vessels are lost, it is true, but the crews sometimes escape; but
there," he added, indicating the blue mass of the 3£orro,
2*

34

THE

L AGO O N S .

"there escape is impossible!" I curiously examined this
cape, which we were rapidly approaching, and which juts out
in a triple promontory into the sea. It is a bold gray bluff,
of sinister aspect, and bald as the head of a vulture. I could
distinguish the horizontal stratification of the rocks, seamed
vertically with rough rents, and full of irregular cavities.
The base, beaten by the surf, disappeared from time to time,
under a dazzling sheet of foam. A thick and luxuriant vegetation fills the adjacent gorges, making its bare heights all
the more striking from the contrast. This rock is undoubtedly the same which Herrara designates as Morro de los Diablos, the Devil's Mountain. Beyond it the coast describes a
deepxcurve, forming a bay with a sandy beach, on which stand
a few cane huts. This is the roadstead of La Ceiba, the
refuge of mariners surprised by bad weather on these rugged
shores.
Our breakfast on board the canoa consisted of ship's biscuit, shark's flesh seasoned with a dash of vinegar, water, a
little glass of rum, and a cigar afterward to assist digestion.
This is the usual fare on these boats, and such was ours during our journey. Passengers and sailors all ate from the
same dish. A piece of biscuit served each of us as a plate,
and thanks to Nature, who has provided us with fingers: the
absence of forks was scarcely noticed.
As soon as we had finished our meal, the padre produced
cards and proposed monte. I excused myself on the score of
ignorance; but he found men among the crew ready to join
him in the game, which constituted his chief occupation during the voyage. He was a man of somewhat coarse appearance, but of jovial disposition; ignorant as only Mexicans can
be, an enemy to care, with but little baggage, and that little
chiefly filled up with bottles of Spanish wine. When we
reached Carmen, a large portion of the population awaited his
arrival on the beach, eager to touch his garments or rever-

OYSTERS —

CHAMPOTON.

35

ently kiss his hand. During the tumult and confusion incident on this ovation, our padre, who had still one foot on
the boat, unfortunately lost his equilibrium, thereby seriously
compromising his dignity; but he hit on a sudden and brilliant revenge. Leaping ashore, at once and without uttering
a word, he proceeded by means of indiscriminate blows and kicks
to teach the people that even zeal has its limits, which cannot
be infringed on with impunity. In this paternal and to us exceedingly amusing way, the pastor inaugurated his return, and
resumed the spiritual charge of his flock.
From the roadstead of La Ceiba, a zone of white sand
continues along the shore, and the hills become lower and recede toward the interior, disappearing entirely a little beyond
Champoton. This village, which soon came in sight, is situated on the bank of a river of the same name, having its
source in impassable swamps, fourteen leagues to the southward. We saw at its mouth a pretty large bank of oysters.
The species (ostrea Virginica?)i$ large, long, and rough,
with prominent hinge and valves slightly bent; its taste is
pleasant, and it is better known to the gourmands of Campeachy than to naturalists. Champoton, (formerly called
Potonchan). is a spot justly celebrated in the history of the
Conquest. The Indians obstinately disputed with the Spaniards the possession of this military post, which, in a dry
country, was naturally of great importance on account of its
supply of water. Three times, during an interval of twenty
years, did the invaders endeavor to establish themselves here,
but were as often repulsed with heavy loss. Bernal Diaz, who
accompanied Cortez, in the first battle which took place here,
has left an animated account of it. He says, "This was a
battle in every sense of the word. . . The Indians were armed
with huge bows and arrows, shields, lances, and large swords,
edged with flint; they had also bodies of slingers, and men
armed with poles hardened in the fire. They fell upon us

36

THE

L AG00NS.

like furious dogs, and their attack was so impetuous that above
seventy of our men were wounded in no time." In consequence of this and subsequent misfortunes, the place was
named Mala Pelea, "Unfortunate Combat," which name is
still perpetuated in that of the bay. Except in these reminiscences Champoton inspires the traveller with the most cheerful
and pleasant ideas, and he finds difficulty in realizing that the
green hills and cool shades before him, which breathe only of
peace, calm, an4 security, were once the scene of savage fury
and slaughter, and the theatre of one of the bloodiest combats
recorded in early American history.
My mind had long been running on the caymans of Champoton river, where they are said to be extremely numerous. I
was anxious to observe these monsters in their own domain,
and to distinguish myself by some exploit at their expense,
while at the same time extending our knowledge of natural
history. Hardly had we reached the shore when, arming
myself with a musket and hunting knife, I plunged among
the undergrowth, and followed up the course of the river. I
proceeded cautiously, listening to the murmur of the current,
and hoping to get well within sight of my victim while avoiding
the dangerous sweep of his tail. But the shadow of the mangrove trees, crossed by broken bars of sunlight, constantly
deceived me ; every bare root or rough trunk on which these
shadows fell, made my heart palpitate, and inspired me wTith
secret horror, and at every step I fancied that I could distinguish the corrugated back of one of these monsters, and even
detect the musky odor which they emit, and which is said to
reveal their presence. But in reality I saw only mouldering
pieces of wood, and moss-covered stones, and heard no other
noise than the rustling of the leaves which had fallen from
the branches overhead. I found no caymans in Champoton!
Toward evening we reembarked, carrying with us a swarm

LAGUNA

DE

TERMINOS.

37

of mosquitos, which, in conjunction with the roaches and the
motion of the boat, made the night miserable. In the morning
the horizon presented an unbroken line of forests ; but toward
the middle of the day, we discerned, in a north-easterly direction, the flat and sandy island of Carmen, the extremity of
which is covered with high undergrowth. We were, in fact,
in the canal which separates the island from the continent.
Soon the shore receded on our left; and in front of us we saw la
Laguna de Terminos. The navigators who first discovered
this shore in 1518, fancied that it was an arm of the ocean encircling Yucatan, and in reality they did not find any western
boundary to this peninsula, which they considered to be an
island. Later it was ascertained that the coast was continuous, and then, for the first time, the true character of the
Lagoon was understood. The name of Terminos (confines)
nevertheless remained, bearing testimony of the incertitude
which attended its discovery.*
The water in the channel was turbid, and covered with
vegetable debris, brought into it by the current of the river.
Little islands of dazzling green were distributed like satellites
around the principal one of Carmen, serving as places of refuge for numberless aquatic birds, which flocked toward them
in alarm at our approach. After three hours' navigation in
this archipelago, having meantime doubled the western point
of Carmen, we perceived the foliage of the cocoa trees, and
soon after discerned the loftier buildings of the city. I landed with less of pomp than the padre, but with better success,
and met with such a hearty reception in the family of Mr.
Johnson, the English consul, as almost to repay me for my
maritime tribulations.
* "Llegamos a unaboca como de rio grande; parecia como estrecho; tan
gran boca tenia que dezia el piloto Anton de Alaminos que era isla e partian
terminos con la tierra, ya por esta causa le pusimos nombre Boca de Termi*
nos"—Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad c. 10.

38

THE

LAGOONS.

The island of Carmen is low, flat, and sandy, seven leagues
long, by about two in breadth. It protects the Lagoon on
the Gulf side, leaving an open passage at each extremity.
The eastern canal, by which we entered, is only accessible for
canoas, and is frequented solely by those engaged in the
coasting trade of Yucatan. The western pass, with thirteen
feet of water, and a muddy bottom, can be navigated without
danger by merchantmen of small tonnage, which, however, for
greater security, unload outside the bar. The island is the
great market for dye-woods, principally the hcBinatoxylon,
better known as logwood, which abounds on the alluvial lands
to the south of the Lagoon. The wood, cut into billets and
stripped of its bark, is floated down the rivers and deposited
in the warehouses of Carmen, whence it is exported to the
different ports of Europe. The population, consisting of
about two thousand souls, subsists entirely by this kind of
industry, for the island itself is sterile, so that the land rarely
produces more than two successive harvests, unless enriched
by manure—a process almost unknown in this portion of
America. The greater part of the necessary supplies of the
people come from abroad and are sold for cash ; but business
cannot long continue on this basis, for the wealth of the forests, unprotected by legislation, decreases rapidly, and the
time is not far distant when the cupidity of proprietors, all of
whom are exclusively governed by considerations of immediate gain, will have exhausted this their only source of revenue. But Nature has disguised the poverty of the island
under a mantle of loveliest verdure, which pleasantly deceives
the eye. At sight of this vegetation, which is frequently vigorous, it would seem as if the lack of production was due to
the want of industry or perseverance on the part of the people.
In fact the expectation of reaping without sowing has become
so general in the Spanish part of the new world, that every
piece of land which does not at once respond to the require-

ISLAND

OF

CARMEN.

39

ments of the cultivator is abandoned as worthless. The plains
of Carmen, covered with thick undergrowth or coarse grass,
could doubtless be made useful to man, since the heat of the
sun is only superficial, and water is to be found very near the
surface. There is furthermore, a saline humidity in the soil,
the result of capillary attraction, and the waters from rains
accumulate in the low places so as to form perennial swamps,
which overflow during the winter, covering the surrounding
country with a fertilizing deposit. These observations would
not be lost in Europe, but here they are unheeded. Labor
doubtless is a hard condition of our existence; nevertheless
love of family, ambition, and the desire to secure an independence, triumph over the natural repugnance with which it inspires us, to such a degree as to invest even the most fatiguing
toil with a qualified charm. It is only in Spanish America
that men are to be found so rich in their poverty as to be
above the knowledge of want. Nothing can stimulate them to
an accumulation beyond what is necessary to meet their barest
necessities. Their happiness consists in repose; their ambition is limited to obtaining sufficient for daily sustenance; and
as to their families—they leave them in the hands of Providence, and consider themselves relieved from all further responsibility !
One would suppose that in so poor an island, where the
only wealth of the inhabitants is in their manual ability,
labor would be very cheap; it is not so, however, for the reasons I have given above. The promise of a large remuneration
rarely overcomes the apathy of the most needy, and hence
it is that the pay of the laborer is seldom less than a dollar
per day. If he consents to pursue his task for a week, it is
only to acquire means sufficient to live in idleness for a month.
On a little farm near the town, I knew an overseer who received a salary of two hundred and fifty dollars per annum,
besides board and other accessories, simply far taking charge

40

THE

LAGOONS.

of the house, attending to a small garden, and overseeing the
cultivation of from six to eight acres of ground; and the proprietor congratulated himself exceedingly on getting his work
done so cheaply.
In an architectural point of view, the city of Carmen presents no striking feature. As stone is not to be found there,
building materials are obtained from the neighboring forests.
The roofs are generally thatched, though they are occasionally
tiled with flat stones taken from the ballast of ships. On the
banks of the Lagoon, where the houses are huddled closely
together, these rustic roofs do not appear to great advantage;
but outside of the commercial centre, in more retired portions
of the city, they harmonize with the bananna trees which
shade them and with the primitive gardens which isolate
every habitation. The streets, bordered with the white and
red flowers of the periwinkle, and terminating in the surrounding forests, resemble the avenues of some imperial park;
and the irregular paths that cross them and lose themselves in
clumps of verdure on either hand, make a strange appeal to
the imagination of the stranger, who is constantly tempted to
explore the mysterious recesses to which they appear to lead.
-As one walks along contemplatively, he is suddenly startled
by the whizzing flight of the humming-bird; but his eye
scarcely falls on it, when seeming to emit a ruddy spark, it
disappears among the branches, like some brilliant beetle, or
rather like the sphinx, which it resembles in its flight. When
the sun approaches its zenith, and nature is sunk in silence
and repose, the iguana may be surprised, extended on some
branch of a tree, where he reposes in a state apparently between sleeping and waking; but his vigilance never abandons
him. At the least sound he lifts his head, his throat dilates,
his crest becomes elevated, and he listens without moving;
but the changes in his color betray his uneasiness, his back of
sky-blue deepens to purple, then he reflects the shades of the

VEGETABLE

PRODUCTIONS.

41

foliage which surrounds him, and in the midst of which he
does not fail soon to vanish. The streets, as I have said, end
only in the forest, which is an impenetrable thicket of thorny
trees and vine-like plants, with velvety pods, which depend from
the branches and when mature drop their seed on the ground
to spring up again in new luxuriance. One must tread here
with care, for these are the pods of the negretia urens, (cowhage?) and are covered with imperceptible thorns which
come off on the slightest contact, penetrating the skin, and
producing the most painful irritation. Most of the finer
trees have fallen beneath the axe ; nevertheless some magnificent ceibas still remain, their widely-spread branches at a
little distance strongly resembling those of the oriental cedars.
The manzanilla, called in the country checkem, may be recognized by the deep green of its foliage, and by its deceptive
fruit resembling crab-apples. Doubtless popular credulity
has calumniated this tree, in accusing even its shadow of poisonous influences; but woodcutters are well acquainted with
the caustic nature of its poison, which produces on the skin
the same effect as a burn. In a word, the forests of these
countries offer an infinite field for study and experiment; and
I am surprised that the hope of discovery which constantly
draws naturalists hither, does not exercise the same attraction
over other classes of savants. Here nature produces nothing insignificant. The fluids of the various forms of vegetation are not exclusively confined to supporting and perpetuating the species ; but the rich sap which vivifies every plant
and which pervades its every fibre, is almost always endowed
with specific virtues, capable of connecting, by new relationships, these organized bodies with the rest of creation. How
many unknown principles, among these varieties of resins,
aromatic gums, oleaginous essences, and milky juices, are only
awaiting discovery in order to advance the arts and the industrial sciences, or add to our medical resources! How many, I

42

THE

LAGOONS.

say, are waiting for some fortuitous circumstance to reveal
their beneficent and useful properties ! Such were my reflections in rambling through these forests, where my constantly awakened curiosity prevented any feeling of fatigue.
Nevertheless, I must admit that my enjoyment was often
marred by the annoyances of insects, and by irritating contact with poisonous plants.
I was always glad, during my solitary excursions, to be
near some habitation when the bells of Angelas sounded for
evening prayers. At such times the whole family would
drop upon their knees, the father reciting the prayer while
the mother united her voice with those of the children in the
responses. When the ceremony was ended, all would rise
simultaneously and wish each other good-night—a pious custom which dates from the Conquest, and whichr for the time
being, invests the father of a family with that patriarchal
dignity which he too frequently throws off. I happened, one
evening, to be attracted by a religious chant to a modest little
church, not far from the shore, where the people were celebrating some fiesta. The altar was brilliantly illuminated;
incense burned around it, and the worshippers, chanting songs
of adoration, were bowed to the dust before its symbols.
There is incontestably a kind of poetry about the ceremonies
of the Catholic church, which always touches the heart, and
the circumstances surrounding me rendered me peculiarly
open to its impressions. In witnessing this poor little gathering, forgotten by almost all the world, but still offering up
its vows and aspirations in prayer to a common God, I was
moved in spite of myself; the thought of my own isolation
also touched a sympathetic chord, and I felt, as I had never
felt before, the value of that divine doctrine which consoles
every affliction, and strengthens the courage of all, while it
establishes a holy communion between every member of the
great Christian family, and does not forget even the traveller

DIVISION

OF

SEASONS.

4S

in its pious formulas. . . . At this moment, a lively air rose
from the depths of the church, drowning the last echoes of the
chant to which I had been listening. The contrast was so
marked and the effect so unforeseen, that for a moment I felt
bewildered, like a man who suddenly passes from darkness into
light. I recognized, from the first few notes, the movement
of a contra-dance which is by no means new on the other side
of the Atlantic. This singular prelude was followed by a waltz,
to which a lively polka succeeded. The padre had engaged
for this solemn occasion, an organ recently imported into the
island, where the instrument had excited the liveliest transports
of admiration. Happily, the profane reminiscences which it
awakened in my mind, remained a mystery to the other worshippers, who, absorbed in respectful admiration, found in this
harmony only an expression of the sentiments by which they
were themselves animated.
The island of Carmen enjoys a great reputation for salubrity throughout the whole circle of the Gulf—an advantage
due to its dry, sandy soil, which supports but little organized
matter for decay. March, April, and May, are the dryest
months of the year on all parts of the coast; not a drop of
rain falls during this interval, and the rivers then subside to
their lowest level. Toward the middle of May, a few showers occur, accompanied with thunder and lightning. In November the north winds begin to blow and dissipate the storms,
which become less and less frequent, until the return of the
equinox. Calculating by meteorological phenomena, the regularity of which is remarkable under the tropics, the year may
be divided into three seasons—the rainy, the windy, and the
dry. In April and May the flowers blossom, although many
plants,' favored by the mildness of the temperature, are in
'lower and fruit for the whole year round. Transplanted to
this latitude, the plants of our hemisphere would come under
the* same laws with those indigenous to the soil • but the mod-

44

THE

LA G O O N S .

ifications which they undergo, in the phases of their existence, are much more remarkable on the other side of the
equator than on this. It has been observed that the phenomena of their vegetation are regulated by the course of the sun,
and the period of their flowering is determined, as with us, by
the return of that luminary to the nearest tropic.^
Neither on the islands, nor on the shores of the Lagoon are
to be found any tumuli, ruins, or other remains of the industry of former times. It is a savage waste, which nature seems
to have reserved for herself, by refusing it the gifts that would
have rendered it useful to man. Nevertheless, at the period
of the Conquest, there existed here and there oratorios, constructed of hewn stone, ornamented with idols and with poles
supporting the horns of stags, which were probably placed
there as offerings. The erection of these monuments, the ruins
of which have disappeared, was attributed to the piety of stray
hunters or merchants, who, from time to time, traversed this
solitary region.f
At night, during my stay at Carmen, when the busy hum
of the city was still, I often sat for hours at my open window,
gazing out on the solitary Lagoon, and picturing to myself the
strange and mysterious region which spread beyond it, and in
which I was so soon to enter. Some vague apprehensions of
the future, mingled with sad, sweet thoughts of the past, sometimes crossed my mind; but the solemn aspect of the country, the
august calm in which it was wrapped, never failed ultimately
to inspire me with a profoundly religious confidence. I felt
myself drawn by some irresistible power towards that Being
who presides over the peaceful beauty of the night, as over
the brilliant splendor of the day ; and I persuaded myself that
his infinite goodness would also watch over and protect me in
my wanderings. At this hour of quiet and repose, the silence
* A. Saint-Hilaire, Voyage dans Vinterieur du Bresil, 2e partie, t. i., p. 54.
f B. Diaz, c. 10. Herrora, Dec. ii., 1. iii., c. 2.

A

MAZE

OF

WATERS.

45

was never broken, except by the nocturnal chirp of the cricket,
and by the murmur of the Lagoon, just rippled by the gentle
and refreshing breeze which seemed to come from the distant
horizon, laden with new life and vigor for the exhausted traveller.
The Lagoon of Terminos is about fifteen leagues long by
from eight to ten broad, and in its tranquillity and the color
of its waters more resembles an inland lake than a dependency
of the ocean. Its yellow tint is no doubt due to the soluble
soil and the drainage from the marshes which surround it.
Nothing can be more complicated than the hydrography of
this little corner of the globe, where the capricious waters
percolate slowly from lagoon to lagoon, and seem to run
athwart of each other in their devious course. During the
dry season, notwithstanding the complication of waters, one
may travel by land without danger, provided he is reasonably
familiar with the country; but when the rains set in, every
channel overflows, and the ground gradually disappears under
a tangled network of creeks and lagoons, through which passage is impossible except in canoes, and then only with the aid
of practised guides. At this season, one may travel from the
Usumasinta to the Tabasco, and from thence to Chiltepeque,
uninterruptedly by water.
The principal river of this region, as already stated, is the
Usumasinta.^ It reaches the sea through a number of channels, the largest of which, called Rio Palizada, flows into*the
Lagoon of Terminos. Further on I shall have occasion to
give the results of my explorations of this great river, which
is little known even by name, and is very erroneously laid
down in our maps. The outline of the Lagoon, on the other
hand, has been traced with great exactness. Ik constitutes a
* Dampier, I believe, is the only traveller who has given the true name of
this river, which is Summasenta.—A New Voyage round the World, etc.; vol.
ii., p. 54.

46

THE

L A GO O N S .

commercial centre celebrated throughout the Gulf, although
its existence is almost unknown in Europe. In the eyes of
the local navigators, nothing can compare with it. Its basin,
the canoes which traverse it, and the cutting and transportation of the dye-woods on its shores, comprise, according to
their notions, the extent, wealth, and movement of the whole
commercial world. Besides the sword-fish and the different
species of sharks, which swarm in it, may also be seen, when
the waters are still, the voracious ray-fish, often of gigantic
size, called, in this country, manta. It is dreaded by fishermen, and they rarely succeed in capturing it. According to
their account, it awaits its prey quietly under the shadow of
aquatic plants, and after seizing it smothers it between the lobes
of its fins, as between the folds of a mantle or manta. On the
inner or continental shores of the Lagoon, the dominion of
savage nature commences. Dangerous animals infest the
woods; reptiles twine themselves around the trunks of the
trees ; the atmosphere is alive with insects ; and man himself
is no longer master of creation, but a bewildered wayfarer,
who journeys, with furtive steps, amidst a thousand dangers.
On the evening of the 24th of March, we left Carmen and
set sail, Morin and myself, in a canoe bound for the interior.
A little before night-fall we reached the mouth of the Palizada, and not daring to venture further, came to anchor. Having no other resource left we were fain to amuse ourselves in
watching the rising of the moon. While thus engaged I suddenly felt a sharp pain between the shoulders. Hastily taking
off my coat, a scorpion fell at my feet; he endeavored to
escape, but I prevented him by a well-aimed blow. Morin
rubbed the spot where he had stung me with ammonia, and
the next morning it wa3 cured. The patron of the canoe, a
vigorous old Sambo, * with bronzed complexion, woolly head,
and cheerful disposition—a rare thing in these melancholy
* Cross between the Indian and Negro.

ON

THE

RIVER.—INSECTS.

47

parts where life itself seems a burden—the patron pretended
that I had introduced the scorpion on board, since, according to his account, his vessel was a model of cleanliness.
But while he was speaking, a new enemy, precisely similar
in appearance to the first, ran across the deck, placing the
patron's own person in danger. A moment after, the mainsail
was rolled up, and the moonbeams falling directly on the bottom of the boat, revealed to us that it was swarming with
thousands of black roaches, which the light seemed to disturb.
I shuddered with disgust at this spectacle, and the other passengers, although more accustomed to such things than myself,
manifested scarcely less repugnance at the spectacle. Every
one had some story to relate of the voracity of cucarachas, and
all agreed that it would be difficult to duplicate such a collection
as we had before us. Don Pancho, the patron, gave in at last,
but added, byway of justification, that these insects were useful
substitutes for barometers, and that their activity, to which
we could bear testimony, indicated a change in the weather.
In spite of this prediction, we preferred closing the hold and
sleeping in the open air. During the night the wind blew
with great violence, but no rain fell. The air was so fresh,
however, that I awoke at early dawn in a shiver. The day
looked anything but promising; a grey band rested on the
western horizon, and floating about here and there were
small opaque masses of vapor, condensed during the night.
Higher up, great clouds were gathered, obscuring the whole
sky. When the sun rose, it appeared only as a luminous spot,
tinging the clouds at their base with a dim, reddish light like
the distant reflection of a fire; soon it disappeared from the
horizon, casting a last ray upoji the Lagoon, which was still enveloped in the morning fog. - Under it, the water assumed the
tints of the opal; then the light gradually faded away, and all
nature assumed the sombre tint of the clouds. We had now
reached the dangerous pass known by the name of Boca Chica,

48

THE

LAGOONS.

where the deposits of sand which have narrowed the mouth of the
river, and the trunks of trees which have been accumulated by the
current, occasion from time to time the most terrible disasters.
Don Pancho assured me that the crews of the vessels shipwrecked here were never heard of afterwards, inasmuch as the
depths of this part of the lake are peopled with frightful monsters.
Our canoe nevertheless got along without difficulty, gliding
between a double row of mangrove trees, as tall as oaks, which
continued until we entered a new lake, called Las Cruces.
The first fragments of land which we reached can scarcely be
termed islands, as the water permeates them in every part.
Little by little, however, the ground assumes consistency, and
gradually imprisons the water in regular channels. We soon
entered a third Lagoon, peopled by myriads of sea-gulls, with
silvery plumage, which flapped their way from island to
island, making the solitude noisy with their clamor." Several
canoes, beating against the wind, were endeavoring to descend
the river, after having awaited like ourselves the rising of the
sun in order to traverse the pass of Boca Chica. The shore
reminded me of that which I had so much admired on approaching the Island of Pines; but here* vegetation had not suffered
from hurricanes, and appeared in all of its magnificence. Besides, the route which we followed, enlivened by the movement
of the canoes, surpassed in grandeur and in interest the canal
into which Columbus strayed with his vessel. No words
can convey an idea of the forests which surrounded us, and
which the adjacent waters endow with perpetual youth. The
rude picturesqueness of the trunks, the diversity of foliage,
the occasional promontories, the numerous creeks, the little
islands constantly appearing and disappearing, the fallen trees
which still continued to live, and the myriads of birds which
people these retired shores—these cannot be adequately 'described. I longed for a burst of sunlight to illuminate the
magnificent picture, which to me was a new revelation of na-

UNPLEASANT

EXPERIENCES.

49

ture, equally grand and strange. Suddenly the cry of
" lagarto" directed my attention forward, and there, just in
advance of the boat, I saw one of the caymans of the Usumasinta. Only his dorsal crest was visible, and he appeared
motionless. A moment afterwards, however, he threw his
snout back in the direction of the current, as if to scent the
breeze, and then, the reconnoisance probably not proving satisfactory, he sank quietly down to the slimy but congenial
depths of the river.
As the day advanced the sky became entirely obscured
with clouds, and the shores became shrouded in a foggy veil.
The water, too, assumed a greenish and sickly hue, and soon
the rain began to fall, driving us to seek refuge in the close
and mephitic hold, which was closely covered with a tarred
cloth, and there we were left to darkness and the effluvium of
accumulated filth. The passengers naturally enough were depressed and disgusted, but the sailors, in the primitive costume
of these countries, noisily manifested their satisfaction, much
after the fashion of frogs on similar occasions. The wind
whistled through the rigging; the rain pattered on the deck,
and the waves surged angrily around us, while every stick of
timber in the vessel creaked under the strain. At the expiration of two hours, which appeared to us like months, the
storm subsided, and we were able to emerge from our prison
and obtain a breath of fresh air. During this interval we had
crossed the lagoons, and were now sailing on the river. Its
banks were abrupt, and composed of a soil half sand half clay.
Where the shores were flat, they were covered with reeds and
long grass, while here and there they were magnificently
shaded by forest trees. Between these walls of verdure might
be seen the blue perspective of the lagoons, terminating in a
dim belt of distant forests. I now had time for observation,
for the wind had died away, and we only moved onward by
the aid of the palanca. This is a long, forked pole, used in
3

50

THE

LAGOONS.

coasting along the river shores. One end is placed against
the shoulder, and the other against the bank, and in this way
the boat is gradually pushed ahead. It requires three men to
execute this feat; the first two impel the boat by alternately
pushing, while the third with a kind of boat-hook keeps the
canoe near the shore, by catching hold of the overhanging
branches. This mode of travelling is by no means expeditious, as the sail requires to be taken down in order to be out
of the way of the palanqueros. The wind, which varies according to the winding of the stream, occasionally drives the boat
among the trees, which become entangled in the rigging, and
next sends it off into the middle of the stream, where the depth
of the water renders the palanca useless. The crew's efforts
have then to be redoubled in order to regain the bank, or else
they are forced to await patiently the springing up of a breeze.
This thankless and tiresome task is one of the few things which
the Indian executes well, and for which he manifests no aversion.
Vegetation assumes a more and more interesting appearance as one advances towards the interior. Great willows with
trailing branches, gigantic bamboos, beautiful cyperacece or
sedges resembling the papyrus, aquatic palm-trees with their
slender stems, the cecropia with its immense leaves—all unite
in ornamenting both banks of the river. Besides these, masses
of verdure, spangled with bunches of violet flowers, prodigious
white tree trunks, and vines slender and delicate as the rigging
of a ship, continually present themselves to the eye. I observed
among other beautiful trees, the jahuacte#d\m, with its graceful
branches bending over the water. Its fruit is acidulous, and
of the shape and size of an acorn. It is much sought for by
children, and is not without its appeal to the traveller. A
great variety of birds enjoy their existence in peace in these
solitudes. Among them is the ibis with its brilliant plumage,
the aramus with its ringing voice, and the blue porphyrio

IMPOTENT

INVENTIONS.

51

called by the inhabitants gallo de Montezuma (Montezuma's
chicken). The king-fisher, with its ringed neck, is also found
here, of much larger size than with us. It flutters continually
over the water, while the falcon, uttering piercing shrieks,
plunges suddenly into the river, rises perpendicularly with its
prey, and then whirls itself upwards high in the air, until
almost lost to the view. In contrast with these pleasant sights,
we fancied that we discerned numerous alligators, motionlessly
watching us from the shores of the little coves of the river—but
then it was almost impossible to distinguish these amphibious
monsters from the uprooted trunks of trees, which the river
had covered with its slimy sediment. Reposing on the deck,
wrapped in my cloak, I enjoyed with rapture a view truly
enchanting from its novelty, and sufficiently exciting to make
up for the lack of associations. During the whole of my
journey, these pleasurable emotions continued; my interest and
curiosity were constantly excited, for I was travelling towards
the Unexplored and Unknown; and always excepting the
impression produced by my first view of the New World, I
must say that the scenes on the Usumasinta, by their melancholy grandeur, and primitive poetry, have left the most profound and lasting impressions on my mind.
Toward evening we reached a low piece of ground, surrounded by pools of water, called the Island of Birds, but
which should have borne the name of Paradise of Mosquitos.
As soon as the boat was secured, every one commenced making
preparations for the night, by putting up a kind of square
tent, made from a few yards of muslin. These tents are in
general use in this country. Once inside of them, (and the
operation of entering must be performed with great rapidity),
every aperture is closed by tucking the ample folds of the muslin under the mat which serves as a bed. I was not so much
of a novice as to be totally unprovided with some protection of
this kind, for I had purchased in France a mosquito net,

52

THE

LAGOONS.

which, according to the representations of the vender, was of
the newest and best variety. But I was soon convinced that
the inventor of my net had never travelled on the Usumasinta! Hardly had I introduced myself, with the utmost
adroitness and caution, under my gauze curtain, than the enemy, guided by his unfailing instincts, contrived to effect an
entrance into my sanctuary. I heard with terror his familiar
hum, and any lingering doubts as to the reality of his presence were soon dispelled by hundreds of bites all over my person. Vainly did I endeavor, by every possible device, to
expel my persecutors. Finally, abandoning the attempt in no
very amiable frame of mind, I vacated the plac.e, wishing
alike the net and its inventor to the devil! I went out, but
the buzzing noise of mosquitos seemed to resound all along the
banks; the air was thick with them; and I verily believe they
were sufficiently numerous to have hidden even the sun from
view ! The hours passed tediously enough, in vain efforts to
do battle against the myriads of my invisible enemies. I
contemplated with indifference the nocturnal aspect of the
landscape—the great shadows thrown on the water, and the
phosphorescent light emitted by the fire-flies ! The partisans
of final causes will doubtless find some satisfactory manner
of explaining the mosquito's mission and utility. For myself,
after having, during that whole night, reflected on the subject,
I was forced to admit that I could arrive at no conclusion,
implying a useful or ornamental purpose in the creation of this
most pestilent of insects !
The morning finally broke, and I had the satisfaction of
rousing every one from his slumbers. Soon after, we embarked. The weather had cleared up and was delightful, but
the wind was not strong, and as we proceeded slowly, I was
enabled to do a little quiet shooting from the deck of our boat.
Don Pancho kindly steered it so as to receive the game as it
fell, not because he shared my ambition to advance the inter-

PLEASANT

REMINISCENCES.

53

ests of natural science, but because he saw an augmentation of
our supply of provisions in every bird added to my collection.
In truth, our fare was anything but sumptuous. Mouldy biscuits, tassajo, and black beans formed our repasts so constantly and so usually, that I found myself frequently sighing
for the shark's flesh of Campeachy. Toward the middle of
the day, we reached the farm of San Geronimito, where we
saw a large quantity of dye-woods piled up on the bank
awaiting transportation to the Lagoon. Flowing into the
Usumasinta at this point, is the Rio Viejo, which encircles a
vast territory, intersected by lagoons, called the island of San
Isidro. The fall of the land is here so trifling and indecisive,
that the Rio Viejo describes three quarters of a circle, and in
one place runs for nearly two leagues in an entirely opposite
direction from its general course, as if in doubt which route
to follow in order to reach the ocean.
As we approached the town of Palizada, the river became narrower and more rapid; the forests were more open,
and the eye was enabled to wander at will over the undulating
bosoms of the savannas, illuminated by the rays of the setting
sun, where quiet seemed to reign supreme. The willows bending over the river, the pools of luminous water, the herds of
cattle, and the distant forests, all formed a truly enchanting
picture, giving rise in my mind to a most pleasing illusion.
I fancied that I saw before me a familiar landscape, which I
can never forget, the plains where I had played during childhood ; there were the same willows, the same swamp, the same
meandering river ; and, as my imagination travelled back to
the past, I endeavored by a pleasing fiction to transport myself there also ! But, strange phenomenon! mj most recent
and my dearest remembrances appeared of distant date, as if
obscured by the lapse of many years of time. Remoteness of
place, it seems, produces nearly the same effect as remoteness
of time; the perspective3 in both cases, is much the same;

54

THE

LAGOONS

yet never before had I so fully appreciated the fact. But the
vegetation by which I was surrounded soon dispelled every illusion. Here stood the bojon, a straight, slender tree, with a
spreading, umbrella-shaped top, reminding me of the Italian
pines; there the cecropia, shaped like a gigantic candelabra,
thrust its arms beyond the skirts of the forest; while the mimosa with its pink blossoms, and the beautiful convolvulus,
ornamented the banks of the river, over which also drooped
masses of the arum, with its arrow-shaped leaves and long
tendrils floating off in the current.
It was ten o'clock at night, when a group of cocoa trees,
in this part of the world a sure sign of human habitations,
rising over the forest, gave notice that the village of Palizada
was near at hand. Directly we discerned lights, and a confused mass of objects moving about in the darkness, and soon
after we reached the landing place of the town, after a journey
of fifty-four hours from Carmen. We had travelled upward
of eighteen leagues, in accomplishing a distance of not more
than seven, in a direct line. The hour was rather late to seek
for shelter; fortunately, however, one of our passengers was a
resident here, and relieved our embarrassment on this score
by placing his dwelling at our service. Hammocks were soon
hung up, and each of us took one and slept with real satisfaction until morning. Hospitality does not involve great
trouble or responsibility under the tropics, where, with two
nails and a few yards of cotton cloth, the host is always prepared to receive and entertain his visitors!
Next day I presented myself and my letters of introduction to the padre of the place. I found Father Alberti a
man quite superior to the generality of those of his profession
in Spanish America, who are mostly very ignorant, and lead
an exceedingly unedifying life. He was born in Guatemala,
and to his travels, and perhaps also to his misfortunes he was
indebted for a knowledge of the world and a freedom from

PALIZADA

AND

ITS

PEOPLE.

55

prejudices, which I was surprised to meet with, in such a spot.
I never ascertained through what combination of circumstances
he happened to be exercising his functions in a country so far
distant from his own, and in a sphere so unworthy of his
merit. He however did his duty most conscientiously ; for in
this little town, where he was at once pastor, magistrate and
physician, every one loved and honored him.
A few years ago, Palizada was only a miserable hamlet,
exclusively inhabited by Indians. But the discovery of dyewoods in its neighborhood immediately created a business
movement, and rapidly ameliorated the condition of its inhabitants. A number of young mulattoes without family or fortune, a disinherited race which the laxity .of morals in Spanish America rapidly multiplies, first sought here the means of
subsistence. Then came tailors, barbers, and merchants, in
the hope of sharing the benefits of the new settlement. The
war in which we were engaged with Mexico, in 1838, also
introduced into Palizada a few Frenchmen, victims of the
hatred which the success of our arms had excited in the breasts
of our enemies.* I was not a little surprised to meet with
compatriots in this swampy, unknown region. They all
seemed to be doing well, and to have no regrets for what they
had lost by their expulsion, The trade in Campeachy wood
is here, as in the island of Carmen, the only source of revenue, and the only calling pursued by the people. Every
thing in the way of enterprise and capital concentrates in this
pursuit; that is to say, in buying woods at the lowest prices
here, to sell them at the highest possible rates at the Lagoon.
This operation is an easy one with ready money, for the Spanish proprietors, continually driven to expedients for gratifying their ruling passion, that of gambling, can never resist a
* The government of Mexico revenged itself for the capture of San Juan
de Ulna, by ordering all the French residents in the country to leave the
republic within fifteen days I

5Q

THE

LAGOONS.

golden appeal, and they submit to almost any reduction of price
in order to procure ready money. When the supply of wood
is scarce, the people are often driven to painful straits; but it
is impossible to feel any great sympathy for a population
possessing a soil so productive and fertile, and who are yet too
indolent to turn it to account. Notwithstanding the size of
the place and its growing importance, it has no market. The
commonest necessities of life, and such things as game, fish,
etc., which abound in its vicinity, can only be got with difficulty, and at exorbitant prices. In fact, every pursuit is
absorbed in the prevailing struggle for dye-woods, precisely
as in auriferous countries all industry is swallowed up in the
struggle for gold, regardless of the thousand other treasures
which nature -spreads out on every hand.
The Rio Palizada is the most eastern, and as before said,
the most important outlet of the Usumasinta. Its depth
in front of the town to which it gives its name, is from four to
seven fathoms, varying according to the season. During the
rainy season it frequently inundates the country far into the
interior, leaving only a few scattered islets of elevated ground
visible to the eye above the expanse of waters. At these times
the inhabitants of Palizada, and such others as may be established on the banks of the stream, are obliged to abandon the
lower portions of their dwellings, and perch themselves on
temporary scaffoldings above the reach of the overflow, or else
are driven to seek refuge with their fowls on the roofs of
their houses. The site of the town is sometimes covered with
water to the depth of three yards.
By the month of May the subsidence of the water is complete, and the drenched ground becomes dry again. This is
the time of epidemic fevers so fatal to strangers, and which
few of the natives themselves escape, in a form more or less
severe.
The vast swamps surrounding Palizada are worthy of the

ORNITHOLOGY

ON

A

GRAND

SCALE.

57

attention of naturalists, and if known, would become a very
El Dorado of hunters. Among the curiosities of the region is
a singular plant with long fibrous roots, which vegetates on
the surface of the water, spreading out from the shores of the
lagoons and sluggish canals in a net-work of verdure, like a
floating meadow. It never spreads entirely over the channels
of the canals, which are consequently left open for navigation,
but elsewhere it is so dense as to be impenetrable to boats,
and in turn supports other varieties of plants and flowers.
I have said that this low country is studded here and there
with little hills, almost deserving the name of islands, which
rise among the swamps and above the general overflows. They
are always densely wooded, and are the haunts of black squirrels and many other varieties of animals. But these are of
course few in numbers as compared with the feathered inhabitants of these marshy regions. The latter throng the earth,
the air, and the water in countless multitudes, as they have
doubtless done from the earliest ages of the world. Innumerable web-footed and long-legged birds swim, plunge, and fly
around the traveller; the tantale with his hard crooked beak,
the heron white as the spotless snow, the shy spoon-bill in its
pink plumage, the long-necked flamingo with flaming wings,
infinite varieties of teals and ducks, and last of all the crane,
slowly pursuing his stately walk, or standing still and gazing
solemnly on vacancy. Different species of birds of prey utter
piercing cries, and describe great circles above the tree tops.
They pounce rapidly into the swamps in search of prey, but instead of finding it they frequently fall into the hungry jaws of
some alligator, concealed beneath the floating vegetation. And
finally the vulture, perched on some dead tree-top watches over
the evolutions of the feathered multitude. To the farthest limits
of the horizon, one sees only birds filling the air and thronging
the water. The greater part of these live on terms of strange familiarity with the cattle which roam over the savannas. I have fre3*

58

THE

L»AG0ONS.

quently seen a white heron make use of the back of a cow or
bull as a means of transport across a stream. It required
some little effort for the bird to maintain its equilibrium, but
it never abandoned its post before reaching the point for which
it had set out. The turtles, which are equally numerous,
contribute, in spite of their timidity, to the general animation.
Now they swim in the open water, scarcely rippling its surface with their flippers ; now they float on its bosom, and anon
drag their heavy bodies toilsomely along the shore.
But of all the feathered inhabitants of these humid regions,
the jacana is most distinguished for his grace and vivacity.
Always in motion, he skims lightly, accompanied by his mate,
over the floating verdure of the lagoons, tripping dexterously
from leaf to leaf, as if fearful of wetting his toes. Nature has
endowed him with a formidable weapon ; he conceals beneath
his wing a spur as sharp as steel, with which he can strike his
enemy with fatal force. But he is by no means quarrelsome;
when disturbed, he flies off with a scream to some other point,
not far distant, having previously assured himself, from the
top of some tall tree, that it is a safe retreat. After alighting he remains perfectly still for a moment, with wings expanded, ready for a flight in the event of the slightest alarm.
This charming bird, I afterwards ascertained, is found all
over tropical America. The Spaniards call him gallerote,
and the Indians of Tabasco ckechelnab, bird of the nab or
nymphaea.
I noticed in the vicinity of Palizada great numbers of the
mango tree. Originally introduced from India, it has become
acclimated here, and has generated so rapidly as to appear to
form a part of the primitive forest. It produces abundantly,
and when ripe the ground is literally covered with its golden
fruit. But it rots there in neglect. It might easily be distilled for the production of alcohol, but the ignorant and indolent population are not equal even to this small effort in the

FRUITS

AND

FISHES.

59

way of enterprise ! The mango is reputed to be a healthful
fruit, endowed, it is said, with purifying virtues, besides
being very pleasant to the taste. The pulp, of a beautiful
yellow, is firm and full of juice, the seed is large and stringy,
the skin soft and of a yellowish green, with a slight odor of
turpentine.
I tasted for the first time, at the table of Father Alberti,
a species of anona, which the Spaniards call guanabana and
the French corossol (A. muricata L.) Easily recognizable by
its green color, its pyramidal shape, and by the protuberances
on its surface, this fruit has a peculiarly agreeable flavor,
although coupled with a biting, wild taste, which indicates that
it grows in a virgin forest, and has not had the advantages of
culture. The extremity of the royal palm is eaten at Palizada; it is the cabbage palm of ancient travellers—a droll
name, which sins against all the rules of analogy. This production is not a peculiarity of special palm trees; all vegetables
of the same family produce a sprout at the top, which in many
varieties is both large and tender, and fit for food. Unfortunately, however, it is necessary to cut down a whole tree in
order to obtain this so-called cabbage.
The Usumasinta river and the neighboring lagoons contain a great variety of fish, and among others a singular
species, which attains a yard in length, and which is called in
the country peje lagarto (alligator fish), probably the Lepidosteus gavialis of Lacepide. In shape it resembles the
pike, but with a straighter and longer head. . Its body is covered with scales of a lozenge shape, scattered in oblique series,
and are very stiff and tough. The fishermen roast this fish in
its armor, which, after it is cooked, they remove. The freshwater turtles also serve as an article of food. I counted five
different varieties, among others that called hicotea (emys
omata of Gray), which is the largest and most esteemed. It$

60

THE

LAGOONS.

flesh strongly resembles that of the chicken, and is much more
delicate than that of the sea turtles.*
The natural advantages of the country, in the respects enumerated, are counterbalanced by the pest of mosquitos, which
obliges the inhabitants to close their doors hermetically on the
approach of evening. Besides, each house is the resort of a
multitude of mischievous insects, disagreeable reptiles, and
offensive animals. In addition to rats, lizards, and bats, there
are scorpions, enormous roaches, myriads of ants, and several
hideous varieties of spiders.
I was not long in finding out that here the researches to
which I had devoted myself, for the benefit of the natural
sciences, required to be pursued with greater circumspection
than I had before adopted. I frequently heard mention made,
under the name of culebras de hueso, of the rattlesnakes which
infest the neighboring forests, and I found an explanation for
the terror which these reptiles inspire in the want of medicinal
knowledge among the inhabitants. All the way from the island
of Carmen a still more fearful species had been mentioned to
me, the name of which from time to time saluted my ears, and
excited my curiosity. How was I to triumph over the indolence and antipathy of the Indians to procure one of these
reptiles? "We have/' they said, "an antidote against the
bite of the culebra ; but the venom of the nahuyaca is certain death.7'
* M. Waldeck tells a curious story of the destruction of the caymans, or
what our author calls crocodiles, by the hicotea or xicotea. The shell of the
latter is proof against the crushing force of the cayman's jaws, and in consequence he is swallowed alive. But his testaceous covering is equally proof
against the cayman's digestive powers, while his tenacity of life is so great
that he is able to interfere seriously with the monster's internal arrangements
—so seriously, indeed, that the cayman soon pays the penalty of his greediness by death, M, "Waldeck affirms tha.t he often examined the bodies of defunct caymans, and invariably found a. living xicotea in their stomachs.—
Voyage dans V Yucatan, p. d.^T.

THE

DEADLY

NAHUYACA.

61

All the information which I have obtained concerning this
reptile, wherever it is known, concurs in respect to the frightful effects of its bite. In a few hours the strongest man, in
the best of health, becomes a corpse. The excitement of the
nervous system at first induced is followed by complete prostration ;• blood flows from every pore and life ebbs away with
frightful rapidity.^ The Indians insist that the nahuyaca
does not confine itself to biting when assaulted, but that it
boldly attacks pedestrians, and even precipitates itself into boats
coasting along the banks of the river. I will not endorse this
statement, which seems to be at variance with the usual habits
of serpents. The mode of sailing on the Usumasinta, where
the canoes almost touch the banks, and frequently become entangled in the vegetation which fringes them, is sufficient explanation of the occasional presence, in the boats, of these
dangerous and unwelcome guests.
* The symptoms which accompany the bite of tjais viper were observed
by the Spaniards at the time of the Conquest. "There is in Chiapa," says
Herrara, " great brown vipers resembling decayed wood. One of which having bitten a horse, the animal immediately perspired blood from every pore
and did not survive it more than a day." Herrara, Dec. iv. ix. c. 12. This ser*
pent is also called by the Spaniards, vivora de sangre.

II.
T H E

RXJI2STS

O JF IP JL JL, ZD N" Q TJ B3 .
E

Departure from Palizada—Po*o£—A Boat race—Aliiates—Ortega—Night adventures—.
Magnificent foliage—The chorcha—A jaguar—Mosquitos—The huho—The Nahu*
yaca again—Remedies against snake bites—Fida—Lagoon of Catasaja—Forest solitudes—Village of Las Playas—Town of Santo Domingo—Magnificent scenery—A
true philosopher—Primitive habits—Custodian of the ruins—Vandalism of travellers—Installation in the Palace of Palenque—Speculations—Origin of the r u i n s Voices of the night—Lost!—An escape—The hocco—Adieu to the ruins—Geological
discoveries—The end of a"n exile.

AT the end of a week, after laying in a supply of provisions, consisting of biscuits, rice, and salt meat, I had my
baggage placed on board of a cayuco, and started for the ruins
of Palenque, distant thirty-five leagues. During the dry season this distance can be lessened by travelling directly across
the country; but when the waters are high, it is safer to sail
up to the village of Las Playas, from whence there is a tolerable road to the town of Santo Domingo, two leagues distant
from the ancient city.
I observed, after leaving Palizada, that the Usumasinta
began to change its appearance, and that on both banks there
were occasional cultivated fields, with little houses scattered
here and there. At one of these we stopped to procure mangos, water melons, and pozol. The Indians never set out on
any expedition without a supply of pozol. This is maize
made into a kind of paste, sweetened with sugar to suit the
taste, and when mixed with water serves at once for food and
drink. It is, at the same time, the most economical and portable kind of provision for a journey.^
* Here I may repeat what has never failed to receive mention among all

66

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

We poled along very slowly, until our boatmen, whom no
encouragement could stimulate to greater speed, perceived a
cayuco which had started from Palizada half an hour before
our own, and which the curves in the river had hitherto concealed from our view. This acted as a charm in overcoming
their apathy; they determined by a common impulse to pass by
the boat ahead, which, however, was manned by sailors equally
determined not to be beaten. An exciting race was consequently kept up all the day, much to our satisfaction. Voyaging in these canoes is not without its danger, when the bow
oarsman is careless, or when his head or his vision is affected
by alcohol. The depth of the water obliges the navigator to
keep close to the shores, which are full of roots, scraggy tree
trunks, and vegetable debris embedded in the mud. The most
perfect equilibrium has therefore to be maintained, for the
cayuco is only a hollow trunk of a tree, narrow, light and untravellers in these countries, namely, that the maize or Indian corn constitutes
the principal article of food of the people. It is most used in the form of
tortillas. These are made by removing the outer husk of the kernels by
soaking them in strong alkali; afterwards the grain is carefully washed in
cold water, ground fine with a stone roller, on a concave grinding stone, and
then, in the form of a fine paste, flattened out in thin cakes, and baked rapidly on earthen platters, placed over a hot fire. The name totoposte is given
to a kind of cake made of the same maize-pasto with the tortilla, but it is
thinner, only baked on one side, and then allowed to become completely dry
and crisp. It has the same relation to the tortilla that the biscuit of commerce
has to bread, and like that is specially used by travellers and sailors. The
tamal is also made of maize, prepared as above described, mixed with pork
chopped fine, tomatoes, pepper, and other unctuous and savory ingredients,
which after being thoroughly cooked together, are divided into small portions
of a pound each, and finally enveloped in the husks of maize, equally for preservation and ease of transport. Sometimes fowls, fish, and even vegetables
and comfits are used among the ingredients instead of pork. But in addition
to these substantial preparations, the maize enters into various nourishing
beverages, such as tiste, made of parched maize ground up with sugar, cinnamon, and cacao, and, when drunk, mixed with water; the atole, a kind of
porridge made of the young maize while yet soft, etc. Without the maize and
the plaintain the population of tropical America could not exist.

MAGNIFICENT

FOLIAGE.

67

steady. The river is deep, and its st3ep banks are slimy and
infested by alligators. To fall ov< aboard is consequently
most disagreeable as well as dangerous. So, what with dread
of being upset, warfare against troublesome flies by day, and
still more troublesome mosquitos by r ight, the voyager here is
not without his excitements, albeit no; of the pleasantest kind.
At eight leagues from Palizada, after sending off a large
outlet in a north-eastern direction, the Usumasinta assumes
its proper name. From this point the country again becomes
wild in appearance; all traces of civilization disappear, and
the stream, which is here double its former width, flows majestically through an unbroken avenue of gigantic trees. We
were now nearing the confines of Yucatan ; the left shore was
already in the territory of Tabasco. On approaching this
wooded region, we heard for the first time the aliiates, or red
monkeys, which fill the forests night and morning with their
fearful cries. It was sundown when we anchored in a little
sheltered creek, where, on the top of a steep bank, we discerned a poor hut, to which we made our way, and where we
obtained all we could expect or hope for in such a spot—
shelter, fire, and water. This place is called Ortega.
While Morin was occupied in preparing" supper, I shouldered my gun, and, crossing the little clearing back of the
hut, entered the forest. But how am I to describe the spectacle which there greeted my enraptured sight ? From the first
step I took, I fancied myself on enchanted ground. I was surrounded by palm trees, a strange and monstrous vegetation,
vines trailing in every direction in the wildest disorder, old
branches of trees covered with bulbous plants, like so many
serial gardens—in a word, I found myself in a scene of splendor, richness, and diversity, exceeding in its beauty the wildest dreams of the most vivid imagination ! A few stray
gleams of sunshine streaming through the foliage revealed all
this beauty immediately before me, but beyond was a profound

68

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

darkness, impenetrable even to the sun. I stopped, bewildered and dazzled, like one who in a dark night suddenly sees
a meteor flash before his eyes. I was so ecstatically absorbed,
that I did not even feel the bites of the mosquitos which
swarmed around me ! But as the shades of evening were
falling, I feared to pursue my walk farther, standing always
in wholesome dread of serpents and wild animals.
I had taken but a few steps backwards, towards the skirts
of the forest, w^hen a species of fig fell at my feet. In stooping
to pick it up, what was my surprise to find it rapidly followed
by others, some of which struck me in their descent. There
was not the least breath of air to stir the trees, and the figs were
far from being sufficiently ripe to have fallen from maturity. I
looked up and fancied that I perceived a black form perfectly
motionless, but partially concealed by the foliage. I could
not feel satisfied to leave my doubts unsolved, so discharged
my gun at the object, which immediately fell, then caught itself, fell a little lower, caught itself again, and finally disappeared in the thicket. I had seen sufficient to convince me
that it was a monkey of the aliiate variety. At the report of
my gun, half a dozen black, grinning visages suddenly made
their appearance through the branches, and then as suddenly
disappeared. I was probably right in firing ; yet I could
not help regretting the severity of the reproof I had administered, and I left the battle field without further disturbing
these poor children of the wilderness.
On quitting the forest, I stopped to contemplate the imposing appearance presented at this hour by the Usumasinta.
It seemed to be a vast basin, in which the weary waters took
their rest, before following the current which slowly drew
them towards the Gulf. The silence was profound, and
heightened rather than disturbed by the distant howls of the
altiates. The shadows deepened rapidly as the sun declined,
and when it sank at last beneath the horizon, darkness seemed

A

NIGHT

ALARM.

69

to fall like a veil over the earth. The river was here and
there bright under the lingering beams, but these soon paled
away, leaving the land and water to the sombre embraces of
the night.
On my return to the hut, I was almost suffocated by the
smoke from the smouldering brands which our boatmen had
piled together as a preventive against mosquitos. Seated near
the fire, they devoured a heron, which we had killed in the
morning, with no other seasoning than green peppers ; while
Morin put the finishing touch to some mysterious dish of
his own composition. Fortunately I was hungry, for there
was little before me to provoke an appetite. When our meal
was concluded, and every one had lighted his cigar, I questioned our host touching his solitary existence. His family
consisted of a wife and two young children ; his furniture of a
couple of hammocks, a mat, and a few cooking utensils. His
gun, fishing-line, and a small cultivated field near by supplied
him with provisions ; when he had an abundance of these, he
exchanged the surplus for such useful articles as the boatmen, who occasionally landed here, happened to bring with
them. He had never been further away from this spot than
to Palizada, and had no desire to exchange his solitary life
and frugal independence for the excitement and sweets of civilization. " Porque ?;? Why ? he exclaimed interrogatively,
when I asked him if he would not like to see the great ocean,
and the ships and people of other lands. " Porque? soy contento !" Why; am I not content ? Nor was he alone in his
philosophy ; hundreds like him live and die in a like manner,
without passing or seeking to pass beyond the congenial solitudes of the familiar wilds where their fathers lived and died
before them.
Hardly had he finished his simple history, when a cry
from the banks of the river startled us all, it was so like a
human scream, a single one, but full of agony. We glanced

70

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

anxiously at each other, and then all hurried off toward the
spot from whence it seemed to proceed. But the thick growth
of the bamboos retarded our steps, and the night moreover was
very dark ; we listened anxiously but could hear nothing; the
murmuring of the river and the buzzing of insects were the
only sounds which fell on our ears. Perhaps some wayworn
traveller, belated on these dangerous shores, had fallen a prey
to wild animals ? We shouted, but without awakening even
an echo; and finally wended our way back to the hut, with
hearts full of the saddest reflections.
This incident rendered our host somewhat more communicative, and he related to us many of the dangers attendant
on his mode of life. Jaguars frequently prowled about his
dwelling; alligators often approached it, hoping in the darkness to secure a choice morsel in his dogs or his chickens;
while venomous reptiles glided familiarly over his very doorsill. These details interested but did not entertain us ; since
we knew that we were to pass the night just outside the hut,
in an open shed. I loaded my gun, and had a large fire built
on the side of the shed next to the forest. But our worst enemy, the implacable mosquito, despised our defences. I was
especially singled out as his victim here, as I had been before
at the Isla de Pajaros. In vain I had my mosquito-bar
sewed to the mat which served as my bed ; the precaution was
idle, and only resulted to my disadvantage. Those of my
readers who have ever been under the tropics, will pardon me
should I repeat myself. * The valiant Cortez himself grumbled
bitterly about the mosquitos which he found here, and even
the great battles in which he was engaged could not efface the
recollection of his struggles against these despicable little enemies.^ It wTas only nine o'clock, so I had ample time for
* "Los mosquitos que lo picavan de dia como de noche, que alo quedespues le oia decir, tenia con ellos tan malas noches, que estaba la eabeca sin
sentido de nodormir."—B. Diaz, Hist. Verdad, c. 181.

RED

MONKEYS.

71

meditation. The moon was shining full upon 'the river; nothing could surpass the splendor of the night. But the calm
and religious repose of the scene was rudely disturbed by the
howls of the aliiates which throng the banks of the Usumasinta, and every night keep up a horrible chorus, so loud and
sustained as to drown all other noises. No traveller ever
heard the cry of this animal for the first time except with a
choking sense of alarm ; and no experience can reconcile him
to it. I heard it every night for weeks, but it never failed to
send a chill to my extremities, and I shudder now as I recall
it. What with the aliiates and mosquitos, the reader may be
sure I got but little sleep at Ortega, and experienced a malicious pleasure in rousing up Morin and our companions, with
the first glow of morning, and hurrying our departure.
Sunrise, in these wilds, is always welcomed with a choral
hymn from the throats of its feathered inhabitants, in which
all join without regard to the melody of their voices. Loudest and most discordant in the concert is the penelopc, known
in this country under the imitative name of chachalaca, which
scrambles among the branches and flutters from tree-top to
tree-top in a thorough gale of excitement and exuberant spirits
—a tempting mark alike for the sportsman and the epicure.
As we moved up the river, I could not forbear instituting
a general comparison between the forests here and our own,
from which they differ not more in detail than in their distant
aspects. Unlike ours, they do not round in uniform masses
with waving outlines, but appear traced against the sky in a
broken and often fantastic line. Here are tall apexes, curiously scant in their foliage, skeleton giants of the forest, and
close by, in sharp contrast, a series of huge parasols of verdure, supported on stems so light that they seem to be suspended in the air by an invisible support. But most imposing
in size, and richest in foliage, the cantemon is the real monarch of the woods. The very sky seems to rest on its majes-

72

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

tic crown. We passed under one of these colossi, from the
branches of which depended a little city of the oriole or hanging birds' nests, so high in the air that the eye failed to detect the threads by which they were supported. In these
aerial retreats this bright little member of the passeres family
is safe from every terrestrial enemy; only the hawk or the
falcon can reach him there. Among the flowering trees
which thronged the banks of the river, I observed the inga,
which sprinkled our boat with its silvery and fragrant flowers
as we swept beneath it.*
Night, under the tropics, seems less a period of repose than
the midday hours. When the sun reaches the zenith, as if
by common accord, the breezes subside, the leaves droop, the
birds retire to the coolest recesses of the forest, and man himself relapses into a sympathetic silence. Perhaps it was then
that I most enjoyed the strange and rich variety and novelty
of the scenes around me. In a half lethargic state I would
lie back in the boat, and let the landscape float before my
half-closed eyes, until gradually I would seem to lose my
identity and become part of the scene itself, and absorbed in
its mysterious embrace. Then I would drop off in slumber
as dreamless and profound as if I had never known existence,
nor shared the hopes and fears of human life.
The thermometer, during these noon-day calms, often
marked as high as 88° of Fahrenheit in the shade and 104° in
the sun. At such times our progress was slow, and we often
stopped under the shadow of some overhanging tree and indulged in a general siesta.
Towards evening we reached a new offshoot of theUsumasinta, flowing towards the north, and called Rio Chico. The
point of divergence was marked by a promontory of some elevation, supporting an inhabited hut almost buried in the thick
* A singular and undescribed species, called bits by the Indians.
fruit is siliquose, like the tamarind, and ripens in August.

The

VISIT

OF

A

JAGUAR.

73

foliage. Here we stopped for the night. A fire was lighted,
and our stock of provisions brought up from the boat—that is
to say, such scant supply as our fishing and shooting during
the day had afforded us. With these and a few tortillas obtained in exchange for tobacco, we made up our moal. The
occupants of the hut watched its preparation and disappearance, with that silent and distrustful curiosity which the presence of a foreigner seems always to inspire in the secluded
inhabitants of these countries, and which neither kindness nor
long acquaintanceship is successful in overcoming.
Hardly had we finished our repast when we were startled
by the sudden barking of dogs in the neighborhood of the hut.
In countries like this, such sounds have a sinister significance.
Our host leaped up, listened a moment, and then seizing his
gun rushed outside. " Es un tigre !" he exclaimed, as he
disappeared through the doorway. We instinctively armed
ourselves with such weapons as were at hand, and followed.
The night was intensely dark, for the moon had not yet risen;
but the youngest son of our host, lighting a torch, courageously took the lead, and guided us toward the nearest thicket,
whence the sounds which we had heard seemed to proceed.
By the aid of a machete we soon effected a clearing, when
we discovered one of the dogs of our host stretched on the
ground fearfully lacerated. At the sound of his master's voice
the poor animal endeavored to rise, turned a dying glance towards the woods beyond, made an ineffectual effort to bark, and
fell down dead. His back had been broken by the paw of the
jaguar, which had escaped into the depths of the forest. It
was useless to attempt pursuit, so we retraced our steps with
a feeling of mingled disappointment and relief; while the Indian set fire to the thicket without reflecting that he was
thereby endangering the safety of his own hut. The bamboos
blazed and crackled like straw, and the fire spread for a considerable distance. As it shot up in spires and shed its fitful
4

74

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

glare on the forest, we fancied that we saw myriads of frightful shapes starting out from the darkness and then retreating
again in demoniac glee. But fortunately the hut of the Indian, our refuge for the night, escaped the conflagration.
I had hoped to obtain here the rest of which I was so
greatly in need, and early sought repose. The hut contained
but one room, divided into several compartments by mosquito
nets, resembling the steerage berths of a ship. A gun, two
machetes, a few earthen and wooden vessels, and a scant supply
of provisions suspended from the rafters, constituted all the
movable effects of the inhabitants; but, on the other hand,
their landed property was considerable, for it was without
bounds ! In a corner some brands were burning, sending out
a dense smoke, which was intended to be a preventive against
mosquitos. But notwithstanding this precaution, which rendered the atmosphere hot and almost intolerable, these pests
came in by thousands, with the freedom of the wind, through
every crevice of the hut! The imprecations of our host, who
tossed about restlessly in his hammock, and who was continually making efforts to destroy his persecutors by slapping
violently the exposed parts of his person, proved to me that the
epidermis of the Indians is not more impervious than our own !
At last, my efforts to get asleep proving fruitless, I got
up and left the abominable den in which we were imprisoned.
Pedrito, the oldest son of our host, a youth of fourteen or
fifteen years, with whom I had struck up a little acquaintance
after the alarm of the jaguar, seemed equally restless, and
followed me to the banks of the river. The present of a cigar
disposed him to be confidential, and I soon put him entirely
at his ease by questioning him on subjects with which he was
familiar ; that is to say, about the productions of the country,
the animals infesting the forests, and the occupations of .his
family. He spoke Spanish very well, and as he appeared intelligent and communicative for an Indian, I took pleasure in

THE

BUHO.

75

drawing him out. At the end of half an hour we became
great friends ; he in turn questioning me, and listening without distrust to my replies. Suddenly he interrupted me in
the middle of a sentence, by pointing to a grove which we
overlooked from the high point where we were seated. " Hark,
senor !" he exclaimed; " did you not hear something ?"
" I fancied that I heard the moan of some wild animal,"
was my reply.
" It is not an animal," he rejoined in a mysterious tone,
placing his fore-finger on his lips. A few notes in a louder
key proved the truth of his assertion.
" Then it is a bird, I suppose ?"
He did not reply, but bent over the promontory and with
neck stretched forward, and listening ear, seemed absorbed in
profoundest contemplation. When, however, I repeated my
inquiry, he answered in a low voice, that he now saw the bird
in the bushes.
The interest which he evidently felt, communicated itself
to me, as I was convinced that the bird which could thus arrest
his attention must be both curious and rare. "Do not move,"
I said, rising quietly, " I will go for my gun." But Pedrito,
without uttering a word, motioned me not to leave.
I should have disturbed myself unnecessarily had I dona
so, for at that moment the bird, as if suspecting my design,
flew out of the grove toward the opposite shore, where his
voice became confounded with the murmur of the river.
"Well!" I said, "now that it is gone, you will at least
tell me its name?"
" I t is a buhoj senor," replied Pedrito, with animation.
" Of course you have heard of the buho"*
" In truth, I fancied it was a bird of that species; but
had this one any peculiar merit?"
Pedrito raised his eyes timidly to mine, and I imagined
* A species of owl, called tecolote by the Indiaus.

76

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

that I discovered in his glance a shade of doubt or distrust,
which I hastened to dissipate by the offer of another cigar.
" Do you not know, senor,'' he replied, carefully putting
away his present, " do you not know that the buho has miraculous powers; that he can make his master rich, cure him of
sickness, and win for him the heart of the woman he loves ?"
" Indeed !" I rejoined, " I was ignorant of all this ; come,
explain the whole matter to me, so that I may profit by your
knowledge, should I ever be able to get this wonderful bird !"
Thus encouraged, the young Indian proceeded to tell me
all that he knew of the buho. He enjoined, in case I ever
became its fortunate possessor, to give it every care and attention, since its death, if the result of negligence, would be
sure to be followed by the greatest misfortunes. He added,
that to obtain one without injuring it, required such a combination of fortunate circumstances, that with all his anxiety to
possess a buho, he had never succeeded in securing one.
These details interested me, in spite of their childishness,
reminding me of an ancient superstition mentioned by the old
Spanish historians. The Indians of Honduras, according to
Herrara, had the art of evoking the evil spirit, who appeared
to them in the form of a quadruped or bird, with which they
entered into such intimate relations that the death of the one
was invariably followed by the immediate death of the other.*
It was substantially the same superstition which I encountered
the banks of the Usumasinta, making allowance for the modifications it had undergone during the lapse of ages. When
Pedrito had concluded his recital, I inquired whence he had
derived such valuable information. He mentioned the name
of one of his uncles residing at Jonuta, as his authority.
* Herrara, Dec. iv. 1. viii. c 4. See also Torquemada, who asserts positively that, " Yiniendo a los ageiiros que tenian, digo que erati sin cuento \
creian en aves nocturnos, especialmente en el Buho j en los mochuelos, . .
etc."—Monarchia Ind., t. ii., 1. vi, c. 48.

THE

NAHUYACA

AGAIN.

77

" But," I inquired smilingly, "in solitudes like these, where
are the maidens to be found for your birds to charm?"
As he was about to reply, a bright light suddenly flashed
on the water, and on looking in the direction of the hut we
saw its occupants moving about with torches in their hands,
and at the same moment we heard a confused murmur like that
from a camp surprised by an enemy. Thinking that the
jaguar had again made his appearance, we hastened back, but
before we could reach the hut Pedrito's father called out to us
to stop. We obeyed, full of apprehension and unable to understand the mysterious injunction. Suddenly the young Indian, all of whose faculties had been on the alert, seized my
arm and in a tremulous voice exclaimed, " Do not move ; it is
'a serpent!"
" If it be only a serpent," was my rejoinder, " this stick
is sufficient for our defense."
"No, no!" he exclaimed, holding me back, " i t is the
nahuyaca ; and the nahuyaca never forgives !"
There was a moment of suspense, during which every eye
searched the ground in order to discover the reptile. Morin
proved to be most fortunate, and a shot from his gun broke
its back and enabled us to capture it with ease. The Indians
regarded it without moving a muscle, or saying a word. But
I was delighted beyond measure with the lucky chance which
had thus thrown in my way so fine a specimen of this singular and most dreaded of vipers, of which I then supposed we
had no accounts except the very imperfect ones left us by the
early conquerors. I found out, however, on my return to
France, that it had been described briefly by Lacepede, under
the name of vipera Brasiliana, from a specimen in the Museum. Later, the traveller Spix brought another specimen
with him from Brazil, from which M. Schlegel, in his Essai
sur la Physionomie des Serpents, drew most of the information which we possess concerning it. He gave it the name

78

THE

RUINS

OFPALENQUE.

of jararaca. In Brazil, where they are very numerous, they
are of different colors, which has led to some confusion in their
description. All of those which I saw during my travels were
precisely alike, and seemed to me very similar to the bothrops
surucucii of Spix. Resembling the rattlesnake in shape and
color, its back is ornamented with a longitudinal series of
brown spots of trapezoidal shape, relieved by a bright yellow
border ; its belly is also yellow; its head triangular and flat;
and its angular body is endowed with great muscular strength
—features which identify it as one of the most deadly of reptiles. The one killed by Morin was nearly two yards in
length.*
The fangs of the jararaca, slender, long, and capable of
being raised considerably by the movement of the maxillars,*
on penetrating the skin only produce two scarcely perceptible
punctures whence escape a few drops of blood, but the wounded
part tumefies very rapidly. The absorption of the poison by
the blood manifests itself in a general prostration of the system, a burning thirst, retching, and by other symptoms which
I have before mentioned. Livid spots soon appear around the
wound, forerunners of a gangrene, which spreads rapidly over
the whole person, and, sooner or later, ends in death.
There is no security in external or internal remedies
against the jararaca! s bite, for up to the present time no
specific has been found for its cure. The only proper course
to pursue is carefully to wash the wound, and by tight ligatures above and below it, prevent the virus from infecting the
blood. The part should then be scarified or cupped, if possi* The discovery of this species of trigonocephalies in Central America fills
up a chasm in the geographical range of the reptile. It is found in the tr.
atrox L. in Guiana; in the tr. lanceolatus Opp. in Martinique and Santa Lucia ; and finally in the tr. cenchris Sch. in the southern States of the American Union. These dangerous ophidians are therefore spread all over the inter-tropical portions of the New World, from South Carolina to Brazil They
have not yet been found either in Europe or in Africa.

A

CANINE

ACQUISITION.

79

ble, and cauterized. In a word, it is necessary to neutralize
a poison the effects of which it is impossible to contend against.
Sudorifi.es, administered in large doses, complete a course of
treatment which one can easily adopt for himself. A traveller,
and above all a naturalist, should never move about in these
countries unprovided for an emergency of this kind; for safety
depends on celerity, and the slightest delay may be followed
by fatal results.
In the morning we left this dangerous locality. "We had,
however, added to our company a dog, which proved to be a
most useful acquisition. Fida had short, coarse hair, was of
reddish color, and marked like a zebra; her ears were erect, her
snout delicate, and altogether she resembled the greyhound in
shape, only that she was rather more compact. She was,
doubtless, of European extraction; but the breed had evidently been long acclimated under the tropics. She was,
perhaps, a descendant (who knows?) of that famous greyhound left on the island of Carmen during the expedition of
Grijalva. This dog of ours was, moreover, courageous in the
extreme, and full of a rare intelligence, which careful training finally developed to a wonderful degree. I was fortunate
enough, but not without great trouble, to carry her with me
to France, where, unhappily, her primitive elegance of shape
gradually disappeared under the enervating influences of repose and civilization. I would have liked much to take little
Pedrito with me also, for the young Indian interested me
greatly, but his father refused his consent, not unwisely, as I
have often thought since.
We diverged from the Usumasinta, to enter the Rio Chico,
which, in turn, was abandoned three leagues farther on, for the
Ckiquito, a muddy channel, narrow and stagnant, which communicates with the Lagoon of Catasaja. This unfrequented
region seemed to me wilder than any we had yet traversed.
Monkeys clustering among the vines, clambered to the very tops

80

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

of the trees on our approach, in the utmost agitation and alarm.
Tapirs, roused from their slumbers, rushed from us in terror,
dashing through the forest, regardless of obstructions. Great
lizards loosened their hold on the branches of the trees, and fell
trembling into the mud; and numberless iguanas, green, purple
and brown, scrambled along the banks of the stream, and vanished in their holes. We killed a number; one in particular was of great size and peculiar color, which I considered
worthy of preservation; but unfortunately he was so much mutilated by shot, that I reluctantly consigned him to our cook.
At one point, perched on the top of a ceiba tree, which time
had stripped of its foilage, we perceived the king of the vultures (tSarcoramphics papa of Lin.,) a fine bird of black
and white plumage, whose head and neck, during the season of
mating, are brilliant with the most exquisite colors. He manifested no alarm on our approach, and we did not attempt to
molest him. In view of these immense forests of lofty trees,
the haunts of wild beasts, strange birds and unknown reptiles,
shrouded with vines hanging in festoons from the branches or
trailing like serpents along the ground, with the sinister, sad
waters of the river in front, so silent that no sound save that
of the plunge of the alligator in their depths reached the ear:
in view of all these, I experienced a nervous excitement, which
kept my imagination in constant activity. E very instant I looked
for some new and startling incident, or some strange and marvellous spectacle. As we advanced, the forest by degrees seemed
to lose all signs of life; there was a death-like silence ; no wind,
no current, and the declining rays of the sun glistened on the
dead waters as on a mirror of brass. Our oarsmen appeared
prostrated, while Morin and myself, bathed in perspiration,
reclined listlessly on the deck of the cayuco. Nevertheless, the dreariness of the forest was occasionally relieved by
the jolocin, a tree of great size, bearing immense pink flowers, which blossom before the leaves make their appearance.

VILLAGE

OF

LAS

PLAYAS.

81

About three in the afternoon, we reached the Lagoon of
Catasaja, a broad sheet of water, surrounded by forests.
The mountain of Palenque now became visible, describing a
perfect trapezium against the horizon. A n hour later, we
landed in the province of Chiapa, after having sailed twentysix leagues from the town of Palizada.
The village of Las Playas is built in a little nook formed
by the last bend of the mountains. During the rainy season
it is encircled by water, and is entirely separated from the
surrounding country, except at a point to the southward where
runs the road to Palenque. The circle of dry land increases
with the return of the dry season; and the lagoon, no longer
deriving any supply of water from the little river of Cat asaja, gradually recedes from the peninsula, and ceases to imprison its inhabitants. We were lodged in the municipal house,
or cabildo, a kind of caravansery, established in each village
by the forethought of a former government for the accommodation of strangers. Twenty or more Indian lazzaroni obstructed
the entrance, lying here and there on the floor, where they
enjoyed life in a most primitive manner. We were obliged to
step over their prone bodies to take possession of our domicil.
These barbarians, originally from the mountains of Tumbala,
come down from time to time into the plain to exchange the
products of their labor for supplies of provisions. They are by
no means prepossessing in appearance; their heads rise almost
to a point behind; their foreheads are narrow; their limbs large,
but their skin is of a tolerably light shade. When here they
are intoxicated from morning until night. They speak a language but little understood.
I t was at Las Playas that I was first consulted as a physician. My patient was a Spaniard of lymphatic temperament,
who complained of obesity. H e was at least forty-five, yet
seemed surprised that he no longer retained the symmetry of
his youth ! I prescribed diet and exercise, which he did not
4*

82

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

seem much to relish, and he left me with ill-concealed contempt for my medical knowledge. I should, doubtless, have
produced a much better impression had I ordered a few innocent pills, but one does not acquire the arts of the charlatan in
a moment! Yet I learned to practise them later, without serious qualms of conscience. In truth, in a country so full of
ignorance and prejudice, it is imprudent to confess a want of
knowledge of medicine, for public opinion invests every stranger with the character of a physician; and travellers should
always be " u p " in this part, which is by no means a difficult
one to play!
The day after our arrival, all being in readiness for our
excursion to the ruins, we deposited our baggage in a place
of safety, and procured guides and animals for the journey.
The road to Palenque lies over alluvial ground, which rises
gently towards the mountains. For the first two leagues the
path is through a virgin forest, full of quagmires. Here the
horses are very averse to proceeding, and the traveller has frequently great difficulty in extricating them from the marshes.
On issuing from the forests, the Sierra de la Naranjas, eight
leagues distant, becomes visible. The country here is only a
monotonous, dreary savanna. As we passed over it, the heat
was overwhelming; not a sound was audible, not even the
buzzing of an insect! The blossoms closed their petals, while
the leaves were literally shrivelled up by the heat. But as we
approached the town of Santo Domingo, the country began to
assume a more attractive appearance. The ground was much
broken, but covered with verdure. Our road soon after ran
over a cluster of wooded hills, then we crossed the Chimichibol, a wonderfully limpid stream, on sight of which our
horses raised their heads and neighed, for they knew that we
were approaching the end of our journey.
All that I had read concerning this retired corner of the
globe, had not enabled me to form a just opinion of its true

SANTO

DOMINGO.

83

character. My erudite predecessors, with minds pre-occupied
writh an historical enigma (the solution of which, however, has
thus far evaded their penetration), have treated as valueless
accessories the framework or surroundings of the object of
their speculations. I was consequently both surprised and
delighted with the beauty and picturesqueness of the country.
Little houses situated according to the taste of the owner, on the
banks of running waters, and magnificently shadowed over by
trees, dotted the verdant table land at the base of the mountains.
Not having entirely recovered from the disagreeable and sinister impressions produced on my mind by the dismal plains
and slimy lagoons which we had just left, I was the more delighted with the change, as well in respect of the inhabitants
as in the scenery and whole aspect of the country.
It is true, that later, on visiting those picturesque, huts,
the chief charms of which, had been supplied by distance, and
on catching glimpses through the interstices of their walls of
the poverty of their inmates, and on visiting those beautiful
gardens destitute of useful plants, I revoked my first opinion,
and concluded that perfect happiness had not yet found a refuge here. I made the acquaintance, nevertheless, of a true
philosopher, whom love of ease had riveted to this spot, and
who, by the serenity of his existence, protested against my
judgment. Political disturbances had banished him from his
own country; chance had led him to Santo Domingo; and
wrhen he saw the smiling perspective of the village, half hidden
by a bend of the mountain, he exclaimed, " If there be peace on
earth surely it is to be found here !" So here he established
himself, married, and has since remained. He was a man of
middle age, by no means wanting in intelligence, and possessing considerable dignity of character. The disturbances
in the neighboring states rarely extend to these regions. The
ground is productive, the climate pleasant and salubrious,—
that is to say, compared with that of the plain-—in fine, peace

84

THE

RUINS

OF

PALBNQUE.

reigns here supreme, and peace is a prime element of happiness.
Under the administration of Don Antonio Calderon (1752)
Santo Domingo del Palenque, which to-day numbers about
six hundred souls, possessed a population three times as great,
and was considered as a flourishing little city. But the emancipation of Spanish America dried up the source of its prosperity, by dividing the colonial unity, and modifying commercial traditions. The abandonment of the route through
which Santo Domingo derived its principal revenue and commercial movement, when merchandise from Guatemala and
Chiapa was sent down the lagoon to Campeachy, struck a mortal blow at the town, and there is little hope that the enterprise of the inhabitants can revive the prosperous days of the
past. Nevertheless, Providence, by its liberal endowments,
has shown itself unwilling to condemn it to barren isolation;
on the contrary its means of communication with the surrounding country are numerous and easy. One road leads
almost directly to the centre of Yucatan; another crosses the
mountains of las Naranjas and Tumbala to San Christobal,
the chief town of the province. Peten may be reached by the
Rio TJsumasinta, embarking either at Chables or Balanca?i,
and Tabasco is accessible by way of Las Playas—the route
by which we had come. The rivers Michol and Chacamas,
which take their rise in the neighboring sierras, and run in
opposite directions, are navigable at a distance of four leagues
from Santo Domingo, and afford other facilities for intercommunication. The first-named stream communicates with the
Grijalva by the river Tulija; it has, however, no tributaries,
and is only navigable for cayucos. The second is of greater
depth, and flows directly into the TJsumasinta.
Notwithstanding the fertility of the district, which is almost equal to that of the alluvions, the cattle of the people
constitute their chief wealth. The soil, mixed with sand and

WATER

AND

WOMEN.

85

vegetable manure and irrigated by numerous little streams, is
well adapted for the culture of tobacco. That which is now
grown is good but could be greatly improved by care and skill
in its cultivation. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of the
country are by no means enterprising; they are unwilling to
abandon their traditional routine, and are incapable of awakening from their apathy, unless stimulated by foreign energy.
This has sometimes been productive of good; but I must add
that envy and ingratitude have almost always been the reward
of the endeavors that have been made to instruct them, or
ameliorate their condition.
My first act on arriving at Santo Domingo was to call for
a glass of its water, which has a great reputation for excellence. The inhabitants give the preference, over the limpid
liquid of their streams, to the water derived from holes bored
in the ground at the foot of the hills. The dampness of the
woods furnishes a constant supply to these reservoirs, which
are always favorite resorts of the people. In retired places
deep excavations may be seen, where the women bathe during
the heat of the day. Here they gather, like their more fortunate sisters in other lands, not, it is true, in gilded saloons
on brocaded lounges, but beneath great trees festooned with
vines, on mossy banks, and indulge in protracted lustrations,
braiding their long hair and smoking their cigarettes the while,
in garbs as primitive as that of the sea-born Venus and the
Naiads ! Here they remain during the day, but when the sun
sinks beneath the waving fringe of trees, they put on their
blue skirts, fill their pitchers, and wend homewards, chatting and laughing all the way. These women are really
beautiful, but their appeal is rather to the senses than to the
affections.
I called on the alcalde on the day of my arrival, to obtain permission to visit the ruins. This magistrate had been
described to me as an inexorable Cerberus. He certainly was

86

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

no friend to scientific exploration, and had but a poor notion
of the merits of strangers. It was at his instigation that all
access to the ruins was forbidden, except under the guidance
of some person of note resident in the vicinity. Later, after
I saw the mutilation which these precious monuments had undergone, I was constrained to approve of the precautions of
the alcalde. If the masterpieces of Italy or Greece be removed from their native soil little harm is done, for their
value is in themselves; but to mutilate, through ridiculous
vanity, these rude American sculptures, the chief merit of
which lies in their mysterious origin, is to profane them without a shadow of excuse. I admire the bas-reliefs of Palenque
on the front of its old palaces; they interest and impress
me; but when transported to the galleries of the Louvre,
they appear to be only the rude designs of an uncultivated
people, and I look on them with coldness and indifference.
Their destruction hitherto has placed travellers in an unfortunate position, in arousing the ill will and suspicion of the
authorities, and causing the people, by way of retaliation, to
commit many acts of injustice and outrage on strangers. It
was in this spirit that some plaster models taken on the spot
by an American archaeologist were destroyed, thus depriving
science of a collection of facsimiles of great interest.*
The alcalde, to whom I bore a letter, kindly granted me
every privilege which I asked. Morin and myself, therefore,
on the morning after my arrival, set out on our expedition, accompanied by an old hidalgo, who, for thirty years, had been
* Cupidity is not always the motive for these acta of spoliation. In
many instances they result from the desire of persons to bring back mementos of their travels. Our neighbors (the English) have acquired an unenviable reputation in this respect. They have carried off whole monuments
piece by piece. One eccentric Englishman, in particular, is mentioned as
having mutilated every statue he saw in the valley of the Nile, and was arrested, by order of the Viceroy, barely in time to prevent his breaking off the
nose of the great Sesostris himself I—See GuisqueCs Egypt, vol. ii., p. 660.

THE

GTJAC0 .

87

the cicerone of the ruins, and who still preserved the dignity
of manner and the hospitable virtues belonging to a preceding
generation. We rode the distance of a league over an uneven and wooded country; the rest of our journey was performed on foot through the forest. On our way, Morin killed
a second nahuyaca, and Seiior Gonzales, our guide, confirmed
all that we had previously heard concerning the bite of the
reptile. He added that Providence had given the antidote
with the bane, plucking, while he spoke, ten steps from the
expiring serpent, a branch of the guaco, a specific against
serpent bites celebrated throughout tropical America. This
plant grows in great abundance on the shaded ground near
Palenque. There are three varieties, white, green, and purple ; the latter is the most highly esteemed, though, in point of
fact, it differs in nothing from the other varieties, except in
the color of its leaves. The guaco is taken internally, as an
essence or tincture. My faith in its efficacy is very limited,
although it has been cited as producing marvellous cures. A
little further on we saw a colossal arum, which drew from me
an exclamation of admiration. Senor Gonzales attributed a
singular virtue to this plant, that of causing the fangs of
venomous serpents to fall out by its simple touch. Without
entering into a discussion with him on this point, I respectfully
approached the plant and measured its leaves, each of which was
two yards in length by one and a half in breadth, and capable
of affording shade to three persons!
Already there were indications of the ruins being near at
hand, but the density of the forest concealed them from our
view. At last we ascended a steep elevation covered with
debris, and found ourselves at the portal of a vast edifice,
which we had not even perceived a few seconds before. It
was the principal front of the building called the Palace. A
double gallery of eighty yards in length, sustained by massive
pillars, opened before us. The walls, singularly enough, in-

88

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

clined toward each other from the architrave, forming an acute
angle, the point of which, seven feet from the ground, was
truncated by a final horizontal layer of stones. This original
mode of construction, which discloses the principle of the.arch,
was not wanting in grandeur or boldness of design, although
the architects did not understand the science of curves, and
stopped short, so to speak, on the verge of the discovery.
Firmly built on a pyramidal foundation twenty feet in height,
this palace is surmounted by a quadrangular tower of three stories, distinguished from each other by as many lines of cornice.
With the first view of its outlines, I was overcome by a feeling of surprise and admiration, which riveted me to the spot.
There was no tradition connected with this monument; nothing
to explain its origin! It was there, standing in the bosom of
solitude, in all the majesty of bygone ages. From the entrance, where we had stopped to survey it, we directed our
glances to an inner court full of gigantic idols, half concealed
by wild vegetation. The rest of the edifice was hidden in the
depths of the forest, and it was impossible to judge precisely
of its size and shape. A short distance to the north of the
Palace, grouped on isolated eminences, are other monuments,
equally remarkable for the solidity of their construction, the
stern simplicity of their architecture, and the mystery which
enshrouds their primitive purposes. Bushes and creeping
plants spread over them a mantle of verdure ; and enormous
trees grow on them, exciting surprise that they are able to
sustain the weight. The table land, besides, for a considerable distance around, is covered with ruins, which have *been
only partially explored. We devoted the whole of our first
day here to a rapid examination of these antiquities. Seilor
Gonzales departed next morning, and Morin and myself were
left alone in these mysterious solitudes. I must confess that I
bade adieu to this amiable gentleman with secret satisfaction.
I needed time for reflection, and wanted an entire personal

THE

PALACE

OF

PALENQUE.

89

independence fully to enjoy the interesting objects that surrounded me.
As soon as we were alone, we commenced clearing away
the rubbish around the Palace with the greatest activity. We
selected as a residence the eastern gallery, installing ourselves
in the lower story, which opens directly on the forest. With
the materials at band, we constructed a rude fire-place, and
established in one corner the simple requirements of a kitchen.
A broad, polished stone served as a table; the forest supplied
us with large coriaceous leaves, bark and vines, all of which
we turned to account. We arranged our beds in the subterranean chambers, which, it is said, were used as sepulchres.
Then, repairing the stairway, we made an opening to admit the
air and the sun, and lighted a fire to dispel the damp. Here
we resolved to remain as long as it suited our pleasure. These
labors occupied the whole of our second day. When the
shades of evening began to fall, numberless bats flitted out of
the ruins and fluttered around us. . I saw here two distinct
species, of different sizes, but both of the vespertilio family.
It would be superfluous to give a description of these monuments of Palenque, above all, of the Palace, a vast parallelogram, very complicated in its arrangements, which covers an
area of three thousand eight hundred and forty square yards.
I will not, therefore, repeat what the reader can find better detailed in works specially devoted to American antiquities.*
All that can be said about them in their present condition has
been said; but their past opens an illimitable field for speculation, in which every one may wander, and I shall avail myself of this privilege to venture, in my turn, upon a few conjectures which a personal examination of the ruins and certain
historical conjunctions have suggested to me.
* See particularly the three memoirs of Dupaix, in the Recmil des Antiquites Mexicaines, the travels of Stephens, the views of Catherwood, and the
great and costly work of Lord Kingsborough.

90

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

Whether the discovery of these ruins was due to chance,
or to a divine revelation made to the Indians, as is asserted
in the country, one thing is certain, that they were never
mentioned before the year 1750, during the term of Don Antonio Calderon's administration in Chiapa. As tradition was
silent concerning the name which they had borne, they were
given that of the nearest village, Santo Domingo de Palenque. It is, therefore, over a century since their existence became an established fact.
The news of their discovery excited considerable interest
in Spain, as is proved by the two explorations made by order
of the government of that kingdom, in 1784 and 1785.^ It
was then ascertained that the ancient city covered a large space
of country, situated on the northern declivity of one of the
ridges of the Cordilleras, which separate Guatemala from the
provinces of Tabasco and Chiapa. It was not, however, until
eighteen years afterwards that Charles IV., of Spain, caused a
careful reconnaisance to be made of them, the results of which
long remained unknown. Forgotten in the archives of Mexico,
during the period of the revolution, the three memorials of
Captain Dupaix and the drawings of his companion, Castaneda, became finally, by exchange, the property of a Frenchman,
Mr. Baradere, who published them in 1834, in a work called
Receuil des Antiquites Mexicaines. This document is the
most interesting and curious of anything we possess concerning
the ruins of Palenque. After a lapse of twenty-six years, two
enterprising travellers, Messieurs Waldeck (1834) and Stephens (1843), completed the work of Dupaix, by adding to it
many valuable details, and by giving us facsimiles of the
hieroglyphic tablets, neglected by their predecessors.
There exist in several places in Yucatan substantial indi* Those of Bernasconi and Del Rio. The expedition of the latter alone
was productive of any result, but only in the form of a brief and superficial
sketch or memorial.

ANTIQUITY

OF THE MONUMENTS.

91

cations of early civilization quite as remarkable as those of
Palenque. Why then have the latter been singled out as the
^ only ones worthy the attention of the inquiring and scientific
world ? It is because the monuments of Yucatan are not
enveloped in mystery, while those of Palenque appeal to
the imagination, instead of to the remembrance. The imposing grandeur of these ruins; the majesty of the forests surrounding them ; the almost sullen silence of the Indians; and
the absence of all traditions, have induced a supposition that they
are of great antiquity. It is known that this region was uninhabited as long ago as when Cortez traversed it, on his march
O

©

7

against Honduras. " There was no road whatever," says Bernal Diaz, in describing this journey; u we were obliged to
clear the way with our hands and swords. The country
was so thickly wooded, and the trees were so lofty, that we
could scarcely see the sky. We climbed the tallest trees
in vain efforts to catch a view of the country around." Cortez crossed the Grijalva at Istapa, and consequently was but a
short distance from the town of Palenque, which even then
had ceased to exist, for had there been any city of importance
here, it would not have escaped the observation of an army
suffering from famine, and following Indian guides, who were
searching for food with all the eagerness of despair. It was
only after a long and painful march. that the expedition escaped from this fearful wilderness.
But admitting that in the year 1524, these ruins existed
nearly in their present condition in the forests of Chiapa, it by
no means follows that a fabulous age and origin should be ascribed to them. When first discovered, Yucatan was a flourishing and populous country, abounding with public edifices
built of hewn stones laid in mortar, the extent and beauty of
which greatly impressed the Spaniards. Besides the testimony of contemporaneous historians, we have that of the
soldiers of Grijalva, who, in their enthusiastic admiration,

92

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

called the country after their native land, which they fancied
it resembled. These public edifices no longer exist; war,
fanaticism, and political feuds have all combined to destroy
them; but their remains are still scattered over the whole
extent of the peninsula, from the island of Cozumel to the
frontiers of Peten and Tabasco.^ They are evidently the
remains of the same structures which arrested the attention
of the conquerors, and the number of which, according to
Herrara, "was frightful to contemplate.';f Now, it can easily
be demonstrated, by comparing the ruins of Yucatan with
those of Palenque, that the monuments of which they are the
remains, were of the same general style of architecture, and
constructed on the same principles, and in conformity with the
same rules of art. The plans of them all, their pyramidal
bases, the absence of arched roofs, the use of stucco and
painting in their decoration, the bas-reliefs sculptured on their
walls, and the resemblance between their hieroglyphical symbols, indicate, even in their minutest details, a conformity of
ideas, and of taste, the expression of which may have varied
according to the time and place, without, however, losing their
primitive and eminently national character.J
The analogy can no longer be denied between these ruins
and the monuments of Mexico which tradition attributes to
the Toltecs.§ These comparisons, which I have not space to
prosecute in detail, show the action and preponderance of a
* The city of Merida, for example, was partly built at the expense of the
aboriginal monuments, and the convent of the Franciscans actually occupies
the spot which was formerly consecrated to one of the adoratorios of the
God Tihoo.
f " En todas las Provincial se han hallado tantos y tan grandes edificios
de canteria que espanta."—Herrara, Dec. 4, 1. x. c. 2.
J Ruins of Labpak, Palenque, Xochicalco.
§ When, for example, the temples of Mitla are compared with the ruins of
Zaya, of Tuloom, and of Chunchum, the simple and noble architecture of the
Toltecs will be detected, including the columns which have so astonished
the savants.—Compare Stephens, vol. ii., pp. IT, 21, 132, 413.

ORIGIN

OF

PALENQUE.

93

common race over the whole territory lying between Cape
Catoche and the Mexican table land.
The question of origin thus decided, we are next enabled
to form some conjectures as to the antiquity of Palenque. We
find that the Toltecs, in the middle of the seventh century,
were in possession of Anahuac, where civilization peaceably
developed itself. Later, about the year 1052, they abandoned
this region and emigrated in a south-easterly direction—that
is to say, into the provinces of Oaxaca and Chiapa. It is easy
enough, therefore, to arrive at the conclusion that Palenque
was founded at this time, and was consequently contemporaneous with Mitla.
It is well known that the migration of the Toltecs extended
to Guatemala and Yucatan, where they introduced their national architecture and their taste for gigantic pyramidal
structures, full of an indigenous grandeur, but not at all analogous with those of the Egyptians. History is silent concerning the state of the peninsula at this period. We are ignorant
even as to its being inhabited. As no traces of its people are
to be found, we must conclude that if any existed, the Toltecs
rapidly absorbed them all. Thus, the city of Mayapan,
which two centuries later became the centre of a well-organized society, remarkable for the gentleness of its manners and
the wisdom of its institutions, was doubtless the work of the
intelligent people to whom are attributed the monuments of
Anahuac.
Here may be cited appropriately a paragraph from Herrara, which enables us to add a few conjectures to the meagre
information furnished-to us by tradition.
" While the inhabitants of Mayapan/' says this author,
" lived in peace and prosperity, there arrived from the south,
from the heights of Lacandon. a large number of people originally from Chiapa, who, after having wandered forty years in
the wilderness, finally settled ten leagues from Mayapan, at the

94

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

base of the mountains, where they built magnificent edifices
and conformed to the laws and customs of the country."*
Who were those strangers who so quietly invaded the country, who practised the arts of peace, who increased and multiplied, and finally became confounded with the original population ? They evidently belonged to an already civilized
family, which from ties of consanguinity were attracted to the
people of Yucatan. Who knows but that these emigrants, in
quest of a new country, were originally from the mountains
where now stand the ruins of Palenque ? Who knows but
these were the inhabitants of that same city which was destroyed by a catastrophe such as afterwards reduced Mayapan
to ruins ? Supposing such to have been the fact, the event
must have taken place some time between the years 1250 and
1420—the dates of the foundation and destruction of Mayapan.
These last conclusions are, of course, mere hypotheses. I
do not claim for them any other value than that attaching to
curious coincidences. The other suggestions which I have
thrown out, and which I shall briefly sum up, are, perhaps,
worthy of attention. If the undisputable analogy be considered which exists between the ancient monuments of Mexico
and the ruins of Palenque, and between the latter and those of
Yucatan, and if we consider also the geographical position of
these ruins, spread over the line of Toltec emigration, and
bearing evidences of antiquity the more marked, because they
are less distant from the original point of departure—if all this
be considered, it will doubtless be granted that these different
works were from the hands of the same people who successively built Tula, Mitla, Palenque, Mayapan, and all the edifices now in ruins on this peninsula. The Indians of Yucatan, the Mayas, could have had no other ancestors.! This
* Herrara, Dec. 4, 1. x. c. 2.
f The destruction of Mayapan only preceded by seventy years the arrival
of the Spaniards.

ORIGIN

OF

PALENQUE.

95

presumption is strengthened by the ancient manners of the
people, whose gentleness of character and whose religion remained long unchanged, even under the influence, of the
Aztecs.* Moreover, the Toltec race is not extinct in Guatemala, where it constitutes, in the mountainous regions, a
proud, but nevertheless, laborious and industrious population,
which glories in its ancient origin.
The site of Palenque was admirably chosen. From those
heights, now covered with impenetrable undergrowth, but
which were formerly crowned with edifices of primitive magnificence, the eye traverses a plain comprising an infinite succession of forests and savannas, and extending far away to
the distant shore of Catasaja. Its prince, from the tower of
his palace, could overlook the whole city and its environs as
far as the horizon. He could keep watch over the movements
of an enemy, or survey the course of public prosperity around
him. Who can doubt that these solitudes once echoed with all
the sounds of busy life ; that these ruined temples once witnessed the pomps and ceremonies of sacrifices; that these steps
were once crowded with fantastically-costumed warriors, such
as we see portrayed on the bas-reliefs which have survived
them, as well as by courtiers and by beauties, powerful and
celebrated;—who can doubt, in a word, that these domains,
which have now returned under the sway of nature, once pulsated with the living tide of an indigenous civilization ? Let
us beware, however, of an exaggerating enthusiasm, and let
us not over-estimate the skill of the architects of the monuments of Palenque ! It is difficult to believe that a people,
ignorant of the arts of analyzing sound, and reproducing it
by writing, who did not understand the use of iron, who possessed neither flocks nor beasts of burden—it is difficult, I say,
to believe that such a people could ever have attained a degree
* Herrara, Dec. 4, 1. x. c. 2.

Fig.

1.— BASSO-RELIEVO.—PALENQUE.

Fig.

'2.—CARVED CHALCHIUITL—-OCOSINGO.

CHARACTER

OF

THE

RUINS.

97

of culture at all comparable with modern civilization. Let us
add, that the ruins of Palenque have been, perhaps, too much
eulogized. They are magnificent certainly in their antique
boldness and strength; they are invested by the solitude
which surrounds them with an air of indescribable but imposing grandeur ; but I must say, without contesting their
architectural merit, that they do not justify, in their details,
all the enthusiasm of archaeologists. The ornamental lines are
wanting in regularity, the drawings in symmetry, and the sculpture in finish. I must, however, make an exception in favor
of the symbolical tablets, the sculpture of which struck me as
remarkably accurate.* As to the faces, their rude execution
* Among the bas-reliefs of Palenque, one of the most interesting is that
represented in the engraving facing this page, Fig. 1. The tablet is four feet
long, and three wide, and around it are the remains of a rich stucco border.
The principal figure sits cross-legged on a couch, ornamented with heads of the
ocelot, with one hand raised as if in gesticulation, or in the act of making
some mystical sign. Altogether it bears a marked resemblance to the representations of Buddha, in many of the sculptures of India, and may be taken
as the figure of Cuculcan, the beneficent demi-god of the Central American
nations, adored also in Mexico as Quetzalcoatl—this being only a Mexican
translation of the Tzendal or Toltecan name, signifying plumed or feathered
serpent. This bas-relief, from the drawing of Catherwood, is introduced here
to facilitate comparison with a very beautiful miniature representation of the
same subject (Pig. 2), obtained from the ruins of Ocosingo, forty miles to the
southward of Palenque, in 1856. It is engraved full size of the original, which
is of the variety of beautiful green stone, called by the Spaniards Madre de
Esmeralda, or Mother of Emerald, and which was highly esteemed by the
ancient Indians under the name of chalchiuitl. It is very hard, and when
polished resembles the finest kind of green enamel. Some experts pronounce
the material green quartz; but Sir Roderick Murchison recognizes it as nephrite or jade. The figure is sharply cut, in high relief, and the whole is exquisitely polished. A hole is drilled through the stone between the points a a,
evidently for the purpose of suspension ; and we are no doubt right in supposing that it was worn supported on the breast of some sacerdotal dignitary,
perhaps the high priest of Cuculcan, whose image it bears. In connection
with this relic were found a number of others of the same material, and scarcely
inferior in interest. Among them may be mentioned a cylinder, two inches
in diameter, resembling those obtained in the Assyrian ruins, with hieroglyph'
5

98

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

proves them to be the early attempts of an art yet in its infancy. The bas-relief, known as the stone of the cross: deserves
mention as one of the most meritorious. Torn by profane hands
from the sanctuary which sheltered it, and left at the foot of a
hill where it is gradually becoming destroyed—the enigma of
this historical fragment has long occupied the attention of
savants. They have fancied they could distinguish among
the objects it represents the symbols of the worship of Memphis, and then again those of the Christian religion. But I
think it will be well to await the coming of a second Champollion to furnish us with the key to American hieroglyphics;
and, until then, to see in this stone only an Indian allegory, of
which the leading representations were suggested by the products of the country.
Contemplating these ruins from another point of view, they
deeply impress us with the nothingness of humanity, and the
vanity of man's attempts to perpetuate his own glory. We
find ourselves face to face with these antique personages, whose
ics engraved on its outer surface.
cut, of full size.
1.

These are represented in the accompanying
2.

3.

As already said, these green stones, or chalchiuites, were held in the highest estimation by the ancient Mexicans and Central Americans. Among the
presents which Montezuma gave to Cortez for the King of Spain were some of
these stones. Bernal Diaz reports Montezuma as saying, in handing them
over, " To this I will add a few chalchihuis, of such enormous value, that I
could not consent to give them to any one except to such a powerful emperor as yours. Each of these stones is worth two loads of gold."—T.

LIFE

AMONG

THE

RUINS.

99

handiwork has survived them, without being able to determine
their date or origin, without knowing whence they came or
whither they have gone ! A few years more and even these mute
testimonials will themselves have disappeared. Travellers are
hastening to complete their destruction, as if the disintegrating
forces of nature were not equal to the task. Where now are the
bas-reliefs in stucco so admired by Dupaix? and those allegorical
sculptures which have been the source of so much learned discussion ? What have become of the medallions which adorned
the peristyle of the great Palace ? The first are forever obliterated; the others have been mutilated or torn from the
walls to which they were attached. If some faint vestiges of
them still remain, it is due rather to the depredations of time
which, by mutilating them in parts, have preserved them from
the ruder hands of travellers. It is true the latter have undertaken to indemnify us, by inscribing their own names in the
places of the inscriptions which they have obliterated!
We passed a fortnight in the solitudes of Palenque, the
remembrance of which will never be effaced from my memory.
We hunted, we spread snares for wild animals, we collected
plants, shells and butterflies, of which there were infinite varieties, without ever becoming weary of admiring the beauties
of nature, or of wandering among the ruins which have kept
the secret of their origin so well. Morin, whose intelligence
was undeveloped, here began to perceive new worlds opening
before him, and to take great interest in the study of natural
history. He carefully put by a store of cocuyos* or fireflies, which he determined to take with him to France, imagining that the phosphorescent eyes of these insects would
always continue bright!
The mornings here were delightful. Humming birds darted
among the vines which twined themselves around the walls of
* Elater noctilucus Fabr.

100

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUB.

the old palace, while green and purple dragon-flies darted
about in rapid and capricious flight. The gnats, at the same
time, emerged in clouds from the depths of the undergrowth;
the woodpecker commenced his ringing stroke on the trunks of
decaying trees, and the whole forest became full of the sights
and sounds of life and motion. But at midday everything became again silent and motionless; all animation seemed suspended beneath the ardor of the solar rays, notwithstanding
the impenetrable mass of verdure which arched over all; and
only the monotonous murmur of the river, which flows at the
foot of the ruins, broke the death-like silence.
When night fell, however, the ruins appeared to be enchanted, and I can well conceive that the superstitious terrors
of the Indians would prevent their remaining here in the darkness. They imagine that the place is haunted by the spirits of
its early occupants; that by moonlight the bas-reliefs become
invested with life, and that the warriors step out of their stone
frames and stalk through the sombre galleries.
. . .
For my own part, although without fear of these nocturnal
visitors, there were times when I could not avoid some little
superstitious emotion. Tiny, winged lamps seemed floating in
the atmosphere, first with the brilliancy of a spark, then with
a fugitive brightness which lost itself in a train of light; at
the same time undefinable sounds seemed to proceed from all
parts of the woods—not terrific like those which startled me
on the banks of the Usumasinta, but soft and sweet like the
music of birds, and as mysterious as the accents of an unknown
tongue. I seemed to detect life in all things around me; the
plants, the trees, the old walls themselves, appeared imbued
with its spirit, and to speak a language of their own. My ears
listened with rapt attention to this strange harmony, and my
eyes questioned the darkness, but in vain, to discover the beings
who thus manifested their existence. Now it was like the silvery tinkle of a little bell, or a plaintive voice calling in tha

VOICES

OF

THE

NIGHT.

101

distance, then a rustling sound, and next a sob from the interior of the ruins. Again, it was like a thousand gentle whispers, a thousand little cadences, celebrating, in a universal
concert, the coolness and magnificence of the night. At one
time I surprised a frog on the staircase, whose croakings had
mystified us* from its resemblance to the barking of a dog.
Even Fida had been equally deceived with ourselves, and during our first night in the ruins had kept up a reciprocal chorus
with this inhabitant of the stream.
Our mode of life»was very regular. As soon as daylight
began to disappear, we lighted a great fire under the peristyle.
Morin then prepared supper, and we did not retire until sleep
weighed down our eyelids. Seated on the ruined staircase,
we enjoyed to the fullest extent the cool evening air, fragrant
from the forest, thinking over, the while, the events of the day
or contemplating silently the evolutions of phosphorescent insects. Sometimes a sudden breath of wind would cause the
tall trees to tremble, and make our fire blaze up more brightly.
The shadows would move about as if endowed with life; our
dog would drowsily raise her head, and we would listen and
wait, full of that kind of nervous suspense which accompanies
the expectation of something to come, one knows not what.
And when, at a later hour, we left the gallery for our subterranean bed-chamber, the dying embers of our fire would cast
a red glare down the steep stairway leading to the forest, and
on the neighboring vegetation, causing the darkness beyond
to appear all the more profound, and to throw out in greatei
distinctness the little insect lights which glittered like stars
on its ebon bosom. Altogether, the place was one of solemn
beauty, heightened by the solitude and seclusion, and appealing with double force to the educated mind from its mysterious
associations.
One day, I heard in the neighborhood some notes which
arrested my attention; they were clear, limpid, and full of

102

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

cadence, such as those produced by a musical box. As singing birds are rare in this part of the country, I concluded
that these sounds proceeded from a wonderful variety of which
the Indians had spoken to me, and which, according to their
traditions, is only to be found in places where there are ruins.
I shouldered my gun with the liveliest satisfaction*, and started
in pursuit of the unseen musician. After listening a few moments, I found that the serial voice proceeded from the banks
of the stream. I slid down the embankment towards it with
the greatest precaution ; but the bird had already changed his
position, and was singing on a neighboring hill, which I ascended without feeling in the least discouraged. From the hill,
as the note seemed to recede, I went down into the valley beyond, paying little attention to the new scenery which surrounded me. I left behind me the tumuli and debris which
usually served us as land-marks, following from thicket to
thicket, from glade to glade, the object of my ardent wishes.
Frequently his notes seemed just above my head, sounding
distinct and loud like a song of triumph. I gradually became
imbued with that feverish anxiety so common to hunters, and
still more so among naturalists. I searched for the bird on
every branch, and frequently believed myself so close to him
that my piece was raised to fire, when his note, sounding far
away, would confound but not discourage me. Finally his
song seemed to recede farther and farther, until only a feeble
echo reached my ear. At last even this ceased, leaving me
alone, and bewildered in the dense forest. At first I experienced no feeling of apprehension. I remained quiet, and
listened for some time, until I found there was no longer any
hope, and that the provoking bird with his siren song had ii deed disappeared. Then I mechanically retraced my steps,
wending my way, as I supposed, in the direction whence I
had come. I continued on my course for a while without
anxiety, diverted as I was by the varieties of plants and in-

LOST

IN

THE

FOREST.

103

sects which I encountered in my path. After a while, however,
I observed that the path was altogether strange and unfamiliar. The forest was free from undergrowth, the ground
broken, and immense trees, with pyramidal trunks and widespreading arms, shadowed over a multitude of dwarf palms
of the height of our fern trees. I became alarmed and hurriedly ascended a high point of ground near by and looked
anxiously in all directions ; but I saw nothing except the foliage
of the great forest, and heard nothing but the beating of my
own heart. With sudden energy and in alarm, I made an
effort to climb to the top of a tree. Alas ! after I had succeeded in doing so, I was terrified in the extreme to find only
an ocean of verdure before my eyes, which appeared to extend
to the very horizon, and seemed limitless.
I descended and shouted for my companion. But finding
this unavailing, I seated myself at the foot of a tree and
pressing my hands against my head endeavored to devise some
means of escape from my dreadful situation; but I could not
concentrate my thoughts. All my faculties seemed paralyzed,
the blood appeared to rush to my head, and I was morally incapable of a single effort. The position of a man lost in a
wilderness is cruelly dramatic, and can only be appreciated by
one who has himself endured the agony of mind which it entails. I know not how long my mental faculties continued
prostrated ; but after a time I rose full of the worst forebodings, yet with a fixed plan of action. There was no fear of
darkness overtaking me for several hours, which would afford
ample time for me to retrace my steps. This I set about doing
in the following manner. I selected the spot where I was
standing as a point of departure, and determined, happen what
might, never to lose sight of it for a moment. A colossal
tree, the bark of which I whitened, and some stones which I
piled up at its base, marked the spot and rendered it visible
at a distance. My purpose was now to walk in a right line

104

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

in every direction from this central point, until I encountered
some sign of the ancient city.
Persuaded as I was that I had strayed to the eastward of
the ruins, I walked, as I supposed, in that direction, marking
as I went certain trees, and breaking down the branches around
me, to indicate my course. After several attempts to fix my
direction, I reached a piece of swampy ground covered with
arums and scitaminecz. There were no longer any ligneous
plants to be seen, and fancying that I had reached the confines
of the wood, I crossed the marsh, where the broken stalks
preserved the traces of my footsteps. I now beheld with
pleasure the azure roof of the firmament, which seemed to
smile on me while affording me free air and light. But I advanced in vain ; no change was perceptible in the surrounding
objects ; there was only the same waving vegetation, the same
lustrous leaves, large as those of the bananna tree, filling up
the space with their wild luxuriance, and shutting the horizon
from view. Finding here nothing that I remembered having
seen before, I thought it useless to proceed in this direction,
and sadly retraced my steps. As I reached the outskirts of
the forest, a clear, musical, and sonorous note rang through
its depths, like the ironical voice of an evil spirit. My feelings, on hearing this unexpected call, I can never forget. I
know not what superstitious idea crossed my mind, and caused
the blood to rush hurriedly through my veins; but I determined not to be misled a second time, but continued my course
without even thinking of using my gun against the invisible
bird which seemed to make a trial of its power over me
by awakening, at different points, the echoes of its delusive
melody.
With some difficulty I regained my starting point. Far
from being discouraged by the want of success attending my
first effort, I found myself more calm and collected than before. Reflection had strengthened my courage, by giving me

LOST

IN

THE

FOREST.

105

confidence m the success of the plan which I had adopted.
The ruins could not possibly be very far distant, and I should
certainly reach them in.the morning, if I failed in doing so today. Animated by new hopes of success, I directed my steps
towards the north, not forgetting, however, to take the proper
precaution for ensuring my return, if necessary. The forest
in this direction was on rising ground, thickly covered with
dead leaves. I successively traversed several hills separated
by narrow valleys, in which reigned the profoundest silence.
The undergrowth soon commenced, and rapidly became more
and more dense. I was only able to make my way with the
greatest effort through the maze of branches and vines which
obstructed my progress. My brow was wet with perspiration,
my face and hands were covered with blood, but no obstacle
could turn me from my course. A single thought absorbed
my faculties, and my only fear was that of losing the thread
which was to guide me. At last I succeeded in escaping from
this almost impenetrable thicket, and saw before me a steep
hill less thickly covered with vegetation. In ascending this I
made a misstep and suffered a fall. At the moment I paid but
little attention to this accident, but it subsequently appeared
that a sharp point of rock had penetrated my right knee,
reaching to the bone, and bruising it in such a manner as
afterwards to occasion me the greatest pain and annoyance.
From the high point which I now succeeded in reaching, I
could see nothing around me which wore a familiar look. Daylight was beginning to fade; there was nothing left for me to
do but to retrace my steps, and make up my mind to remain
at mj station patiently until morning. My courage, however,
was beginning to flag. The rapidly increasing darkness, the
prospects of a night of anxiety, an intolerable thirst, the silence of these woods, the disappointment which had thus far
attended my efforts —all these contributed to sadden and discourage me. After I had repassed the thickets which ob5*

106

THE

RUINS

OF

PALBNQUE.

structed the valley, I found, to my consternation, that either
from want of care or absence of mind, I was again lost! A
deathlike shudder passed over me; the perspiration started
from every pore, and my very breath seemed suspended.
These painful sensations, however, did not at all resemble
the feeling of stupor which overwhelmed me when, for the
first time, I became conscious of my terrible situation. I still
retained my presence of mind, and was able to deliberate on
the course which I should pursue.
It was unsafe to stay in the thicket, on account of the reptiles and wild beasts which infested it, and I therefore ascended
the hill which I had just left, but in another direction, when I
discovered through the trees another eminence, which, by its
isolated situation and conical shape, particularly arrested my
attention. I advanced towards it, and found that the stones
scattered around its foot seemed to bear the traces of human
industry, although defaced by age. They had evidently
formed part of some ancient structure which time had levelled to the ground. I will not attempt to describe the surprise, the joy and the gratitude which swelled my heart at
this unexpected discovery. I fell upon my knees, and from
the depths of my soul thanked God for lending me his protecting aid, at the very moment when I began to doubt his
clemency! This done, I proceeded on my way.
Great caution was necessary. The tumulus before me
was probably connected with other ruins, but nevertheless it
was unfamiliar to my eyes. I resolved therefore to pursue
the plan I had previously adopted, that is to say to explore
the country around, but always adopting some point as a centre. I had advanced but a short distance, when new remains
encouraged me to keep on in the same direction. I soon came
to another small hillock, the top of which was covered with
ruins. Their shape and style were becoming insensibly familiar to me, and without exactly taking in their details, which

PALENQUE

AS

A

RESORT.

107

the darkness was rapidly veiling, I instinctively felt that
they were not strangers. It was thus, link by link, that I succeeded in reuniting the chain which I had so imprudently
broken. By the time the last ray of daylight had faded. I
reached the southern front of the Palace worn out with fatigue,
bruised, and bleeding—but I had acquired valuable experience
for the future. Morin, in his anxiety for me, had forgotten to
prepare supper, and as a crowning misfortune, Fido, disgusted
with so long a fast, devoured greedily the collection of birds
and insects which had cost me so dear.
I have described this adventure in detail, in order to convey an impression of the dangers which a stranger incurs in
traversing the forests of the new world. As to the wonderful bird, the immediate cause of my misfortune, I never
heard its note again; I have even forgotten the tradition
concerning it which was told me on the banks of the Usumasinta. On the following morning I made some amends for
my ill success in hunting it, by killing a superb hocco (crax
alector, L.) the first large specimen of the gallinae which we
had thus far seen. Birds of this species under the tropics,
take the place of the turkey, which is a native of colder climes.
The ruins of Palenque, during the fine season, are resorted to as a.place of enjoyment by the fashionables of Santo
Domingo, who establish themselves there, with their families,
to the great damage of the monuments, which bear many sad
traces of their sojourn. They suspend their hammocks under the shade of the majestic trees, and swing in them indolently, listening to the murmur of the streams, and regaling
themselves meanwhile with the shell-fish which are found here
in great abundance. It is a species of melmiie, in taste
resembling our periwinkles. The Indians consider them very
dainty morsels, and always lay in a store of them whenever an opportunity offers. I have often admiringly watched
their dexterity in extracting the mollusc from his testaceous

1Q8

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

covering. While walking along they strike two of them together with such precision and force, that in spite of the
hardness of their shells the ends of both are broken, and their
contents extracted and swallowed without a moment's loss of
time. The shell of the melanie makes excellent lime, which
is the only kind used in the vicinity. It is probable that it
entered largely into the composition of the stucco used for the
edifices of the ancient city.
It was with great regret that we left this spot; and I am
almost ashamed to confess the "vulgar consideration which induced us to hasten our departure. Our stock of rice and
black beans, to which we had been reduced for two days,
finally began to give out! There was no game to be had,
and the forest yielded no fruit; our only resource against
hunger was the shell-fish of the stream; famine therefore
forced us to desert the ruins, and return to the village. The
sun was already up when we descended the steps of the old
Palace for the last time. Echo repeated tne same sounds
which had greeted us every morning on our awakening. The
sonorous tap of the woodpecker was audible on the hollow
trees; the humming bird buzzed along the cornices, while
large blue butterflies flitted past the deserted peristyle. . . .
I bade adieu to all these companions, who had-served to enliven our solitary existence; gave one parting glance at the
ruins and then plunged into the dark and almost pathless forest.
Santo Domingo possesses special interest for the naturalist.
The neighboring woods are full of birds, and the tropical vegetation presents an extremely varied field for study. Among
the curious trees and plants which I found here may be mentioned the asta, celebrated for its extreme hardness ; the cascarilla (the colpache of the Indians), used in the country as a
febrifuge; and the storax {nabd) the resin of which has a
delightful odor. Instead of obtaining this substance in the
usual manner, the Indians mutilate the tree which produces

GEOLOGICAL

FEATURES.

109

it, by making great incisions, which cause the bark to fall
off. The bark itself being aromatic, is used as incense in
religious ceremonies. I found but few land shells in this
vicinity, where, nevertheless, the cylindretta family is represented by the largest species known (the cyl. decollata,
Nyst.) Diurnal and nocturnal butterflies abound. The natural soil is covered to so great a depth by vegetable deposits,
which, in turn, support such a profusion of plants and small
trees, that it is difficult to determine its character. Geologists,
to make any discoveries here, must follow the course of the
rivers. It was thus that at a league and a half to the southwest of the village, almost in the bed of the Rio Chacamas,
I found a bed of oyster shells and petrified sea-urchins. The
site is very picturesque. Imagine an Alpine torrent set in a
frame of tropical vegetation. The noise of the waters dashing
over the stones, the dazzlingly white foam contrasting with
the dark, lustrous verdure of the two banks, the solitude, the
warmth of the temperature, here all concur to please the eye
and impress the imagination. A little above the falls, the
river, confined between perpendicular calcareous rocks, is hardly four yards wide, but is of great depth. The Indians assert
that when the sun is bright, the scales of a golden alligator
may be seen shining at the bottom of the gulf; but we did
not enjoy this spectacle.
Lower down the banks of the Chacamas, shaded by pimento trees, are elevated about twelve feet above the level of
the water, and rest on a breccia, composed of shells, which
forms a distinct deposit. Then comes a layer of large oyster
shells, mingled with those of flattened sea-urchins, and a few
other shells, for the most part those of bivalves. The sea ur-r
chins lie horizontally as they were deposited. These organic
remains are held together by calcareous marl, and rest on a bed
of vegetable earth, a yard in depth. They seem to belong to
the Juraic era, and testify to the fact tfyat water must have

110

THE

RUINS

OF

PALENQUE.

covered the whole extent of Tabasco during that period. I
found the same beds and the same fossils fifteen leagues to the
southward of this place, at the foot of the same chain, in the
village of Tenosique, the most southern town in the State.
I shall end this chapter with an anecdote, which has but
little relation to my travels, yet seems to me worthy of preservation, at a time when our sceptical egotism readily consigns to the realms of fiction the heroism of past days. In
the year 1834, a young Pole, exiled from his country, and
a wanderer on the face of the earth, arrived at Santo Domingo. He possessed. most amiable qualities, and seemed to
be of gentle birth. The inhabitants, whose affections he soon
won, in order to be sure of retaining him in their midst, wished
him to marry. At first he refused to entertain such an idea,
but after considerable entreaty, he consented to their proposition. His intended bride was a beautiful young girl, belonging to one of the best families in the neighborhood. Meantime, there arrived from Tabasco, by some fatal chance, an old
newspaper, which, after passing from hand to hand, finally fell
into those of the stranger, and advised him of the ill success
attending the Polish revolution. What thoughts disturbed his
soul, no one knows, for he kept his own counsel; but, during
the night, he put an end to his existence. A few sad poetical
lines were found by his bed side, in which, after thanking
the people of the town for the interest they had manifested
in him, he made a melancholy allusion to the subjection of his
country, adding, that his heart being dead to all affection, and
his life henceforth aimless, he could without crime return to
the bosom of eternity.
Without endorsing an act condemned by religion and
morality, it is, nevertheless, impossible to avoid bestowing
upon its author a tribute of admiration. How deep must
have been the love of country in that heroic breast, since
neither time, nor distance, nor the sight of a new world could,

SUICIDE

OF

A

STRANGER.

Ill

for a moment, smother the patriotic flame which burned there so
steadily and so purely ! The name of this unfortunate man
was Alexander Lukinski. The inhabitants of Santo Domingo
delight in speaking of him, and honor and revere his memory. It is most likely that his family has never learned
his fate.

III.
T H E

W O O D S

OF

C -A. M !P El A. C U Y .

Keturn to San Geronimo—The logwood tree—Dye-wood cuttings—The laborers—The
Mayoral—Absence of roads—Peonage—Cattle raising—Aguadoras—Hacienda life—
General improvidence—Natural history of the country—Remarkable frogs—Passport troubles—The Indians—Their alleged inferiority—Their ancient civilization—
Humane policy of the Spanish crown towards them—Their condition under the new
government—Retrogression—Indians of the Tierras Calientes—Their mode of life
—Moral development—Superstitions—Education—Social condition—Local attachments—Food—Reserve before strangers—Improvidence and laws to prevent it—The
Mita—The Indians of Los Altos, or Highlands—Their superior intelligence and industry—The future of the Indians of Central America—Doubtful prospeets—Probable
extinction of the Whites.

THE traveller from Santo Domingo who wishes to visit
the district of Peten, can reach the Usumasinta by going directly towards the east. This route, intersected by numerous
streams, naturally appeared to us to be the best and most
agreeable, but we preferred, nevertheless, to retrace our steps,
so as to investigate the great cuttings of dye-woods which
we had passed by in reaching Palenque. This kind of industry, it should be observed, is confined to the plain and
ceases among the mountains. The hacienda de San Geronimo, a property celebrated for its extent, fertility, and the
inexhaustible resources of its forests, was happily situated for
the object we had in view. I had received from the proprietors, while at Palizada, a pressing invitation to visit them,
which I now determined to accept.
We again set out, therefore, on the route to Las Playas,
and soon found ourselves on the muddy canal of the Rio
Chiquito. We passed by, without stopping, the promontory
where we had spent such a disagreeable night on our ascent,

114

THE

WOODS

OF

CAMPEACHY.

and sailed up the principal branch of the TJsumasinta, in a
north-easterly direction, arriving just before night-fall at the
Boca de Sa?i Geronimo. The waters had fallen during our
stay at the ruins, and two belts of sand bordered the banks;
nevertheless the middle of the stream was still of great depth.
I here succeeded in obtaining two bivalves of the genus unio,
the nacre of which was of a magnificent shade of crimson
changing to copper. It is exceedingly difficult to make up a
collection of shells from these rivers, so closely shut in by
their banks and infested by alligators. Unless provided with
a drag, none can be obtained except at the period of low
water, that is to say, from the middle of April to the middle
of May.
Boca de Sa?i Geronimo is a kind of port formed on the
Usumasinta, at the mouth of a little river flowing from the
neighboring lagoons. The canoes here await their cargoes
when the waters are too low to permit of their entering the
confluent streams. A few squalid huts, occupied by people
of dubious character, are grouped together at the point
where the streams unite. The hacienda itself is situated two
leagues towards the interior. We discharged our boatmen at
the Boca, and the next morning, after passing a terrible night,
we set out in a cayiico bound for the hacienda. At mid-day
we reached the landing-place, and ten minutes afterwards were
welcomed at the establishment, where I determined to pass a
week, notwithstanding the sinister aspect of the country, in
order to inform myself of every particular relating to the traffic in dye-woods.
The dye-wood of Campeachy, which the English call logwood, the Spaniards palo de tinta, and to which savants have
given the barbarous appellation of hamatoxylon Campechia?iumj is a tree of medium size and peculiar appearance, attaining a height, under favorable circumstances, of from twelve
to thirteen yards. The trunk is much gnarled, and full of

THE

LOGWOOD

TREE.

115

irregular cavities. The leaves are pinnated; the small ones
never fall off, and all are smooth and heart-shaped. The flowers are small, yellowish in color, and hang in bunches from
the ends of the branches. The fruit is a very flat, lanceolated husk, containing seeds which are eaten by fowls, as in
fact are those of almost all the vegetables and fruits that are
found here. The foliage of the logwood-tree is of dark
green and very luxuriant. During the early period of its
growth, it forms thickets quite similar to those of the hawthorn. But as it develops, it gathers in impenetrable masses.
In the forest it takes entire possession of the ground, which
remains without vegetation under its shade. It is found on
rocky mountains as well as on the alluvial plains, but it grows
better on humid, deep soil which is periodically inundated by
the overflow of the rivers. Its growth is rapid, yet its wood
is hard, compact, and can be long preserved under ground. It
is cut down when it attains ten years' growth. Relieved from
its shadow, the ground soon becomes covered with a nursery
of young plants, which only need light and air to reach maturity. Industry can never imitate, in this respect, the economy of nature. The English vainly endeavored, in the
Lucayo Islands, and in various other of their transatlantic
possessions, to propagate this precious tree, which, in its wild
state, flourishes on the most unfriendly soil.
The bark of the logwood is of dark color, and the thin
and yellowish sap contrasts strongly with the reddish shade
of the heart, which darkens rapidly when it comes in contact
with the atmosphere. This change of color, however, is only
superficial; for when the billets have become faded by long
exposure in a warehouse, the vender always chips off their
surface before delivering them to a purchaser. I must add
that the principal dye is not red, like that of the Brazil wood
(ccesalpina), with which it is sometimes confounded, but is
black, shading on purple. The tree secretes, in addition, a

116

THE

WOODS

OF

CAMPEACHY,

reddish and transparent substance, analogous to gum Arabic,
which, it is said, fixes the color in the dyes.
The forests of Tabasco and Yucatan, where the logwoodtree abounds, are interspersed with the lagoons, which during
the season of the floods almost always communicate with navigable streams. The wood can therefore be cheaply transported
from place to place; yet no words can convey an idea of the
ignorance and carelessness with which this traffic is carried on.
There is a total absence of efficient or economical management.
The proprietor reposes a careless confidence in his woodcutters,
who receive a real for each quintal of wood delivered at the
point of embarcation. These men roam over the forest, selecting and cutting down such trees as please them, according to
their caprice or convenience. An agent, called the Mayoral,
oversees the work, and every evening verifies the result of the
day's labor. On receiving the wood, he carefully rejects all
that is marked with orange colored spots, which are indications
of decay, and then has the remainder weighed in his presence
and the amount set down to the credit of the laborer. The
woodcutters are all under the jurisdiction of this Mayoral,
who does not court popularity, but seeks only to inspire his
subordinates with a wholesome fear. The workmen under him
are almost always debtors to his principal, and laboring to
liquidate their liabilities, they hardly ever set about their
tasks with spirit. Inclined to be intemperate, and always
disposed to put an end to their servitude by flight, it becomes necessary for the masters to keep a strict watch over
them. The Mayoral frequently inflicts corporal chastisement,
although the laws forbid and punish it, by acquitting the
debtor of all further liabilities. But the laws only fall
heavily on the weak, in these distant and isolated regions!
The profits of the Mayoral are in proportion to the amount
of wood delivered in the course of the year, and in this way
his interests are united with those of his principals. At San

THE

LOGWOOD

CUTTINGS.

117

Geronimo, he receives three cents for every hundred weight
of wood, equal, on a total of from two hundred and fifty
to three hundred thousand quintals, to little less than eight
thousand dollars a year.
The wood is cut down and barked with an axe. It has
been vainly attempted to substitute the saw for this instrument, which would facilitate the work and perform it more
evenly. But the aversion which the Indians feel to any innovation has prevented its adoption. The great inconvenience
arising from their mode of operation is the irregular shapes
which the wood takes under their hands, and which prevents
its being stacked with ease. Furthermore, instead of cutting
down the tree from its root, as ought to be done, they cut it
a yard or more from the ground, wjiere the trunk is thinner
and more even, in order to save labor and to avoid the knots
and protuberances which prevent it from being readily stripped
of its bark. There is something quite sad in this practice
of leaving a portion of the mutilated trunk still standing,
the most important part of the tree, by the way, since it is
well known that the stumps thus left never again send out
vigorous shoots. It is high time that some intelligent proprietor should effect a reform in this respect. The revenue obtained from the cuttings might thus be doubled, and the business of wood-cutting, by careful management, might then be
saved from the ruin which now menaces it.
The cutting of the wood commences with the dry season,
when the water begins to fall, and navigation becomes interrupted. With the rise of the waters, transportation is resumed, and the accumulated stock is rapidly cleared off. In
favorable localities, where navigation is continuous for the whole
year, the cutting of the wood goes on steadily, without regard
to the seasons. Few establishments, however, are thus advantageously situated. In most of them, the wood, after being cut, is
dragged down to high water mark on the streams and lagoons,

118

THE

WOODS

OF

CAMPEACHY.

where it awaits the periodical rise to be floated out to the
embarcaderos. The traffic might be made constant in nearly
all cases by the construction of roads, the removal of bars,
or the deepening of channels, but the inhabitants of these
countries prefer to wait on Providence to exerting themselves
in enterprises of this kind. They have no means of transportation except such as nature affords them gratuitously.
This fact should not be forgotten in judging of the merits of
those numerous schemes of emigration which are constantly
paraded before the public, and in which so much stress is laid
on geniality of climate and productiveness of soil, without one
word being said of the difficulties in the way of carrying them
out, and which more than nullify the advantages which they
are presumed to offer.
The best cuttings are situated in the swampy plains of
Yucatan and Tabasco, and extend from the coast of the Gulf
to the base of the mountains. Their products are sent by way
of the island of Carmen and La Frontera to the point where
the vessels from Europe come to receive them. The value of
the wood, when put on board, varies from three to ten reals
the quintal. At ten reals the vender realizes an immense
profit, but it is a price rarely obtained. When a proprietor
has not sufficient capital to cut the wood on his own account,
he sells out his cuttings, reserving one third of the product, in
kind. The conditions of this contract differ from those of a
similar character with us. There is no land disposed of, only
the right of establishing a certain number of wood cutters for
a certain time on the property.
I have before referred to the system by which the proprietors obtain laborers, and which has become a serious abuse.
It would be impossible to procure the wood without the aid of
the Indians, and to obtain their services at a low price, they
are seduced into contracting debts to their employer. He has
then the legal right to compel their services, and they are ob-

SYSTEM

OF

LABOR.

119

liged to establish themselves near the works with their wives
and children, where they are furnished with a miserable hut,
and an axe is placed in their hands. They are now forced
to obtain all their provisions from their masters, who charge
the most exorbitant prices for the articles which they supply.
The yield of this traffic is from one hundred and fifty to three
hundred per cent, in favor of the vender, according to his rapacity or that of his agents. A poor woodcutter bound for a
debt of fifty dollars, at the end of the first year finds it increased to one hundred, and by the time the second is concluded he has lost all hope of cancelling his obligations. No
one in this land of iniquity has any scruples about accumulating a fortune by this means, that is to say, by robbing the
unfortunate laborer of his liberty.
The grounds of San Geronimo were conceded by the
crown of Spain, without any definition of limits, long before
the founding of the town of Palizada, which on this account is somewhat restricted in its development. They are
bounded on one side by the Usumasinta, and comprise nearly
one hundred and seventy-five square leagues, including magnificent forests of logwood, brazil-wood, mahogany and other
precious woods, besides streams and lagoons, and savannas
favorable for cultivation and the raising of cattle. Pastoral industry always suited the taste of Spanish colonists ;*
and it is furthermore in harmony with the conditions of a
country where property is measured by the square league.
But cattle raising constitutes at San Geronimo a separate and
distinct branch of administration and revenue. Every morning the herdsmen of the estate throw themselves into their
saddles and ride all over the pastures to look out for the cows
which have calves. They examine all the animals to see if
they are suffering from gusanos (the larvce of insects which
* Orianza quita labranza! The rearing of cattle relieves one from labor I
This is the favorite and characteristic proverb of the country.

120

THE

WOODS

OF

CAMPEACHY.

get beneath the skin and produce a disease that often ends
fatally.) They look out, also, for the pigs, which run about
the forest at will. They gallop after the runaway horses,
and, in fact, make a daily report, from personal observation,
of the state and condition of all the herds. Capable of enduring every kind of fatigue and privation, these hardy horsemen continually traverse the marshes, the pathless forests, and
burning solitudes, without wearying of their laborious life,
which has, for them, the crowning charm of independence.
I have rarely seen so dreary a landscape as that of San
Geronimo. There is nothing in the aspect of the whole
country to delight the eye or cheer the heart. Dark forests
of logwood trees intersected by swamps exhaling deadly vapors, are all that mee,t the eye from one limit of the horizon
to the other. They shadow over the lagoons and the stagnant
ponds, where the dull waters are only agitated by the plunge
of alligators, and where the indestructible skulls of these reptiles bleach like rocks on their shores. Yonder an uncultivated savanna spreads out monotonously through the immense
woods. The soil is dark as gunpowder. A few marsh mallows, with woody stems, and some pale pink mimosa, are the
only productions that appeal to the eye pleasantly. The
breeze of the evening, which is so impatiently longed for under the tropics, is here impregnated with fetid emanations,
perhaps from the carcass of a decayed horse, or cow, which
the worms have eaten alive, and around which now cluster a
flock of vultures with brown plumage and bare necks, which
tear their prey to pieces with their bills, fighting among each
other for the entrails, and devouring them with avidity.
These birds are very serviceable, however, as scavengers; for
if they did not remove the dead animal substances, their decomposition would speedily increase the malignity of the climate. When the sinking sun casts its last coppery rays upon
the swamps, the general appearance of the country produces a

HACIENDA

LIFE.

121

sombre, sinister effect on the mind. But at this hour, fortunately, every object is inspired with new life. Groups of
women with bronzed complexions and floating hair, half naked, but glittering with, tinsel, throng the paths leading from
the hacienda, to bathe in the still waters of the lagoons.
They chant melancholy and drowsy songs, the melody of
which is doubtless inspired by the gloom of everything around,
though the words seem to belong to some more fortunate
clime :
" A que el mundo
Es bonito!
Lastima es
Que yo me muera!"*

The absence of a final measure keeps the ear in suspense
for what is to follow, but one hears only the repetition of the
same verse. The traveller who has passed through Tabasco
can never forget the plaintive melody of these accents, which
are continually heard in every habitable spot.
The hacienda is situated, with its dependencies, on a spot
but little elevated above the level of the waters. The dwellings are damp, unhealthy, and built in the most primitive style.
The proprietor of this vast domain is scarcely better lodged
than his slaves. For here man contents himself with the barest necessities of life, and one has only to travel here to find
out how many of his wants are artificial, and the offspring of
civilization; and here, in fact, he realizes that simple and
primitive mode of life which filled the imaginations of the philosophers of a past age. I doubt if any other mode of life is
simpler, perhaps none is better. A single example out of a
thousand will convey an idea of that indifference which ren* "Oh, the world,
How full of beauty 1
What a pity
I must die!"
6

122

THE

WOODS

OF C A M P E A C H Y . «
,

ders the most precious gifts of nature superfluous. The soil of
San Geronimo is exceedingly fertile. The cocoa tree produces
fruit in its fourth year; the mango tree in its first; the almond
of Malabar sends up its foliage to the height of fifty feet within two years after planting. To sow here is to reap; yet
one looks in vain over the whole plantation for a single fruit
tree or useful vegetable ! The small quantity of potatoes, yams
and banannas which are consumed are grown in Palizada.
And, although the rivers and lagoons swarm with fish, those
that are eaten are imported. In the midst of herds of cattle,
the inhabitants dine on beef salted in the United States, and
they drink the nauseous waters of the swamps, when a well ten
feet deep would furnish them with a fresh and wholesome supply ! Their lives are passed in the utter ignorance of everything like comfort. If the Indians of these countries have so
far degenerated as to make us doubt whether they were ever
in a better condition, the same doubt will apply to the Creole
Spaniards, the descendants of the conquerors of the men who
founded Campeachy and Merida, and who added to the riches
of America the useful plants of the old world I There still
exist here names famous in history, which recall the great
event of the past. At San Geronimo there is one Balboa, a
simple herdsman of the hacienda, who, although cognizant of
his illustrious origin, limits his ambition, in a country made
celebrated by his ancestors, to vagrant roamings through the
woods in pursuit of wild horses, and to the tending of cattle!
Natural history, in those low, swampy, thickly-wooded
regions, has but little variety. The lagoons contain anipulaires, enormous anodontes, and many unios, only one species
of which is really curious (the U. delphimdus, Morlt.)
Many kinds of turtles, belonging to the emys1 cinosternon,
and staurotypus families, are also to be found here. But they
are less remarkable, and there are fewer species than on the
shores opposite Louisiana and the Floridas. I heard of boas

EXTRAORDINARY

REPTILES.

123

of immense size, but saw none. I fancy that these reptiles
rarely, if ever, attain any very great dimensions in Central
America. Birds did not appear to me to be very numerous.
The same remark applies to insects, although the houses are
haunted by enormous roaches and hideous spiders, which are
continually crawling over the walls. I here found an interesting and extraordinary variety of frog, which only a few
years since was for the first time classified by naturalists.*
The description then given of it, after a specimen preserved in
alcohol, was necessarily incomplete. I shall profit by this occasion to attempt to convey a better idea of its appearance and
characteristics. It is of an olive brown color, very dark on
the back, with a light streak along the dorsal line. Its tail
and thighs are of a bluish hue. It is covered with faint spots
of bluish green, while there are others, more distinct, of light
vermillion in an almost continuous straight row up the middle
of the back. All the under side of the body is of a somewhat
dull lapis-lazuli blue. This frog is remarkable by its small
conically-shaped head, which can hardly be distinguished
from the globular mass of its body, and is surmounted by
two projecting little eyes, and by the scarcely visible orifice
which serves it as a mouth, as also by the shortness of its
legs, and lastly, by the bluish tint of its abdomen. It is
rarely to be seen during the daytime, and lives in holes which it
digs in some damp spot. When it is about to commence this
operation it swells itself up like a balloon, then resting on its
fore feet, it labors assiduously with its hind ones, which it
spreads out like a pallet. It dilates itself in the same manner
when caught, in its struggles to escape. On seeing the diminutive body of this animal, and the slight muscular resistance
with which it seems to be endowed, one would never suspect
' the strength of which it gives proof on some occasions. I
succeeded, with great difficulty, in capturing two. I enclosed
* R dorsalis Dum. et Bib. Erpet gen., t. viii. p. 751.

124

THE WOODS

OF C A M P E A C H Y .

them in a glass jar, through which they endeavored for an
entire day to dig a hole, without apparently feeling at all discouraged by the ill success of their efforts.
My sojourn at San Geronimo was prolonged by an annoyance which my readers might suppose, from its triviality, was
borrowed from my recollections of our own hemisphere. My
passport had miscarried en route from Las Playas to Santo Domingo, and I found myself unable to procure another at this
last-named town. The alcalde referred me to the sub-prefect,
and the sub-prefect sent me back to the alcalde. Each of these
dignitaries overwhelmed me with professions, but both declined
to be responsible for my good behaviour. At last the sub-prefect, whom this matter more directly concerned as the head of
the prefecture, evaded the difficulty by disappearing one fine
day from the place. Such is the authority which the magnates of the government enjoy in the republie of Chiapa !
They are permitted to assume no responsibilities. All orders
proceed from a small despotic centre, which regulates the most
trivial details of government; outside of this are only to be
found mere passive instruments, who tremble perpetually in
view of the instability of their position.
I finally decided to send Morin to Palizada to arrange the
matter, remembering the adventure of Captain Dupaix, who,
on his return to Tabasco, was arrested, searched, and imprisoned for some informality, in the name of the government
which he served.^ Morin accomplished, on horseback, in eight
hours, our weary journey of two days and a half in a boat, and
found the authorities of Yucatan better acquainted with their
functions than those in the State of Chiapa. We secured
our passports.
Before proceeding further, and at the risk of unduly in* See the account of the misfortunes of Dupaix in the third volume of
his Memoirs, p. 36 of the Eeceuil des Antiquites Hexicaines.

PRESENT

CONDITION

OF

THE

INDIANS.

125

terrupting my narrative, I must say a few words about the
aboriginal races which constitute by far the larger proportion
of the population throughout the whole country covered by
my travels.
Everywhere the opinion seems to be general, that the intellectual faculties of the Indians of our days, whose ancestors
raised the monuments of Palenque, Uxmal, and ChichenItza, are inferior to those of the negro. But who would recognize in the fellahs of modern Egypt the descendants of
that people who have transmitted to our days many of the
leading elements of our civilization, and have left the pyramids as the imperishable witnesses of their power ? Or in
the barbarous and crafty Moors of Morocco, the offspring of
the brilliant Arabs who introduced chivalry into Europe ? But
it is the actual condition of the Indians of Central America
which claims our present attention, not so much what they
have been or may become.
We cannot attribute to the interested views of the conquerors of America the opinion now so generally diffused as
to the incapacity of the aborigines. How then, after the tribute of admiration which they spontaneously paid to the civilization of Mexico, Yucatan, and Peru, are we to explain the
sentence which was afterwards pronounced against the same
populations who had furnished so many indubitable proofs of
their capacities, and which has condemned them as born to
servitude and beneath the rank of humanity ? Only by supposing that by such a sentence oppression became easier, if
not altogether justified. The policy initiated on the basis of
this assumption, has done more to annihilate the American
race than the violence of conquest or the blind zeal of bigotry,
under the name of religion.
It is but just to the Spanish government to say that it
omitted no effort to limit the excesses of its officers and people
in America as against the Indians. The Special Code and the

126

THE

WOODS

OF

CAMPEACHY.

Ordinances sent out from the Council of the Indies, and the
reiterated decrees and instructions of the crown, attest a high
solicitude in behalf of the natives, in strong contrast with the
ill will of the colonists towards them; but, unfortunately, the
spirit which dictated these laws did not preside over their execution. They, furthermore, unintentionally perhaps, but effectually, favored the spread and perpetuation of the popular
prejudices as to the real inferiority of the Indians, by speaking
of them and providing for them as minors in all civil matters,
and while exempting them from military service, subject; ng them
to forced labor, to tribute and humiliating punishments, thus
contributing to form gradually in the State a class without a
name, without a future, and comparable only with the helots of
Sparta in respect of position. Colonial legislation was not slow
in widening these distinctions, which it did most effectually by
prohibiting legitimate alliance between the whites and Indians.
The latter have never recovered from the abasement into which
this policy gradually reduced them, and which finished by
effectually enervating the virility of character which they
possessed at the time of the Conquest. Habituated for so long
a period to contempt and pity, they have come to regard themselves as inferior beings, and their self-respect can never be
restored, except through a series of efforts as prolonged as
those which have humbled them have been continuous and
implacable.
It was after the independence of the colonies that the sad
effects of the policy which I have indicated first became apparent ; and hasty efforts were then made to remedy them, but
the evil was too deeply seated. The State wanted citizens, but
it found only slaves. With a race endowed with an organization
moderately flexible, and with a rare perseverance in its habits
and customs, it is easier to efface impressions than to substitute ideas, and the Indians at once rebelled against the efforts
that were made to communicate them. In Guatemala, for ex-

RETRO GRES SION.

127

ample, the leading minds of the State conceived that the abolition of corporal punishment, so degrading to the spirit of man,
would go far towards elevating- the Indian character; jet,
strange to say, as soon as the Indians themselves had succeeded
in placing one of their own representatives in the post of chief
executive, their first demand was for the restoration of the bastinado.
With the independence, and in conformity with its principles and spirit, the Indians became at once elevated to the
same civil rank as their former masters, possessing the same
rights and entitled to the same privileges. But they were not
prepared for the change, neither by the instruction nor the
example of their fathers, and so far from contributing to the
advancement of the new order of things, brought upon it the
gravest prejudices. Incapable of comprehending or appreciating their new situation, they were only sensible that they were
free from previous restrictions, and no longer subject to tribute ; but not a single generous sentiment was excited in consequence, nor was there developed in any degree that spirit of
emulation, ambition and progress which the leaders of the revolution had fondly anticipated. On the contrary, they abandoned themselves to idleness, drunkenness and general disregard
of their most obvious obligations towards each other and the
State, and when afterwards called upon to discharge them,
they openly resisted the demand, or fled to the mountains,
where they gave themselves up to a life essentially savage.
In this way many villages soon disappeared, which, during the
colonial administration, were both populous and flourishing.
Under this state of things culture diminished, the roads which
had been opened by the anterior government were allowed to
fall into ruin, the public schools ceased to be frequented, and
civil war, with all its train of evils, followed fast on the prostration of material interests and the demoralization of the public sentiment. The new governments were found inefficient

128

THE

WOODS

OF

CAMPEACHY.

to meet these unhappy conditions, and equally powerless to
restore the old or establish a new system.
This description applies particularly to the Indians who
occupy the tierras calientes, or hot regions of Central America. Here each man cuts the timber for his own house, carries
it on his own back to the spot where he wants it, puts it together with withes, and thatches it with straw with his own
hands. He cultivates just enough ground to furnish his individual supplies, or gathers them from among the natural products of the forest. His scanty furniture is equally the work
of his own hands, as is also the still scantier clothing which he
wears. When sick, he makes use of the few vegetable simples
of which his father taught him the virtues, and which he collects in the wilderness. Time with him has no value, and
without hope or care for the future, his ideal of happiness is
in present repose. His absolute material wants are his sole
incentives to action. His vague ideas of fatalism furnish him
equally with an excuse for his indolence and a basis of contentment under all the circumstances of his condition. He supports
stoically the maladies which may afflict him, and the evil f 3rtunes
that may befall him. Death almost always finds him prepared.
" My hour is come!" or " I go to my rest, my work is done!'?
are the only observations which he makes on its approach.
And here I may observe that what is called the conversion
of the Indians, in these as in earlier days, is more apparent
than real, and consists in little more than an abandonment of
their idolatry. It is true that most of them do not object to
baptism, and are willing to go through the forms of religion
when the church is near by; but these exterior observances,
although they seem to satisfy the missionaries, have no real
value, and have no connection with the truths of revelation,
or the spirit and practise of pure morals. How absurd to
look for a harvest when the ground has not been prepared for
the reception of the seed!

SUPERSTITIONS

OF

THE

INDIANS.

129

The Indian mother fills the mind of her infant with a
thousand puerile superstitions, which no subsequent experience
or observation can eradicate. I t is a mysterious being, clothed in
red, which sighs and wails in the forest to mislead the traveller;
the ruined edifices which rise crumbling and spectral in remote
valleys are the haunts of invisible spirits; and the fawn-colored
animals which cross his path are the forms assumed by evil and
powerful enchanters. He believes that certain men of his own
race possess invisible poisons, through means of which they can
afflict their enemies with blindness or strike them with death.
You ask him concerning a Supreme Being, or question him on
the immortality of the soul, or his hopes of a future life, but
he will answer you nothing. A long religious tyranny, over a
weak but obstinate race, has taught it to practise a profound
dissimulation in all things relating to its beliefs.
The physical education of the Indian commences early.
When ten or twelve years of age a machete is put in his
hands, and a load proportioned to his years on his shoulders,
and he is made to accompany his father in his excursions or
his labors. H e is taught to find his way in the most obscure
forests, through means of the faintest indications. His ear is
practised in quickly detecting the approach of wild animals,
and his eye in discovering the venomous reptiles that may lie
in his path. He is taught to distinguish the vines, the juices
of which have the power of stupefying fishes so that they may
be caught by hand, as also those which are useful for their
flexibility, or for furnishing water to the wayfarer. He soon
comes to recognize the leche Maria, the precious balm with
which he can heal his wounds, and the guaco which neutralizes the venom of serpents. He finds out the shady dells where
the cacao flourishes, and the sunny eminences where the bees
go to deposit their" honey in the hollow trunks of decaying trees.
He learns, or is taught, all these things early, and then his education is complete. When he reaches the age of sixteen or
6*

180

THE

WOODS

OF

CAMPEACHY.

seventeen years, he clears a little spot of ground in the forest
with the aid of fire and his machete. He plants it with maize,
builds a little hut in the corner, and then brings to it a companion, most likely one who was affianced to him in his earliest
infancy. Without doubt, he has some regard to the age and
attractions of his female companion, but his marriage, if the
union may be so called, is based on none of those tender sentiments and mutual appreciations, which with us lie at the
foundation of the social superstructure.
But it must be said to the credit of the Indian that he
loves his home. His hut is his asylum, where he enjoys an
authority and isolation which compensate for the contempt or
assumption of superiority of the whites. There no one interferes with his tastes or habits of life; the submission and devotion of his companion is absolute, and his children never dispute his authority or contravene his wishes. Within his small
circle his mode of' life is essentially patriarchal. His government, when he had one of his own, was the same.
The general sobriety of the Indians has been compared by
the Spaniards themselves to a rigid and perpetual fas;; but it
must be admitted that it is only a negative virtue, the offspring of necessity, and ready to succumb on the first opportunity. Their food is simple in the extreme. Beans grossly
cooked, tortillas', a few banannas, raw peppers for seasoning,
beef cut in slices and dried in the sun, a little pork, and a few
eggs on grand occasions, and a cup of chocolate at long intervals, with such fruits and roots as nature herself offers, constitute about the entire range of their alimentary resources.
The sensibilities of the Indians are dulled from total want
of excitement. Their griefs are as few as their enjoyments,
and neither affect them keenly. The drowsiness of their intelligence brings with it one benefit—they are not afflicted with
ennui. Immovably and in silence they support the weight of
time with the utmost complacency ; but when thrown in com-

CHECKS

ON

IMPROVIDENCE.

131

pany with others of their own race and apart from strangers,
they become singularly animated and loquacious. Considering the limited circle of their ideas, it is difficult to guess the
subjects of their protracted dialogues. The flow of words
and immoderate laughter which, among my Indian guides,
frequently extended over a great part of the night, was to me
a constant puzzle. I often listened attentively to ascertain to
what the conversation related, and what it was that amused
them, in the hope of detecting the excitable elements of their
nature, but without success. Their conversation was always
carried on in the aboriginal dialects, and at a considerable distance from the stranger.
The government of Yucatan has been unable to find a
better expedient, to guard against the idleness and improvidence of the Indians, than one which contravenes the fundamental law of the State. It obliges every head of a family to
plant and cultivate sixty metkates, equal to about a fourth of
an acre, of maize every year. The alcaldes of the different
partidos enforce this regulation, and report to the government. Those who do not comply with it are condemned to
work for certain periods on the public roads, until the estimated value of their labor equals that of an average crop from
the lands which they failed to cultivate. But there is another
and less violent mode established by law to compel the Indians
to labor. This is a perpetuation of an ancient colonial law,
the mita. Every man of color, Indian or Negro, who gets in
debt is obliged to acquit his obligation by his service at fixed
rates, and until this is effected he is the de facto slave of his
creditor. The latter may compel his labor at such places as
he may indicate, or he may sell him for the time being to whoever will pay the debt in whole or in part. The only privilege which the law accords to the debtor is this, that he may
appeal to the authorities for a change of masters when it can
be shown that his present one is cruel, or does not properly

132

THE

WOODS

OF

CAMPEACHY.

provide for his necessities. In this case his earnings, or the
price which may be paid for him, goes towards the liquidation
of the original debt. The result of this system is, that generally the Indian devolves all care for the future on his master, draws his support and clothing from him on a credit, and,
increasing rather than diminishing his debt, ends by becoming, with his family after him, on whom his responsibility
falls, a slave for life. Of course proprietors seek to continue
rather than terminate this order of things, which gives them
all the benefits of slavery without its odium, and free from
many of its responsibilities. It is but just to say that their
rule is generally mild and paternal, and attended with but
few of the abuses which we find in countries where slavery
exists by virtue of direct legislation.
In certain localities, as at Palizada, and in the wood-cutting
districts generally, this system exists in its most aggravated
form. Four-fifths of the native population are overwhelmingly compromised to the leading proprietors, who exact their
labors with the greatest severity ; and as these proprietors
possess here all that there is of influence and authority, the
condition of the poor Indian is truly pitiable.
What I have said, as already intimated, applies chiefly to
the Indians of the tlerras calientes, or hot regions of the
country. On the high and cooler plateaus of the interior, or
what are called Los Altos, we find the aboriginal race under
different conditions, and of a different character. There, beneath milder skies, and under the influence of a climate more
favorable for the development and exercise of the physical faculties, we find the descendants of the ancient Quiches, Zutugils and Kachiquels—men of an active and courageous race,
whose heads never grow grey, and whose labors are directed
beyond supplying the wants of the hour, and towards their future well-being. Vast cultivated areas, in place of unbroken
forests, notwithstanding the soil is less fertile, attest here the

INDIANS

Oi 1

THE

HIGHLANDS.

133

existence of persevering industry. Here the intervention of
the government is not necessary to stimulate production.
Mechanics are to be found of almost every kind, frequently
of great skill and taste—carpenters, masons, weavers, and
workers in iron and the precious metals. Generally very well
dressed, neat in person, with firm step and independent bearing, they constitute a class of citizens in the State who only
require to be better educated to rise equal to the best. So far
from relapsing under the new system of government which
has taken the place of the colonial administration, they have
advanced steadily under it, with a fair comprehension of its
liberties and an appreciation of its benefits.
It is, nevertheless, difficult to say what will be the future
of the Indians of Central America, considered as a whole—
whether by general and careful instruction and wise legislation they may be gradually elevated, socially and politically,
so as to become competent citizens of a well-organized State,
or whether the distrust which they entertain of the Spaniards
and the deep and implacable hate which they cherish toward
them, will result in a general uprising, and their ultimate
complete ascendancy, with a restoration of savage independence,
having all the bad and but few of the good features of that
which prevailed before the Conquest? At present the whites
dominate, in virtue of the prestige of the Conquest and through
their superior resources and intelligence. But, on the other
hand, the Indians vastly exceed them in numbers; their superiority in this respect is rapidly and constantly increasing;
and they are no longer to be frightened by horses, or put to
flight by the discharge of an arquebus !
Doubts may well be entertained of the ability of existing
governments to sustain their power by force. Apart from the
great superiority of numbers which may be arrayed against
them, the broken character of the country, without roads,
bridges, or other facilities for the effectiye movement of regu-

134

THE

WOODS

OF

CAMPEACHY.

lar forces, is an element which must tell against them greatly,
but still more in favor of the Indians. Clearly, they will
be unable to sustain themselves, except at a few points, and
even then but for short periods, in case of an uprising of the
natives. The pregnant question is, have they the wisdom to
devise a course of instruction and training adequate to convert
the Indian into an industrious citizen, capable of comprehending his duties towards the State, and of exercising them intelligently ? And have they the constancy and patience to carry
out such a system faithfully and firmly through the long series
of years requisite to its development and success ? We are
compelled to doubt. What then is to be the future of Central
America, but more especially of those parts where the Indian
element is most conspicuous, in Guatemala and Yucatan?
The question seems to admit of but one answer, which the
hardiest speculator may well dread to pronounce !*
* It has been practically answered, in part, by the bloody outbreak of the
Indians in Yucatan, and by the success of Garrera and his savage hordes in
Guatemala. In Yucatan the struggle still continues, with a steady advance
of the Indian power, and a corresponding decline of the Spaniards in numbers
and authority. In Guatemala a like catastrophe has only been postponed by
a propitiation of the Indian leader, who, like a tiger gorged, pauses for awhile
in his desolating career. The influences which surround him may be sufficient to restrain him during his life, but with his death or deposition the war
of castes, which he commenced, can scarcely fail to break out again with
renewed violence. The embers of discontent among the native population
are still red and glowing beneath their ashy covering.—T.

IV.
T H E

U S I J M A S I N T A

R I V E R .

Diurnal storms—Ford of San Geronimo—Alligators—Deer—The coyol palm—Savannas
—Unbroken solitudes—-Balancan—The snake's bane, or platanillo—Tumuli—Improvidence of the people—Pearl Ashing in fresh water—Eio San Pedro—Night on
the river—Storm—Inflammatory tendencies of the system under the tropics—La
Cabecera—An European recluse—Tenosique—Excessive heat—Rapids of the Usumasinta—Boca del Cerro—Unconquered Indians—The great river—Sickness—Departure
for Peten—Reflections on the country and its inhabitants.

THE last three days which we passed at San Geronimo
were marked by extraordinary atmospheric phenomena. Each
day, soon after noon, the sky became overcast with thick
clouds, which drooped in heavy volumes almost to the earth,
causing a profound gloom like that of night, and oppressing
all animated nature with a vague terror. These premonitions
were always followed by violent winds, accompanied by heavy
rain and the most fearful thunder and lightning that I ever
witnessed, which continued throughout the remainder of the
day and most of the night. In the morning, however, all became calm again, and nature resumed her serenity under a
clear and smiling sky. Only the saturated earth, strewn with
branches of trees twisted from their parent stems, bore witness
of the convulsions of the preceding day. These perturbations
of the atmosphere appeared to announce a change of season.
My hosts vainly endeavored to reassure me on this point by
opposing their experience to my apprehensions. I feared that
the rain, in the low, swampy region which I was about to visit,
might seriously interfere with my progress. Besides, I must
admit, I was glad of a pretext to leave the dismal locality of

138

THE

USUMASINTA

RIVER.

San Geronimo. Resisting, therefore, all persuasion to remain
longer, I determined to continue my travels. We were furnished with horses and a guide, besides having a cayuco placed
at our disposal, to transport our effects to the village of Balancan, from whence we proposed slowly to continue on our
journey. We were also furnished with letters of introduction
to parties in the various localities where we proposed to stop.
This hospitable practice, I am happy to say, is religiously observed in the more distant parts of Spanish America•; but I
have remarked that in the more frequented localities it has not
stood the test of civilization any better than in the old world.
We lost much valuable time on the morning we set out,
in searching for our dog, Fida, which the men on the farm
had lured away, and which we found great difficulty in compelling them to give up. This delay obliged us, for fear of
the storm, to limit the first stage of our journey to Chablay,
a large hacienda three leagues to the southward. We first
crossed the muddy stream of San Geronimo, the banks of
which are high and abrupt. The ford was full of alligators,
sleeping with their mouths open, as if waiting to receive their
prey. We counted seven of them here, all from ten to twelve
feet in length. These reptiles, awakened from sleep by our
approach, seemed a little disturbed, but soon disappeared under the water. The fording of the river itself was easy enough,
but the rain had rendered the ground by which it is approached
a dangerous quagmire. Morin placed Fida beside him on his
own saddle, lest she should be swallowed by the alligators,
while we waited for our guide to reach the other side of the
stream, in order to direct our movements by his. He passed
over with the air of a man acquainted with the locality, and
we followed, supporting ourselves in our stirrups. I have
heard that in certain countries alligators are possessed of such
amiability as to tolerate man's familiarity, and even to frolic
with him. This does not, however, apply to those of Tabasco,

THE

COYOL

PALM.

139

where the reptiles do not hesitate, whenever the opportunity
offers, to snap up a straggler without scruple. The hacienda
of San Geronimo has itself furnished several victims to their
greedy maws. Only recently, an Indian crossing the ford on
a spirited young horse, had fallen into the stream, and become
the prey of these monsters. Two days after the event, his
body, fearfully mangled, was found buried in the mud; for the
alligator, like the dog and fox, inters his prey to prevent too
rapid decomposition.
Beyond the ford we saw, for the first time, some deer, in
size and general appearance resembling those of our own country. They seemed disposed to be social; and in an isolated
hut by the roadside we were shown a tame doe which roamed
through the woods at will, but which never failed to return to
her home at night. This animal had just given birth to two
young ones ; they were of a reddish color, with white spots
running down the middle of the back, in two longitudinal
rows.
The plain as far as Balancan, a village distant eleven
leagues, is undulating and intersected with lagoons, which, at
this season of the year, are encircled by a rim of black mud,
a quarter of a league broad. Among the different varieties
of palm trees with which the woods are ornamented, none produces a better effect than the cocoyol (cocos butyracea L.)
before its stipe is quite developed, and when its leaves, five or
six yards in length, droop like plumes to the ground. The
nuts of this palm yield a substance resembling butter, which
is largely used for domestic purposes in many parts of America. I recognized the medicinal cassia tree by its enormous
cylindrical pods, and the calabash tree, which heretofore I had
only seen in the vicinity of settlements. The savannas contain many palm trees, either growing alone or in groups,
which have resisted the fires lighted here each year by the
herdsmen. These savannas can only be traversed with great

140

THE

TJSUMASINTA

RIVER.

difficulty, since the water cuts up their entire surface with
deep gullies, which intersect each other like the lines on a
chess-board. In these solitudes may occasionally be seen a
stray herd belonging to some hacienda, and now and then a
rancho meets the eye—that is to say, a straggling hut occupied by vaqueros or by wood-cutters. At long intervals the
traveller encounters a wood-cutting establishment, or the seat
of logwood commerce. The dwelling of the proprietor is always built on the highest point, and his dependents surround
him according to the plan which he may trace out. From
the mouth of the TJsumasinta to Balancan, on a tortuous line
of nearly sixty leagues, there exist but two villages, namely,
Palizada, recently built, and Monte Cristo, which hardly
numbers a dozen families. One cannot but feel regret in ascending this beautiful stream, through the most fertile plains
in the world, that commerce, activity and life do not add their
charms to its banks. At rare intervals a canoe with a cargo
of salt or dye-wood drifts lazily along, and the traveller may
afterwards expect to sail many an hour along the silent banks,
and leave behind him leagues of fertile but untilled ground,
before encountering another human being, a hut, or a cultivated field to cheer his vision.^
Balancan is a village of about forty-five families, pleasantly situated on the steep banks of the Usumasinta, the bed
of which is here sand and gravel. Here, too, the ground begins to rise, and escapes the miasma of the plain. The Span* The Spaniards see things from a different point of view. " In Tabasco,"
says a national writer, " the banks of the streams are embellished with simple
little houses, thatched with palm leaves and surrounded by fruit trees and evergreen pastures. Happiness dwells in these cottages, in which reside in peace
and innocence one or two hard-working families," etc.—(Appendice a la Historia de Gogolludo, por Don Manuel Zavela.) No one could expect to find in
these countries a just subject for eulogy. It is well to love one's native land
and properly to sound its praises, but this should not be done at the expense
of truth and good sense.

LIFE

ON

THE

USUMASINTA.

Ill

iards who are settled in this village maintain their superiority
over the Indians, and manage to live in a more generous manner, by trading in trifles which they purchase at Palizada. The
profits which are gained on the lower waters of the stream continually occupy their thoughts, and their dream by night and
day is to obtain similar advantages without risk or labor. As
to the Indians, who dread mental even more than bodily fatigue, they take no part or interest in these projects. The
logwood grows in the neighboring forests, together with the
moral, known in commerce under the name of brazil-wood. The
establishment of a machine for the sawing of these woods had
once been talked of, but one of the revolutions which desolate
this province prevented the enterprise from being carried out.
We were lodged in the cabildo, a dilapidated structure, of
two rooms, one of which was used for a school. The mud
which filled up the interstices in the walls of the apartment
which we occupied had fallen out in many places, permitting
us to enjoy from our hammocks a view of the neighboring
country, where the wild vegetation disputed the ground, inch
by inch, with the laborer. On no portion of the banks of the
Usumasinta have I ever seen the land cultivated with a view to
a surplus. Each person plants just sufficient for his own consumption or for that of the workmen whom he employs. On
many plantations, like that of San Geronimo, the proprietor
prefers to purchase grain rather than spare any of his workmen from the cuttings. This system is fatal to the development of the country.
The name of Balancan, like most of those belonging to
primitive geography, is borrowed from the most salient objects
of the locality. Thus balan, or bedlam, in the Maya language, means jaguar, and can serpent. The partial clearing
of the forest has driven the jaguar into more dense solitudes,
but the reptiles have not been so easily dislodged. My host,
in explaining to me the etymology of Balancan offered one

142

THE

USUMASINTA

RIVER.

day, by way of illustration, to show me in the course of
half an hour any species of serpent which I might name. I
accepted his banter, and named a rattlesnake. One of the
servants, by his order, started out with a string and bamboo
staff. Twenty minutes had scarcely elapsed before the man
brought back a living female specimen, which he had fastened
to his stick. As so favorable an opportunity offered itself, I
was naturally desirous of testing the virtue of the platanillo,
the praises of which I had so often heard sounded. I have
already mentioned that this plant is supposed by the natives
to have such virtue as to be able, by the simple touch, to
deprive venomous reptiles of their fangs. On my expressing a desire to see this operation performed, an old Indian,
renowned for his skill, was sent for. Curiosity drew many
around us, but no one doubted the success of the experiment.
When the ligaments which confined the neck of the serpent
had been loosened, he opened his frightful jaws and furiously
bit at the plant when presented to him, but his teeth continued
firmly fixed in his head. After many fruitless attempts to deprive him of his fangs, in which the operator manifested much
adroitness, they at last came out, leaving the reptile effectually
disarmed. The mystery was now clear to me. The fangs being
slight and having weak roots, it is by no means wonderful that
when once fastened in the rigid, tenacious fibres of the plant,
they can easily be broken off. The spectators did not like this
explanation, and in spite of the evidence they had just received, continued to retain perfect faith in the marvellous virtues of the platanillo.
During the same day I saw in the woods a nahuyaca
of great size. It crossed a glade where I was sauntering;
provided with nothing with which to defend myself except an
umbrella. Absorbed by the beauties of the country by which I
was surrounded, I came near treading on the reptile. Fortunately I happened to look down at the moment, and had time

SERPENTS. — ANTIQUITIES.

143

to draw back. The serpent continued on its way, quickening
its motions somewhat, yet manifesting but little uneasiness.
When it had disappeared in the undergrowth, I measured the
impression which it had left on the ground, and found it to be
seven feet in length. This species of snake terrifies the Creoles beyond measure, and they eulogize the rattlesnake at its
expense. " La vivora de cascabel" they say, " is generous;
it gives the alarm before it strikes; but the nahuyaca is pitiless." As for myself, I find little to choose between them,
for the venom of both appears to be equally fatal. In their
anger they rarely content themselves with a single bite; on the
contrary, their attacks are made with incredible rapidity, and
as their fangs are so slender, the wounds they produce are
often imperceptible. It is said that by rubbing the skin with
lemon juice, the bites become reddened, and thus their exact
locality can be ascertained.
There exist in the environs of Balancan numbers of tumuli
and other remains evidently aboriginal. Excavations made at
the base of these mounds have brought to light many objects
analogous to those discovered in Yucatan, consisting of grotesque idols, various kinds of pottery, pieces of obsidian, concave stones with their cylindrical rollers for crushing maize,
etc. These latter utensils are identical with those used at the
present time, but they are of a very fine green-veined granite,
obtained from some site now unknown.
It was with considerable difficulty that we found boatmen
to enable us to pursue our journey; not that hands were wanting in this place, but they considered that the gain was not
commensurate with the labor and trouble. In these countries,
so different from our own, I have never seen any one comfortably living on a fixed income; all here is casual, precarious
and uncertain. Sometimes a large fortune is acquired by
some lucky speculation in dye-woods, but it is soon foolishly
expended. A hundred dollars with us is never to be despised,

144

THE

USUMASINTA

RIVER.

but it has little value in the eyes of people who live on beans
and maize, in a h u t of canes, and who go bare-footed all the
year round.
Our host finally succeeded in procuring us a number of
oarsmen, and we prepared to sail up the stream to the village
of Usumasinta, distant twelve leagues, and better known under
the name of Cabecera, which it took a few years ago, when
it was for a time elevated to the dignity of the chief town of
this political district. From Balancan we made but slow progress. We had to struggle against a powerful current, which
increases towards the mountains. The bed of the river is always of considerable depth; the banks of very fine blue clay
at their base, surmounted by various layers of sand and gravel.
These last named form a concrete mass, and solidify to such
a degree as to form a tolerably hard and abrupt ledge. On
the sand banks which the waters had left bare, we observed a
large number of fresh-water muscles, which we learned had
been accumulated by the women of the country, who, during
the dry season, search among them for pearls.^ We were
assured that many of great value were thus found. Morin,
at this piece of intelligence, thought himself on the road to fortune, but all his efforts at pearl-finding were in vain. Hundreds of shells are frequently cast aside before one is found
containing the precious concretion, the precise origin of which
still continues a mystery.
At four leagues from Balancan, we passed on our left the
mouth of the Rio de San Pedro, one of the principal tributaries
of the Usumasinta, w7hich takes its rise in the centre of the dis* Unios explicatits, Morlt. Pearls, it is well known, are found in several
varieties of fresh-water muscles. The excitement consequent on their discovery in the streams of New Jersey, a few years ago, is too recent to have
been forgotten. The mound-builders of the Mississippi valley seem to have
obtained great numbers from the unios of the western rivers; several hundreds of them have been found in a single mound, including some of extraordinary size.—T.

STORM

IN

THE

WILDERNESS.

145

trict of Peten, and falls by a succession of rapids through the
wildest and most picturesque country in the world into the
Usumasinta. The waters of this river are endowed to a high
degree with petrifying virtues. The obstructions in its course,
particularly those in the vicinity of Nojmactun, have all originated in the incrustation and solidification of the trunks of
trees which have fallen into the stream. Only a few adventurers have ascended its unfrequented channel, searching in the
distant forests for those colossi of the vegetable kingdom, of
which the great cayucos are made. An opportunity was at
one time afforded me of exploring it myself; but ill health
prevented this attempt.
Near the point where the San Pedro flows into the Usumasinta is a low island, called Santa Anna. Here we wasted
much time in searching for provisions, and were detained until
it became quite dark. The shores, covered with thick forests,
offered us no refuge for the night, and we were obliged to proceed on our ascent, notwithstanding the darkness, frequently
striking against the obstacles in the stream, and by no means
comforted by the reverberations of distant thunder and the deep
roar of the rapids of the river, which we were gradually approaching. At last we perceived a bank, on which we determined to land, drawing our canoe up after us on the sand.
All was sad and silent. It was not the usual calm of night,
but the quiet which always precedes a storm. Lightning
darted all over the sky, and at intervals we perceived the red
light of a forest burning near Balancan. The rain soon fell
in immense drops, driving us to seek refuge under an adjacent
tree. In a few moments the wind commenced blowing violently from the south-east with such force that the forests bent
to the ground before it, while the sand on the shore was caught
up in blinding whirls in the air. The storm was too violent
to last long, and it finally swept off towards the north as suddenly as it had arisen. When we left our shelter3 we found.

146

THE

USUMASINTA

EIVER.

much to our delight, that the mosquitoes as well as the clouds
had drifted off before the hurricane.
We resumed our journey, and without any remarkable
incident, at the end of three days reached the village of La
Cabecera. I was much fatigued by this uncomfortable mode
of travelling, in a boat only a foot and a half wide, and in
which every position was painful, to say nothing of the annoyances of mosquitoes and other insects, and the overwhelming heat, which seemed to pervade earth, sky, and water.
The hamlets scattered along the road, Santa Amia, Mult a,
JEstapilla, all together, had been able to furnish us with only
half a dozen eggs and a bunch of banannas ! I was charmed
with the idea of beginning a new mode of life, and hoped to
regain my strength in this more salubrious part of the country. I supposed that I had now reached a point where the
temperature was lower, which was what I most ardently desired. My satisfaction, however, was short-lived, for on arriving at Cabecera, I felt the premonitory symptoms of fever;
in addition to which the bruise, occasioned by my fall in the
forest of Palenque, had become much inflamed, and was daily
becoming more painful. Morin also suffered from ulcers on
his legs, which would not yield to medicine. Travellers under the tropics are very liable to this affliction. Red pimples,
or small tumors, first make their appearance, particularly on
the limbs, and increase in size gradually, until they become
full of matter, when they break, and discharge, frequently,
leaving festering sores, which spread over the integuments,
and end in ulcerations which are very unyielding and constantly reproducing themselves. Diet, repose, cooling beverages, and topical emollients form the best treatment in these
cases. Wounds, however trifling they may seem at the time
they are received, have a tendency here to become serious,
under the influence of the damp and heat which favor putrefaction. The surrounding parts soften and mortify; feeling

A

RECLUSE.

14?

in the wound becomes deadened, and gangrene speedily follows.
It becomes therefore a matter of great importance to apply
remedies in time, in order to prevent dangerous, not to say
fatal, consequences.
At Balancan a mysterious personage, of French extraction, had been mentioned to me as inhabiting a small isolated
house near Cabecera. No one knew what had attracted him
to these regions, where, for seven years, he had led a most
retired life, living by the labors of his hands, and avoiding,
as far as possible, all communication with his neighbors. The
people at large, fond of the marvellous, pronounced him of
noble birth, and imagined his misanthropy to be the result of
unrequited affection.
The few who knew him personally,
united in praising his good qualities. I determined to visit
this recluse, and accordingly Morin and myself, almost immediately on landing at Cabecera, wended our way to his
residence. After a tolerably long walk through the woods,
we saw traces of a clearing, which led to an avenue of bananna
trees, at the extremity of which we found his hut. The door
being open, we had no hesitation in going in. The first object which met our eyes, was a man reclining in a hammock.
He was very slightly clad, after the manner of the Indians.
When we entered he turned his head indifferently, but the
look he gave us was one of great astonishment. Without
waiting for him to speak, I said, " We are French travellers,
in need of your hospitality.7' At these words he sprang up,
and extended his hand. He was a man slight in figure, apparently from the south of France, in whom nervous energy
seemed to preponderate over muscular strength. Obviously
of only middle age, it was easy to perceive that misfortune
rather than time had blanched his head, and withered his
features. " For the first time since I have been living in
this desert," said he, much moved, "for the first time in
seven years3 I can press the hand of a countryman!" His

148

THE

USUMASINTA

RIVER.

eyes were moist, but his weakness passed in a moment, and
he hastened to offer us a simple collation, of which we gladly
partook. While seated at his more than frugal board, we
told him of the object of our visit to the country, and made
some inquiries concerning, it, without, however, putting aside
the reserve which was imposed on us as strangers. Before
we had got through with our meal, and before we had established more intimate relations, we heard the sound of footsteps, and turning, saw in the door-way a young Indian girl,
leading two children by the hand. On sight of us she started
back, and uttered an exclamation of alarm. "This is my
little family," said the recluse smiling, "do not feel astonished at finding it somewhat wild, like the country." Then
turning to the girl, he spoke a few words to her in some
strange Indian dialect. She at once became reassured, entered timidly, and seating herself on the side of the hammock, raised her eyes, full of innocent curiosity, and regarded
us attentively. Confidence was soon restored, and the suspicious-looking strangers became speedily established as guests,
almost as friends.
Human life may be looked upon as a comedy by cold sceptics, who pride themselves on contemplating it from an exalted
point of view; but with those who play their part in it with an
ardent, impassioned heart, it is often a melancholy, sometimes
even a terrible drama. The recluse of the Usumasinta belonged to this latter category. Favored by fortune, he had
enjoyed all the delights of civilized society, yet in the precarious, almost squalid condition to which he had voluntarily
reduced himself, he considered that he was nearer happiness
than he had ever been before. His meteor-like existence,
which had glittered with passing brightness only to be extinguished at last in the obscurity of a desert, would furnish me
with a chapter full of romance, if I were to transcribe his
history literally as it fell from his lips. But such a digres-

AFLOAT

AGAIN.

149

sion would lead me far from my subject, and would furthermore be out of place in this connection.
It was quite an event for the inhabitants of the hut—this
visit of two strangers, and these strangers Frenchmen. We
could scarcely get away from our host, so urgently did he insist on our remaining with him. Each day he devised some
new amusement. We hunted the boas, which were numerous
in the forest; we beat the savannas in search of deer, and shot
strange larks with black circles about their necks (sturnus
Ludovicianus L.) ; we fished in the stream for unknown fish ;
and when evening came, we united around the modest table of
our host and conversed principally of the past, with that abandon which springs up so naturally between men of the same
country in distant lands. The young Indian girl, while nursing her children, listened attentively to those accents which
she could not comprehend; but her eye curiously followed all
of our movements, and her varying feelings betrayed themselves with amusing vivacity in her face. She was beautiful,
considered as a daughter of her race; nature, of course, had
not endowed her with those pure and harmonious features which
alone belong to the European families, but hers were regular,
and expressive of affection and sadness.
On the day of our departure, our host silently accompanied us to the river; his little family had preceded us to the
same spot. It was a sad moment for us all. We pressed the
hand of the poor recluse, who turned away his face to hide his
emotion. The oars moved, the canoe left the shore, and the
tie which had momentarily united us was broken! I carried
away a sacred trust, but I left behind me a bleeding wound
which I had innocently reopened.
We were bound to Tenosique, three leagues from Cabecera,
beyond which, in the distance, loomed up the blue crests of the
mountains, a charming spectacle, which arrested my attention
and seemed to revive my strength. I felt sure that in breath-

150

THE

USUMASINTA

RIVER.

ing the pure air of those heights I should obtain a new lease
of life, but I was again doomed to disappointment. The temperature on these slight elevations preserves its tropical character, and the solitudes which separate Tabasco from Peten are
consumed by the same fire. In traversing them, the traveller
has need of all the strength and energy of health. I resolved
therefore not to proceed further until my own was restored.
It was the warmest season of the year (May). The thermometer was at 97° of Fahrenheit during the day, and 89° at
night! Not a breath of air stirred; the leaves were never
ruffled ; the very shadows of the trees seemed to radiate heat,
and the tepid waters of the river did not in the least refresh
the bather. At table our faces streamed with perspiration,
which did not cease even while lying in our hammocks ! However great our fatigue, we could not sleep. The Indians endure this heat like stoics, but it overpowers the Creoles.
Lying motionless in their hammocks, they pray fervently for
rain, and drink immoderately without being able to quench
their thirst.
Enervated by abstinence and exhausted by fatigue, I felt
very keenly the excessive heat. I saw before me golden mangoes and luscious water melons, and other refreshing fruits of
which I was interdicted the enjoyment, my diet being limited
to a few cups of milk. Under this system, and by taking
frequent doses of opium, I succeeded in checking my disorder,
while, by the aid of emollient plasters, my bruise gradually
became healed. I finally considered myself convalescent, and
it is probable I should have entirely recovered my health if I
could only have forced myself to remain quiet. During my
illness I was dosed with a tea prepared from the leaf of a species of plantain tree called y ant en, which is highly prized in
this country. It is soothing in its effects, like marsh-mallow,
but I think has no other particular virtue. The inhabitants
regale themselves with an infusion of a sarmentous plant called

THE

UNCONQUERED

INDIANS.

151

pimientillo, which grows wild in the woods. It is very palatable, and has the taste of tea with a slight flavor of cloves.
To remain longer at Tenosique seemed to me unendurable,
so I commenced making preparations for my departure on the
first symptoms of convalescence. I resolved, however, first to
visit the rapids of the Uusumasinta, involving an excursion
of three or four days on the river. After leaving the village
it took us four hours to reach the sierras, a confused mass of
mountains which seems to oppose an effectual barrier to navigation. But at the very moment when every issue appears to
be closed, the chain suddenly opens, leaving a narrow passage
through which the waters dash impetuously. This passage is
known under the name of Boca del Cerro> mouth of the
mountain.
Between the walls of this gorge the spectacle was singularly imposing. Huge cliffs rise loftily, on both sides, and
the stream strangled between them is forced to gain in depth
what it lacks in breadth. Absorbed in silent admiration of
the spectacle, I did not perceive that our boatmen had ceased
rowing, until one of them whistled in a manner peculiar to the
Indians when they wish to attract attention.
" What is the matter ?" I inquired of Morin.
" It is a boat which they see yonder," he replied, u and
in which they seem to be greatly interested."
" Tell them to go on, or we shall not get through before
night."
Morin spoke for a while with the patron, and learned
from him, after some circumlocution, that the canoe in question, which was just then hidden from sight by the meanderings of the passage, belonged to the independent or unconquered Indians, who were established on the heights above us.
During this explanation the object of our notice again came
in view, and we could see a man in it who appeared to be
paddling with the greatest vigor.

152

THE

USUMASINTA

RIVER.

I was deeply interested, and told Morin that I should like
to have a nearer sight of this child of nature. " What say
you, shall we give him chase ?"
Morin's love of adventure was excited by the proposal,
and, addressing himself to the men, he cried in a sailor-like
voice, " Come, boys, steady with your oars there, and make
ready to board that craft!"
" You do not intend, senor, to harm that Indian ?" asked
Jose, the older of the two sailors, dipping his oar indolently in
the water.
" God forbid !" I answered. " I only wish to talk with
him."
" But his comrades, senor, are probably not far distant,"
he suggested, hesitatingly.
" Never mind ! Go ahead I" cried Morin, thinking, doubtless, of the history of the Conquest. l i If the savages prove to be
wanting in respect to us, we will soon bring them to reason!"
I added to this speech the promise of a peso each, provided
we caught up with the boat.
All now seemed to acquiesce in my proposal, and the chase
began. But our boatmen, apparently apprehensive of a quarrel, displayed but little ardor; yet, as everything continued
peaceful and silent, they gradually took courage and seriously
began the pursuit.
As we continued, the stream became more tortuous and
rapid, the mountains more abrupt, and the passage narrower.
Soon we found ourselves imprisoned between high, grey rocks,
rising vertically from the water, resembling embattled towers
or crumbling ramparts. Gradually the slopes seemed to lean
more towards each other, the bed of the river became still
narrower, and the waters became dark and sullen under the
shadow of the sierras. We were evidently gaining upon
our fugitive, and there was no chance of his escape. This
he doubtless perceived, for he finally ceased all efforts and

THE

UNCONQUEKED

INDIANS.

153

seated himself in the bottom of his canoe motionless, like a
man resigned to his fate. We kept on directly towards him,
when suddenly an arrow, aimed from the neighboring heights,
whistled past us into the stream. Stimulated by this warning,
our boatmen hastily bore down on the cayuco, and ran her
against the rocks, out of reach of further missiles. I was
now obliged to restrain Morin, who considered that war had
been declared, and was ready to make a hostile demonstration
on our prisoner. The latter, however, did not manifest any
great alarm, but came quietly on board our cayuco, to which
we fastened his own. He was about fifty years of age, of a
brutal, expressionless face. His dress consisted of a pair of
cotton drawers and a miserable straw hat. I hastened to explain to him that we had no hostile designs, but, on the contrary, proposed to elevate him to the dignity of our pilot, with
liberal recompense for his services. To this flattering proposition he made no reply, but looked distrustful and dark, and
it was easy to see that he did not like our infringement on his
liberty. I ordered Morin to hand him some banannas, which
he accepted with the utmost indifference; but a little glass of
rum, which he took at the instance of our boatmen, he drank
with an expression of satisfaction. Decidedly he was a most
taciturn personage, and had beside but little intelligence.
After some further attempts to draw him out, we gave him
up as impracticable, and continued our course, keeping him
with us nevertheless, as a kind of hostage against further
interruption. The roar of the falls became every moment
more distinct, and the channel of the stream was obstructed
by rocks and whirlpools, among which we proceeded with the
greatest difficulty. Three times the current drove our little
canoe against the rocks with such violence as nearly to swamp
us. Impassive and silent, our prisoner took no part in the
management of the boat. Perhaps he secretly desired to see
us overset and drowned. At last, after infinite labor, we
7*

154

THE

USUMASINTA

RIVER.

reached the centre of the gap in the mountains, and ran into a
little bay, sheltered by an abrupt promontory. Here I determined to bivouac. While the boatmen arranged our encampment, I clambered up the huge polished rocks which the
stream has here heaped together, in order to take in at a glance
the scene I had come so far to witness. I must confess to
some disappointment at sight of a series of rapids, broken into
whirls of foam, but of insufficient volume to produce a striking
effect or profound impression. Three leagues from here is a
second rapid, which effectually obstructs navigation. I desired
much to go to visit it, but we had neglected to provide ourselves with a rope—an indispensable auxiliary in overcoming
the first obstruction. We were consequently forced to abandon the undertaking.
Night fell suddenly upon us; every object was then invested with that grand solemnity which follows the dying day
in these virginal countries. The concentrated light of our
fire, reflected by the cataract, and by the rough rocks around
us, the tops of which were lost in the darkness, the murmur
of the waters rushing through the deep gorge of the mountains, the howling of the monkeys in the distance, and the
screams of nocturnal birds, all contributed to make up a scene
as difficult to describe as to forget. While abandoning myself
to the various impressions which succeeded each other in my
mind, I perceived that our prisoner had become reconciled to
his position, for he philosophically took his share of the provisions we had brought, and drank all that was given to him.
The presence of our boatmen, like himself, of Indian origin,
the exhilaration produced by the rum, and the spirit of adventure which breathed around us, acted at the same time upon
his brain and the muscles of his tongue, which at last began
to perform its functions. I questioned him concerning the
ancient ruins which have been (erroneously I think) described
as existing near this locality. Our Indian confirmed what I

THE

LACANDONES.

155

had previously heard at Tenosique, namely, that no rums are
to be found here. Perhaps the castellated rocks which I have
before mentioned, have led to this error, and credit has thus
been given to human industry for a simple freak of nature.*
It would indeed be astonishing if there existed ruins of importance on the upper course of the Usumasinta, since the
annals of the new world do not mention any civilization or
culture in all the mountainous region to the east of Peten.
Over these unexplored Cordilleras roam, under the name of
Lacandones or Caribs, the weak remains of an Indian nationality, now poor, inoffensive savages, who only ask the Spaniards to tolerate them in their last place of refuge. The most
daring among them sometimes venture as far as the frontier
villages to procure, by means of exchange, some of the necessities of life. But, as a general rule, they shun all intercourse
with the whites, and conceal themselves from them, watching
their movements from their own high retreats. Armed with
bows and arrows, as in pr mitive days, the discharge of fire-arms
still alarms them. Like their fathers before themr they are
polytheists, and practise polygamy. Each wife has her separate
house and field for cultivation; and, as among all barbarians,
the severest labor devolves on the weaker sex. Such was the
substance of the information gleaned from our prisoner, f
* A published document, p. 68, of the Recueil des Antiquites Mexicaines,
makes mention of extraordinary and magnificent ruins situated two leagues
distant from Tenosique, on the banks of the Usumasinta. True, the author
does not describe them, and even confesses that he never visited them.
f The Indians who inhabit the upper waters and tributaries of the Usumasinta are chiefly of the ancient and indomitable stock of the Lacandones, to
whom have been aggregated the remnants of other and cognate Indian families, such as the Manches, Tcholes, Puchutlas, etc., who were gradually pressed
back by the Spaniards, or who abandoned their original seats for independence
in the -wilderness. The region which they occupy, although it was penetrated
in various directions by several religio-military expeditions under the crown,
has never been explored in any just sense of the word, and is at present as
little known as the interior of Africa. Its inhabitants, however, since the date

156

THE

USUMASINTA

RIVER.

"Well, Jose," I inquired of our patron, " what do you
think of our neighbors, the Caribs ? Will they trouble us tonight ?"
of the last Spanish invasion, sometime about the year 1700, seem to have
abandoned their previous predatory habits, and contented themselves with
rigidly preserving their isolation and independence. A few occasionally come
down the Usumasinta to the frontier towns of Chiapas and Tabasco, bringing
a little tobacco, gum, or sarsaparilla, to exchange for iron and ornaments.
They are uncommunicative, and, as soon as their little traffic is concluded, disappear by obscure or unknown paths.
M. Waldeck, during his stay in Palenque, and in some of his subsequent
wanderings, seems to have fallen in with some Indians of this stock, but
considerably changed by contact with civilization, of whom he has given us
the following account:
"Such of the Lacandones as I have seen, speak a dialect of the Maya language. They are all idolaters, but it is difficult to ascertain the nature of their
worship, notwithstanding that those who live in the villages, as well as those
who roam in the forests, it is well known, have their hidden temples or places
of worship, in which they continue the religious practices of their ancestors.
I have already spoken of those whom I encountered on the other side of the
mountains, in going from Palenque to Tumbala. Although here they go regularly to mass and pay their tithes, it is in consideration of being allowed their
liberty in all other respects. Any attempt to interfere with their secret worship, or to find out and destroy their idols, revives all their savage energy and
cruelty. In respect of their ancient habits, they have undergone but little
change. Their costume is the same with that of the figures which are found
in the las-reliefs of Palenque and Ocosingo. Their ancient superstitions and notions are equally unchanged. They will prevaricate with the utmost effrontery;
nor will they hesitate a moment in perjuring themselves before the image of
the Virgin, and in the name of all the saints of paradise. In matters of importance, it is dangerous to trust their oaths, unless taken in the name of their
ancient demi-god Ballam. They stand in mortal dread of fire-arms, and will
not even look in the direction where they imagine a musket is to be seen. The
following circumstance, which occurred near the close of the last century,
would seem to prove that they had not then entirely abandoned the practice
of cannibalism with which they were anciently charged. It appears that a
young Lacandon became devotedly attached to a girl of the same race
to such a degree that it was scarcely possible to separate him for a moment
from her side. After a few months he was observed to fall into a profound
melancholy, the more singular as it was well known that his attachment was
reciprocated. One day the girl disappeared, and could not be found. The excitement and inquietude created by this event did not however extend to the

THE

LACANDONES.

157

" Who can tell, senor?"
" If they do," I continued, ci they must be possessed of
wings, for what with the rapids and these walls for our protection, they must be able to fly in order to reach us I"
" You do not know the Caribs; senor ; they can descend
the river."
This simple and natural means had never occurred to me.
" Verily," I added, turning to Morin, " there is nothing
to prevent their doing so !"
Morin seemed much disturbed by this suggestion, and proposed to extinguish our fire as a precaution.
lover. On the contrary, he seemed to be more tranquil and contented than
ever. His conduct excited suspicion; he was closely watched, and finally
tracked to a secluded place in the forest, where he was taken in the act of devouring a portion of the arm of a human being. Further investigation disclosed the horrible truth that he had killed the object of his love, and roasted
her body, coming daily to feast on a portion of her flesh. When arrested and
interrogated, he stated, with the utmost ingenuousness, that what he had done
had been simply from excess of affection, and that each portion of her flesh
that he had eaten had inspired him with new and inexpressible delight. He
was tried and condemned—not to the punishment of death, but to fulfill the
office of executioner in the capital! A single additional circumstance will bo
enough to show that the neighborhood and contact of Christian populations
have not advanced these tribes a single step in civilization. Knowing that
they were accustomed to eat the great red monkeys called aliiates, I inquired
of an Indian the origin of this singular practice. His reply I thought worthy of
preserving: * Our ancestors killed and ate their enemies; but since the Spaniards, who are strongest, have come, they do not allow us to continue this custom, and do not even permit us to eat what of right belongs to us, our children. Hence it is that we attack these little men of the woods, whose flesh
is equally good, and whom we are allowed to kill with impunity.' Such is
the actual condition of the portions of this people whom the Spanish priests
pretend to have converted and civilized !
" But besides these, there exists in the recesses of the unexplored mountains
of the interior, a large native population, who have no sort of relations, neither
with the whites nor with the Indians of the towns, of whom I have spoken
above. Up to this time no one has been able to penetrate into their retreats,
equally defended by the configuration of the country and their own ferocity."
— Voyage dans V Yucatan, p. 42. For further details, historical and otherwise,
see "The States of Central America" etc., chap. xxv.—T.

158

THE

USUMASINTA

RIVER.

" It would be useless now to do so," observed Jose. " The
Indians know where we are."
" In this case we must prepare for the worst."
Morin and myself held a consultation, and we took measures against a surprise, and arranged for a retreat if occasion
required.
" Happen what may," I said, on returning to our camp,
" our prisoner will serve as a hostage. We must not lose sight
of him, but make him sleep between us."
This precautionary measure being taken, we wrapped ourselves in our cloaks and lay down for the night. Little by
little my ideas became confused, the agitation of my mind
gradually subsided, the noise of the cataract sounded in my
ears only as a faint murmur, and I fell into a deep sleep, as
did also my companion.
Next morning, at break of day, we opened our eyes and
looked for our prisoner. But he and his canoe had disappeared together !
No one at Tenosique knows anything of the Usumasinta
above the rapids, nor have they any satisfactory information
as to its source. After great floods, uprooted trees often float
down, of a kind unknown in the country, belonging to the
coniferous family. They are real pines, torn by the Rio
Machaquilan from the heights of Dolores and Poptun, in
the centre of Peten. The inhabitants here collect and make
use of these waifs without inquiring whence they come.
According to the best information I could obtain of this
most important body of water in Central America, it rises
in the mountains of Peten, not far from the village of San
Luis. It first runs in a south-westerly direction, under the
name of Santa Ysabel, then bending to the westward, it unites
with the Rio Lacantun or Chisoy (which is of about the
same size), after having received the Machaquilan, the San
Juan, the Cano, and the San Pedro, its principal tributaries

TRIBUTARIES

OP

THE

RIVER.

159

from the right. Then, doubled in volume, it runs towards the
north, under the name of Rio de la Pasion, which it agaia
changes, at Tenosique, for that of Usumasinta. The vast extent of territory which it irrigates, in the upper part of its
course, is a mountainous solitude, covered with forests, the
possession of which has never been disputed with the' Indians.
Intrenched in this region of country, so difficult of access,
these last remnants of the aborigines roam at will over all
western Peten, but concentrate particularly at the confluence
of the rivers Lacantun and Usumasinta. They are of Maya
extraction, and their only communication with the whites is
by way of exchange, from time to time, of their cacao and
tobacco with the inhabitants of Peten and Vera Paz for salt,
machetes, and other trifling articles.
At Tenosique, after breaking through, the chain of mountains which separates the Mexican States from those of Central
America, the Usumasinta hollows out for itself a deep bed in
the alluvial plain beyond, andfl(iwsthrough three outlets into
the Gulf of Mexico. The western outlet preserves its Indian
name, and unites with the Rio de Grijalva* above Frontera. The middle outlet, called San Pedrito, flows directly
into the sea, where it forms the bar of San Pedro y Pablo.
The third is the Rio Palizada, which empties into the Lagoon
of Terminos.
From the rapids of Tenosique to the lagoon of Las Cruces,
which comes before that of Terminos, the Usumasinta is eighty
leagues in length. But so meandering is its course, that the
interval between the two points does not exceed thirty leagues
in a direct line. From Estapilla, for instance, to Tenosique
it is but two leagues and a half by land, but at least eight
* Called also Rio de Tabasco. Why not permit the river to hear its original name, in honor of the courageous adventurer who lost his life in its discovery ? Besides, the name Tabasco is already perpetuated jn that of t&e
country itsel£

160

THE

USUMASINTA

RIVER.

leagues by the river. The river is navigable up to the first
rapids, for boats drawing twelve feet of water, for ten months
in the year. In April and May, during low water, it is navigable only for canoes. With the first rains the waters rise
three yards, and continue to swell during the winter, when
the current becomes so strong that small boats do not venture
to encounter it.
Above the obstacles which I have indicated, the stream
again becomes navigable, at least for cayucos. It would, no
doubt, be easy to clear its bed of the calcareous rocks which
obstruct it at a few points, in which case it would afford, in
connection with its affluents, a system of interior navigation
of great importance for Guatemala; since it would connect
the province of Totonicapan, by means of the river Chisoy,
and the district of Peten, by means of the Cano, with the
Gulf of Mexico. " The Lacandon Indians," says the historian
Juarros, " once had as many as four hundred and twenty-four
canoes on the Rio de la Pas&n ; and if advantage were taken of
the facilities afforded by this stream, not only might these savages be reduced- to submission, but also commercial relations
be established with Peten, Tabasco, Campeachy and Vera Cruz."
But these relations remain as they were when Juarros wrote,
and it is not likely that they will be changed for a long time
to come, at least not in the way which he indicates.
In a word, the river system of the Usumasinta, which has an
extent of at least one hundred and fifty leagues, would acquire
a great importance if the population bordering it were active
and industrious. A government jealous of national prosperity,
would not then neglect to improve a route of communication
which is susceptible not only of bringing together distant points,
but of uniting among themselves adjacent provinces, now
wholly separated by the configuration of the country. It only
remains to add, that these views, thanks to the actual condition, of the country, lose much of their interest, since the

REVERIES

OF

AN

INVALID.

161

river, for the greater part of its course, only waters the profoundest solitudes.
I returned from my excursion suffering from derangement
of the stomach, accompanied by fever, which proved too well
that I had abused my physical powers. Dysentery manifested
itself anew, and soon reduced me to a state of feebleness and
prostration from which nothing could rouse me, except excruciating pain. I had abundant reasons for dreading a malady
which before, on the coast of Africa, had brought me to the
gate of the tomb; then science and careful treatment were
able, but with difficulty, to preserve my life; but now I was
alone, left wholly to my own inspirations, and without other
assistance than that of an inexperienced seaman. In this state
of prostration, when all that remained of the faculties were
absorbed in the care of the physical system, the malady gathered violence from the decline of physical forces. On the
night of the third day, I felt so badly that I called Morin to
my side, in the belief that I was going to die ; and I can declare, without vain ostentation, that the sacrifice of my life
would have cost me little had it not been for the recollections
of a tender mother, who had made me swear to return, and who
now counted the days of my absence with anxious solicitude.
Alas, how I felt the idleness of my promise ! Apart from sentiments of this kind, it is, after all, less hard than is imagined
to die at a distance from home, where the objects which surround you offer no cherished and familiar images, associated
with your very existence, but are strange and cold—where
neither affection nor sympathy assist you to support your sufferings—and where distance, which, in its influence, is like the
lapse of time, has weakened in your heart its sweetest and
dearest recollections ! Then, when you have come to look on
yourself as an isolated being in creation, the separation becomes less difficult, and you regard the approach of the fatal
moment with a spirit firmer and more resigned. Such, at any

162

THE

USUMASINTIA

RIVER.

rate, are the impressions of a sick man abandoned on a bed
of pain; but it is only needful that health should return to
restore tenacity of life, and reinstate nature in all of her
rights.
On the fourth day, the fever diminished, and the crisis of
the disease appeared to have passed. Recalled to life, as it
were, my energy returned, and everything around me wore a
cheerful aspect; hope glided into my heart, and inspired me
with the desire of recovery. I had conceived a horror of the
village of Tenosique, where the heat had greatly increased my
sufferings, and I thought that exercise, and, above all, change
of air, would hasten my convalescence. Acting upon this idea,
the instant I was able, I commenced preparations for our departure. I ordered mules, horses, guides and provisions. Morin
procured three pounds of flour which were made up into biscuits ; these, with a melon which we had preserved in sugar,
and a few eggs packed in lime, were reserved for my especial
use. Two days after, although still very feeble, I was lifted
on my horse, and we took the road to Peten, from which place
we were separated by eighty leagues of forest.
Tenosique is the last inhabited point in Tabasco to the
south-east. It is a small town, consisting of only about a
hundred huts, surrounded by impenetrable forests, and in all
respects resembles the other little towns on the river which I
have already described. Its population is much the same, except that it has a larger infusion of Indian blood. Indeed, here
as everywhere else in Spanish America, we find the European
element in the population constantly diminishing as we approach the wilderness, until finally it is wholly lost in the prevailing aboriginal type.
In leaving Tenosique, I left behind me those vast alluvions
where nature manifests her utmost vitality and vigor, but
where she is scarcely less prolific in good than in evil productions.- The tallest trees, as well as the humblest plants, distil

POLITICAL

CONDITIONS.

163

the most bitter and caustic juices. The lagoons and rivers
are infested with alligators. Venomous reptiles and annoying
insects abound everywhere. The wasp, the scorpion, stinging
ants, and myriads of mosquitos, combine to disgust and distress
the traveller. Even the inoffensive reptiles of our European
marshes, are here endowed with formidable jaws or implacable
stings. Man attempts in vain to enjoy the coolness of the
water or the shade of the trees; his enemies are ubiquitous,
and his life is a constant effort to repel their attacks. Neither
domestic nor wild animals escape. Flies swarm around them,
and deposit their larvce in their flesh, producing painful sores
and ulcers, which spread and fester under the combined effects
of heat and dampness, and end in death. When the rains
cease, miasmas are generated under a burning sun from a
reeking soil, which poison the atmosphere, and load every
breeze with pestilential maladies. Against these evils and disadvantages we find a country clothed in the garb of eternal
youth, a genial soil ready to repay the toil of the husbandman
a thousand fold, and which produces all the staples of the
tropics in greatest perfection. It may, however, be doubted if
the compensation be commensurate with the cost.
Socially, this remote corner of the globe presents no attractions. In fact, both Tabasco and Chiapas seem to be behind the other States of the Mexican republic in all that goes
to make up civilization. The provisions for education, even in
the largest towns, are mean and miserable, and liberal acquirements are unattainable. The clergy are avaricious and dissolute, and by common agreement only administer the rites and
offices of the Church for arbitrary considerations, proportionate
to the means of their parishioners, and which they rigidly exact.
It is marvellous, indeed, that even the forms of religion are
preserved in a country where its ministers are so negligent of
their duty, and so unworthy of their trust. Politically, these
little States afford all too faithful copies of the federal govern-

164

THE

USUMASINTIA

RIVER.

ment itself. Anarchy is the rule of their existence, and public affairs are administered arbitrarily, and with the most
selfish views, by a succession of unscrupulous demagogues,
who attain to office through a common career of conspiracy
and revolution. Accustomed to these violent changes, the
people submit to them without surprise or murmur, and even
the best and most patriotic citizens of the State have long ago
abandoned any effort to remedy a state of things which, however much they may deplore, they believe to be incurable and
hopeless.

V.
T H E

F O R E S T .

Tile mystery surrounding Peten—Departure from Tenosique—Arrieros—Absence of
roads—Perils of the saddle—Thorns and their torments—Encampment—Kegularity
of the seasons—Festival of Saint Isidore—Indian customs—The commissariat—Cannibalism—A character—Don Diego de la Cueva—His adventures, and how he came
to be in Tenosique—The forest—Variety of vegetation—Vines and their peculiarities
—Palm trees—Insignificance of man before the grandeur of nature—Reflections—The
avistoloehia grandiflora—Multitudes of coleoptera—Paso del Monte—Torrent of
Yalchilan—Drouth of the country—Dolores—Emergence from the forest—Savannas
—A nameless lake—Sacluc—Aspect of the country—Vanilla—Lake of Itza—Town
of Flores—Reported death of Don Diego.

I SUPPOSED, when I landed in Havana, that I should be
able to procure there all the information which I desired concerning the neighboring continent. I particularly expected
to obtain some certain directions as to the best mode of reaching the remarkable district and lake of Peten, which I looked
upon as the principal object of my expedition. But the best
informed people, and those who were supposed to be most
learned, were ignorant even of its name, and smiled when they
told me that if ever I reached it, I might consider myself its
discoverer ! At Campeachy I found Peten rather better
known, but no one could tell me how to get to it. It was
only at Palizada that I obtained sufficient information to direct me to Tenosique, beyond which all was obscure. I was
astonished at the indifference of the people concerning the
geography of a country which so nearly concerned them.
However, I afterwards found myself much indebted to their
ignorance for agreeable surprises, for, day by day, I saw disappear, with the mystery enshrouding the route, the obstacles

168

THE

FOREST.

and dangers with which they had endeavored to alarm and
discourage me.
It will be inferred from what I have said, that but slight
relations exist between Peten and Tabasco. At long intervals,
a small caravan journeys from the interior towards the Usumasinta, with tobacco, cheese, and a few articles from Belize,
which are exchanged for salt and cacao ; but they rarely proceed beyond Tenosique. These chance expeditions are not
encouraged by reciprocity; the inhabitants of the coast considering, and very justly, that the profits of the journey do
not compensate for its cost and fatigue. We had great
difficulty, therefore, in procuring the three mules and two
horses which we required for our expedition, the hire of
each being eight dollars, each muleteer, or arriero, receiving
the same sum in addition for his own services, beside his provisions for the whole journey. The entire expense of our outfit
amounted to a hundred and ten dollars.
I was struck, during this little campaign, with the vigor
and elasticity which men display, even in the warmest of climates, who have been inured from their infancy to constant
exercise. My muleteers were almost puny in appearance, and
one of them was by no means young, yet they toiled steadily
for twelve consecutive days without apparently being more
fatigued than ourselves. Every morning, by day-break, they
packed the mules and saddled the horses. Then, strapping
on their own backs all of our fragile articles, they led the way,
whipping up the animals, or running by their side, repairing
all damages, and clearing our path of obstructions. When
we encamped, they arranged our hammocks for the night,
made a fire, brought water, cooked our meals, and after having attended to these duties, climbed the adjacent trees to cut
green branches, which in these grassless forests are used as
fodder. Such is the routine of labor which they are obliged
to go through with, during these long and weary journeys;

THE

ARRIEROS.

169

and although they receive but scanty wages and miserable
fare, their work is performed cheerfully and without subsequent demands for additional pay.
I had two of these men in my service, who took entire
care of our caravan consisting of Don Diego (a singular
character who joined us at Tenosique, and of whom I shall
have occasion to speak further), myself, and Morin. There
were in all five of us, who plunged into the almost untracked
wilderness of forests, mountains, plains, swamps, and rivers
which intervenes between Tenosique and Peten. We were
not long in finding out the kind of difficulties we should have
to contend with. In this portion of America, the opening of
roads is entirely given up to those who travel, and these rarely
waste time in making improvements. Even when they do so,
it frequently happens that their work becomes destroyed
months before another party of travellers pass that way, who,
in turn, only make such repairs as are absolutely necessary for
their own passage. Pedestrians may clamber over all obstacles, but the unfortunate horseman is not only fettered in his
movements, but is exposed to numberless mishaps. Woe be
to him if he does not correctly estimate the height of projecting limbs, or the strength of the vines which hang in festoons across his path. His horse, innocent of a bit, and directed only by a halter, is not easily controlled, and, always
eager to join the mules, whose tinkling bells he hears in advance, presses forward, regardless alike of the projecting
limbs and drooping vines, which drag his rider into the mud
or threaten him with the fate of Absalom. Nor is the annoyance, to say nothing of the danger of this kind of contact,
diminished by the fact that nearly every hejuco or vine is
armed with prickles or thorns which tear up the skin and inflict the most painful wounds. To avoid these, the rider must
drop on his horse's neck, dodge to his saddle-bow, or, if need
be, throw himself to the ground. It would be difficult in8

170

THE

FOREST.

deed, to enumerate all the different varieties of spines and
thorns which bristle on the strange plants of these vast forests. Some are straight, others hooked, round, flat, and angular, and of all sizes, from the proportions of a large awl
down to those of the finest needle. The path, or rather the
track which the traveller is obliged to follow, is often indistinct, and can only be traced with difficulty. Sometimes it is
intercepted by the trunk of a colossal tree, which, in falling,
has dragged down with it a wilderness of smaller trees and a
tangled mass of vines, effectually prohibiting passage. The
sun streams down through the opening which the fallen monarch has left in the forest, on a confused mass of splintered
trunks and wilting verdure, which remains undisturbed until
it has crumbled into dust before the rapid advances of tropical
decay. Meanwhile, the traveller who passes that way picks
his path around the obstruction, leaving only an obscure trace
of his passage, which in a few days becomes undistinguishable. Of course there are no bridges, and streams that cannot be forded must be crossed by swimming, or on rafts which
every party of travellers must construct for themselves. If, as
sometimes happens, the rivers are flooded, no resource is left
but to encamp on their banks and await quietly the fall of the
waters. The reader will perceive, therefore, that journeying
in Tabasco has its difficulties and dangers, as well as its romance and excitement.
Eight hours after leaving Tenosique we encamped for the
night. I was weary and so much exhausted that Morin was
obliged to assist me in dismounting, and I stretched myself
on a mat on the ground, motionless, and physically wholly
prostrated. But my intellect was as clear and as active as
ever. Grazing upwards into the azure sky, where a few white
clouds were floating, appearing to drift away into the tree tops
on either hand, I devoutly thanked Heaven for having given
me strength for this first day's journey from the pestilential

NIGHT

AND

STORM.

171

spot where I had suffered so much, and prayed that it might
endure until we reached the higher and cooler regions for
which we were bound. Never before did I enjoy the shade,
the repose, the verdure of the forest, the singing of the birds,
nor any of the manifold beauties of nature with such calm,
delicious satisfaction. In the faintest ray of sunlight gilding
a blade of grass, even in the chirps of the cricket, there was
an appeal to my sense of enjoyment which attached me more
and more to life, and my desire for existence, previously so
weak, became gradually strengthened, until I felt assured that
I should not die.
With night came storm, for, as I have said, it was May,
and the change of seasons under the tropics takes place with
wonderful regularity. In anticipation of it, the Indians of
Tenosique had promenaded the streets of the town for some
days previous to our departure, bearing in their midst the
image of Saint Isidore, the patron of laborers. My ears rung
for a long time with the noise of this solemnity, the period of
which coincides very accurately with that of the return of the
rains. The bells were rung for three consecutive days and
nights, and their clangor was heightened by the din of drums
and the shrieks of aboriginal fifes, the sound of which seemed
to quiver like an arrow in my brain. The Spaniards, who first
introduced these barbaric festivals among the Indians as a
means of impressing their imaginations, have been justly punished by their perpetuation. In vain do they try every year
to moderate the zeal of their pupils, and induce them to abridge
the fantastic ceremonials of the festival. The Indian is tenacious in his habits, and he clings to the fiesta of Saint Isidore
with all his natural obstinacy, not less because his fathers did
so before him, than because it affords him an opportunity for
indulging in drink beyond the ordinary license of the municipality. The pulperias, or liquor shops of Tenosique, were
drained early in the festival, and then the musicians sought

172

THE

FORE ST.

contributions for sustaining their energies from private houses.
I did not escape a somewhat unceremonious and noisy visit,
but having nothing but a decoction of rhubarb to offer, I was
soon relieved of their presence. I admired the philosophy
with which they dispensed with their priest, who found some
pretext for not taking an active part in the ceremonial. His
place was supplied by an old Indian, who, if he did not go
through with all the priestly functions, compensated for any
deficiency by the number of his appeals to the aguardiente or
native rum. The conduct of the revellers, I must say, w7as not
always edifying, yet their procession through the streets, strewn
in advance with palm branches, was both unique and picturesque. I remarked among them two little girls, peculiarly
dressed, with plaited head-dresses in the Egyptian style, and
of high antiquity, as shown by the ancient figures which I
saw at Campeachy.
We passed a miserable night in a rude rancho, a shed of
palm branches supported by poles, erected by government for
the accommodation of travellers,, and in the morning resumed
our journey. The route offered no variations from the preceding day. The same deep forest spread on every hand, only
our path became, if possible, narrower and less distinct. Nor
•was our commissariat of an encouraging order. In the hurry
of departure, we had laid in but a scant supply of meat, trusting much to the representations of the people that the forest
abounded in game, on which travellers to Peten literally feasted
themselves and grew fat. Morin especially had high anticipations of subsisting exclusively on faisanes, or pheasants (for
so the Spaniards designate the crax alector), and wild turkeys. But our experience did not come up either to promise
or expectation, and our spoil from the forest was only one unfortunate monkey, which fell under Morin's eager aim. It was
a female, and I felt a deep pang as I saw her dying on the
ground, with one hand over the fatal wound, while firmly grasp-

ROAST

MO N K E Y .

173

ing her young one in her other arm ! Our arrieros^ however,
were without weaknesses as regards monkeys, and lost no time
after we had encamped, in putting the mother and her babe to
roast before a slow fire. I must confess that the odor of the cooking was most savory, and when it was complete, I quite forgot
the first act of the drama, and only regretted that I was on
diet and could not take a part in the last! As to Diego, our
travelling companion, he declared it to be a matter of conscience
with him, and swore by Saint Dominick that he would fast forever before he would taste the flesh of a creature so resembling
our own species. But when supper was ready, he found some
means of compromise with his conscience, and ate monkey with
the best of the party, confessing, when he was done, that if
human beings were at all like monkeys, he did not so much
wonder that there were cannibals in the world! Morin pronounced the flesh equal to turtle, and if the pheasants of his
imagination were not to be had, he was willing to accept
monkeys as a substitute.
Morin and myself were the only members of our party who
rode, and we paid rather dearly for the distinction. Our clothes
soon became torn into shreds by thorns, and our limbs were covered with bruises from rude and frequent contact with the trunks
of trees. Our companion Diego, whom chance had thrown in
our way, though less grand, was, on the whole, most fortunate.
He was brisk, active, unburdened with much baggage, and not
embarrassed with provisions—for we soon discovered that he depended on us for his supplies. He was still young, but with one
of those puzzling faces alternately severe and boyish, which denote a large experience, but baffle all conjectures as to age; thin,
trim, lithe as a weasel, with well-formed limbs, and thoroughly
graceful in his movements. He dressed in the lightest of garbs,
and was shod, after the fashion of the country, with sandals.
His baggage consisted of one small bundle, which at first he carried in his hand, but afterwards placed on one of our mules.

174

THE

FOREST.

keeping with him only a venerable mandolin, suspended jauntily
between his shoulders. I was too ill during the first few days,
and too much absorbed in my own reflections to converse with
him, except in monosyllables; but Morin had lost no time in
opening relations, and took an early opportunity of informing
me that his name was Diego, and that he was a fellow of great
talent and infinite humor.
" Caballero," said he to me one day, while walking by
my side, referring to the bruise which I had received at Palenque, and from which I suffered greatly—" Caballero, if I
had two drachms of alum and as many of turpentine, I could
render you in three days as tough as an arriero."
" Ah, Senor Diego," I replied sadly, "if my medicine
chest contained the proper remedies, you may be sure I should
not long continue in the condition in which you find me."
" This, caballero, is what I call a fatality, to know the
remedy yet retain the disease ! If I only dared to suggest an
expedient!"
" Suggest it, Senor Diego, for my present condition could
scarcely be made worse. But how comes it that it is only at
this late hour that I am made aware that you are a medico?"
" Yes, and even a surgeon, caballero. If your worship
requires bleeding, you may depend on my lancet."
" Thanks ! At the present moment I am by no means
overburdened with blood. But may I inquire, Senor doctor,
where you graduated ? Was it at the university of Toledo,
or in that of Salamanca ?"
Diego shook his head at this question, then negligently
replied, twirling his stick, " I have only myself to thank,
caballero, for my knowledge and such little acquirements as I
possess. My father, Don Antonio de la Cueva and dame
Fortune were never friends, and neither the university of
Toledo nor that of Salamanca confers diplomas on those who
cannot pay for them."

DON

DIEGO.

175

" Then you got along without the university. Are you
not from Andalusia, Senor Diego ? The Andalusians are an
ingenious people."
" I glory in saying that I am, senor. Ronda is my native place."
" l a m quite familiar with Ronda," said I. " It is a curious, picturesque city, renowned, formerly, for the bravery
of its soldiers, and celebrated now for the beauty of its women."
" And for the excellence of its hams, senor! If you
should ever return there, inquire for the family of La Cueva.
You will be told that it is an old one. We can date back to
King Ferdinand the First, and even earlier."
" I shall have to take your word for this, Senor Diego,
for it is not at all probable that I shall ever again visit your
rocky and sun-burned mountains."
" Those mountains, senor, afford excellent pasturage.
Were you ever shown the Sierra Bermijo, where Don Alonzo
de Aguilar was killed in a charge against the Moors ? One
of my ancestors, Don Juan de la Cueva, concealed himself
here, after the battle, in a cavern, where he lived for three
years on acorns and roots, almost within sight of the Infidels."
" This is a real title of nobility, which has been transmitted to you, it appears, with your family name. Will you
permit me to ask you a question, Senor Diego de la Cueva?"
" Say on, senor !"
" Well, I am constrained to believe, on meeting in this
out-of-the-way country a gentleman of your position, that a
strange series of circumstances must have led you so far from
Ronda!"
" Very strange, is the term, senor. In truth, I can scarcely
explain, without some reflection, how I happened to be here
in this scarcely Christian country, of the very existence of
which I was not long ago wholly ignorant."

176

THE

FOREST.

" But you had an object in coming to Tenosique?"
" I was often told in my boyhood, caballero, that poverty
is no crime; it was a favorite adage of my father's; but I did
not believe it even then, and now I consider it at least a great
mistake. It was a desire to repair the error of poverty in our
family, seiior, which induced me to travel, and it was in vain
pursuit of fortune, that I was finally led to Tenosique, where
your worship met me !"
" You must have been greatly misled concerning this
country, Seiior Diego, for I know of none in the world which
offers so little prospect of wealth !"
Here Diego perceived that some explanation was necessary.
He was fond of talking, and finding me ready to listen, began
to tell me his history, prefacing it with an account of the origin and antiquity of his name. To his story I at first paid
little attention, but by degrees I became interested in it, and
ended by listening most attentively.
Our adventurer, it seems, left Spain after some incidents
which it is unnecessary to repeat, in company with a party of
dramatic artists for Havana. Here they constituted the principal attraction of the Tacon Theatre during a whole winter.
The public was indulgent, the receipts were good, and all was
progressing finely, when spring came, and with it the vomito.
Three of the leading members of the company were carried off
suddenly by it, while the remainder, full of consternation,
threw up their engagements, and speedily returned to Cadiz.
It was then that Don Diego, in no hurry to revisit his native
land, allowed his imagination to seduce him into going to Yucatan "to make his fortune." He concluded, from some vague
accounts which he had received, that he would there find a
most productive, because hitherto neglected, mine of wealth.
This illusion was dispelled at Merida, where his talents as a
physician, surgeon and actor were not properly appreciated.
He soon found that doubloons were much more plentiful in

DON

DIEGO.

177

Havana than in Yucatan, so he changed his line of business.
He fancied that he had a latent talent for trade, and straightway purchased a mule and a little stock of goods, and set out
for Valladolid, in company with a party of muleteers. The
journey was successfully made, but the operation proved a
failure—our speculator, in his selection of wares, not having
sufficiently consulted the wants of the people. Decidedly he
had mistaken his vocation! His goods became damaged, his
mule died, and Diego soon found himself a bankrupt in a distant land!
But he had such infinite resources within himself, that he
was not easily discouraged. Abandoning trade for the present, he speedily devised a new string for his bow. Valladolid
is a retired, interior town, rarely visited by strangers ; it probably never before sheltered so remarkable a personage as Don
Diego de la Cueva. Rather talkative, agreeable in manner,
full of industry and perseverance, having but few wants and
much philosophy, he could surely get along, and so he did.
Diego had just reached this point in his story, and I was
beginning to listen attentively to it, when our caravan, which
preceded us, stopped short. I saw Morin dismount, and Jose,
one of the muleteers, made mysterious signals for us to halt.
A'shot was fired, and a moment afterward our dog dragged
quite a large object out of the thicket. As we approached,
we recognized the beautiful plumage of a hocco. At .sight
of this bird, my companion made an exclamation, which I
scarcely knew how to interpret.
" I will wager, Senor Diego," said I, " that in looking at
this bird, you are quietly regretting the game with the long
tail which unfortunately so greatly resembles our own species."
"Not at all, senor, I assure you, for I feel a sinking at
the heart whenever I think of that cannibal-like repast.
What occasions my present regret is, that I should have come
up too late to hear the voice of this superb bird."
8*

178

THE
u

FOREST.

Be consoled," I replied, " you have lost but little ; it is no
nightingale."
" What matter ?" cried Diego quickly ; " i t would at least
be new to my ear/'
I looked inquiringly at my companion.
" I perceive your astonishment, caballero," said he, as we
continued our journey; "know then, that the language of
birds is as familiar to me as the Castilian tongue. Not that
I flatter myself that I comprehend it," he continued, with a
grimace, "but I can imitate it to perfection, as I will presently prove to you." As he said this, he gave a sharp whistle, followed by two or three trills of exquisite cadence, and a
shower of delicious little notes in different keys. I looked at
him full of admiration. " Of all the talents which I have
received at the hands of nature, or have acquired through
study," he resumed modestly, "this was the only one that
was esteemed in Valladolid ! Merit, senor, is a slim resource
in a barbarous country like this. I should have starved without my mandoline and my flexibility of larynx. But this
novelty had great success. Every one wished to hear me and
to take lessons. Ah the nice dollars, the pretty doubloons
which it cost me so little trouble to earn !"
"Judging by appearances, Senor Diego, there remains of
these only a pleasing recollection !"
Our adventurer remained silent for a moment, as if
absorbed with the memories of the past. Nevertheless my
observation had not escaped him, for he exclaimed suddenly,
with a burst of ironical laughter, " B y Saint Dominick, senor,
it is only too true! I doubt if I possess a cuartillo /"
"Ambition probably seduced you into tempting fortune
on the green table; Spaniards are very fond of cards."
" No, no, I am not so great a fool! My misfortunes arose
from a different cause. But the sun is sinking, and we will
soon reach our stopping place for the night; so I will defer

DON

DIEGO.

179

my narrative, if your worship pleases, for the present, and resume it on another occasion."
" Certainly," I replied, "for I fear that I have already
too greatly taxed your good nature."
An hour after, we reached a rising piece of ground intersected by a running stream, where we were happy in finding
some shell-fish to add to our failing, store of provisions.
My supper, as usual, was limited to a calabash of tepid
water, thickened with a little rice flour and sugar. My companions regaled themselves on the bird which they had killed,
and which they praised highly, promising themselves on the
next day to lay in a supply of the same kind.
When Diego's appetite was satisfied, he joined me beside
the fire, lighted a cigarette, and resumed his story.
"You must know, caballero, that Valladolid is full of
idlers. The people dislike work, and only care for amusement.
If you should ever happen to go there, you will hear the song
of the nightingale, the bullfinch, and the linnet. At least,
they were all there in my time."
Here Diego made a slight pause, gracefully shook the ashes
from his cigarette, and raised his eyes, gleaming with a secret
satisfaction, to mine. " I flatter myself that I first introduced
those birds into the New World. You have doubtless remarked, sefior, that none of these varieties are to be met with
in this country?"
I nodded assent, and he continued :
" It was necessary, in the first place, to imitate the
svarblings of those which are natives here, in order to give
proof of my talent. Consequently, every morning I wandered
out into the neighboring woods, and lay in wait for singing
birds; but they were by no means common."
This observation of Diego's awakened some reminiscences,
and I interrupted him. "You recall to my mind," said I,
" an adventure which occurred to me in the forests of Palenque,

180

THE

FOREST.

where I had the good fortune to hear the finest singer of the
New World. But I paid dearly enough for this pleasure,
since in pursuing the bird I fell, and the bruise from which I
am suffering is the result."
u
And I also, seiior, paid dearly enough for my lessons, as
you will soon learn. One day. in searching for a stream at
which to quench my thirst, I lost my way. At first I thought
it a small matter, but after ascending an eminence for the purpose of reconnoitering, I was cruelly disappointed, in failing
to discover therefrom, as I hoped to do, the spires of Valladolid. All that met my eyes was a vast plain, covered with
bushes, without any trace of cultivation. I gazed long on
this solitude, and at last caught sight of a group of isolated
trees, the dark green of which riveted my attention. I judged
that there was water there certainly, and perhaps some habitation in its vicinity. In this hope, I crossed the country, in
spite of the burning heat. The very air I breathed seemed on
fire. After stopping several times to recover myself, I at last
reached a senote hollowed out of the rocks, and shaded by
large tamarind trees. My limbs tottered like those of a paralytic, while the trees seemed to be revolving around me. Seeing the water glisten in the sunlight, increased my thirst, and
without waiting to find a path. I plunged in among the bushes
and soon reached the water side. Judge of my surprise,
senor, when I perceived in this retired spot a young girl,
bathing. Hardly had she caught sight of me on the banks,
than she screamed with terror, and made signs for me not
to advance. I was so startled as to forget my thirst,
although my throat was so parched as that I could
speak."
Here Diego paused, either to collect his thoughts or to indulge in some pleasing remembrance. While he mechanically
rolled up another cigarette between his fingers, I took up the
thread of the conversation.

DON

DIEGO.

181

"Thus far I find nothing very alarming in your adventure, Senor Diego."
"Patience, caballero! It is difficult to judge what
may result from trifles. You worship would be much astonished, if you could recall all the events of your past
life and trace their relations and influences. Perhaps you
might find that the most important consequences have resulted from trifles which at the time seemed scarcely worthy
of notice."
Our adventurer pronounced these words with the gravity
of a judge; and continued :
" The young girl whom I met, under these singular circumstances, resided in the village of Cuncunul, a league from
Valladolid. She was beautiful for an Indian, and I had the
weakness to become enamored of her. But I fear, senor,
that when you learn what followed I shall forfeit your esteem."
" Go on, Senor Diego, your recital thus far has only served
to improve my opinion of you."
" Well, from that time the village of Cuncunul became a
most attractive spot to me, and I abandoned my studies entirely. I was well received by the parents of my enchantress,
whom I propitiated by little gifts; but the maiden was reserved,
and this reserve, instead of calming my passion, unfortunately
only tended to inflame it. It became requisite that I should
take some decisive step, for I was restless and uneasy. I made
proposals to her father, which he graciously accepted, and he
gave me his daughter. Two days after, our marriage took
place, to the great chagrin of a certain youth of the village,
who had previously been my rival, and who now became my
enemy. I had many scruples about this marriage, for none
of my family had ever made a mesalliance—the La Cuevas,
senor, can all boast the unalloyed blue blood in their veins !
But my wife was a good Catholic, and we all know that many

182

THE

FOREST.

gentlemen at the time of the Conquest, and even great officers,
did not scrupled about forming similar alliances with the
natives."
" Yes; the illustrious Cortez himself may be cited as an
example—did he not marry the famous Marina?"
" I n truth, seiior, I have heard that the great Cortez did
not go quite so far. He was a Castilian, named Don Juan
Xamarillo, who gave his hand and his name to the Dofia
Marina."
"Well, Seiior Diego, you supplanted your rival; married
your princess, and became a citizen of Cuncunul!"
" A citizen of Valladolid, seiior, for I did not cease to reside there. I should have been happy, doubtless, but for the
unfortunate events which followed. I had been married but
three months when the quiet of the country was disturbed by
troubles which had been brewing for several years. Valladolid 'pronounced!7 A foe to discord, besides being a stranger,
I remained neutral, although of course I had my own thoughts
as to the merits of the quarrel. It was not the king of Spain,
senor, who relied on the loyalty of the Indians and furnished
them with arms. No; by Saint Dominick, he knew too much
for that I These pagans, submissive and respectful under the
old government, because arrogant when they felt themselves
strong. They organized a conspiracy, and one fine day, profiting by the excitement produced in the city by the arrival of
troops from Campeachy, they put their evil designs into execution, surprised the town and slaughtered many of its inhabitants."
"What! Senor Diego!" I exclaimed, interrupting him,
" were you in Valladolid during the time of that disturbance? Tell me what happened, for the most contradictory
reports were circulated about it in Merida, where I had just
landed."
" I will tell you what happened, in two words, seiior.

DON

DIEGO.

183

The Indians, pretending to have mistaken their orders, fired on
us. Like many others I was walking about in quest of news,
when a report was circulated that the suburbs of the town
were being pillaged, while reports of guns from that quarter
proved that the rumor wras only too well founded. Fearing
some catastrophe, I hastened to my dwelling, which was not
far distant from the gate leading to Merida. Judge of my
consternation, senor, on finding it empty. My house had
been sacked, and my wife had disappeared. Overwhelmed by
this sudden blow, I seated myself on my door step, seeking
vainly to collect my thoughts, when Don Juan Gutierrez, one
of my neighbors, shouted to me, as he ran, ' What are you
about, Don Diego? you are a dead man if you remain here.'
At these words I arose mechanically and followed him. I had
not proceeded a hundred steps, when a ball whistled by me,
grazing the rim of my hat. I turned suddenly and saw an
Indian covered with blood, and of terrific aspect, loading his
gun at the door of my house. It was Ambrosio, my former
rival—at least I thought I recognized him; but I did not lose
time in satisfying myself on that point, but with my companion continued my flight. We soon reached the country, where
we found others, who, like ourselves, surprised and without
means of defence, were flying from Valladolid. The miscreants fortunately did not venture to pursue us. They were
restrained from farther violence by the troops of Campeachy,
who themselves began to feel alarmed. We pushed on to
Tecax, not feeling it safe to return home. A few remained
there to await the turn of events. But for myself, having lost
everything, and with the diabolical figure of Ambrosio standing
in my doorway always in my mind, I preferred to follow Don
Juan Gutierrez to the village of Iturbide, where his business
called him. I then took the road to Champoton, intending to
go to Campeachy, and remain there until I could safely return to Valladolid. But an excellent opportunity offering to

184

THE

FOREST.

visit the Lagoon, I determined to go thither in the hope of
realizing something from trade in dye-woods."
" But," I interrupted, " how did you expect to enter into
that traffic without capital?"
"Alas! senor, that was the difficulty! So, as you perceive, I did not settle in Carmen."
" This is truly a sad termination to your story, for which
I was quite unprepared, Senor Diego. But what are your
present plans ?"
" My intention, caballero, is to return to Valladolid,
under the protection of the blessed Virgin and Saint Dominick!"
" It seems to me that you are taking a very round-about
way of reaching that place, and that you are counting too
much upon the assistance of Saint Dominick."
" Excuse me, senor, but from Peten, which we shall soon
reach, I can get to Bacalar, and from Bacalar to Valladolid.
This information I received from a muleteer at Iturbide, who
has often made the journey."
" I t is well. But it seems to me that you have chosen
the longest road."
" I have chosen the surest, caballero; besides, I am not
pressed for time !"
This observation ended our conversation. I wished our adventurer good night, and sleep surprised me in the midst of
the various impressions produced by this recital.
The forests through which we had been travelling for several days are not as magnificent as those of the low, damp
plains of Tabasco, yet they are invested with a degree of
grandeur unknown in our latitudes. From the earliest ages
of the world, their growth and development has been unrestricted. Successive forests have flourished, fallen, and decayed, fertilizing the soil and affording nourishment to newer
and more magnificent growths. Here this continual transfer-

LIEE

AND

DEATH.

185

roation, this perpetual circle, where life springs from death,
greatly impresses and astonishes the traveller, just as if it were
not everywhere the great law of nature ! Sometimes the
colossal tree trunk, the dimensions of which surprises him, is
only a mere shell, utterly decayed at heart, which myriads of
insects are silently gnawing away, and which a drop of water
might dissolve in dust. I have myself frequently heard, after
a heavy and sudden shower, the crumbling down of old trees,
the noise of whose fall alone disturbed the religious quiet of
the woods. Ferns, the various kinds of piper acece, and the
arum, favored by the air and light, are nourished by the
debris of the fallen monarchs, while new trees soon spring up,
filling the gap occasioned by their decay.
Although the ground is generally dry and rocky between
Tabasco and Peten, trees of gigantic proportions are nevertheless to be found there. The eye measures with astonishment
their vast circumference and prodigious altitude. Several
of these colossi attracted our attention by their remarkable
conformation at the base. At two or three yards from the
ground the trunk throws out a horizontal welt, in the form of
a band, which encircles the trunk and serves to consolidate and
give it strength. The vines are still more curious. Now coiling along the ground like cables, now suspended in festoons,
these plants twine, twist, and even knot themselves around the
trees, reaching to their very tops, where they blossom and produce their fruit Sometimes they bend back to the earth to
take new root. There are some which have the appearance of
being artistically planted; while others, like the bauhinia,
display alternately, on their compressed stalks, concave and
convex inflections of. the most peculiar appearance. But
nothing is more surprising than to see the vines in some instances reaching to the tops of the highest trees but unattached
to their trunks, and appearing like ropes suspended from their
branches, Jt is difficult at first to conceive how the flexile.

186

THE

FOREST.

stem could have reached its present position without intermediate supports; but by observing the evolutions of the young
plant, it will be seen that it attaches itself to the tree trunk by
the aid of serial roots running all along its stem. It only increases in length during this period of its existence. As soon
as it reaches a point where it obtains sufficient air and light, it
becomes strong and broad, ramifies, and interlaces itself in the
neighboring branches. The radiating fibres which assisted it
in its ascent wither and drop off, leaving it suspended from
the top. In places great groups of palm trees occupy the
ground. Here their tall trunks are crowned with broad and
feathery leaves ; yonder the branches are still laced up in the
undeveloped stipe, while in another place they are spread out
in graceful, fan-like forms against the blue sky, while a flood
of light streams down among them, giving the scene an aspect of life and cheerfulness elsewhere unknown. For, notwithstanding the admiration inspired by the general luxuriance of the vegetation in these solitudes, the great trees and
clustering vines, and the thousand forms of rank vegetable
life, after all, leave a sad and unsatisfied impression on the
mind. They awaken none of those sympathies which are excited by familiar and useful objects, fashioned by human hands,
which contribute towards satisfying our wants, are associated
with our existence, and which celebrate, in perpetual concert,
our supremacy in creation.
Here man is only an accident; the part he is required to
play is so insignificant, that he seems hardly requisite to the
general harmony of the world. I was greatly impressed by
this idea, in pursuing my way through these old forests where
wTe struggled like so many pigmies against constantly recurring obstacles. It appeared as if the enigma of human existence presented itself to my mind for the first time. Nothing
around me harmonized with the ideas implanted by education
and developed by pride. For how many centuries, thought I,

GIGANTIC

FLOWERS.

187

have these forests given shade and vegetation, without at all
profiting those beings who arrogate to themselves the dominion
of the world ? Had man never existed, the same phenomena
would have occurred in their order as we observe them to-day !
Besides, what an infinitude of creatures share with him this
domain, subsisting frequently at his expense, and over which
the imperfection of his powers prevents him from exercising
the least control! Can we longer flatter our pride with the
belief that the world was only made for us, and that all creation is subordinate to our convenience ? That the insect which
stings us, that the plant which poisons us, were called into
existence for our benefit ? That the myriads of stars which
stud the firmament were placed there to embellish our nights ?
Must we believe in the exclusive importance of our globe,
which is a mere atom in space, or does each part of creation
fulfil an independent destiny, and move in its own sphere towards its legitimate end, the mystery of which is hidden from
our eyes ?
These ideas and impressions are doubtless far from new,
but they are such as fill the mind of the wayfarer in these
trackless wilds, while a deep feeling of humiliation comes over
him with the consciousness of his own weakness and insignificance. The ancient ascetics, who sought to extinguish the
pride and vain glory of their spirits, did well to seclude themselves in the forests and among mountains, away from the
crowded city and the haunts of men.
Among the various flowers which lined our path, we occasionally observed the gigantic aristolochia grandiflora, often
not far from twelve to fifteen inches in diameter. Before its
development, the calyx resembles the figure of a swan suspended by its bill, but when it is full blown it assumes the
form of the conventional cap of liberty, turned up with a violet velvet lining. Its great size, sombre color, and above all
its rank and virulent odor, which generally deters the travel-

188

THE

FOREST.

ler from touching it, have led the Spaniards, who are never
at a loss for a nickname, whether for man or for natural objects, to call it montera del demo?do, the devil's cap.
In traversing these forests, I found that I had conceived
very false notions of them, for I was soon convinced that a
traveller losing his way here, would have as few resources
against starvation as in the forests of the old world.
The sapote, the mamey, and a third variety with a pit
called limoncillo, were the only kinds of fruits which we saw;
besides, as vegetation is never suspended, the trees produce constantly both leaves and branches, to the exclusion of flowers
and fruits. The naturalist, on the other hand, finds here an
abundant harvest, particularly among articulated animals. In
the month of May, when the first rains occur, the verdure is
alive with the exotic coleopteras so much admired in our collections. The longiconies, among others, are so numerous and
of such great variety, that, without dismounting, I collected
thirty-three different species, many of which were extremely beautiful. Unfortunately, these fragile treasures became
spoiled by damp during my illness at Peten, and the opportunity to make a second collection was never afforded me. During this season also, which is the time for mating, the larger
varieties of gallineae perched on the tree tops, make the
woods vocal with their cries, and fall an easy prey to the
hunter. The handsomest bird of this family is a species of
meleagris called by the Spaniards pavo del monte. Its plumage is of dark green, shading on a metallic purple. Its tail
feathers are tipped with blue and are copper colored around
their edges. Its head is crowned with a crest, the scarlet color
of which contrasts charmingly with the light blue shade of its
neck. I saw this bird domesticated at the corregidor's in Peten, who intended it as a gift to the President of the republic,
as a fine specimen of the ornithology of the country.
On the seventh day of our journey from Tenosique we en-

THIRSTY

SOLITUDES.

189

camped on the banks of the Yalchilan, a small tributary of
the San Pedro which constitutes the boundary line between
Tabasco and Guatemala, the nearest villages of which are separated by upwards of eighty leagues of wilderness. The
drought had been excessive and the stream had dried up, so
that we were obliged to ascend its bed for more than a league
to procure water, at a point where a quantity was still retained
in pools among the rocks. During the rainy season, this
stream becomes a furious torrent, obstructing passage for days
and weeks together. Those who pass it then must do so on
or take rafts, the risk of swimming across with their mules.
From Yalchilan, which is reputed to be just midway between Tenosique and Peten, our road seemed to improve, but
we suffered much in other respects, principally from lack of
water. The night of our eighth day was spent at a spot of
evil fame, called, not inappropriately, Dolores. The soil is
here open and cavernous, and water is never retained on the
surface. As a consequence both men and animals often suffer
cruelly from thirst. By tapping on 'the ground here and
there, our arrieros at last found a little subterranean reservoir,
from which they obtained a calabash full of muddy water,
which we divided scrupulously. The poor animals were
obliged to go without. Only a month previously, a lone woman and her two children, in returning to Peten from Tenosique, after the death of her husband at the latter place, barely
escaped perishing at this deserted spot. Her timely discovery of certain vines (the cissus cordifolia and the hydrophana among the number) with which she had been familiar
as a child, alone saved her. Their profuse sap supplied the
absence of water.
But if we had difficulty in procuring a supply of water at
night, we were relieved from further difficulty on that score
before mferning ; for at midnight we were thoroughly drenched
by a thunder storm—the first of the season in this locality.

190

THE

FOREST.

The next day furthermore, brought us to a great lake—a
lonely, dismal sheet of water, which communicates, it is said,
with the Rio San Pedro. Beyond its further shore, in the
direction of Yucatan, was visible a chain of moderately high
mountains, running from east to west, which do not appear to
be indicated in any maps, ancient or modern.
On our eleventh day, a little after noon, the aspect 01
the forest began to change. The tall trees grew less closely
together, the sky was often visible between their tops, the air
circulated more freely, arid thickets of bright green, formed
for the most part by bamboo trees, alternated with the undergrowth, which was here less dense. All these announced a
speedy change. The arrieros commenced singing for the first
time since our departure from Tenosique; the mules pricked
up their ears and snuffed the air; and Diego, sharing the
general animation, ran from one to the other, encouraging
them by voice and gesture.
"Senor Diego," I cried, "you do not sufficiently economize your strength ; we have to pass three leagues of savannas
after leaving the forest, before we can encamp."
" Do not be uneasy," he replied gaily, "we shall halt on
the edge of the woods to rest the animals and to escape the
heat of the day."
We did stop, truly enough, not far from a swamp, from
which in spite of my representations and the advice of the
guides, Diego drank immoderately. At last we left behind us
the last tree and bush, and emerged in an open plain. Our eyes
wandered at will over the clear savanna where only a few
hills peeped out, and over an azure sky which, after ten days
of cramped vision, seemed limitless. For my part I realized
an entirely new kind of enjoyment, which I can only compare
to that felt by the navigator when he discovers an unknown
land. Three hours after this, we reached the first village of
Peten, which bears the name of Sacluc. On arriving here,

TOPOGRAPHY

OF T H E

COUNTRY.

191

we all experienced a feeling of profound satisfaction and relief. Every one rejoiced that his task was done, and that he
was at last in an inhabited country. Diego alone appeared to
be insensible to the amelioration of our condition. Enveloped
in an old coverlid, and lying upon the baggage, with a packsaddle for a pillow, he did not display his usual gaiety and
activity. Uneasy at this change, I approached and questioned
him. His head ached, he said, and he complained of extreme
lassitude, and seemed desirous to sleep. During the night he
had fever, accompanied with vomiting. I gave him a dose of
ipecac, which somewhat relieved him; but, as he was too ill to
accompany us further, I left him with some money and medicines, in charge of our youngest muleteer; besides this I sent
Morin to inform the alcalde of the village of his condition,
in order that he might receive all necessary care.
It is impossible, in the midst of the thick woods with
which the country is covered uninterruptedly from Tenosique,
to form a clear idea of the configuration of the region and of
the direction of the mountains which interrupt the road to
Peten. The declivities which we ascended seem to fall off
in a north-westerly direction, and to subside gradually towards the confines of Yucatan. On coming out of the forest,
these chains of sierras seemed to have disappeared. Only an
infinite number of hills were visible, generally isolated, of
conical shape, and rising suddenly, as in the Island of Pines,
from a smooth, uniform plane. These eminences are frequently
wooded, and appearing in every direction for many leagues,
seem to form a circle around the horizon.
We, nevertheless, came to other forests before reaching the
end of our journey. But they alternated with savannas, and
were traversed by a bread, well-beaten path. They were rather
groves than forests, peopled with birds, enamelled with flowers,
and perfumed with the most delightful odors. The perfume
of the vanilla predominated, given out by the beans which fall

192

THE

FOREST.

when ripe, and decay at the foot of the stalk which supported
them. The Spaniards are not particularly partial to the odor
of this plant; they prefer that of the myrtus pimienta, the
aromatic flavor of which much resembles that of cinnamon.
At last even these clumps of forest disappeared, and we found
ourselves on the banks of a blue lake, the surface of which was
as smooth as a mirror, in which a small stony island, gilded
by the last rays of the setting sun, rose gently at a distance
of five hundred yards from the shore. On it were a number
of small houses clustering together from the water's edge to its
summit, which was crowned by a church and a grove of cocoa
trees. We had no difficulty in recognizing the lake before us
as the mysterious Itza or Peten of geographers, and the island
as that described by Cortez as the stronghold of the warlike
Itzaes. The little town which had supplanted the Indian city,
was that of Mores, the capital of the district, and the point to
which I had directed my weary journey all the way across the
Atlantic, through the swamps of Campeachy and the wildernesses of Tabasco !
We arrived none too soon. The energy which had hitherto
sustained me was nearly exhausted. My wound, furthermore,
was inflamed by exercise and continual chafing, and threatened to run into gangrene. I was carried into a boat, and
five minutes afterwards, supported by Morin, I landed in the
midst of an inquisitive population, which had been attracted
to the beach by the novelty of an arrival. As for poor Diego,
whom we had left at the village of Sacluc, I learned afterwards that he died there like a Christian. I heartily regretted
the loss of the companion of my adventures, whose original
character and joyous spirit had so much enlivened the tedium
of my journey.

VI.
P E T E N .
The Itzaes of Peten—An historical episode—Visit of Cortez—Eeduction of the Itzaes—
Destruction of the aboriginal temples and idols—Change of name—Illness—Goodnatured officials—Medical experiences—The pedagogue of Flores—A school of practical natural history—Grand h u n t for beasts and birds—Discovery of a new variety
of the crocodile—A night adventure with t h e reptile—Convalescence—Picturesque
views—The island of Peten—Town of Flores—Houses of the inhabitants—Lack of
commerce—General poverty—Arcadian simplicity—The evening
tertulia—Costume
—Music—A formal ball—A model padre—The Marimba—Specimens
of native m u sic—The seclusion of Flores—Origin of its name—Hospitality—Death of a stranger—
Voyage on the lake—Beautiful shores—A sugar mill or trapeche—Indian
towns and
their inhabitants—Extent of the lake—Its aboriginal name—Fishes—Cave of Jobitsinal—Topography of the district—Its political relations—Soil and productions—Ancient prosperity—Communications with Yucatan, etc.—Geographical ignorance—
Belize—Utter isolation of the country—Navigable rivers—Climate—Maladies—General ignorance—Food—Population—Wild beasts—Deer—Tapirs—Rabbits—Geomys
mexieans—Birds—Reptiles—Fishes
again—Freaks of nature under the tropics—Insects—The nigua—Antiquities—Lake
Yax-Haa—Ruins on its islands—Terra-cottas
—Mythical cities—Preparations for departure.

THE ancient chronicles of Yucatan inform us, that about
the year 1420, the feudal monarchy which had long existed
on this peninsula was destroyed, and that Mayapan, the capital of the state, was razed to the ground before a coalition of
rebel caziques. After this revolution, of which we have very
confused accounts, the canek* of the Itzaes, one of the principal chiefs, migrated with his tribe to the southward, and
after wandering for many years in the wilderness, finally
reached the shores of the lake now called Peten or Itza.
Charmed with the beauty of the spot, and still more with the
security offered by its islands, he settled with his followers on
the most important island, whence comes the name of Peten* El rey canelc, says Cogulludo; but the worthy Franciscan mistook for a
proper name, a title which has the same significance as cazique.

196

PETEN.

Itza (island of the Itzaes,) a denomination which was soon extended over the whole country. The colony became so pros*
perous, that at the time of its invasion two hundred and
seventy-seven years later, the islands contained a population
of 25,000 souls, without mentioning the inhabitants of numerous villages which flourished on the main land.^
It may be asked how it happened that the Spaniards, whose
warlike spirit and ardent fanaticism never wearied of conquest
or the salvation of souls, permitted the Indians of Peten to live
for a century and a half under the shadow of their own nationality? The poverty of the country in precious metals
explains their magnanimity, which, however, did not endure,
for about the year 1618, the Franciscans paved the way for
their conquest by sending to the Lake of Itza certain daring
missionaries, who, almost as a matter of course, suffered martyrdom for their pains.f
A curious instance of the simplicity of the Indians merits
mention here. On visiting the temples erected on the principal islands, the monks were surprised to find the image of a
horse, in stone and mortar, tolerably well executed. They
learned respecting this idol that when Cortez traversed these
regions in his march against Honduras, he left here a wounded
horse which could go no further. The inhabitants to whose
care he confided the animal, promised that it should receive
every attention, and they conscientiously kept their word.
Ordinary grass, they conceived, would be too coarse fare for
a guest so distinguished; so they spread flowers and fowls before him, as they did before their own invalids of high position.
The result of this kind treatment was the starvation of the
poor animal, whose death spread consternation among the peo* Villagutierre, who gives us these details, has doubtless exaggerated the
population of the islands
\ See the account of their adventures in Villagutierre, Historia de la Conquesta de la Provincia de Itza, 1. ii., c. 2, 3.

THE

I T Z A E S.

197

pie. They held a grand consultation, and it was unanimously
decided that some eminent mark of their regard and regret
must be accorded to the defunct quadruped. The most skillful sculptors among them received orders to reproduce its
figure. Under the name of Tziminckak, it was elevated to
the dignity of a god. Historians are silent touching the
etymology of this glorious designation; they only inform us
that the new divinity, by some strange attribution, presided
over storms and directed the thunder.^
The Council of the Indies, wearied with the complaints
made against the Lacandones and Itzaes, whose reiterated incursions annoyed the people of Yucatan, decided upon the
reduction of their country. A royal order was issued that
this should be peacefully done. The tribes were to be brought
over by moral suasion, and not to be reduced by violence.
Their subjection was assigned to missionaries, and the sole
duty of the soldiers who were sent with them, was defined to
be to protect the holy men on their errand. But, as might
have been foreseen, this peaceful combination was not of long
duration.
Another provision was, that Yucatan and Guatemala should
act in concert in conducting the enterprise. It was Yucatan,
however, which commenced hostilities. In the year 1662 fifty
Spaniards left Merida, under command of Captain Mirones,
and with great difficulty succeeded in reaching Zaclun (Sacluc?). While encamped there, awaiting reinforcements, for* The name ^zminchdk is derived from izimin, the tapir or dante, and
chak, white; i. e., the white tapir. The tapir is the largest indigenous animal
of Yucatan, and the only one with which the Itzaes could compare the horses
of the conquerors. The tapir was, moreover, a sacred animal among all the
Central American nations. Oortez's horse was probably white; and as he
was brought among the Indians by people who had fire-arms, it is not surprising that the new god was in some way connected in their minds with the
phenomena of thunder and lightning, themselves the concomitants of
storm.—T.

198

PETEN.

getful of the peaceful character of their mission, they committed some act of violence, whereupon the Indians overwhelmed
them and massacred the entire detachment. The missionary
who accompanied this party met with a still more terrible
fate ; arrested on the banks of the lake, and transported to
the island, he was immolated with all the circumstances and
ferocity connected with aboriginal sacrifices.
The efforts of Guatemala were scarcely more successful.
Its forces encountered all kinds of difficulties, and being met
by the open hostility of the Indians, two successive expeditions
made in 1695 and 1696 were both driven out of the country.
Captain Dias de Velasco, who commanded a detachment of
pioneers, was the only officer who succeeded in reaching the
banks of the mysterious lake. But this act of temerity cost
him his life and the lives of all his soldiers. It was about
this period, and on the heel of these misfortunes, that a gentleman of Merida conceived a project of definitively establishing the Spanish dominion in the obstinate district. He
desired to obtain the governorship of Yucatan, and was ambitious to bring himself into notice in some marked manner. In
the hope of inducing the Council of the Indies to concur in his
views, he offered, at his own expense, to open a road through
Peten to Guatemala. According to his ideas, this was the
best means of reducing to subjection the hostile tribes situated between the two countries. His plan having received
the approval of the royal Council, orders were issued to facilitate its execution. The governor of Guatemala was to
give his aid to the enterprise by directing a body of soldiers
against Peten from the south. The bishop of Merida was to
lend his assistance by stimulating the zeal of his clergy, while
the viceroy of New Spain was to furnish, at the cheapest rates,
the provisions and ammunition necessary for the undertaking.
And finally Don Martin de Ursua was himself elevated to
the post which he had so long coveted.

CONQUEST

OF

THE

ITZAES.

199

As soon as the new governor had obtained his commission,
the work was begun. Two years were consumed in constructing a practicable road in the direction of Peten from Yucatan.
Meantime negotiations were carried on with the Indians, but
with no result; they would concede nothing. On the 24th
January, 1697, his plans being ripe, Ursua left Campeachy
at the he*ad of a small army, a portion of which was sent on
ahead, with orders to encamp on the banks of the lake, and
while there to construct a raft for the passage of his main body
to the island strongholds. About the 1st of March this detachment was joined by the principal force under Ursua in
person. The Spaniards, who for more than a month had been
encompassed by forests, were delighted at the sight of the
water, the islands covered with teocallis, the fagades of which
glistened like silver in the sun, the culture of the banks—in a
word, with the life animating these mysterious and isolated
shores. At this period of its history, if the annals of the chroniclers are to be credited, the country presented a much more
attractive appearance than now. It would be out of place here
to dwell upon the causes which led to its transformation; it
would but increase the size of my book, without interesting
my readers; I shall limit myself therefore to a summary of
the conquest.
The preliminary attempts at conciliation having failed, the
Spanish general made preparations for an assault. The artillery was ranged along the shore, and the goletd was made
ready for sailing. On the 13th of March, at sunrise, Ursua
went on board in person with half of his force, consisting of a
hundred and eight combatants, and sailed straight for the
principal island. The lake was as deserted as the shore ; not
a boat, not even an enemy was visible. Suddenly, in the
midst of the general silence and suspense, Don Juan Pacheco,
an apostolica] vicar, standing upon the prow of the vessel, thus
addressed the soldiers in a loud voice: " Caballeros ! let those

200

PETEN.

who feel sincere regret for their sins, and desire to ask God's
pardon, raise their right hands and say, i Lord, I have
erred, but have pity upon m e ! ' " All having obeyed (as
it would appear), the vicar gave them absolution, after which
they cheerfully continued on their course.*
They had almost reached their place of destination, when
a flotilla of canoes, concealed by an indentation of the shore,
advanced suddenly upon them. A shower of arrowrs was discharged in their midst, while every part of the island swarmed
with warriors, shouting in the most savage manner. The
Spaniards nevertheless landed, and opened fire on the thronging masses of Indians. Then followed what always happened
in these unequal contests. The Itzaes, terrified by the sound
of the artillery and appalled by its murderous effects, lost
courage, threw down their arms, abandoned their island, and
plunged into the lake in such numbers, that, according to history, they fairly covered the surface of the water.
The Spaniards took possession of the island in the name of
the crown, planted the royal standard on its highest point, and
then rendered thanks to God for their victory. Immediately
afterwards, animated by a holy zeal, they entered the temples
and private sanctuaries, where they employed themselves in
destroying and mutilating the idols, from seven in the morning
until six in the afternoon. Neither officers nor men allowed
themselves a moment's repose. They changed the name of the
island, in conformity with the laws of the conquest, from
Tayasal, the Indian designation, to thdt of Nuestra Senora
de los Remedios y San Pablo ; but its ancient appellation is
preserved, although the two are sometimes associated in the
abridged form of Remedios-Pet en. A military post (presidio) was founded here, designed as a protection for the future
colony against the return of its original occupants.
These historical reminiscences furnished food for my mind
* Yillagutierre 1 viii., c. 8, p. 415.

GOOD

NATURED

OFFICIALS.

201

during the first few days of the long illness which detained
me at Flores. My imagination was so greatly excited by
them, that the remembrance of the old Romans could scarcely
have absorbed me more on the classic plains of Latium.
I promised myself, on my recovery, the pleasure of searching
for such aboriginal relics as might have escaped the observation of the soldiers of Ursua, and determined to visit the more
distant islands in the lake, which would perhaps open a better
field for discovery. But at last I grew weary of the same
train of thought, until my only diversion lay in the variety of
my ailments. The desire of recovery speedily induced me
to adopt a severe regimen—diet and repose. With my eyes
turned towards the lake, of which I could catch a glimpse
from my window, I felt my pulse twenty times a day, wondering if I were not sufficiently restored to proceed with ray
researches! Alternating between hope and fear, I had no resource against ennui except the dreams of my imagination,
the delights of my remembrances, and the attentive observation of the symptoms of my illness.
The corregidor of the district was a most cheerful personage, slightly corpulent, as a corregidor should be, but not so
much as to detract from the dignity of his appearance. Active, generous, a good talker withal, and a little ceremonious,
like all Spaniards of the old school, he manifested great sympathy and kindness for me. His local pride was flattered by
my visit to Flores ; and he was pleased to think that I was
about to make his country famous. My critical situation appealed not only to his sympathy, therefore, but also to his patriotism. What a misfortune, if my life should not be spared !
Peten, about to be glorified, would again fall back into obscurity ! Brought up in Yucatan, where his youth had been
spent, and possessed of much information regarding it, the
good corregidor entertained the greatest curiosity touching the
old world. We consequently made an exchange of informa9*

202

PE T E N .

tion, and in his society I passed the happiest moments which
I spent in the country. One day, when I was more despondent than usual, he entered my room quite radiant with joy.
" Well, senor," he inquired, rubbing his hands, " how is your
precious health?" " I seem to be getting worse and worse,
Senor Corregidor," I answered sadly, " and I fear little short
of a miracle will ever enable me to leave your island.7'
" But," he cried, as if struck with a brilliant idea, " it would
be a signal honor for my country to be the guardian of your
tomb; nevertheless," he added, after a long pause, " I cannot conscientiously say that I desire it should be so !"
Besides this functionary, the alcalde, an innocent old man,
as dried up and thin as his superior was stout and unctuous, came
regularly to see me. He wore, according to the custom of the
country, where old and young dress alike, a short white linen
vest, which only reached half way down his back, and very
tight pantaloons of the same material. When the two functionaries of the village were together, and both apparelled in
this primitive style, they formed an amusing contrast, even to
the eyes of an invalid. The alcalde constantly urged me to
use a tea made of plantains, which he assured me was a remedy
against all diseases, for the efficacy of which he could vouch.
One day I showed him my medicine chest, and explained the
nature and properties of the drugs which it contained. " Ah,
senor," cried he, confounded by my scientific knowledge, and
the nominal virtue of my medicines, "you carry health with
you! Can you then really be ill?"
The discovery of my medical treasures soon became the
great event of the island, and every invalid in it hastened to
my door for treatment. Even those in good health began suddenly to feel suspicious symptoms, and were anxious to profit
by this opportunity to test the virtue of my specifics. The task
of prescribing for all was greater than my strength could bear,
and after having administered (somewhat at random, I must

A SCHOOL

OF

NATURAL

HISTORY.

203

confess) to the most urgent cases, I closed my doors upon the
others until the period of my own recovery. I had become
tolerably intimate with the schoolmaster, a man of few resources and limited learning, but whom I succeeded in rendering extremely useful. When my plan was well formed, I
communicated it to him; it was that during the hours of
recreation he should permit his scholars to go out into the
woods, and gather for me a collection of birds and insects.
The master was easily persuaded, and even seemed to feel,
himself, some interest in natural history, particularly when I
promised to reward his zeal with money. It was a brilliant
device of mine, for from that time forward the children brought
me numbers of birds from the nest, lizards caught in traps,
serpents, insects—in a word, all living things within their
reach were heaped up around me. The island was thus relieved of numberless destructive and troublesome animals and
insects, and science proportionately advanced. So delighted
were the parents with the little profits accruing to their children from this new branch of business, that they sent them to
scour the woods instead of sending them to school. The master complained, but it was too late; he himself had given the
impulsion, and it had now become too strong for his control.
The men, also, soon began to appreciate the advantages of this
new occupation, and emulated one another in pursuing it.
Even the women brought me the produce of their poultry
yards, and encumbered my dwelling with their indiscriminate
contributions. During my sojourn, therefore, there was certainly one branch of industry which flourished; the fir3t probably ever successfully introduced in Flores. After this I did
not want for occupation; ennui was driven from my hut; but
the fatigue incident to the study and preparation of so many
different objects retarded my restoration to health, and delayed
my convalescence.
One morning a crocodile was brought to me alive; it was

204

PETEN.

three yards in length, and had been captured in the lake.
The fishermen had caught it with a hook baited with the
heart of a bullock. I had it fastened, by the line with which
it had been caught, at a reasonable and safe distance from my
hammock. During the day it gave great signs of irritation,
springing forward suddenly to the full extent of the cord
which confined it, then sinking back with its jaws wide open
in a state of perfect quiet. Towards evening I administered
to him a strong dose of arsenical soap and hoped to find him
dead in the morning, when I proposed to prepare him skilfully so as to prevent decomposition, which takes place
rapidly under the tropics. The agonies occasioned by the
poison I had administered redoubled his fury ; writhing in all
directions, and giving out strangely agonizing sounds, for
a long time he prevented us from sleeping. Morin, however,
finally dozed off, and after awhile I succeeded in following his
example, but my sleep was early interrupted by a strange,
hoarse noise close to my bed, accompanied by a suffocating,
musky odor. I started up in my hammock, and hastily
struck a match, by the dim and fitful light of which I discovered that the horrible reptile had broken from his fastenings and had taken up a position directly under my
hammock.
By a sudden and desperate effort, for I was still feeble, I
managed to clamber up to the cross beams of the house, from
which my hammock was suspended, whence I shouted vigorously to Morin. As usual, he slept soundly, and was not a
little startled on hearing a voice from aloft. During the day I
had been despondent, and had talked of death, and he had gone
to sleep full of the gloomiest forebodings. His first impression on waking therefore, was, that he heard the call of a departed spirit on its way to the clouds. But I soon convinced
him of my actual existence, and that I was only temporarily
sojourning on high. Reassured, he leaped up, and seizing a

ADVENTURE

WITH

A

CROCODILE.

205

hatchet, which was close at hand, moved resolutely across the
room, and opened the solitary window of our apartment, admitting a faint flush of light, by the aid of which we ascertained the position of our unhappy monster. He was entirely
motionless, except when now and then he opened his bronzed
jaws, and gave out a cry of agony. My position was by no
means a comfortable one, and I felt greatly relieved when,
after some difficulty, Morin succeeded in getting a noose around
the neck of the expiring reptile, by means of which we suspended him to the cross-beam on which I was perched. He
struggled but little for the poison had nearly done its work,
and in an hour he was dead. I carried his skin to Paris, where
it was stuffed, and he now figures in all his native ugliness in
the museum of that city. He proved to be of a species before
unknown, and the learned professors of natural history have
done me- the honor to name him Crocodilus Moreleti, As
this was about the only reward that I received for carrying
out an enterprise in which I "largely exhausted my health,
energy, and means, I hope that no one will envy me my good
fortune, nor be disposed to ridicule the value of my recompense. As for the good people of Peten, who proved to be not
without a spice of malice in their composition, they got hold
of some of the details of our adventure,' out of which they contrived a story in which Morin and myself played parts more
grotesque than glorious. It was amusing, if not authentic, and
treated the town to a laugh at our expense, in which we were
too good natured not to join.
At the end of six weeks, I was able to leave my house and
see something of the place in which I had been so long an impatient prisoner. I was impressed with the magnificence of the
landscape which presented itself from the eminence where the
modern church is situated, and which was once occupied by
the ancient temples of the Itzaes. The sky was clear, the
waters of the lake of the loveliest azure, and the islands and

206

PETEN.

bluff shores, indented with little bays, hemmed in by silvery
belts of sand, were green and refreshing to the sight. And
here I may mention that only a part of the lake can be seen
from the island. A high promontory, jutting across it from
the eastward, cuts it nearly in two. Nevertheless, the expanse
of water is sufficiently great for every picturesque requirement
of the prospect.
The island of Peten itself, is oval in shape, rising by a
gentle slope from the water, and terminating in a platform of
calcareous rocks. ft is not large; one may make the circuit of it
in a quarter of an hour. Its surface is covered with small stones,
which are, doubtless, the remains of ancient edifices. The
Itzaes were not without good reasons for establishing their
temples on this rocky eminence, whence they could defy the
asaults of their enemies. But it is difficult to conceive the
motives which induced the Spaniards to locate their huts on
the ruins of the Indian town, and to imprison themselves, in
the face of such a lovely shore, in a circle so limited. Too
near the main land to find in their isolation any great security,
they are yet too far from it to enjoy its advantages. True,
every one here understands the use of the oar; even the
women are admirable rowers, according to Morin, whose testimony may be safely taken; but the enjoyment of the fields
and the forests of the adjacent country hardly recompenses
one for the risk of life which he must encounter in reaching
them, by means of the unsteady little canoes which here afford
the only means of navigation.
The town of Flores is very irregularly built. The houses,
scattered here and there, nevertheless resolve themselves into
two principal streets, one of which runs around the island,
while the other, rising from the lake, extends across it and
divides it in nearly two equal parts. The church and the
municipal house, a tolerably large building, in which we were
lodged, are built on the highest point on the island. The de-

PETTY

COMMERCE.

207

scription which I might give of these two edifices could
never make up to the reader for the loss of the twenty-one
adoratorioS) the sites of which they probably occupy, and of
which not a trace now remains. As to the private dwellings,
they are for the most part miserable structures, without any
other opening than a door. The most pretentious and comfortable are plastered, but many of them, like the habitations
of the Indians, are simple huts, thatched with palms. The
rain frequently penetrates these roofs, the timber work of
which is only held together by withes or vines. This portion
of the buildings struck me as curiously irregular; there is no
fixed rule for pitching the roof; all depends upon the inventive ability of the rustic architects, so that the same problem
is frequently solved by twenty different combinations. The
use of chimneys is as unknown as that of windows. A common aperture serves for the escape of smo.ke and the admission
of light. I have little doubt that the Indian city, destroyed
a century and a half ago, was much superior to the present
town, although I am far from believing that it had the importance which has been ascribed to it by certain archaeologists. A few fruit trees, such as the calabash and anona, and
an occasional red jasmine plant, growing at random around
these dwellings, throw here and there a furtive shade on the
pallid and stony soil, which almost blinds the eyes with its
glaring aridity.
In the streets of Flores there are neither shops nor artisans ; there is no market even; every one depends on his own
production, or on such exchanges as he may be able to make
with his neighbors, for his food. If any one has need of
money, he prepares some article of domestic consumption such
as chocolate, bread, or candles, and sends his children about
with them, from hut to hut, in search of a purchaser. At
long intervals some enterprising man among them takes a
cow or horse to Belize, and exchanges it there for* a petty

208

PETEN.

package of English goods. Very little suffices for a population whose only ambition is to live without labor. European
activity, which unceasingly applies itself to the accumulation
of wealth, could not be comprehended by the inhabitants of
Peten; but, on the other hand, they are ignorant of the infinite annoyances which follow on the laborious fermentation of
the old world. No one here ever thinks of speculation as a
means of acquiring wealth. Destitute of ambition, and without strong passion of any kind, the certainty of a sufficiency
for bare existence is all they require to make them happy ; and
this certainly is assured to them by the extent and the fertility of the lands by which they are surrounded. Possession
is the only title to the soil wrhich they recognize. Any one
who clears a piece of ground, makes use of it as long -as he
pleases, and if any dispute arises as to its ownership, it is
soon settled by the paternal authority of the corregidor. The
remoteness of any market for the sale of produce, and the
difficulties of transportation, somewhat justify the indolence of
the people, and in some degree explain the absence of all commeroe. What interest, so they reason among to themselves, can
wre have in producing more than is required for our home consumption ? True, they fall into the most abject state of destitution, when the season is so bad as to interfere with their
harvest. This fact was forcibly illustrated during my stay in
Flores. A fanega or load of maize, (about one hundred
pounds,) worth from two to three shillings, rose to three dollars in the town; while at twenty-five leagues distance, its cost
was less than one dollar, and it was to be had, a little farther
on, for one-twelfth of that sum !
After what I have said, it is superfluous to add that the
district is very poor in respect of accumulated wealth. Its
richest inhabitant would find difficulty in realizing five thousand dollars. However, there is this advantage in Flores,
that instead of one's ears being deafened by the discordant

FESTIVITIES.

209

sounds of the hammer and the sugar mill, they are filled constantly with the harmony of musical instruments. As soon
as the sun goes down and the evening breeze sets in, the town
is full of sounds of mirth and hilarity, which continue until
the night is far advanced. And thus life ebbs away in the
midst of perfect quiet, and in utter indifference as to what the
future may bring forth. The desire for novelty, improvement,
or change never enters into the thoughts of the inhabitants.
Every one having received the same amount of education, and
enjoying in an equal degree the privilege of doing nothing,
the most perfect equality exists in society, which is not troubled
by the pretensions of its members on the score of birth, learning, or fortune.
Few days pass consecutively in Flores without the sound
of the marimba inviting its inhabitants to some new festivity.
No other form of invitation is extended. The door is open
for all. The spectators assemble in groups around the entrance, looking on with democratic freedom, and making their
comments aloud. There you see the alcalde or the corregidor
alternating in the same fandango with the meanest citizen.
The mother succeeds the daughter, the negress the white
woman ; rank, age, caste—all the conditions which elsewhere
separate society—seem to be confounded here. Persons giving parties do the honors of the house in the most unpretentious maimer possible ; a dozen candles, a supply of chairs
collected from a dozen neighboring houses, a few homely refreshments, and the engagement of one or two performers on
the marimba, constitute the entire preparations. Our notions of delicacy occasionally receive something of a shock
from certain customs here, which, to say the least, are of an
extremely primitive character. The same glass, for instance,
circulates among the guests until drained, while a spoon alternates from hand to hand, with the same jar of sweetmeats.
Nor do the ladies, after the fatigues of dancing, hesitate to

210

PETEN.

recuperate their energies through the aid of a glass of rum,
at the same time lighting a cigar of size and strength sufficient to turn the stomach of our hardiest smokers.
A word for the ladies who may feel an interest in foreign
fashions. I need not say that corsets have not yet found their
way here, and it can well be believed that generally the style
of dress is of that free and open character which best conforms
with the conditions of the climate. A chemise of thin linen or
cotton cloth, fringed around the arms and neck with coarse lace
or domestic embroidery, and a simple muslin skirt of varying
color, constitute the principal articles in the wardrobes of the
ladies of Flores. Their hair, almost always luxuriant and
beautiful, plaited in long braids, which are fastened at their
ends with gay ribands, is allowed to fall over the shoulders or
down the back. A large comb, glittering like a crescent on
the top of the head, and a necklace of pearls or little golden
coins, complete the adornments of these dusky daughters of
the Laguna. Less fastidious than their sisters of Havana,
they do not disdain to wear the same dress as often as occasion requires ; for if they were to make a change with every
new festivity, the supply of Belize would soon be exhausted.
Occasionally, during the progress of the evening festivities
or tertulias, the marimba is allowed a little repose, and then
the women take up the melody in the wray of lovely little
songs, which they sing, without the least timidity, to their
own accompaniment on the guitar. The men gradually join
in, and the concert becomes general. The effect is always exhilarating, and when the chorus is at its height, it stops suddenly, the marimbas strike up, and the fandango commences
in earnest, the spectators meantime keeping time with both
hands and feet. The dance, however formal it may seem
when it begins, soon becomes passionate and intoxicating to
the soul and the senses. It is often scenic, like the ballets
so popular with us, and contains a little pantomimic love story

THE

PADRECITO.

211

—the old story, coquetry, jealousy, and the final surrender
of the wayward maiden. Each dancer works out the story
according to his own taste and temperament, from the reserve
of a timid and respectful affection through all intermediate
stages, up to the excitements of a rapturous passion.
The first gathering of this kind which I attended was
honored with the name of baile, or ball, and was given by the
municipality in celebration of some national victory, of whom
and over whom I never could clearly learn, the news of which had
reached us, I will not venture to say how many months after
the event. The elite of the town and the surrounding country were present on this occasion. When the corregidor and
myself entered, it was evident that something more than usual
was taking place. Every eye was fixed on a young man singing to his own accompaniment on a guitar. He was not
wanting in taste, and certainly not in assurance. The relatively elegant cut of his garments, his easy air of gallantry
with the women, all pronounced him to be a stranger. A
burst of applause succeeded his song, after which, making a
sign to the musicians, he offered his hand to one of the ladies,
and led off a fandango with such ease, grace, and agility as to
excite the utmost enthusiasm of the spectators. Frantic bravos
echoed from every corner of the apartment. The gentleman
smiled his thanks, wiped his face carelessly with an embroidered handkerchief, and then seated himself among the senoras,
who seemed enraptured with his grace of person and elegance
of manner. " Who is this extraordinary personage ?" I inquired, turning to my neighbor. " He is a cura from Honduras, " was the reply.
To me the accomplishments of the padrecito (as he was
affectionately called) were scarcely less anomalous and extraordinary than his manners and general bearing; but I concealed my surprise. I cannot better illustrate the state of
society and morals in these countries than by saying, that no

212

PETEN.

one saw the least impropriety in having as their minister and
confessor in religion, a man who was the gayest dancer and
the most gallant in manner of the entire community. " Ah I"
exclaimed the corregidor as we sauntered home, " is n't the
padrecito an elegant fellow ? He has taught our young folks
many a lesson in good breeding, by which they cannot fail to
profit. But I presume, senor, that your padres are by far his
superiors?" I was tempted to tell him how his padrecito
would probably be treated in Europe, but thought better of it,
and left the corregidor to his delusions.
It is time that I should describe the marimba, to which I
have already so often alluded. Although entirely constructed
of wood, it is capable of very harmonious effects. It consists
of a series of vertical tubes, of varying sizes and lengths, graduated like those of the sirinx or Pan's pipe, and open at their
superior extremities. Their bases are rounded, with a little
lateral opening, covered with a thin membrane of some animal,
or what is called gold-beater's skin. Over each tube, supported on tense cords at their extremities, are little bars of
hard and sonorous wood. The music is produced by rapidly
striking on these bars with little elastic strips of cane or whalebone, poiiited with a ball of India rubber. Neither nail nor
peg is used in fashioning any of these instruments; all
their parts are held together by cords. These marimbas are
of different sizes ; that most in use has twenty-two tubes,
forming three complete octaves without the semi-tones. The
wood used, for the little resonant bars to which I have alluded,
is called by the natives chactecoc ; that used for the tubes, the
red or fragrant cedar.
I saw in Flores another stringed instrument, rather barbarous, which is common among the Lacandones. It is a kind
of mandoline, in the shape of a truncated cone. It is far from
being musical, and is chiefly remarkable from the circumstance
that it has but one cord, which passes four times over the bridge.

THE

MARIMBA.

213

The marimba is also of Indian origin, but I think the
credit of its discovery is due rather to Vera Paz than to Yucatan, where it is unknown at this day. As already intimated,
it is played with both hands like the piano, and I have no
doubt could be greatly improved on by our manufacturers, (who
are so emulous in devising new instruments of music), with
advantage to themselves and amusement and pleasure to the
public. Certain it is, that without the marimba there would
be but little gaiety in Flores. It has the first place in the
serenade; it is the organ in the church, the orchestra in the
tertulia, and the solace of the traveller in his journeys, and I
must confess, is vastly superior in clearness and sonorous
melody to that precussive instrument, of the piano. It has developed a very general and correct musical taste among the
people of Peten. Not only do they play the national airs on
it with much skill and feeling, but they have composed a great
number of local melodies which have a considerable degree of
merit, and on which they are able to make many exquisite
variations. In fact, during the whole of my journey in these
parts of America, I nowhere heard the choruses so well executed as at Flores. It was a principal solace of my long confinement, that of listening, during the quiet hours of the evening, to the harmonies which wTere wafted up from the banks of the
lake, to the elevated spot where my house was situated. Closing my eyes, with the soft evening breeze falling like down on
my forehead, I could almost fancy that I was in fairy land,
and heard the voices of Titana and her serial train.
I wrote out some of these airs which happened to impress
themselves on my memory, and give them here, for the satisfaction of those who may be curious about the musical capabilities of this remote little spot, buried in the heart of Central
America, and away from all the suggestions of European art.
Even such details as these assist us in forming a proper estimate of humanity and its tendencies and moral expressions in

214

PETEN.

various parts of the globe, and under various or exceptional
circumstances. It will be observed that the airs of Peten are
less plaintive than those of Spanish origin. The Indians, I
may observe, have some national airs, dating doubtless beyond
the Conquest, but they do riot like to sing them before strangers. I have written out the only one which I was able to
obtain, and which seems to be peculiar to the mountaineers of
Vera Paz. Tradition assigns it a date far back to the period
when the nations of Central America were in their prime, and
the Indians call it Malinche—without knowing or remembering the associations connected with the name, which, the intelligent reader need not be told, was that of the famous Indian girl who guided the army of Cortez into Mexico, and who
became the mistress of the conqueror. The Lacandones are
said to be very fond of this air, although ignorant of its significance. They play it on the chirimiya, a sort of double
flute of native origin, having something of the powers of our
clarionet. I was not able to learn that the melody is connected with any song or native ballad.

^^fe^^^^^#g^g^£Efe^^
AIR OF PETEN.-No. 1.

SPECIMENS

OF M U S I C .

215

AIR OF PETEN.-No. 2.
Allegretto.

AIR OF PETEN.-No. 3.

&=±^=*^^^^^^ig^fey£E

The sound of arms has been but seldom heard in the peaceable district of Peten, since the times of Don Martin de Ursua.
The political storms which are felt in Guatemala are but
feebly echoed here. No one troubles himself particularly about
the form or the personelle of the government under which he
lives, or questions the propriety of its acts. The watchwords,
" Humanity and Liberty," do not vibrate on these shores as
on the other side of the Atlantic and in Northern America.
Spaniards under the viceroys, Mexicans after the enfranchisement of the colonies, then federalists, and now citizens of an

216

PETEN.

independent republic, the inhabitants of Peten, without taking
any part in the contest, always range themselves under the
banner of the successful party. The corregidors and the
alcaldes, in their paternal administration of affairs, represent
all the power and dignity of the State. The name which the
village bears, testifies to the peaceful spirit of its people.
Cirilo Flores, Vice President of the republic, feU'a victim to
popular fury, incited by the priests and serviles, in Los Altos,
in 1826. Soon after, when the liberal party to which he belonged regained power, they sought to do honor to his name
by giving it to a town which had never been stained by blood,
or disgraced by political excesses.
I was witness of the philosophical indifference of the people,
when the news of the rupture of the federal compact, and tho
organization of the State as an independent republic first reached
the chief town of the district. Such is the delay in communicating with the capital, that a political act which took place on
the 21st of March, 1847, was only made known in Flores on the
10th of July following, after a lapse of three months and a half!
This country, which enjoys such perfect quiet, and where
the people live in profound ignorance of all that takes place in
the world outside, is one of the most hospitable I have ever
visited. I can never forget the kindness of which I was the
recipient there, nor the perfect harmony which seemed to exist
among the people themselves. Equality of position and education, doubtless, contributes largely to this happy result.
Vanity and envy, those mortal enemies of concord, find but
little to feed on in Flores. The most intelligent of the
people did not hesitate to confess their ignorance, and begged
me to instruct them; but I soon found that want of application paralyzed their aptitude and nullified their ambition. I
must add, that throughout the whole district the people are
extremely gentle in manner, and that assaults on life and property are unknown.

TRIP

ON THE

LAKE.

217

The day following that on which I was first able to get
out of my house was a memorable one to me. I was at last
free from fever, and wishing to make a trial of my strength,
I proposed to make the voyage around the lake, which I had had
so long in contemplation, in company with my old friend the
alcalde. We started in the morning; the temperature was
delightful and everything wore, to me at least, a roseate hue.
I could never tire of admiring the transparence of the water,
the marine plants which covered the bottom of the lake, the
green islands, the wooded shores, and the serial perspective of
the promontories, bathed in the morning dew. But while
moving off from the shore, happy in the mere sensation of existence, my ears were startled by the sudden tolling of the
village bell. The sound seemed preternaturally distinct, and
sent a chill to my heart, which checked my exuberance of
feeling; for I knew that it announced the demise of a poor
stranger like myself, an Englishman from Belize, whom bad
fortune in trade had ruined, and who had sought refuge here
from the importunity of creditors, or at least, forgetfulness of
his troubles. Two days before, finding himself failing fast, he
had appealed to me, as a drowning man clutches at straws, to
save his life. But alas, his disease was past my skill, and I
was obliged to confess alike my ignorance and inability to do
him good. All day long the pale face of the poor stranger
rose before my eyes, and reminded me how narrowly I had
escaped his sad fate.
At about an oar's length from the shore, the bottom of the
lake begins to shelve downward with great rapidity, and the
water soon becomes of great depth. This peculiarity, which
reminds one of the conformation of lakes of volcanic origin,
struck me forcibly, yet there is nothing indicating the action of
fire in the mineralogy of the country, the principal elements
of which are coarse limestone, gypsum and silex. The vast
reservoir of the lake is encircled and shut in by wooded hills.
10

218

PETES'.

No reeds appear on its surface, except in the immediate vicinity of the land, where may be seen the beautiful white
nymphcza similar to that of Palizada. During times of scarcity, the poorer people gather the seeds of this plant, which
they grind and use in making bread, after the ma/uner of
the Egyptians and Chinese. This bread is said to be insipid,
slightly astringent, and far from nutritious. The bottom of
the lake, as far as the eye can reach, is covered with sedge,
confervacece, and other aquatic plants, which afford shelter to
the crocodiles.
After we had proceeded a short distance, the alcalde directed my attention to the beautiful aspect of the village, on
its island throne, as seen from the water; and in truth I could
not but admire the picture. The foliage of the trees concealed
the nakedness of the soil, as also the rubbish accumulated on
its declivity. The most squalid huts, from this distance, presented a picturesque appearance; the slender cocoa trees,
scattered about on the shore, seemed tastefully grouped; in a
word, all vulgar details were lost in an harmonious assemblage
of houses and verdure, affording another illustration of the
adage that " distance lends enchantment to the view !" Does
not this also apply to the path of life, and is it not a physiological phenomenon of striking similarity, that the past and
the future are invested by our imagination with far greater
charms than the present ?
After visiting several uncultivated islands, admirably
adapted for supplying Flores with fruits and vegetables, we
steered for the steep promontory which projects into the lake
and divides it into two basins of unequal extent. Here and
there the virgin soil bears marks of culture, and alternating
with the wild vegetation may be seen the large leaves of the
bananna tree, and the pale verdure of the sugar-cane. We
landed in a lonely little bay, and crossing over the dry rocky
soil, on which grew a species of inga, the pods of which are

NATIVE

SUGAR

MILL.

219

used for dyeing, we directed our steps toward a group of huts
which had been described to me as constituting the most important industrial establishment of the country.
This proved to be nothing more nor less than a native
sugar mill, in which is manufactured the greater part of the
sugar used in the district. Let the reader imagine to himself
two cylinders of hard wood placed vertically on each side of a
third, which revolves between them through means of a long
shaft, to which is attached two oxen, driven by a little boy,
and he will have a picture of a trapiche de azucar, or Central
American sugar mill. The cane, which is fed by hand, is
crushed between the central and outer cylinders, and the juice
is caught in a trough, hollowed from a single log, placed beneath, whence it is ladled out to the kettles, in which it is
gradually reduced to sugar. This is roughly moulded, without purification, into square blocks, weighing about three pounds
each, which are wrapped in the dry husks of maize, or in plantain leaves. It is then ready for market, under the name of
chancaca. It has a strong taste of molasses, but if refined,
would equal the best sugar of any country. The process of
refining, however, is not generally understood, and is practised in but few localities in Tabasco and Guatemala, and even
in these very imperfectly.
After learning the little that was to be ascertained concerning this poor little mill, which, as I have said, is the industrial marvel of Peten, we continued our direction across the
promontory, and soon discovered on its other side a vast sheet
of water, encircled by forests, and reflecting like a mirror
the rays of the morning sun, without a ripple on its surface.
Nothing in the landscape reminded me of our proximity to the
equator. The great trees which shadowed over us, the flowers, the grass which we trod under foot, all, in the eyes of a
superficial observer, might belong to Europe as well as to the
new world. The Indian villages of San Andres and San Jose,

220

t> E T E N .

though distant a league and a half, were clearly visible. They
are built upon the flank of a hill, sloping gently to the water,
and each contains a population of about five thousand souls.
Not a trace of cultivation, no movement, no noise, not even
that occasioned by the stroke of an axe or an oar, enlivened
the land or disturbed the water. These shores were formerly
peopled by the Coboxes, one of the most powerful tribes of
the Itzaes.^ Their degenerate descendants now live in almost
complete idleness, profiting by their isolation to indulge in
drink, which is their ruling passion. From the point where
we paused, we saw towards the north-east a flat, uncultivated
island, of greater size than that of Flores ; and covered with tall
trees. I was assured there are no ruins upon it, although it
had apparently been inhabited. While I was admiring the placidity of the lake, the alcalde told me of the terrific tempests
which sometimes agitate its lowest depths. When the northeast winds sweep the clouds from the Atlantic towards Peten,
the waters of the lake become discolored, its banks are undermined and washed away, and the waves roll in on its shores
like those of the ocean. Woe to the unfortunate oarsman
whom the tempest surprises on the lake, for never again will
he set his foot on the land! When the storm has past, his canoe
may, perhaps, be seen drifting about on its surface, but the
waters will never give up his corpse, except perhaps to the alligators which haunt its shores. Catastrophes of this kind are
of frequent occurrence, and a year scarcely passes in which
some inhabitant of San Andres or San Jose does not become
a victim of these meteorological disturbances.
This beautiful lake, according to a tradition still current
in the country, bore, during the time of the Itzaes, the name
of Nohuken, translated by the Spaniards, " beber mucho," or
* The Coboxes occupied twelve villages on the northern shore of the lake*
—Cogolludo, lib. v. c. 5.

LAKE

ITZA.

221

"drink much;" referring probably to the circumstance that
it is without an outlet.
The chronicles refer to it variously as the Lake of Itza,
of the Lacandones, and of Peten ; but as the Lacandones
were located elsewhere, and as the district of Peten contains
other lakes, the name of Itza seems to be the most appropriate, and carries with it recollections of the warlike people
who formerly lived on its shores. The division of the lake in
which is situated the island of Flores, is only three leagues in
length by a half or three quarters of a .league in breadth ; the
other division, however, is ten or twelve leagues in length, by a
league and a quarter in width. Its circumference is estimated
at twenty-six leagues. Its depth, in most places, exceeds
thirty fathoms. The shores are defined by a girdle of broken,
calcareous hills, which are more or less silicious. No rivers
or even a brook of any importance, falls into it; nevertheless it has been observed, that during the time of droughts
the waters fall but little, while fearful overflows have frequently threatened with destruction the buildings situated on
the lower levels of the island of Flores. To the east of the
Lake of Itza are a series of smaller lakes, which extend in
the direction of the Rio Hondo, and which irrigate uninhabited
and almost unknown regions. These lakes form a chain of
considerable extent, the links of which run into each other
during the rainy season. This circumstance will, perhaps,
some day serve to relieve Peten from its isolation by facilitating
intercourse with the Atlantic.^
After having remained sufficiently long to appreciate and
* The eastern extremity of the Lake of Itza is only separated from that
of Sacpeten (White Island) by half a league of land ; thence to the Lake of
Macanche is but two leagues; and from thence to the Lake of Yax-haa there
are twelve leagues of swampy ground. The, last-named lake is not far from
that of Sacndb, which frequently unites its waters with those of the Rio
Hondo, which falls into the Atlantic near Belize.

222

PETEN.

admire the solitary grandeur of the lake, we retraced our
steps to our canoe. I was much exhausted, and I considered
that I had ventured sufficiently far, after my long and debilitating confinement. I did not, however, regret my excursion.
In returning, we came upon a shoal of silvery fish, known in
the country under the name of cilis. This species is not used
for food at Flores, as it is considered unhealthy, owing to a
milky secretion beneath its skin. I feel assured that this
prejudice is without foundation, although the flesh of the cilis
has a slightly bitter flavor, which doubtless gave rise to the
notion. This fish is gregarious and abundant, and cannot
readily be confounded with any other variety. I had some
difficulty in obtaining a specimen, for it will not take a hook,
and nets are unknown in Flores. Fishermen make use of
spears only, and they did not fail to make me pay roundly
for their services.*
A few days after this excursion, we undertook a second to
the opposite shore of the lake, visiting the Cueva de Jobitsinal, a spacious cavern adorned with large and beautiful stalactites, which are well worthy of mention among the curiosities
of the country. This cave is a place of frequent resort for
the inhabitants of Flores, who pride themselves on possessing
what they believe to be the finest cavern in the world.
Peten, in its geographical position, its history, and in respect to its population, belongs naturally to Yucatan, of which
it constitutes the most elevated part. Nothing of importance in its configuration obstructs the relationship between
the two countries. The same low ridge of mountains extends
through both ; they are both accessible through the same valleys, and are separated only by immense forests. If we glance
at Guatemala, to which Peten belongs politically, we shall
* The cilis belongs to the genus chatcessus, which is a member of the
salmon family. The species which I discovered in the Lake of Itza seems
to be a new one.

RIVERS

AND

MOUNTAINS.

223

find, on the contrary, that an abrupt ridge of the Cordilleras
rises between them, like a natural rampart. Commerce and
intercourse stop at the feet of this obstacle, insurmountable
even for mules. Mountain torrents and dense forests also
combine to isolate still further a region of country which neither political interests, commercial relations, or sympathy of
origin or race connect with the States to the southward.
The chronicles of the country inform us that the conqueror of the Itzaes, Don Martin de TJrsua, having exhausted
his own pecuniary resources, as well as those of his friends in
the enterprise, was greatly embarrassed when it became a
question of organizing his territorial acquisitions. In this
extremity he applied to Guatemala, which assumed the responsibility of all the expenses, and took possession of the
country. Such was the origin of an annexation which never
became complete: for the clergy of Peten, by a strange
anomaly, are always chosen from the bishopric of Merida.
There is still a marked difference between the gentle and
hospitable manners of the people of the district and the rude
barbarism of the Indians of Vera Paz, who belong to a family
of different dialect, and with a different history.
The most remarkable feature of the country, especially
near its centre, consists in its numerous groups of wooded
hills, alternating with level savannas, which give it a constantly varying and charming aspect. Going to the southwest, however, we encounter veritable mountains, outliers of
the great chains of Cajabon. These give rise, not far from
Dolores, to the rivers Usumasinta and Machaquilan, as also
to the Mopan and others less known, which fall from the opposite slope. From this point the waters radiate in all directions, and although but moderately elevated it sends its tributes into both oceans, irrigating vast, solitary wastes, which
are unknown even to the inhabitants of Peten themselves. And
here I may mention, as an illustration of their limited geo-

224

PETEN.

graphical knowledge, that but a short time before my arrival,
they discovered, for the first time, a large and beautiful stream,
in the neighborhood of San Luis, of which no previous suspicion
existed. Some enterprising citizens of Flores resolved to explore it, but, with their usual instability of purpose, abandoned the idea at the end of a few days.
The soil of Peten is very fertile. It produces two crops
of maize in a year, yielding not less than two hundred per
cent., and that without any manuring of the soil. Besides
the common rnaiz bianco, or white maize, which may be
planted from March to May, and gathered within ninety days
after, the people cultivate another and still more precocious variety, which matures at the end of seven weeks after planting. Cacao, of excellent quality, grows spontaneously in the
forests of Peten, but is most abundant in the neighborhood of
San Luis. Tobacco, of a very aromatic variety, flourishes
exuberantly in the very streets of Flores. Coffee produces
the first year after planting. Vanilla and Tabasco pepper
abound in the forest and fill it with their perfume. Gum
copal, the naba, lignumvitae, dye-woods of many kinds, sarsaparilla, and a multitude of other productions, of wBich the
seeds, bark and roots furnish articles of utility and commerce,
are abundant all ovor the district. The cattle, pastured during the w^hole year in luxuriant and ever-green savannas, are
with justice highly prized in Belize. The colonial government well appreciated Peten in this respect, and established
here many large cattle haciendas, which gave the country a
much higher prosperity than it now has, since this branch of
industry has been suffered to decline. Beef was then cheap
and abundant, while milk, butter and cheese, which are now
considered great luxuries, were in common use, and numbered among the necessities of the people. The horses of the
district were also much valued, particularly for the supposed
peculiar hardness of their hoofs, which rendered shoeing them

ROUTES

OF

COMMUNICATION.

225

unnecessary. The truly national wealth thus developed for
the common good, on the separation of the colonies from
Spain, became the prey of a small number of grasping speculators, acting under the authority of the new government,
which affected to succeed to all the rights and properties of
the old; and in their hands these great herds of cattle, created
with so much care, were rapidly dissipated and consumed.
The present generation has not yet become reconciled to the
loss, and there is little doubt that they would be glad to exchange their present liberties for the flourishing dependence
of former days.
Peten, although occupying an isolated position, is nevertheless traversed by four great lines of communication, which,
starting from Flores as a centre, run nearly in the direction of
the four cardinal points, as follows: to Yucatan on the north,
the distance to Merida being one hundred and sixty-three
leagues; to Belize, on the east, distance forty-four leagues;
to Guatemala, on the south, distance one hundred and fiftysix leagues, and to Tabasco on the west, the distance to Campeachy being one hundred and thirty-eight leagues. A few
observations on these various routes may, perhaps, be acceptable to future travellers. That to Yucatan is less solitary,
and freer from forests than that to Campeachy, by which I
reached Flores. During the first week the traveller passes
through solitudes almost destitute of water. On the seventh
day he reaches the village of Conception, after which inhabited
places succeed each other, at short intervals, all the way to
Merida. In this direction, the territory of Peten is projected
in the form of an acute triangle far into the heart of Yucatan,
the last hamlet, Nohbecan, under the authority of Guatemala
in that direction, being ten days' journey from Flores, and
only six from Campeachy. This anomaly, so unfavorable to
the good administration and territorial integrity of the two
countries, can only be explained by supposing that this region
10*

226

PETEN.

was under the domination of the Itzaes, to whose rights Guatemala succeeded.
Thirty-five years ago some inhabitants of Peten, journeying
towards the east, on the course of the Mopan river, were
one day greatly astonished on unexpectedly discovering, in the
direction of the sea, a city of which they had never before
heard. It was the English colony of Belize. They returned
to Flores, gave an account of their discovery, and the local
administration, thinking it might be turned to profit, undertook to open a route of communication between the two settlements.* The English did not meet their advances with
great warmth; they had no very exalted opinion of the
marimba, and felt but little sympathy for a population
which produced little, and consumed less. Their opinion has
not yet materially changed, and they have manifested the
same indifference in respect of the improvements made by the
people of Peten in opening a new road leading to their establishment, which shortens the journey by three days, as compared with that which was first pursued. They pretend
that the inhabitants of Peten only go down for the purpose of
overreaching them, and that in matters of sale or exchange
they forget that there should be reciprocity and good faith.
I cannot affirm that these charges are unfounded; the traits
which they imply are perfectly in keeping with the character
of a people having all the instability of children, who are far
from possessing a well-balanced intelligence, and who are,
moreover, without fixed principles.
The old road to Belize follows the course of the river
Mopan towards the north; the new one cuts directly across
the forest, towards the east. After six days of foot-travel,
* The existence of Belize was not always a mystery at Peten, for the
Spanish government, toward the middle of the last century, concentrated
here a large force for an attack on the English colony. The succeeding generations, however, had lost all remembrance of the place; at least so I have
been assured.

ROUTE

TO

BELIZE.

227

the first banco (it is thus that the Spaniards designate the
English stations on the banks of the Mopan) is reached.
From thence canoes are taken, and the voyage is completed
in ten days.
If the reader will look at his map, he will find that, hydrographically, Belize is admirably situated. From the point
where the Mopan ceases to be navigable, it is but three days
journey to the San Pedro river. In the interval no serious
obstacle occurs, and it is most probable that a careful reconnaissance of the lakes would lead to some discovery favorable
to the union of the two bodies of water. It is thus that the
Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of Honduras could be united by
an almost continuous system of navigation. True, the solitude of the intermediate regions, which are entirely uninhabited, greatly lessens all present interest in any system of
intercommunication which may be projected at this point.
The nature of the road to Guatemala will appear as we
proceed; it is only necessary to mention here that it is both
longer and more difficult than the others.
From what has been said, it will be seen that, taking
whatever direction we may from Peten, it is indispensable to
traverse a wilderness of greater or less extent before reaching
an inhabited region of country. This circumstance, independent of the bad state of its interior roads, must limit the
development of the district for a long period, and almost
effectually prevent any considerable export of its productions
towards the north, the direction which they would naturally
be apt to take, as well on account of the extent of the markets in that direction as their comparative contiguity. The
route to Guatemala is utterly unavailable for commerce. There
seems to be, in fact, but one outlet to the country, that in the
direction of Belize—unless, indeed, the unexplored region to
the south-west conceals some readier means of communication
with Isabal or the Bay of Honduras. By establishing a few

228

PETEN.

villages along the now lonely road to Mopan, the government
would do much to withdraw Peten from its present stagnant
seclusion, develop its resources, and augment its population.
It may be added that the resources of the district would,
no doubt, meet with proper appreciation, if better known. The
Rio San Pedro, also, is worthy of attention, not only as connected with the interests of Peten, but also with those of Tabasco. If it be true that, at twelve leagues from Sacluc, and
at only three leagues from the Lake of Itza, this river is navigable, then nature herself has prepared the way for the union
of the two districts. True, these considerations can inspire but
little interest in Europe; the region is too far distant and the
object to be attained relatively too insignificant. I hope, however, that the reader will not reproach me for having devoted
a few lines to speculations on the future of this little corner
of the globe, if only as some sort of return for the hospitality
which I received there.
The district of Peten is dry, and enjoys the most salubrious climate of all those portions of Central America which
the Spaniards have classed under the general head of tierras
calientes. Yet the people are periodically affected, when the
rainy season comes on, with dysentery and other inflammatory
maladies of a similar character. These affections at first are
generally very slight, but through ignorance and want of proper
care they frequently terminate fatally. There is no physician
nor apothecary in the whole district. The inhabitants are
forced to prescribe for themselves. They administer ipecac
for the diarrhea, and if this does not relieve the patient, he
takes spirits of nitre in tamarind water. Indigestion is cured
by an emollient and mucilaginous liniment prepared from the
leaves of the cactus. Sulphate of quinine is" used in cases of
intermittent fever: which are most frequent in March and
April, when the drouth has reduced the rivers to their lowest
level; bat this medicine is difficult to procure. These are the

LOCAL

D I S E A S E S.

229

principal diseases of the country. Some few contagious maladies have been introduced from Belize, but the people of
Peten innocently attribute them to every cause except the real
one. During my sojourn here I was frequently consulted by
invalids, particularly by those in the latter category, and although I. was not so fortunate as to effect a single cure, still I
soon acquired the reputation of an excellent physician.*
* There is one fact not generally known, namely, that inflammatory maldies are less frequent under the tropics than those which proceed from debility
of the organs, or suspension of the natural functions of the system. Under
the continuous heat, the cellular tissue, the basis of the animal functions, becomes relaxed, and loses a great part of its contractile power, whence results,
among other phenomena, a deficiency of lymphatic circulation {circulation lymphatique), especially in the extremities of the members. Hence the difficulty
of healing wounds or bruises in those parts of the person. And while the
muscular energy of the system becomes enfeebled, the nervous apparatus, on
the other hand, acquires a singular irritability. The slightest wounds are
excessively painful, and their tendency is towards tetanus, which seems to be
without a remedy.
Dysentery, in Guatemala, is almost always preceded by a suspension
of perspiration; the vital forces are turned from the skin to the part
affected. In the opinion of the native physicians the liver is the general
seat of the disease, and hence they seek to reach that organ through vomits
and special medicines. It is needless to say that in a climate where
health depends chiefly on the proper discharge of the functions of the skin,
strangers should not neglect to protect the person from sudden variations of
temperature.
I did not observe any cases of goitre in Peten, nor anywhere on the Atlantic side of the continent; but this affection is endemic in certain localities
near the Pacific. It seems to be hereditary, and is common to all races,
white and dark, and frequently develops itself in forms more monstrous than
in the Alps and Pyrenees, and, as well as there, is often complicated with,
cretanism. Spread over the burning plains of Nicaragua, and found equally
on the heights of Los Altos, this disease ridicules all the systems that have
been propounded as to its origin. It is pretended that the sea air has a good
effect on the goitre, and cases are cited of its having been entirely cured in
the course of long voyages. Without opposing this notion, I feel inclined to
assign the cure to change of air and climate, the best of all remedies, whea
the affection is not too deeply seated.
Sores, under the tropics, especially when they occur on the inferior mem»

230

PETEN.

Of course, in a little community lost in a desert, great advancement is not to be expected in the arts and sciences.
Reading, writing, and the first three rules in arithmetic comprise the extent of the instruction to be acquired in Flores.
The schoolmaster receives monthly, for each pupil, the modest
sum of a rial and a half (about eighteen cents), one third of
which is paid by the family of the scholar, and the remainder
from the public fund. There are schools in every village in
the district, but the Indians obstinately refuse to permit their
children to attend them. No stimulant can induce them to
cultivate their intelligence, not even the natural desire to free
themselves from the dominion of the whites, by acquiring the
scanty information which the government requires of its mubers, require prompt and particular attention. I may cite my own experience,
in which a mere scratch became, through neglect, a serious wound, very nearly
costing me my life. It resolved itself into an indurated ulcer, deep and exceedingly painful, and wide-spread gangrene was rapidly setting in, when
Providence sent me a remedy in the unguent called basilicon, which a friend
in Flores had accidentally brought with him from Belize. I may add here,
for the benefit of persons proposing to travel under the tropics, the composition of an ointment employed with great success in Havana to cure wounds,
namely; beeswax, four parts; turpentine of Venice, one part; alum one-eighth
part; powdered camphor, a ninth part. The wax and turpentine should be
melted together in a sand bath or over a gentle fire, and the alum and camphor added, the whole to be stirred rapidly until it forms a homogenous mass.
The ointment thus prepared, when used, should be melted and dropped in the
wound, which should then be covered with a bandage, to be renewed every
three days.
In respect of the bites of venomous serpents, I advise the use of active
caustics, such as concentrated sulphuric and nitric acids, or better still, chloride
of antimony, which acts more rapidly, but requires to be used with greater
precaution, since it is decomposed by contact with the blood. The venom of
the jararaca, or nahayuca, of which I have spoken elsewhere, is singularly
active. "When its fangs have penetrated the skin, it is rare that the patient
survives beyond a few hours. If they happen to have touched any notable
part of the nervous system, death may be expected within from ten to twenty
minutes. The traveller in these countries, therefore, should always have at
hand the most energetic remedies against accidents from this cause, which
should be applied with the utmost promptitude.

EDUCATION,

FOOD,

ETC.

231

nicipal functionaries. The entire population is, therefore, in
a state of almost incredible ignorance; they are hardly possessed of sufficient intelligence to avail themselves in the most
limited manner of the gifts of nature. Tobacco, for instance,
is not exported, although of superior quality, but it is consumed here without the least preparation, just as it is gathered.
The vanilla vainly wastes its perfume in the forests ; it is allowed to rot on its stem. Although possessed of excellent
cacao, the people drink a shocking and indescribable beverage ;
and although the soil is fertile in the extreme, fruits and vegetables are very rare. To make up for the want of vegetables,
where the taste for sweetmeats is universal, they preserve the
tomato, the fleshy flower of the plumiera, bread, and even
eggs. The latter is a much esteemed preparation, of which,
however, I neglected to procure the recipe. Since the discovery of Belize, wheaten flour has been introduced, and is
much liked in Flores. The people make bread of it, or rather
a kind of cake, which is usually eaten with chocolate. The
tortilla of maize is, however, the principal article of food
throughout the tierras calientes.
When the last census was taken (in 1839) the population
of Peten was 6,327, disseminated over a surface of nearly
2,280 square leagues. These figures give only a little over
two inhabitants to the square league. In other words, it proves
that the country is almost a desert, and that it occupies the
lowest place, in respect of population, among the provinces
of the republic. The Indians preponderate here numerically,
as well as in Yucatan, and their character, as well as the
natural productions of the district, strengthen the resemblance
which I have before alluded to as existing between the two
countries.
Wild beasts are not abundant in the forests of the district,
excepting towards the east, where an occasional jaguar is
found. On the other hand, ruminating animals are numer-

232

PET EN.

ous, as may well be supposed in a country alternating with
woods and prairies, where the grass is renewed several times
during the year, and where, furthermore, they have but few
enemies to encounter. The Itzaes, by a strange superstition
which tells well for their morals, associated these quadrupeds
with their worship of Divinity, and never permitted them to
be molested. When the conquerors for the first time penetrated into the solitudes of Peten, the deer were so tame that
the cavaliers were enabled to capture them without an effort.^
They require to be hunted more adroitly now, and the skill
requisite to shoot them is in itself no small accomplishment.
There are three different species of deer in Peten, the
largest of which is called by the people ciervo. I saw but one
female, which greatly resembled the cervus mexicanus of
Linnaeus. I remarked, on dissecting this doe, that she had a
kernel concealed beneath the skin, in the middle of the breast,
in which was secreted a sebaceous, inodorous matter, of a
greenish brown, the utility of which is unknown to me. The
second species is a deer of the brocket family, which the Indians designate under the name of puusnac. The third and
last species, which, however, I never saw, is said to be smaller
than the others. It is called by the Creoles cobra monte, and
by the Indians chacyuc.
The tapir (danta), which lives quite alone in the solitudes
of the forest, and the peccary (jalabi) which frequents the
swampy regions, represent, in the central parts of the new
world, the pachyderms of the other continent. The habits of
these animals, which I remarked for the first time in Peten,
and the peculiarities of their organization are doubtless familiar to all my readers.
A kind of rabbit, differing slightly from our own, the ar* " Yen do por aquellos campos rasos, avia tantos de venados y corrian
tan poco, que luego los alcan cavamos a cavallo y se mataron sobre viente."
—Bernal Diaz, c. clxxix.

WILD

ANIMALS.

233

madillo and the agouti (pieseco) dreaded by the farmers, who
cannot protect their crops from the incursions, of these animals, complete the list of the most important mammifers
which I found or heard mentioned in the country. 'The armadillo of Peten lives upon fruits and roots, in the depths of
the forests, where he burrows in the • earth. He is hunted
with dogs, or is smoked out of his retreat. He is highly
esteemed as an article of food; his flesh is sweet and tender,
and his back is covered with a layer of delicate, unctuous fat.
The hunters roast the armadillos in their shell or armor, after
having split them open longitudinally. They preserve the fat
for burnishing their arms. I t is highly prized in Peten.
I must dwell upon the peculiarities of the geomys mexica?is a strange variety of rodent, first discovered, as its name
would indicate, in Mexico.* The geomys is a compact animal of a reddish brown color, about the size of a large rat,
and somewhat resembling the mole. It has a conically shaped,
depressed head, with small eyes, and is rendered very unpleasing to the sight by great cheek pouches. Its cylindrically shaped body is covered with long, thin, stiff hair, and
terminates in a little, bare tail. Enormous projecting teeth cover the aperture of its mouth, and its feet are provided with long
conically shaped nails. • Altogether it is a most revolting animal in appearance, and its habits are quite in harmony with
its looks. The play of the incisors in this rodent is entirely
exterior to the lips; they are only useful in cutting roots,
as their situation and shape would indicate. Vegetable substances, after being introduced into the animal's mouth, are
masticated by the molars. The geomys, called tuza in P e ten, lives underground, in the bananna and sugar-cane plan* The geom. mexicans was first described by M. Brants in 1827 after a
specimen existing in the Museum at Berlin. It is the tucan of Hernandez
{Hist. Anim. Novce Hispanice.) There are eight different varieties of this animal
to be found between Hudson's Bay and the centre of Guatemala.

284

PETEN.

tations, where they often commit sad havoc. The inhabitants
are extremely fond of them as articles of food, but I never
found them palatable. The three specimens which I obtained
differ materially from each other. The body of the first is
uniform in its color; the bodies of the two others are marked
with a transverse white band, which runs across the upper part
of the one, and the lower part of the other.
The forests of Peten appear to be richer in gallinae than
those of Yucatan. The lakes, on the contrary, of great depth
and without water grasses, do not attract such swarms of
aquatic birds as the swamps of the sea shore. I must mention among the grallic or long-legged family, a very small
heron {ardea exilis, Gmel.) which I kept for some weeks, and
which greatly amused me with its belligerent demonstrations.
As soon as any one- approached the dark corner in the house
which it had appropriated to itself, the little creature assumed
a hostile attitude. With both wings outspread, its neck contracted, and with eyes glaring upon the intruder, it swayed its
little body to and fro as if to intimidate the intruder; then
its long neck would spring suddenly forward, and it would
endeavor to strike the disturber of its quiet unawares with its
bill. I set it at liberty on leaving Flores. Two kinds of
swallows (h. purpurea L., and leucoptera, Gmel.) build their
nests in the islands. They emigrate in October, at the first
breath of the north winds, and return it is said about the end
of January. Among the indigenous humming-birds, I must
mention the orn. Devillei of Bourc, a species rather rare, but
by no means remarkable, several specimens of which I obtained
in the gardens of the village.
The family of reptiles offered me a larger field for discovery. In fact, quite a number of new, or hitherto undescribed
species were the fruits of my investigations. I may mention
the alligator of the Lake of Itza, the crested corythophane
and the banded basilisk, as among the most interesting. The

RE P T I L E S .

235

first is a true crocodile, possessing all the characteristics of
the species.* It attains a great length. We caught one
measuring at least five yards, but the line broke before we
were able to drag it to the shore. The eggs of this reptile
are not larger than those of the tame duck, which they resemble in their cylindrical shape. They exhale a strong odor
of musk, which renders them, as well as the flesh of the reptile,
unfit for food. I do not think this species confined to the
Lake of Itza; it appears to me to be the same with that frequenting the Usumasinta, and the neighboring lakes. I cannot, however, state this as a fact, not having had the opportunity of determining their identity.
The crested corythophane (C. C?*istatus of Boie) is a
singular lizard, much resembling the chameleon in shape and
habits. I had the honor of fixing the habitat of this reptile
for the first time. The few specimens which were known had
been discolored by alcohol. .1 remarked that the color of this
reptile varied in hue, not like that of the chameleon under the
influence of excitement, but like that of certain batrachians,
according to the intensity of the light. In the dark forests,
where I found several, they were of a uniform brown color,
with a few dark spots here and there, which were scarcely perceptible. Later, on being exposed to the light, they assumed
a greenish grey color, which became lighter and lighter towards
the abdomen, which was white. I observed that every evening, at sunset, they resumed their original hue, which did not
entirely change again before ten o'clock in the morning. Like
the chameleon, they are very* slow in movement, and often repose motionless for hours. They are however capable of strong
* The head of the crocodile is longer and less obtuse at the end than that
of the alligator. The denticulated crest, on the outer edge of its hind feet,
the membrane which unites its toes, the disposition of its tusks, which instead
of fitting into cavities in the upper jaw, run in simple creases—these constitute the principal differences between the two species.

236

PETEN.

excitement, for I have seen them spring up several inches
above the ground, to snap at children who teased them.
The banded basilisk (B. Vittalus of Wiegm.), in common
with the above mentioned reptile, belongs to the family of
iguanas. It is rarely to be met with in collections, for the
same uncertainty existed respecting its country and its color,
as concerning the corythophane. The body of this lizard is of
a greenish hue shading on blue, according to the direction of
the light, and it is speckled with small black spots. Its head
is brown, marked laterally with two white lines, extending
from its nose to the base of its neck. Its tail has violet rings,
and its abdomen is of a dead white. A skinny projection, slender and triangular, which rises vertically on the top of its
head, distinguishes the male from the female, and gives it a
very peculiar appearance. This lizard is the scourge of the
gardens of Flores, where it destroys quantities of fruit and
vegetables, particularly tomatoes, of which it is very fond. It
crawls up trees and walls with great agility. When it is captured, fear paralyzes and renders it motionless, but it soon
recovers sufficiently to take an offensive attitude, and it angrily
snaps at every object within reach.,
I have but little to say relative to the turtles of Peten,
where, notwithstanding, I found a species never previously
described, (the emys areolata of Dum.) Nor can I say much
concerning the numerous varieties of serpents found in the district, among which is the fearful jararaca, which the Indians
here call kancicib.
There are fifteen different binds of fish in the Lake of
Itza, which are almost without exception peculiar to it. It is
asserted, that at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards, they
were of larger size than at present; which fact was accounted
for in the following manner : the Indians who inhabited the
islands, not having near by any soil proper for burial purposes, used to dispose of their dead by throwing them into the

FISHES.

237

lake. The fishes profited by this circumstance, and feasted and
fattened on the corpses. I fancy, however, that the crocodiles
obtained the greater share ! The conquerors, informed of this
custom, conceived a great disgust for the fish of the lake, and
abstained for a long time from their use.* It would appear,
however, that the soldiers of Cortez had shown themselves less
fastidious a few years before, for we have their testimony to
the fact that they caught large numbers of these anthropophagous fishes, which they compared to insipid shad.f
I obtained a specimen of each of the different species. For
the most part they greatly resemble our perch, although they
have but one dorsal fin. The variety called bianco {cichla
sp.) is the largest and most highly esteemed. It is said to
attain a yard and a half in length, but I never saw one of this
size. The copetuda (chrornis sp.) is also considered of good
quality; it is easily recognized by its frontal prominence. I
may mention, among the most curious of these fishes, the little
chulchi, which is only about three inches in length. It is
extremely voracious, resembling the pike in this respect, yet
of a different species. Eels are also found, of a species allied
to the conger, which are sometimes two yards in length. The
flesh of all these fishes is dry, and during a portion of the year
far from savory. They only become delicate in flavor when
the rains have washed the vegetable debris and the ooze
from the neighboring hills into their domains. In general,
they have but few bones, like those of the ocean. They are
of brilliant colors, yellow and blue predominating. I was
* Villagutierre, lib. i., c. 2. This author relates that "from feeding on
the bodies thus thrown in the lake, the fish became very large, especially the
turtles; but, during the whole of their stay, the Spaniards would not touch
them, so disgusted were they with the nature of the food which produced
such plump and savory creatures." The Indian auxiliaries, however, who
accompanied the Spaniards, do not seem to have had any such scruples, for
they ate of them freely.
f Bernal Diaz, c. clxxix.

238

PETE N.

struck, when surveying them, with the independence manifested by tropical nature in its production of details. It may
be said that the generative forces, in regions near the equator,
are not subjected to such rigorous laws as those which shackle
them in our climate. Here the same species frequently changes
color several times. The bianco, for instance, now glistens
like a silver blade, and then assumes a beautiful orange hue.
The buul {chromis sp.) is of a dazzling yellow, shaded by
transverse bands of brown, or else is of a uniform salmon
color. It is marked by a blue spot, encircled by a white
rim, which occasionally makes its appearance at the root
of the tail. The tail of the phultas (anostoma?) has a
large rusty colored spot, an ornament, however, which is
confined to the males. Almost all the different species have
some marked peculiarity in color, while our fresh-water fish
are only of neutral tints, the effect of which is extremely
monotonous.
It now only remains for me to describe the invertebrae
and the insects, which, from their dazzling colors, their size,
and the singularity of their shapes, are well worthy the attention of naturalists. To this day I cannot avoid regretting the
loss, by damps during my illness, of the precious collection which
I had accumulated on my journey from Tenosique to Flores.
Among the few specimens which were saved I may mention
the inca Weberi, Latr., and the plusiotis auripes, Gr., a beautiful insect of malachite green on the back, and of a metallic
silver color under the belly. The great coleopteras of Guiana
and Tabasco, the giant prione, and numerous other varieties,
abound in the forests of this region. Besides these prodigious
insects, which powerfully impress the traveller, but which are
harmless, there swarm an infinite variety of the annoying insects of warm countries. A bug similar to ours haunts the
habitations of Flores; even the hammocks do not escape its
encroachments. They reach them by aid of the cords by

INSECTS.

239

which they are suspended. The meshes of the netting, if great
care be not taken, speedily become the seat of an incredibly
active propagation. The old walls and dark corners of the
houses, are the refuges of a flat insect of livid grey, revolting in
appearance, which belongs to the arachnidan family. The people call it kulim, and fear its bite, the danger of which they
greatly exaggerate. True, it produces a painful inflammation,
accompanied with fever, but it has no serious results. The
kulim rarely makes its appearance by daylight; it comes out
at night, like the bug, guided by the same instinct and by the
same inexplicable thirst for human blood. Lemon juice is considered to be the best antidote for the venom of this insect.^
Here we find the microscopic flea, known in Central America
under the name of nigua, which introduces itself beneath the
skin, particularly in the sole of the foot near the great toe,
where it deposits its eggs. The bag containing the eggs becomes, in a few days, of the size of a pea, and a dull annoying
pain succeeds to the itching which first betrays the presence
of the insect. It is then necessary to extract this bag before
* the eggs within are hatched, or the pores of the skin will
speedily be invaded by a host of animalculous tigers. The
wound is afterwards cicatrized by means of tobacco ashes.
The nlgua (pulex penetrans, L.) was introduced, it is said,
from Guatemala. Lately it has infested the English colony
of Belize.
I regret exceedingly my inability to add any information
to the knowledge which we possess concerning the. antiquities
of the country. It is not my fault that it so happens, for I
was not ignorant of the importance of this field of exploration.
It was at hand, and I had arranged every thing, during my
convalescence, for a complete reconnaissance of the country
* It is the argas talage described by M. G-uerin in the Revue Zoohgique of
July, 1849.

240

PETEN.

with reference to them. I was not deterred from carrying
out my good intentions by fear of danger, but rather from
dread of losing, by the rashness of a single day, the fruits of
a tedious recovery. When I left Flores, I was still very
weak, and walking was particularly injurious to me.
One must, like myself, have been threatened with gangrene, without possessing a single remedy, and without any
assistance at hand, in order to appreciate the fears which
paralyzed my exertions. I trembled at the mere idea of a
relapse, as one who has just escaped shipwreck, still hears
the roar of the ocean in his ears. Besides, the approach of
the bad season precluded the possibility of my extending my
stay near the lake, without seriously compromising the general
purpose of my travels. I felt deeply pained at leaving in
Peten the hopes which I had brought there with me, but I
resisted temptation. May some more fortunate traveller profit
by my hints, and fulfill the task which I had marked out, and
save from oblivion, if it be still time, the last vestiges of Maya
civilization in these regions.
At two days' journey toward the east, starting from the »
extremity of the lake, there is a second basin of water, of less
extent than the first, called Yax-Haa.
In this lake, on a
desert island, may be seen the ruins which an enlightened
observer, unfortunately lost to his country and the sciences
through the fury of civil war, described some twenty years
ago. A square tower of five stories, fifteen yards in height,
is the largest monument which now exists there.* There is,
* M. Morelet refers here to Colonel Juan Galindo, an officer of the old
republic of Central America, who visited the district of Peten in the year
1832, and has left some account of the monuments in Lake Yax-Haa. He
describes the lake as six miles in length, containing four small islands, one
high above the water, and covered with sculptured stones. On it is a square
tower of five stages or stories, something like that rising in the centre of the
palace at Palenque. The lowest story is twenty-two feet square, and each
superior one recedes two feet on every side, so that the fifth or superior story

ANCIENT

MONUMENTS.

241

on the southern bank of the lake, another and tolerably well
preserved edifice, the precise location of which is known only
to the Indians. They discovered it lately and quite accidentally, while repairing the road to Belize.
I was told that two days' journey from San Jose, in the
midst of the forest, in a south-easterly direction from that
village, are 'found three edifices, ornamented with sculptures
and great faces (cams grandes) in relief, similar to those on
the monuments of Palenque. No one, not even the corregidor, had ever heard them spoken of in Flores. It was by
mere chance that I became possessed of this interesting piece
of information. The Indians, as every one knows, are very
reserved in all matters relating to their former nationality.
Although these ruins were known to many among them, no
one had ever betrayed the secret of their existence. Their
chief was less scrupulous, and could not resist the golden appeal which I made to him for information, and ended by taking me into his confidence. After much circumlocution, I
obtained from him all the requisite information, and we concluded a formal treaty by the terms of which he contracted to
render the road to the monuments practicable, and to provide
me with guides and laborers, while I was to furnish the provisions, tools, and money for the payment of the men. Rumors concerning my intended visit, nevertheless, got noised
about the town, and I perceived, with regret, that a number
is but ten feet square. There appears to be neither entrance nor window in
any of the first four stages, but on the fifth stage are two low doors, one on
the western, the other on the eastern side, which a man can enter only on
his hands and knees. There is a flight of steps, seven feet broad, leading up
to the western opening. This upper story contains three inner apartments,
without roofs. The stones composing this structure^ Gralindo affirms are of
the same shape with those found at Palenque, but of larger si?e; and the
wfyole building is less corroded by time, and apparently of later date, than
the edifices of Palenque. But while wooden lintels have been found among
the ruins at the latter place, here they have entirely disappeared.—T.
11

242

PETEN.

of the inhabitants were seized with a sudden passion for
archaeology, and were preparing to accompany me. But
when my plans were frustrated by the circumstances I have
already alluded to, the golden dreams of my escort, who counted
upon the discovery of treasure, and were disposed to dispute
with me its possession, were rudely dispelled.
The ruins of which I have spoken, seem to be links in a
broken chain, extending in the direction of the Rio Hondo and
Bacalar. A careful study of them would probably shed some
light upon the migration of the Itzaes, and would complete the
researches which Messieurs Waldeck and Stephens began in
the peninsula of Yucatan. As to the island of Flores, a single
glance suffices to prove, circumscribed as it is as to space, that its
population must necessarily have been small, and that it could
never have been a very important establishment. No fragment of architecture or sculpture; no ruins worthy of consideration, among those covering the island, testify in favor of
the ancient edifices described by the chroniclers; and it is
problematical if the twenty-one adoratorios which they mention, were of such importance as we have been led to believe.
I must add that the clay figures which are from time to time
exhumed, are very rude and unshapely. I heard of but one
object of any value which had been found here ; it was a vase
of some hard and transparent composition, very carefully
wrought, the ornamentation of which seemed to have been
copied from that of the turtle or armadillo. It was sold for a
trifle to a muleteer of Tenosique, who in turn exchanged it for
a horse. Its value increased progressively, until, at last, it
reached Tabasco, where it fell into the hands of a merchant
of Jonuta.
As to the existence of a mysterious city, inhabited by the
Indians who still live in the centre of Peten, as they did of
old, pursuing all their ancient habits and practices—this is
a notion which niust take its plage among the fancies Qf the

ANTIQUITIES.

243

imagination. This tale originated in Yucatan, and travellers
in relating it, have given it far too great prominence.^ The
Indian villages of the district of Peten are small and squalid.
The inhabitants are subject to the laws of the country, and if
a few tribes escape from the Spanish jurisdiction, it is only at
the price of dispersion and poverty that they enjoy their independence.
My strength being somewhat restored, I began to make
preparations for departure. My collections, carefully embalmed, were only awaiting transportation to Belize. I felt
considerable reluctance in parting with them, and in exposing
the only practical results of my travels to chance and accident, but as they, had now become quite bulky, I found it
necessary to limit my amount of baggage. Morin spent several days in arranging and repairing our effects, and when all
our preparations were completed, I paid my farewell visit to
the corregidor, took leave of my acquaintances, and spent my
last night in Flores dreaming of the mysterious Alps which
rose blue and distant in the line of our path to Guatemala.
* Stephens's Incidents of Travel, etc., vol. ii., p. 194. The story told to Mr.
Stephens by the padre of Quiche, of a great aboriginal city, far off in the wilderness, on some unknown tributary of the Usumasinta, is no doubt justly
characterized by M. Morelet. There is no good reason for supposing that any
such city exists; but it is not improbable that a few towns of ordinary Indian
construction may be found in the more secluded districts. The notion of a
great city is nevertheless widely entertained, as well by the people of Guatemala and Chiapa, as by those of Yucatan. On the 3d of August, 1849, the
Secretary of the State of Chiapa addressed an official letter to the Prefect of
the Department of Chilon, stating that he had been informed that in the vicinity of San Carlos Nacarlan, beyond the Sierra de la Pimienta, a great city had
been discovered in the distance, with large edifices, and many cattle in it3
pastures; and that, although there appeared to be no road to it, yet that it
was supposed it could not be more than two days distant. He therefore ordered the Prefect to make all possible efforts to reach the city, and to report
the results to his office in San Christobal. As nothing further was ever heard
of the discovery, it may be presumed that the city was not found by the Prefect.—T.

VII.
T H E

H I L L S .

Departure from Flores—The gift of the corregidor—In the saddle once more—The Savannas—Junteccholol—Voices of the night—Morning mists—Early reminiscences—El
Julek—The corrosol palm—King of the forest—Eancho of Chal—Wayfarers—River
San Juan—Hacienda of Yax-he—Aspect of the country—Division of the waters—
Lack of historical interest in the country—Among the hills—The calabash—Detestable roads—Mahogany trees—Tierra fria—Town of Dolores—Historical episode—
Pine forests—Peculiar climate of Dolores—Temperature—Fishes and reptiles—
Singularities of the Indians—Their love of seclusion—Fruits—The avocate, or alligator pear—The fiora de la calentura—Scarcity of food—The travellers fare—•
Mules and their intelligence—More magnificent palms—Parasitic plants—River Machaquilan—Change in the aspect of the country—Great pines—Town of Poptun—
Storm—More bad roads—San Luis—The "governor"—The Indians—Their aversion
to agriculture—Excellent cacao—Annual religion—Justice in deshabille—Indian
oratory—Conchological achievements—Venomous reptiles—Rattlesnakes—Lizards—
A shock to popular prejudices.

THE day was just breaking, when the corregidor entered
my room with a pair of pistols in his hands. The face of the
worthy magistrate was grave in the extreme. "Good heavens!" I exclaimed, rising in my hammock, " is the island in
danger, Senor Corregidor, that you are up and armed at this
early hour ?". " No, no," he replied, with a melancholy smile,
"the island of Flores is not in danger; these pistols are for
your own use, and I beg that you will accept them." I declined, but he insisted, adding, "You are about to leave Yucatan ; the Indians whom you will meet with hereafter, are
half savages; take great care of yourself and be particularly
on your guard against the mixed population which hangs
around the outskirts of the villages, for it is made up of dangerous characters."
I gratefully thanked my excellent friend for his suggestions, and accepted the present. The pistols were precisely

248

THE

HILLS.

what I wanted; for after leaving Palenque, both Morin and
myself had made many but ineffectual efforts to procure a pair.
Three months later, a favorable opportunity presenting itself,
I returned the arms so generously given to me by the corregidor, with a message to the effect, that, for the future, they
would probably be more useful to him than to me.
The inhabitants of Flores have a lurking notion that no
one can leave their island without tears in his eyes and regret
in his heart. At the risk of being considered ungrateful, 1
am forced to admit that when I took my seat in the canoe which
was to bear me away, my eyes were innocent of moisture, and
my heart was full of joy. In my delight at leaving, I forgot
even to bestow a parting glance upon the village to which I
was bidding an eternal farewell!
When we had landed, and our baggage was packed on the
backs of our mules, I gave the corregidor a parting embrace,
and put spurs to my horse, anxious to enjoy to the fullest extent my renewed health and the liberty from which I had so
long been restrained. Never can I forget my first moments
of freedom. My feelings seemed to overflow; it was the wild
delight of the prisoner who escapes from his dungeon. I
felt that I had taken a fresh lease of life; and my new existence was full of the most delightful anticipations. Important
changes had taken place during my sojourn in Flores; the
rains had given new brilliancy and freshness to the vegetation.
The flowers which I had noticed on my arrival were now replaced by fruits. Never did Nature's beauties impress me so
forcibly; and I admired them, in their minutest details, with all
the enthusiasm of early childhood.
After a journey of five hours through a dense forest, we
arrived at the village of Santa Anna, just in time to get under
shelter before the afternoon storm came on. At this place commences what is called The Savannas, that is to say, an open
country, dotted over with clusters of trees and little wooded

JUNTECCHOLOL.

249

hills, but differing greatly from the dreary llanos of Mexico
and the monotonous pampas of La Plata. * Towards the end
of July, the date of our journey, these savannas are covered
with a beautiful carpet of grass, offering abundant pasturage for
numberless herds of cattle; but they were silent and unoccupied. Only a few deer watched us timidly from the edges
of the little clumps of forest, and an occasional starling or
busy fly-catcher were the sole representatives of the feathered world in the midst of all this natural beauty. I have
never seen in any part of the world a region of country which
seemed to offer greater attractions to man, or more abundant
resources for sustaining a large population; and I could
hardly reconcile myself to the fact that it was only one vast
solitude. Every moment I expected to hear the familiar bark
of some farmer's dog, or to see the smoke curl up from the
chimney of some picturesque cottage. But only one green
glade succeeded to another, and the hours passed by with
scarcely a sign or sound of life to diversify our journey or disturb the repose which seemed to rest on all things like a spell.
We passed our first night at the village of Junteccholol.
The rocky hills which surround it reminded me of Yucatan.
Here we again found the yucca, with its slender stem, and
recognized the thin and crooked branches of the haimatoxylon.
We saw also in the distance, towering high above the other
trees of the forest,'what our guides called oaks; but I did not
place much reliance on their statement, inasmuch as we were
in the very heart of the tierra caliente, in the zone of the
palm and the plantain.
Hospitality was extended to us in Junteccholol with the
* In Centra] America, the country is generally classified under three principal designations: Serrania, mountainous; Monte, wooded; Sabana, savanna
or prairie land. Much confusion has occurred among geographers and oth«
ers but slightly acquainted with the Spanish language, by translating monte.,
mountain.

250

TH E

HILLS.

patriarchal simplicity peculiar to poor and isolated settlements,
It consisted of fire, water, fodder for our animals, a little
ground maize, and shelter for the night. This was doubtless
much, but still hardly equal to our requirements; for we had
need of rest, and this we failed to obtain. The domicil assigned to us was already occupied by several other guests, not
to speak of numerous huge toads, wThich lurked in obscure
corners. We saw, also, with consternation, a swarm of roaches
take fright on our entrance, and disappear in the crevices of
the walls. - But hardly was the light extinguished when we
heard them sally forth again, reinforced by numberless nocturnal allies, in a joint foray on whatever they might encounter
capable of satisfying their voracity. And still further to irritate our uneasy nerves, the tree-toads which infest the neighboring savanna, and secrete themselves in the thatch of the houses,
also struck up a diabolical concert, which was kept up until
daybreak, to the utter murder of sleep. I joined with Morin
in exclamations of astonishment that a noise so powerful could
by any possibility proceed from a creature so insignificant in
size.*
The necessity of being surrounded by so many offensive
animals and noxious insects, which, not content with sharing
your bed and mingling in your food, invade your person and
prey on your flesh, it must be admitted, detracts somewhat
from the poetry of tropical adventure. Nevertheless, after a
few restless nights, and the exhalation of a thousand maledictions, the imagination of the traveller becomes calmed, and
his nerves quieted. Sheer weariness finally induces sleep, and
* This is doubtless the same variety of toad referred to by the Licenciado
Palacio in his letter to the King of Spain (1576), giving an account of the
Province of Izalco, in the ancient kingdom of Guatemala. He says: " There
is here a kind of toad, smaller than a frog, which mounts into the trees, and
might be taken for a bird. In the rainy season, it makes a fearful noise, like
that of a calf, and so loud that I could not have believed it possible, unless
I had myself heard the animal."—Carta al Eey, etc., p. 51.

A

FOG.

251

habit, which reconciles us to every discomfort, at last makes us
.stoical.
I was up early, and hurried out of our hut to cool my
fevered forehead in the morning air. What was my surprise,
on opening the door, to find the village enshrouded in a dense,
milky fog, only comparable with that which we occasionally
experience in the late autumn time, in our own country. I
could hear the lowing of cattle and the voices of men, preternaturally near and distinct, without being able to make out
their forms. It was a reminder of home—of the village of
my birth, and the rustic experiences of my youth. Singularly enough, the suggestions afforded by my adventures in
these wilds were never of things recent, or connected with my
mature years, but always of childhood. Was it because my
spirits had been rejuvenated by association with nature in her
simplicity and truth, and that the artificialities and conventionalisms of maturer years had given way before her holier
teachings ? At any rate, the picture of my early home rose
before me with all the distinctness of reality. The illusion
was so complete, that for the moment no effort could dispel it. I
could see the little bridge, the pointed church, with the swallows swarming around its turrets, and distinctly hear the distant shout of the herdsmen, and the sharp crack of the wagoner's whip.
But Morin's proffer of coffee, and the announcement that
the mules were saddled and ready for a start, finally roused
me from my reverie, which I shall ever remember as a curious psychological incident in my experience.
We breakfasted at a little cattle farm called el Julek.
Two leagues beyond this point, we left the savannas and
again entered the forests. Here nature resumed her tropical
dress, and all the resemblances with Europe disappeared from
the surrounding country. Myriads of the coyol palm trees,
the branches of which are sometimes fifty feet in length,

252

THE

HILLS.

formed delightful arcades above the road. No description
can convey an idea of the fantastic vegetation which here, at
every step, drew from our lips an exclamation of surprise or
admiration. The cocos butyracea, which flourished luxuriantly
around us, here bears the name of corossol. An oleaginous substance is extracted from its nut which is used in the manufacture of soap. Children delight in the sweet pulp which covers
the nut, as well as in the almond which it contains. If the palm
of Cuba, in virtue of its erect and lofty stem and majestic
beauty, merits the designation of " Queen of Palms," this
variety of the same family, from its vigorous growth, wide
development, and imperial crown, is certainly entitled to that
of the " King of Palms."
We stopped for the night at the rancho Chal, so called from
a river of the same name in its vicinity. Here we found two
parties of travellers, one from Belize, the other from Dolores,
who kept up an infinitely confused conversation about their
respective adventures, the obstacles which they had overcome,
and the various accidents that had befallen them. "When such
parties meet, their first and mutual inquiry is, " Que tal es
el camino?" How's the road? This was duly propounded
to us, and in return for our information as to that which we
had passed over, we obtained theirs as to that which was
ahead. It was not much, but I observed that it seemed satisfactory to our guides.
Early on the following day, we crossed the river San
Juan,.a beautiful stream, flowing over a gravelly bed, and a
tributary of the Usumasinta. Here we turned off a little
from the direct road, in order to pass the night at the hacienda of Yax-M) belonging to our principal muleteer. This
is a well-known station on the road from Flores to Belize, and
the traveller's heart beats with joy when he descries it, a little white speck, glistening like a light-house, on the top of a
hill. From this point a perceptible change is felt in the dill*

LACK

OF

HISTORICAL

INTEREST.

253

mate. Although the ground is but slightly elevated, it is
nevertheless, sufficiently high to cause a remarkable division
of the waters. Immediately in front of the hacienda diverge
two streams, the Yax-he and the San Domingo; the first
named flows into the Usumasinta, and the second is a tributary of the Mopan. Neighbors, and almost twins at their
birth, they run in diametrically opposite directions, one falling into the Gulf of Mexico and the other into the Bay of
Honduras.
In order the better to judge of this phenomenon, and to
understand the configuration of the country, I ascended an
eminence near by our hacienda. From this point I perceived
numberless hills, which filled up the space like the waves of a
troubled sea. Towards the north and east, they were lost in
the masses of forests, but towards the south they were visible
as far as the eye could reach. In view of these grand solitudes, these nameless eminences scattered confusedly along the
route I was to pursue, I experienced an indescribable sensation
of pain, and felt the worthlessness of a country that is wanting
in history and the attractions of life and industry. This reflection had saddened me during my illness at Flores, which reading
a little work loaned to me by the curate. Under the title of
Tierra Santa, this book contained extracts from all the most
celebrated works relating to the Holy Land. While reading
it, I forgot America, and wandered with the travellers, whose
adventures it recounted, on the banks of Jordan, through the
green woods of Damascus, and among the ruins of Tyre and
Sodom. There the history of every hill, every stone, and
even of the smallest stream, has been written in every living
tongue. Until the volume was finished, it sustained a most
pleasing illusion ; but when I had closed it, and my thoughts
returned to the actualities around me, I found myself alone,
in the centre of a world without an intelligible past, and perceived that a powerful interest was wanting to my journey,

254

THE

HILLS.

For the first time I felt discouraged.
The magic of great
names, with which we are familiar from infancy, lends a wondrous charm to the steps of the traveller; he forgets his fatigue
on approaching celebrated places; the enthusiasm inspired
by his recollections animates him, colors his recital, and communicates itself to his readers.
But here there is nothing of the kind. Flores, Tenosique, even Palenque itself, and
a hundred other points which I might name, exercise little or
no influence on the imagination.
The annals of this distant
world are too casually united with our own ; and besides, what
do they really reveal to us through the mists of the ages
which preceded the Conquest? Only that man, emerging
from his savage state, had succeeded in his contest with nature,
in displacing her primitive rudeness in a few favored points,
without anywhere completely vindicating his supremacy.
I t was almost dark when I descended from the eminence
up which I had clambered, and it was with difficulty that I
found my way back to the hacienda, although it was close at
hand, and I had taken care to note its direction. I t is by no
means difficult to lose oneself in these solitudes, where the
view is constantly bounded by conical eminences, which are so
much alike as to be easily mistaken the one for the other.
Next morning we plunged into the labyrinth of hills which
I had descried from the hacienda of Yax-he.
Some were
entirely destitute of forest, and appeared like simple cones of
verdure; a few bristled all over with tall trees ; while others
were only wooded on their flanks, as with an irregular embroidery, or supported a crown of trees on their summits. In
the intermediate glades, a magnificent species of cocoa ( C .
aculeata, Plum.) towered above all the other trees. Its flowers
greatly resemble those of the lilac. The atmosphere here was
impregnated with the odor of decaying calabashes, which
is very like that of the quince.
Cattle eat this fruit
with avidity. But as its shell or ligneous covering is tough

BAD

ROADS.

255

and elastic, it sometimes happens that the animal, after getting
the fruit into its mouth, is equally unable to crush, swallow,
or eject it. Unless the herdsman is at hand to remove it, the
poor beast stands a chance of choking to death as a penalty
for its greediness. I may add, that the natives prepare a kind
of syrup from the pulp of the calabash, which has a high reputation as a cure for all kinds of bruises.
As we advanced, the country assumed a graver aspect.
The hills increased in height, and were covered with luxuriant
vegetation ; their outlines became less regular and more abrupt,
and the general configuration of the surface bore evidence to
violent convulsions of nature in days gone by. These peculiarities continued more and more marked until we entered the
great forest which extends to Dolores. The route, which, up
to this point, had been easy of travel, here changed its character, and the open, grassy glades gave place to a succession
of quagmires, into which our animals sank to their girths.
The horses of Peten are small, but full of agility and courage, and extricate themselves very adroitly from the mud and
mire. The muleteers gave themselves but little concern about
the state of the road ; yet as its condition was something new
to me, I felt considerably disconcerted. It seemed to me as
if it were impossible to proceed further. Nevertheless, as it
was impracticable to turn back and equally difficult to go on
foot, I consigned myself to the care of Providence, and gave
my horse a free rein. Before the day was over, however, my
opinion of the dangers and difficulties of the road was considerably modified for the better. But poor Morin was less
philosophical, and, I think, had it been left to his choice, he
would have decided in favor of canoe travel, with all of its
real dangers, to proceeding on horseback. But while laughing at his perplexity and terror, my horse suddenly struck
against a tree, his feet slipped from under him, and I was
thrown forward into the mud. And when, on my arrival at

256

THE

HILLS.

Dolores, I complained of the route to the governor, he consoled me by saying I had traversed it under rather favorable
circumstances, and that it was only in the months of September and October that it was really bad!
Unfortunately, we were a good deal troubled by the rains,
and this, with the circumstance that in travelling over such
bad roads our attention was almost constantly absorbed with
the precautions necessary to safety, prevented me from enjoying to the full the wonders of the vegetable kingdom in the
great forest through which we passed. In no other portion
of the world have I seen such fine mahogany trees, such majestic locusts, and so great a profusion of aromatic plants.
We immediately recognized the pepper myrtle by the whiteness of its bark, which curls up cylindrically like that of the
cinnamon tree. We also remarked a very tall tree yielding a
milky, yellowish sap, somewhat bitter to the taste, which is
said to be an infallible cure for wounds. It is called, at Peten,
leche Maria, and belongs, I think, to the family of laurels.
At every step, the obstacles of the route increased; we
ascended and descended alternately steep declivities rendered
slippery by the rain, but nothing as yet indicated proximity
to high mountains. I had fancied that the town of Dolores
must be situated on an eminence. It had been described to
me as intersected by running streams, with a foggy sky and
pine forests; it was not in the tropical zone, nor even the
temperate, but it was in a cold country, " tierra fria" to use
the words of the inhabitants of Flores. So I naturally expected to climb some high mountain before reaching it. But
as I could perceive nothing of this kind, I called to one of our
muleteers : " We have been travelling now eight hours," I
said, " and yet I cannot even catch a glimpse of the mountains !"
" T o what mountains does your worship refer?"
" Why, to those around Dolores, to be sure !" " Look about
you, seiior, for we are already at Dolores!" And soon we

D 0 LORES.

257

emerged from the forest, on a broad plain, sloping towards the
north, and covered with houses.
But before occupying the reader with the particulars of
the town of Dolores, one of the most important in the district,
it may be well to refer back for a moment to the incidents
connected with its foundation, in the year 1695. A t this
period a large portion of Vera Paz had already been reduced to
subjection. The Indians, who at first had made an obstinate
resistance, had gradually yielded to the adroit policy of the
Spaniards, of which they did not understand the tendency.
They willingly left the woods where fear had driven and retained them, to found villages, under the supervision of members of the religious orders ; but the country which extended to
the north of Cahabon, the provisional seat of the Dominicans,
and which comprised the district around Dolores and that of
the Itzaes, was then almost unknown. There resided the
Choles, the quarrelsome and ferocious Mopans, the Lacandones, and several obscure tribes of which history only furnishes the names. Some adventurous missionaries, at the
hazard of their lives, had ventured into these distant regions,
but all their efforts to convert the Indians had failed.
Nevertheless, the Audiencia of Guatemala, incited by the
suggestions of the crown, and strongly persuaded by the bishop,
at last decided to lend its aid to the missionaries. A small army
of recruits from Vera Paz was sent into the country of the
Lacandones. The motives which influenced this body of men
must have been powerful indeed, for the trials they underwent
were almost incredible. Every step in the dense forests cost
them infinite labor; every league which they accomplished
was a victory achieved at the price of almost superhuman
efforts. I could readily understand, in the course of my own
journey, the obstacles which nature had accumulated upon
their route. Many of them still .exist. They advanced for a
month without meeting with a human being. On Good F r i -

258

THE

HILLS.

day the guides who accompanied them discovered the im*
pressions of a naked foot on the ground. They followed the
tracks carefully, and a little further on found a tree which
had recently been cut down. On the day succeeding, they
discovered a path, and on the sixth day they came to a village
of a hundred huts, including three large edifices, one of which
was used for religious purposes by the Indians. It was subsequently ascertained that this village belonged to the Lacandones. The inhabitants had fled from it in such haste that
they had not even removed their furniture. Here were found
maize, cotton, weaving machines, hatchets and other utensils
of stone, besides many kinds of tamed birds. The Dominicans took possession of the temple in the name of Nuestra
Senora de los Dolores, in commemoration of the day when
the first traces of inhabitants had been met with. They constructed some defences, placed thirty soldiers on guard, and
the campaign being over, the Spanish general returned to
Vera Paz, leaving to the missionaries the task of completing
his work. The expedition had been conducted with great
moderation, and on this account the victory was unsullied by
any excesses.^
* M. Morelet is mistaken in supposing that the town of Dolores which he
visited is the same with that discovered by the Spaniards in 1695, and of
which he gives us the history. That Dolores was discovered by an expedition under the command of Captain Melchor Rodriguez Mazariegos, which
started from the town Gueguetenango, to the north-west of the city of Guatemala. Another expedition, under the lead of the President Barrios Leal,
started at the same time from Ocosingo in Chiapas, and a third, under Don
Diego de Yalasco, from Cajabon, in Vera Paz. The last-named officer alone
penetrated into the district traversed by M. Morelet. The operations of both
Barrios and Mazariegos were confined to the region far to the westward, on
the other side of the Lacantun river. From Gueguetenango the course of
Mazariegos was to the north-east. He left Istatan, the position of which, to
the north-east of Gueguetenango is still well known, on the 29th of February, 1695, and on the 9th of April reached the Indian town to which he
gave the name of Dolores, as recited by M. Morelet. Here he was joined

DOLORES.

259

Encouraged by this favorable commencement, the President of Guatemala resolved to follow up the advantages which
had been obtained over the Indians, by reducing Peten. Two
small armies were raised, which were to proceed from different
routes and to act in concert after having gained the enemy's
country. The first body of troops, having pursued the same
route as on the preceding year, arrived at Dolores without
meeting with any adventures, where the colony was found in
a prosperous condition. The Lacandones, on returning to
their dwellings, lived there as peaceably as before. The
priests praised their docility, baptized them, and taught them
their catechisms without the slightest opposition. After having recruited himself at this point, the head of the expedition
continued his journey to the villages of Mop and of Peta,
both of which have ceased to exist. They there learned that
the Itzaes were a considerable people, inhabiting the banks
and islands of a great lake. " After receiving this information," says the historian Juarros, " Captain Algayaga had
by Barrios on the 19th of the same month. They made some attempts to
advance further (to the north-east always) in the direction of the Lake of Itza,
but finally contented themselves with fortifying Dolores and leaving a garrison there. This was accordingly done, and Barrios returned to Guatemala.
In the year following, the attempt to reach the Lake of Itza was resumed
by an expedition under the command of Don Jacabo de Alcayaga. After
descending the Rio de la Pasion or Lacantun for seventy-five days without
ascertaining its precise position, he returned to Dolores, and gave up the
attempt. Soon after a Christian church was built in Dolores, and the Indians being quiet and docile, the town soon assumed a considerable importance. But the President Berrisope, alledging that the town was remote
from the Christian settlements, and could not be safely without a garrison,*
the support of which was attended with great cost, ordered that it should be
abandoned, and the population moved to another place, among the Christianized Indians. This was accordingly done, first to a point on the Antiquisuipa river, then to a place called San Ramon, and finally to Santa Catarina
de Retaluleu—the Santa Catarana or "Ixtlavican" of modern travellers.
The site of Dolores is now forgotten, but it was not within several hundred
miles of the place which bears that name in the district of Peten.—T.

200

THE

HILLS.

fifteen canoes built, and embarked in them on the great river
Lacantun or Usumasinta, in order to go in quest of the famous
Lake of Itza. But having sailed up and down the stream for
two months without finding it, or even gleaning any new information relative to it, he abandoned the enterprise and returned to Dolores."
General Amezquita, who commanded the second corps,
pursued a more direct course. After having traversed twentyfour leagues of forests, through a hostile country, he at last
reached the frontier of the Itzaes. It was then that Captain
Valasco, having extended his investigations to the banks of
the lake, was surprised by the Indians of Puc and Chata.
who massacred him and his soldiers to a man. After this
catastrophe the Spanish general, desirous of avoiding the
same fate, fell back upon Cahabon, from which point he informed the government of the results of his expedition. The
news of these reverses singularly abated the ardor of the members of the Audiencia of Guatemala. They held a council of
war, and decided, for the present, to take no further steps towards the conquest of the Itzaes. While they were thus temporizing, Don Martin de Ursua undertook to carry on the enterprise with his own resources, which he succeeded in doing,
as we have seen in a preceding chapter.
Forty years since there still existed, according* to Juarros,
on the confines of Peten and Vera Paz, small tribes of independent Lacandones, Choles, Acalaes, and Mopans. The
greater part of these Indians are now subject to the laws of
the republic, but the State has gained but little accession
thereby ; for their territory still wears the same uncultivated
aspect that it did in Ursua's day ; their roads have not been
improved, their wants have not become more numerous, and
consequently their commerce has not been advanced, nor has
their population increased. These Indians are undistinguished
by any marked peculiarities from other tribes of this region.

DOLORES.

261

and their very names would be forgotten did not the streams
of the country also bear the same designations, and thus recall their memory.
The town of Dolores has been the most prosperous of all
the other settlements in this district. Its original population
of four hundred souls has been increased to thirteen hundred.
The reminiscences of my sojourn here are among the most
pleasing of my entire journey. True, I had just recovered
my health, and the simple exercise of my physical faculties
was in itself a great source of enjoyment. But besides this
there were other reasons to account for my predilections in
favor of Dolores. I have visited few places so rich in nature's
varied productions ; and I believe that, with the possible exception of San Luis, Dolores is the most interesting point for
the naturalist in all Pet en. Its position might be compared with
that of Palenque were the horizon more extended ; but the surrounding forests limit the view, and render the analogy less
striking. Here the vegetable kingdom is enriched with novel
elements, which give a marked character to the landscape.
The eye, accustomed to tropical vegetation, gazes wonderingly
upon the great forests of pines which are found here. Let no
one imagine, however, that their presence always indicates a
temperate climate ; for the palm, the melastomas, and ligneous
grasses grow equally well under the same conditions. Conifers, like those of the Island of Pines, are really tropical
plants ; they abound in the warm valleys following the course
of the Mopan, and descend, on the southward, to the very
shores of Lake Yzabal.^ Dolores may, nevertheless, be
considered as the intermediate point between the burning
* These are probably of the same species which are found on the island
of Guanaja, called by Columbus the Isla de Pinas, when he arrived there oil
his fourth voyage. But this island, situated opposite Truxillo, in the Bay of
Honduras, twelve leagues from the main land, must not be confounded wit]s
the ancient Evangelist^ the Island of pines of our day.

262

THE

HILLS.

heat of the plain and the temperate atmosphere of the mountains.
The shade of the forests keeps the atmosphere saturated with
moisture, which at the close of each day becomes condensed in
mist. This phenomenon agreeably deceives the stranger, who,
when he sees the hills and the tops of the pines enveloped in
fog, immediately fancies himself in a fresh and salubrious region. After a hot day, the density of the vapor which settles
down on the land is so great, that at a distance of twenty-five
paces no object can be distinguished. This constant dampness is not altogether conducive to health. Children here are
very delicate, and few persons attain to a great age. Pulmonary complaints are common; and there is no point in the whole
extent of the tierra caliente where man's health is more in
jeopardy, particularly if he be a native of a sunnier clime.
The country is pestilential, particularly in the neighborhood of
water courses. The fertile, wooded plains, also, are full of
mould, and are the seats of low, bilious fevers. The dryer
regions are ravaged by diarrhoea, while the moderately elevated grounds, exposed to great variations of temperature, are
subject to the different forms of pneumonia. I found that the
thermometer, towards the end of July, ranged in Dolores from
57 to 73 degrees of Fahrenheit. At six in the morning, I
was shivering in my hammock from cold, while at midday, I
was completely overcome by the heat. Nevertheless, man
might in time accommodate himself in some measure to these
changes; but unfortunately he is too anxious to reap an immediate reward for his labors, and hence the plans of colonization which in our time have been attempted in tropical
America, have proved such melancholy failures.
Many streams rise in the hills of Dolores, and meander
from meadow to meadow, and finally unite in a single stream
that falls into the Rio Mopan. These waters are fresh and
cool compared with those of the lower savannas. They flow

INDIAN

TK A I T S .

263

over beds of gravel, and their murmur pleasantly salutes the
ear. I can readily comprehend the delight of the inhabitant
of Flores, when he leaves the burning shores of the lake, and
ascends to these relatively high and refreshing elevations.
The name of tierra fria, which he bestows upon them, explains his notions concerning them with more of emphasis than
truth. Doubtless, the climate of Dolores might be improved,
and the density of its fogs diminished, by thinning out the
forests; but this transformation might be productive of other
inconveniences. Besides, the retired position of the place has
its charms for the Indian, who does not like to cultivate the
soil in face of the world. Jealous of his independence, and
always concerned for the safety of what he possesses, he retreats
before civilization, and strives to conceal the results of his industry or skill in the heart of the forest. One sees with surprise that the lands around his villages are always uncultivated,
and wonders where are the fields whence he draws his supply
of provisions. These are often leagues away, in secluded and
unknown localities; and should their owner conceive that they
have in any degree diminished in fertility, or should he be disturbed in their possession, he does not hesitate to abandon
them, and seek out a new and more secure place for his plantation. This unsocial disposition of the Indians became more
and more manifest to us as we proceeded beyond Dolores, where
the country is almost exclusively peopled by the aborigines of
unmixed blood.
Among the productions of the running streams of Dolores
and its neighborhood is a small fish, a variety of carp, of a
delicate azure color. Its dorsal fin is beautifully indented,
almost transparent, and dotted with orange. The under lobe
of the tail is a bright yellow, striped with black, and is prolonged in a thread equal in length with the whole body. In
a word, it is equally remarkable for the singularity of its shape
and for the vivacity of its colors. Villagutierre mentions an-

264

THE

HILLS.

other fish, called chillan, in the Chole dialect. It still bears
this name at Dolores among the Indians; but the Spaniards,
who are not particular about names, call it sardina. It belongs to the salmonoides.
Transferring ourselves from the banks of the streams into
the damp and shaded gardens of Dolores, wre meet with a very
curious animal, the triton, which, before the period of my travels, was considered as the type of a peculiar species; but there
still existed doubts as to the existence of the organic characteristics attributed to it. The specimens wrhich I obtained,
while confirming the exactitude of former observations, definitively prove it to belong to the species of cedipus of Tschudi.
Like the salamander, this batracian is exceedingly slow in its
movements ; it walks by alternately moving one fore foot and
then the corresponding hind one.^
The country seemed to me to abound in fruit trees. Besides the sapote, the guava, the mamay, the cacao, and many
other less interesting trees, there is a species of anona called
by the Indians pochle, the fruit of which ripens in May, and
is more delicious in taste than any of those which I have yet
mentioned. We also saw some fine avocates growing wild in
the forests. This is a pulpy fruit, with a thin, smooth, leathery skin, of a green color, spotted with red, resembling much
the large pears of our own country. It contains a large
oval stone, which, when the fruit ripens, becomes loose and
rattles in its centre. It is then fit for eating. The pulp is
of a delicate coffee color, unctuous,.without odor, resembling
fresh butter, and is eaten with a spoon. Utterly unlike any
* The cedipus platydadylus frequently changes color, but in accordance
with a law which appeared to me to be general. At one time the animal appears ornamented with three bands of pale rose on a chocolate ground, more
or less interrupted, extending to the root of the tail. At another time the
chocolate color predominates, and the rose becomes secondary. The skin of
the animal is soft like satin.

DELICIOUS

FRUITS.

265

of our own, this fruit at first is rarely palatable to the stranger. He is apt to regard it as insipid ; nevertheless, to a
refined taste, it finally recommends itself, by its wonderfully
delicate, agreeable and peculiar flavor. At least I grew to
esteem it more highly than any other fruit of the country.
Dogs, and even the alligators are very fond of it, which probably accounts for the name of alligator pear which has been
bestowed upon it by the English. Its leaves are employed
medicinally by the natives.
During an excursion which I made from Dolores to the
source of the Mopan, in company with the governor of the
place, we met with another species of the avocate. It differed from that before described by the contraction of the part
nearest the stem, by its sharp conic base, by its thick, wrinkled
skin of a light green color, and by the tenacity with which the
skin adheres to the pulp. The Indians call this variety omtchon.
A third species grows in the forests of the high grounds
of Peten. We met with it in going from Dolores to Poptmi.
It is not as highly esteemed as the other varieties. It has a
very strong, peculiar flavor, from which it derives the name of
anison.
During our excursion, the governor mentioned to us a
flower called flor de la calentura, or fever flower, because it
gives out, at certain hours of the day, a sensible quantity of
caloric. Some thirty years since this remarkable characteristic was observed among various classes of plants at the moment of fecundation, but particularly in the caladium pinnatifidum. The discovery, however, was only made through
the aid of the most delicate instruments. The Indians made
the same discovery without having recourse to the thermometer, which shows that the phenomenon must have been sufficiently striking and remarkable to have arrested their attention
through the organs of touch. By the sad law of compensations,
12

2t>6

THE

HILLS.

death soon follows this acceleration of life in the flower of la
calentura. We searched among the myriads of parasitic plants
which here covered the tree trunks for a specimen of this extraordinary flower, but in vain.
We left Dolores without ever wearying of its wild picturesqueness, its pines, its fogs, and the wonderful air of peace and
quiet which is the predominant characteristic of the country.
The greater part of its inhabitants, who have never journeyed
out of sight of its green and waving tree tops, consider that
all the world is concentrated in this little tract of country;
they cannot conceive that there are lands where the bananna
does not grow, where man labors without being driven to do
so by necessity, where his wants are innumerable, his pleasures infinite, where study opens a great world to his intelligence, which it develops and fosters; but also where, as if
to compensate for all these advantages, his peace of soul and
heart are perilled and often lost. The total want of energy,
activity, and forethought, which I have already pointed out
as characterizing the people at Flores, applies to the inhabitants throughout all Peten. It is the land of forgetfulness
and indifference, but I am not prepared to say of happiness.
I mentioned in the preceding chapter the scarcity of grain
which occurred in the district at the time of my visit. This
circumstance hastened my departure from Dolores, for the resources of the place were diminishing daily. There are no
butchers in the Indian villages, and consequently no regular
supply of meats. The owners of cattle slaughter them only
when they are in want of money. When the animal is cut up,
the purchaser goes to the place and makes his selection of a
portion of the flesh, which is cut in strips, salted, and dried
in the sun. At Dolores, which has a population of over
thirteen hundred souls, two bullocks only are consumed in a
month. Unfortunately no cattle were killed during our so<

SAGACITY

OF

THE

MULE.

267

journ. Fowls and eggs were scarce, and there were few, if any,
vegetables. Different varieties of peppers, anotta, calabashes,
and a species of mint called yerba buena, were the only plants
which I saw cultivated for domestic purposes. We were reduced to the necessity of eating macaws, which we shot among
the neighboring pines, and the cabbages of the palm trees
brought to us from the forest. Poor Morin did his best with
these limited culinary materials. He varied his mode of
seasoning and preparing them, but all his efforts were in
vain; the vegetables preserved their bitterness of taste, and
the flesh of the birds, in spite of his care, was none the less
dry and stringy.
Towards the end of July we left Dolores, and set out,
under the escort of the governor, for the village of Poptun.
This journey furnished me with another opportunity for admiring the sagacity of the mule, and its cautious mode of
proceeding over bad roads. The mule never takes a single
step without first having, as it were, felt her way. She does
not mechanically follow the animal preceding her, and never
loses her " presence of mind" like the horse, which, in time
of danger, only thinks of escaping by the shortest path. On
the contrary, if the mule sees difficulties before her, she hesitates, halts and deliberates, then decides on her course, and
generally determines wisely. Preferring the borders of the
road, where she finds a firmer footing, she gives herself but
little uneasiness concerning her rider, who must himself avoid
striking against overhanging trees and projecting rocks. That
is none of her concern. " Every one for himself,'7 is her motto,
practically exemplified.
At noon we stopped to rest under the shadows of a forest
of palm trees, made up of many varieties. A species of
lycopode, with trailing stems, covered the ground with a
delicate velvet-like carpet. In the midst of this beautiful
verdure were hundreds of slender stipes, armed with thorns,

268

THE

HILLS.

from which depended quantities of the fruit, itself also covered with prickles. The corypha palm, with its rigid trunk,
towered majestically above all the others, which seemed to
bow to its superior height. Everywhere new stalks shot up
their leaves, which bent over our heads like gigantic parasols.
The governor of Dolores called our attention to the jalacte.
Its foliage resembles that of the reed, and its young bark, if
scratched with some sharp instrument, becomes black on exposure to the air. I t is said that a Spanish leader took advantage of this circumstance, when placed in a critical position,
by tracing on its bark with the point of his sword, the instructions to his followers which he desired should escape the
observation of his enemies.
Every object rivets the attention under these magnificent
domes of verdure; every object around the traveller awakens
the deepest interest in his breast. The myriads of parasitic
plants, which here meet under his eye, in the shadow of these
forests, are as brilliant and fragrant as if they had the full
enjoyment of sun and air.
The most remarkable among
them is an orchidse, the flower of which is shaped like a lily,
of the purest white, spotted with pink, which gives out a
strong odor of benjamin; (stanhopea.)
These fragrant emanations attract numberless butterflies, of graceful shapes, with
variegated wings as transparent as crystal, but nearly all of
the family of heliconides.
As we advanced through the forests we came upon enormous calcareous blocks, which looked like so many pedestals,
supporting sapote, laurel and mahogany trees of most imposing altitudes. I t was by this interesting and picturesque
route that we reached the banks of the Machaquilan river.
We were ignorant as to the practicability of the ford. Like
all rivers, taking their rise among the mountains, it often
swells suddenly, and in the course of a few hours becomes an
overwhelming torrent.
The traveller finds nothing but a

VARIETIES

OE

PINES.

269

ricketty raft on the banks, and he must either embark on it,
and trust himself to the mercy of the rushing waters, or else
encamp under some spreading tree and await patiently the
subsidence of the stream. Many persons have lost their lives
here; but we were not, however, obliged to risk our own, for
the river was at low stage, and quietly flowing in its natural
bed. The Machaquilan, and all the streams which succeed it,
flow into the Usumasinta, and no longer towards the Gulf of
Honduras.
As soon as we had crossed the river, the country began to
assume an entirely different aspect. We entered a new region, characterized by alternate clumps of pines and open
savannas. It was a broad, level plain, and the groups of
trees took various, but always beautiful forms. Sometimes
they formed pyramidal piles of verdure, and again they were
grouped together like gigantic bouquets. The pines were of
larger size than any we had yet encountered, frequently attaining a height of one hundred and fifty feet. They were,
in fact, the tallest which I found in America. The natives
recognize two varieties, both tri-foliate, but differing in color
and in the density of their wood; nevertheless, they are closely
allied in fruits and foliage, as well as in their general exterior characteristics. The wood of the pino colorado•, or red
pine, as indicated by its name, is reddish in color, dense, and
so full of resin that it is semi-transparent; while that of the
pino bianco, or white pine, is of a lighter yellow, with finer
fibres, more brittle, and less resinous. Both varieties differ
from the pines of Cuba; but, on the other hand, they closely
resemble those of the table lands of Mexico.
At a distance of half a league from Poptun, the savannas
increase in size, the hills become lower, and the clumps of trees
less numerous but more compact, and made up exclusively of
pines. Nothing now seems to conform with one's general
ideas of a tropical landscape ; the traveller fancies himself

270

THE

HILLS.

transported to the plains of the north-east of Europe, instead
of being in the very heart of America. It was evening before we caught sight of the white houses of Poptun. The
clouds were settling down darkly on the woods, and the fresh
breeze whistled through the trees, sounding like the ebbing
of the distant sea. This murmur fell pleasantly on my ear,
recalling memories of other days and other scenes.
Poptun can scarcely be called a village; it is only an
isolated settlement, occupying one of the most delightful sites
that I ever visited. Every day of our stay there, I ascended
at sundown a neighboring eminence to enjoy the deliciously
cool atmosphere. The view, perhaps, attracted me equally
with the breeze; for, from this height, the whole extent of the
plain could be seen, covered with groves of pines and conical green hills of perfect regularity. A quarter of a league
distant, was visible a great zone of hills, piled up towards the
north, while to the southward the tops of the pines undulated,
like an emerald sea, to the uttermost limits of the horizon.
The extent of the forest in this direction is not known,
but it is supposed that it falls away gently to the Gulf of
Honduras. I proposed to the governor of San Luis, of whom
I was the guest, to make an exploration of its recesses. At
first he was delighted with the idea; but when the time for
its execution arrived, he sought to discourage me by enumerating the thousand difficulties of the enterprise. This question
of the accessibility of the Bay of Honduras, by this route, is
by no means devoid of interest for the people of Peten, who
may some day find here the means of communication with the
sea, and an outlet for their productions, of which they stand
so much in need.
The climate of Poptun and that of Dolores are very similar. During the day the temperature is almost as high as anywhere under the torrid zone, while towards evening the air becomes cool and damp from the fogs. The soil is saturated with

STORM. — TREE

FERN.

271

water, which is found at the depth of six feet, and gives to
the prairies the brightness and freshness of perpetual youth.
The pines here grow rapidly, and during the first year attain
the height of a yard. But the maize, retarded in growth by
the dampness, does not ripen before the fifth month, and the
cane does not come to maturity until the tenth, instead of
the eighth month, which still farther explains the term, tierra
fria, by which this table land is known to the inhabitants of
the lower portions of the country.
We left this wild spot one gloomy morning, which presaged a dull and dreary day. Our host insisted on accompanying us. He silenced our polite objections by explaining that
he had business to attend to in San Luis; and he did, in fact,
make a good thing of his visit, for he took a cow with him,
which cost eight dollars,. and killed her there, realizing thirty
by the sale!
We had not proceeded far from Poptun, before we were
overtaken by an overwhelming storm. Our road ran through
a deep and rocky ravine, into which the water poured from
every side, while our ears were stunned by the peals of thunder, and our eyes blinded by the lightning. In the midst of
this wild commotion of the elements our mules took fright
and broke away, scattering our baggage in all directions. It
is impossible to conceive a scene of more fearful confusion, in
which our intelligence and strength were equally impotent
and unavailing. Fortunately the tempest was of short duration ; but it lasted long enough to fill the ravine nearly breast
deep with a turbulent stream of muddy water. I mention
this incident as an illustration of the experiences for which
the traveller in tropical America must always be prepared.
Emerging finally from the ravine, I was agreeably surprised in recognizing, among the dripping branches over our
heads, the delicate foliage of the arborescent or tree fern,
which now, for the first time, met my view. During the

272

THE

HILLS.

afternoon we travelled over a tract of low, marshy ground,
obstructed by bamboos, wThere we were vehemently assailed
by swarms of mosquitos; but finally, after eleven hours of
travel, wet and weary, we reached the village of San Luis, a
little before sunset.
" You see the country which I govern," said the corregidor, as we approached; "fortunately I am not obliged to reside in it." On an elevated piece of ground, broken by
ravines and covered with bushes, stood a cluster of squalid
huts. A few persons, seated on the ground near these
wretched dwellings, silently watched us as we passed. An
immense forest, in the form of an amphitheatre, surrounded
the village, and extended to the jagged line of the sierras
which bounded the horizon. Never had the forest worn to
me so stern an aspect. Toward the west, a narrow path, cut
through the vegetation, leading toward a depression in the
mountains, indicated the route to Guatemala. It was shaded by
palm trees, between which the rays of the setting sun streamed
in a golden shower. I comprehended, from the profound isolation and the wild character of the country, the regrets of the
governor on being obliged to exchange, for ever so brief a period, the breezy plains, the smiling hills, and sighing pines of
Poptun for this savage spot. The Indians of San Luis, however, do not appear to share his prejudices. Numerous efforts
have been made to get them to reside on lower and more cultivable grounds, where they might devote themselves profitably to
agriculture, but in vain. At Poptun they are subject to some
slight restraints, while in the midst of the forests of San Luis
no one watches their conduct, interferes with their tastes, or
attempts to control their actions. They get drunk at will, and
labor when they please ; in a word, they are perfectly unrestrained, and are happy, if we may judge from their cheerfulness and their disinclination for change.
I have observed that the Indians, when living apart, are

INDIANS

OF

SAN

LUIS.

273

much more cheerful than when mixing with the whites, whose
wants they soon acquire ; yet their moral enjoyments are very
limited, and those of their animal existence are extremely few.
The Indians of San Luis are scantily clad, scarcely sheltered
from the elements, and miserably fed, yet they are content.
They might raise cattle, but this would cost too great an effort. Maize and beans which only require to be planted, the
bananna which needs no cultivation, and the cabbage of the
palms which abound in the forests, constitute all their alimentary resources. Their commerce with the' district at large
consists of a small quantity of tobacco which they plant in
their mil-pas,* and the cacao which they gather in the forests.
The cacao trees rarely grow separately; the grains which escape the avidity of the Indians and the active beaks of the
parroquets,f germinate around the feet of old trees, and form
little plantations which belong to whoever finds them, by virtue
of discovery. This title is quite sufficient, and not only is
it respected, but the rights which it confers are handed down
from father to son through a series of generations. The cacao
of San Luis is very highly valued in Peten. When the season to gather it arrives, every one makes preparations for a
journey of from seven to eight days, as the case may be, to
these natural plantations in the forest. A t such times the Indians manifest great activity, and bring into play faculties and
resources unknown to the white man.
Once a year, the curate from Dolores comes to San Luis
to say mass, baptize the children, and to consecrate the unions
which have been formed in the interval. The pastor's indul* Fields prepared for the cultivation of maize.
f The parroquets are extremely fond of the seeds or beans of the cacao.
Among the documents relative to the conquest of Mexico, will be found the
curious complaints of the chiefs of Atitlan (Guatemala) to the king, enumerating, among other grievances, that for want of slaves to watch over their
plantations, their harvest of cacao had been devoured by parrots.—TerneauxCompans, Mem. Orig.} p. 423.
12*

274

THE

HILLS.

gence is always proportionate to the difficulties of the case.
As to the Indians themselves, they attach little importance
to the sacrament, and care only for the ceremony of marriage
in its simplest form.
We suffered much in San Luis from its peculiar climate,
which is strangely made up of heat and moisture. The atmosphere is heavy, stagnant, and saturated with miasma,
which the constitution of a stranger cannot long resist.
We were lodged in the cabildo, or house of the municipality, a wretched hovel, which we were obliged to share with
a dozen half-naked Indians, who were often drunk, and always
noisy. We learned from them that they were for the time
being in the public employ, and represented the figurative
sword of justice, during the visit of the governor, who holds
its scales. As this magistrate rarely comes to San Luis, his
time while there is quite as much taken up as is that of the
curate. From morning until night, seated between his two
alcaldes, his face wore the conventional gravity appropriate to
a judge, and he pronounced his judgments with an emphasis
and solemnity that would do credit to the highest tribunals of
the world. His Indian acolytes, meanwhile, neither moved
nor spoke, but held their great silver-headed canes, their insignia of office, to their noses as steadily and firmly as if they
had been cast in bronze, and the executors of the law, or " the
public strength," sprawled on the ground or snored under the
table, in a state of far-gone booziness, while a mixed assemblage of swarthy spectators, with unshorn locks and scanty
clothing, thronged around the door, nearly filling up that only
avenue for the entrance of light and air. The first case, before this distinguished tribunal, was one in which a woman and
an old man were the contestants, and plead their own cases.
It is truly astonishing with what a gift of language the Indians
generally are endowed! They enter into debates with the
most imperturbable assurance and without the least hesita-

INDIAN

LAW

COURT.

275

tion, scarcely giving* themselves time to take breath between
their sentences. But what is scarcely less remarkable, is the
coolness and patience which they display in listening to the
replies of their adversaries. I have frequently regretted that
I could not myself judge of their eloquence, and that I was
obliged to take it for granted that they exchanged many words,
and but few ideas. Being unacquainted with their language I
had to content myself with the governor's laconic interpretation
of their speeches. He informed me that the woman was the
plaintiff, and that she accused the old man of having bewitched
her husband. The case had commenced before I was up in
the morning, and after listening to the debate for an hour or
two in my hammock, I got tired of my position, and naturally
desired to quit it, but was restrained from doing so by the
scantiness of my clothing. At last, however, as the case did
not appear to be coming to an end, I decided on getting up at
any hazard, and accordingly jumped to the ground, and put
on my most indispensable article of dress as hastily as possible ; but I might have spared myself any excess of modesty,
for the audience did not seem to be in the slightest degree surprised at the spectacle of my toilet. It was an entertainment
which they enjoyed gratuitously during the whole period of
my sojourn in San Luis. The arrival here of a stranger,
particularly if he be a white man, is of such rare occurrence
as to excite general interest; nor can we feel astonished that
it is so. Have we not all often manifested a curiosity as frivolous and impertinent as that of these children of the desert,
without having an excuse as legitimate as theirs ? This question, which I frequently asked myself, rendered me indulgent
toward the poor Indians.
San Luis is a paradise for the conchologist. How many
hours I passed in the neighboring forests, searching for rare
shells in the crevices of the rocks, lifting one by one the dead
leaves, peering under mossy stones, beneath pieces of old bark,

276

THE

HILLS.

alternately full of expectation, surprise, or joy, and crowding more emotions into a single day, than are contained in
whole years of ordinary life! How little did I then think
of privations, of fatigue, of the dangers of the climate, or of
the reptiles which abound in the forests! None but the
naturalist can enter into these mysterious joys, and comprehend that, at any cost, they are not dearly bought. What, it
may be asked, is the secret of so lively an interest ? If the
end to be attained were only of a higher order! But these infinite little creatures of the lowest rank in creation—can they
be worthy of such interest, and can their discovery justify
such transports of delight ? I can only say, in reply, that
nothing in nature is unworthy of attention,• and that nothing
should be despised, for nothing stands alone. And I must
add, with Hobbes, that " God is not less great in the minutest of his works than in the immensity of the universe; that
the study of the simplest little insect is a subject prolific of
the most elevated thoughts, and that pursuit of science rests
the spirit wearied with the bitter agitations of the world, by
opening to it an infinite sphere, calmer and happier than that
in which human interests are debated." I have the right
thus to express myself, without being accused of an exaggerated enthusiasm, since I only became a naturalist after having
learned these truths.
Venomous reptiles are by no means rare in the forests of
San Luis. They inspire the Indians with the greatest terror,
since they are ignorant of any antidote for their bite. I myself killed a fine trigonocephalus, which we found sleeping
under the shadow of a rock. The Indian by whom I was accompanied first caught sight of it, but I could not induce him
to approach it. A few days after we captured a boa alive.
On this occasion, the animal not being venomous, my guide
betrayed considerable courage, seizing hold of the serpent without the slightest hesitation. The tenacity of life of these great

REPTILES.

277

ophidians is almost incredible. The trigonocephalus to which
I have alluded above, endeavored to bite even after his head
was severed from his body. The croatalus horridus furnished
me with a still more striking example of this diffusion of life
in the most distant parts of the body. We had caught one
of these reptiles, and it had been dead, apparently, for several
hours, and we had hung it up for the purpose of skinning it.
Morin, who performed this operation, commenced by separating the head from the back bone, after which he undertook to
strip off the skin, when the reptile suddenly threw up its tail
and wound it closely around his arm. The same vitality was
also manifested in the upper portion of its body; nay more,
after its miserable trunk was entirely divested of skin it seemed
to be as full of life as ever, for on Morin's throwing it to the
ground, it twisted itself about for several minutes. This fact
will not appear remarkable to naturalists, who are familiar
with the wonderful degree in which muscular irritability is
developed in reptiles.
In addition to the natural fear which venomous reptiles inspire in the minds of the Indians, they also entertain various
ridiculous prejudices which do not tell very favorably for their
judgment. The Spaniards themselves, living among this ignorant population, have ended by imbibing many of their absurdest notions. The governor of San Luis, for instance, informed us that the bite of a species of lizard, called scorpion
in the country, was as much to be dreaded as that of the rattlesnake.^ According to his account, it is perfectly incurable ; no human power can save the life of the person bitten ; and he went on to relate a number of tragic instances,
with the minutest details, in proof of his assertion, all of
which were corroborated unanimously by his listeners. Of
* The name of scorpion is also applied in South Carolina to a lizard of a
different species, which appears to be an anolis.—Bartram's Travels, p. 299.

278

THE

HILLS.

course this aroused my curiosity to the highest pitch, so I offered a large price for one of these reptiles, and determined not
to leave San Luis without one. Two days after this we were informed that a scorpion had been seen in the church. I was absent, so Morin undertook its capture, and to him was awarded
all the glory of the undertaking. He was as well aware as
myself that lizards are not venomous, but the Indians were full
of admiration of his daring, when, placing himself at their
head, he directed his steps to the sacred retreat of the scorpion. On entering the building, one of the boldest of the
party pointed out, upon the wall, the object which had excited such horror. It proved to be nothing more than a lizard
of the geckotian family, hideously ugly, but, in common with
all of his kind, perfectly harmless. Morin, without the least
hesitation, seized it by the neck, and held it up to the astonished gaze of the Indians. The news of this exploit produced
a profound sensation in the village, and every one had his
comments to make on the occurrence. All, however, finally
came to the conclusion that the boldness and courage of Morin
were due to some secret antidote which he carried about with
him. The governor received our explanations with an incredulous smile. In a word, we did not succeed in freeing the
inhabitants of San Luis from their prejudice. It remained, in
spite of all our explanations and efforts, as deeply rooted as
before our arrival.^
* This saurian has recently been described in the catalogue of the Museum, after the specimen presented by myself) under the name of gymnondactylus scapularis, Dum. The gecko, which frequents old walls, inspires the
same disgust and ill-founded fears in the central parts of Europe.

VIII.
A D V E N T U R E

X 1ST T H E

E O R E

S T

.

Indian porters—How they are secured—A drunken revel—Departure from San Luis—
Order of march—Arrangements for the night—Our Indian guides—Their character
and habits—Character of the country—Night in the forest—Bad roads—Eemarkable
vegetation—Eio Santa Isabel—The peccary—Native provisions for travel—Costume
for wet weather—Sagacity of the boa—The wood partridge—Eancho of Chichac—
Native physicians—Primitive lancets—Gloomy forests—Absence of life—Footprints
of the Lacandones—Night in a cavern—Dry bed of a lake—Station of Campamac—«
Difficult ascents—Eio Chimuchuch—Natural bridge—An encounter—Sinister visitors—Apprehensions—Desertion of guides—Consultations—The interpreter found—
Diplomacy—Eecovery of guides—Eejoicings—Eesumption of journey—The summit
of Leagua—Magnificent prospect—Distant view of Cahabon—Descent into the plain
—Town of Cahabon—The cura—Housed in the convent.

THE difficulties of the route between San Luis and Cahabon are so great as to render it impassable for horses and
mules. Fifty leagues of forest separate these two villages,
the one the last in Peten and the other the first in Vera Paz.
The journey, during the dry season, may be made in ten days,
and as transportation can only be effected on the backs of porters, the traveller has before him the humiliating spectacle of
man reduced to a beast of burthen. The Indians, especially
those of the central provinces, are accustomed to this kind of
labor, which their fathers pursued before them from time immemorial, and they not only carry merchandise and the baggage of travellers, but travellers themselves, by means of a
kind of chair suspended between their shoulders. It can
readily be conceived that this mode of riding is far from agreeable,* not to speak of the reluctance which every one must feel
in thus tasking the powers of a fellow-being, and I therefore
declined the porters who were offered to me by the governor
of San Luis, notwithstanding that we were all, at that moment,

282

ADVENTURE

IN

THE

FOREST.

in a very sorry condition for travelling on foot, Morin was
affected by fever; Fido limped on three legs; and as for myself, I had the best of reasons for distrusting my physical
powers.
Don Luis, the corregidor, undertook to provide us with an
escort of the most reliable men of the country, and'I must
confess to some surprise, on the evening preceding our departure, when I saw two of those engaged for my service
conducted to the prison of the town; nor was my surprise
diminished when a third surrendered himself voluntarily to the
jailor. Much troubled by this circumstance, I hurried off to
obtain an explanation, when I was told that it was customary,
as a measure of discipline, and to prevent men who had accepted service and received part payment in advance, from
getting drunk and forgetting their obligations, as they would
be very apt to do, if left to their liberty. " You can see," said
Don Luis, " that they themselves recognize the utility of this
precaution, from the good grace with which they submit to
it;" and he pointed out to me one of his own servants on his
way to surrender himself to the jailor. Morin had engaged
him as interpreter, on the recommendation of the governor
himself, but this did not prevent us from locking him up with
the others until the next morning.
We completed our preparations for departure over night,
with all the security inspired by these sage precautions, but
when morning arrived, two of our guides were missing. Morin had unluckily neglected to lock them up with the others ;
and they had hidden themselves away so effectually that they
could not now be found. To add to our embarrassments, we
found that the governor had already started for Poptun, and
we were thus left to support our own interests, as best we
might, with his two alcaldes, neither of whom understood a
word of Spanish. The moment the governor left, the entire
population, which during the five days of his visit had pre-

A

DRUNKEN

REVEL.

283

served a rigorous sobriety, broke out in a grand carousal. Men,
women and children, old men, guards and prisoners, all were
drunk before the close of the day, and staggered shouting,
singing and babbling in confused chorus through, the village.
The spectacle of a crowd deprived of reason was in no small
degree alarming, and in view of the possibility of their getting it into their heads to take off those of the strangers, it
became a pregnant question with us how to get away. By
a happy accident, in the midst of our distress, the courier
from Guatemala, accompanied by three Cahabon Indians,
reached the village, where he was to pass the night. He took
an interest in our situation, and gave us some advice by which
I did not fail to profit. Sending for the first alcalde, I gave
him a rough admonition, talked large about the corregidor, and
wound up by telling him that unless my missing guides were
forthcoming, I should engage the escort of the courier, at his
expense, and proceed without them. This threat, and the high
tone which I assumed, had abetter effect than I had anticipated.
The alcaldo, who fortunately was new in office, not only made
the most humble apologies, but also promised that everything
should be arranged to my satisfaction, and I must add that he
kept his word. The courier never travels alone between Cahabon and San Luis; nor do the Indians themselves venture
to traverse the solitary waste except in parties of greater or
less numbers, in order to render the mutual support which the
difficulties of the route make necessary. But the road from
San Luis to Peten is without danger, and I therefore could
take away the escort of the courier without compromising the
safety of his dispatches.
Night relieved us of most of the drunken villagers who
had invaded our domicil, and Morin got rid of the rest by
tumbling them unceremoniously into the street. They offered
no resistance, but slept quietly in the places where they happened to fall, and there they remained, when the sun rose on

284

ADVENTURE

IN

THE

FOREST.

the field of battle, in postures more various than graceful.
At dawn the prison doors were opened, and our compagnons
de voyage made their appearance one by one, in the broad
daylight. The charge for keeping them having been settled
the day before, each man had only to pick out his own followers and take them off.
Notwithstanding their puny appearance, the Indians of
San Luis find no difficulty in carrying heavy loads of four
arrobas, one hundred pounds, for long distances over the worst
of roads. These are supported between the shoulders by a
wide band, which passes around the forehead in such a position that the greater part of the weight rests on the cervical
muscles and spinal column. These portions of the frame are
remarkably developed among the mountaineers of Central
America, probably from long exercise, to the degree of hereditary perpetuation. I had engaged seven of these men in
my service; three for my collections in natural history, two
for my baggage, and one to carry the hammocks and camp
equipage, while the seventh, like Esop, was loaded with provisions—that is to say, our tortillas, a little salt meat, some
coarse sugar, and a dozen green banannas. This was all that
we could procure in San Luis. Our Indians, on their part,
supplied themselves with a little ground maize, some beans,
and a small quantity of peppers and salt, depending on the accidents of the journey for what they might require in addition.
And here I may observe, that whatever may be the fondness
of the Indians for spirits, they never take any with them on
these journeys, where a single lapse from sobriety and caution might cost them their lives. The pay of the men was
moderate, only three dollars from San Luis to Cahabon,
equal to but about thirty cents per day, out of which they
were to provision themselves for going and returning.
The moment of departure finally came, and our little
caravan was put in motion. Naked to their waists, each

ORDER

OF

MARCH.

285

with a machete in his right hand, and a petate, or kind ot
mat made from palm leaves, rolled in military style under his
left arm, our porters presented a most picturesque spectacle
as they defiled before us in the road descending from the village into the forest. Their relatives and friends, grouped by
the wayside, shouted their adieus, and as we passed their
huts offered us refreshments, and sped, us on our journey
with the most exaggerated good wishes. The whole population, in fact, seemed to be animated by the most expansive
sentiments of benevolence, and the demonstration altogether
might have been touching, had not the breath of some of the
more affectionate among them betrayed the unpleasant fact that,
notwithstanding the early hour, they were already drunk !
The courier had advised us to keep an eye on our guides,
not because the Indians of San Luis were worse than others,
nor because we need apprehend any violence; but he could
not be responsible for their fidelity, and believed them quite
capable of abandoning us, and carrying off our effects. We
therefore arranged, Morin and I, to establish on the first day
a regular system of discipline, one taking the lead and the
other bringing up the rear, so that no movement of our swarthy
friends could escape our observation. During the night,
Fida, in her turn, acted the part of a sentinel. She seemed
quite to comprehend our apprehensions, and allowed none of
our followers to quit their hammocks without alarming the encampment. It was in vain that they sought to conciliate her
with caresses, and equally in vain did they divide with her
their scanty fare. She accepted both without scruple, but never
reciprocated their favors with any recognition, however slight.
With Morin and myself, it was quite different, but even here
she made a distinction—on what based I do not know, except
on the notion that whoever dispensed the provisions must be
master.
Nothing occurred to diversify our first day's journey, ex-

286

ADVENTURE

IN

THE

FOREST.

cept a vigorous assault by a detachment of little black wasps
whose nest we happened to disturb, and who made us pay
dearly for our inadvertence. Both Morin and myself received stings on our eyelids, which resulted in a painful
inflammation, lasting for two days. Another incident was the
finding of some eggs of the hocco. They were of the most
magnificent blue. Before sunset we reached the first rancho
or camping ground. Thanks to the public spirit of our friend
the corregidor, similar buildings were disposed at convenient
distances, generally on the banks of some brook, on all the
roads within the district under his charge. The first care of
our guides, after depositing their loads, was to light a fire,
and then suspend their hammocks between the posts supporting the roof of the rancho, so as completely to surround the
building.
This done, they procured water, ate their frugal meals,
rolled up and lighted a rude cigar, and then started out
in the woods in search of honey, wild fruits, and shell-fish
from the streams, as a means of eking out their scanty supplies of provisions. Each one took his turn in preparing the
food of the party, distributing it equally without regard to the
amount contributed by the various members. The same impartiality was carried out in respect of any fruit or game that
happened to fall in their way. Their cooking implements
were limited to an earthen pot or two for general use, and a
calabash for each person. They ate and drank like animals,
without regard to time or place. Whenever we stopped to
rest, they invariably commenced rumaging in the common receptacle for a tortilla, a handful of maize, or some article of
food; and they rarely passed a stream without stopping to
drink. Whenever they had fire they invariably heated their
beverages, by which they more effectually assuaged the thirst,
which in these hot countries is inextinguishable. They were
never in a hurry to leave in the morning, inasmuch as they

INCIDENTS

OF

TRAVEL.

287

regarded the action of the sun as necessary to the purification
of the stagnant air of the forest at that hour. Docile with
their masters, they are always ready to render them every
service in their po'wer, so long as they are treated kindly.
At any rate, I found them at Peten, and throughout Vera
Paz, always alert and good-humored. They appeared to live
together in the most fraternal union, without a shadow on the
general concord. Simple-minded as well as ignorant, they
sometimes interrogated me concerning my country, the value
there of maize, and the abundance of cacao in the forests.
What most confounded them was the distance at which I represented it to be, and I sought in vain to make them comprehend it by adopting the only standard of measurement with
which they are acquainted, that is to say, a day's journey. As may be supposed, calculating seven leagues as
equivalent to a day, the distance appeared to them almost
fabulous.
Our first night wTas signalized by a terrific thunder storm,
which left the road for the following day in a state surpassing
description. It was only a succession of slippery declivities,
deep mud-holes and rugged ravines, rendering it dangerous
for us to lift our eyes from the ground before us. Notwithstanding all of our precautions, we reached the rancho of
Tzunkal covered with bruises and plastered over with mud.
Morin had lost one of his shoes, and Fida limped worse than
before, while, for my own part, I wTas what the Americans call
" used up.?; We were in some degree consoled under our misfortunes by a hocco which we succeeded in shooting, of which
the flesh afforded us a delicious soup.
But in spite of all the little annoyances attending this mode
of travelling, I always recall with pleasure the details and incidents of our marches and encampments in the forest. With
what satisfaction we removed our damp and uncomfortable
garments, bathed in the clear streams, and prepared our

288

ADVENTURE

IN

THE

FOREST.

evening meal when we reached the hospitable rancho I If
the sun was still up I permitted myself only a few moments
of repose, and then took my gun to explore the adjacent wilds,
in the constantly sustaining hope of obtaining some new plant
or animal to swell the conquests of science; and when night
came on, reclining voluptuously in my hammock, I enjoyed to
the full that sweet sense of quietude and profound content
which only a close communion with nature can inspire. The
events of the day would pass in review through my mind,
without, however, preventing me from taking in every detail
of the little scene that was passing under my eyes.
Morin always prepared supper with the cool deliberation of
an old sailor, while Fida, attracted to his side by the fragrant
odors of the cookery, watched all of his movements with the
deepest solicitude, never bestowing a look on our dusky companions, grouped around a fire of their own, and intent on
the contents of the great earthen pot which I have already
described, and which, perched on the shoulders of the most
stalwart of our guides, always formed the most conspicuous object in our little procession. Gradually the thousand
voices of the night would commence their mystic utterances,
and the infinite varieties of beings which people the woods
begin to make known their existence, filling the air with a
confused but harmonious murmur. Among all the sounds,
however, but one cry alone, that of the faisan del monte, or
indigenous partridge, seemed articulate, and this is so like that
of a human being in distress, that the most experienced traveller cannot hear it except with a shudder. When the night
was clear and the sky cloudless, the light of the moon fell in
broad sheets between the trees, detaching the long, pendant
vines, the great indented leaves, and the glistening trunks and
branches from the dark background of the forest, and causing
them to stand out in high relief, like the apparitions of a
dream. Nor was the scene less remarkable and striking when

CHARACTER

OF C O U N T R Y .

289

cloud and storm settled down on our encampment, and enveloped us in their electric masses. Then all life was hushed,
and a solemn silence reigned in the gloomy solitudes, so intense and oppressive, that we experienced a sense of relief when
the great trees began to bend under the tread of the tempest,
and the gloomy vistas around us to light up, even though momentarily, under the fitful gleams of the lightning. At such
times, it is true, our own helplessness, and the overwhelming
majesty of nature, often oppressed us, but the feeling seldom
failed to give way finally to a serene trust in that Being who
presides equally over the calm and the tempest, and on wThose
pow.er and benevolence the solitary traveller soon comes to
repose with child-like confidence.
On the third day of our journey the soil became drier,
and the general aspect of the country underwent a great
change. Our path ran up a slightly elevated but abrupt ridge,
the slopes of which were strewn with fragments of calcareous
rock, resembling a great wall which had fallen into ruin. I
could not forget that the courier at San Luis had promised
us a good road until the sixth day, and I wondered, as
wre struggled up the rugged declivity, with the aid of vines
and the branches of overhanging trees, what kind of a route
must be in reserve for us on our seventh day ! Among
the novelties in vegetation which we now encountered, were a
considerable number of cacao trees, easily recognized by their
little white flowers and their peculiar fruit, starting directly
from the trunk and branches. This was the first time I had
seen the plant on its native soil. At the foot of the sierra a
humbler vegetation, made up of malpighias and aroides,
succeeded to the loftier forest, and soon the humidity of the
ground, covered with a profusion of gigantic reeds, announced
the proximity of the Rio Usumasinta, which here bears the
name of Santa Ysabel, on the banks of which we made our
encampment.
13

290

ADVENTURE

IN

THE

FOREST.

The river at this point is from twelve to fifteen yards
broad. We crossed at daylight, on foot, making use of the
rocks, which project here and there above the surface at easy
distances apart. When we reached the opposite bank we were
no longer in the district of Peten, but in that of Vera Paz.
Our first adventure, in the new jurisdiction, was the killing of
a peccary, an event which greatly elated our Indians. They
divided it in seven pieces, of which each took one, and then
we proceeded gayly on our way to our noon halt, on the banks
of a little river called Mucha?ija, which we reached with formidable appetites, augmented by the prospect of a good meal.
Our followers were not slow in making a fire and preparing a
peculiar dish from the fat and blood of the animal, which they
ate with obvious delight. Morin, on his part, was not behindhand, but cutting off a number of slices of the meat, he prepared what he called beef-steaks, glorifying them in advance
with exaggerated praise. But his eulogies were not sustained
by the result, for his steaks turned out to be atrociously tough
and dry, to such a degree indeed as to defy our attempts at
mastication. It was too late to hunt for something better, and
we were compelled to soothe our disappointment, as philosophically as possible, on hard tortillas moistened with water—victims of our too eager anticipations !
Rain surprised us before we were through with our sumptuous repast. The Indians at once unrolled their petates and
sheltered themselves beneath this impervious covering. I had
early discovered the value of the pet ate, and had secured one
at the cost of a medio or six cents, which proved infinitely
more serviceable than all the costly articles, designed for the
same purpose, which I had brought from Paris. Contrivances
of India rubber are useless in these countries, where the heat
softens them almost to fusion.
The rain soon ceased, and we resumed our journey. Our
path was over low marshy ground, cut up by numerous trib-

SAGACITY

OF

SNAKES.

291

utaries of the Usumasinta, which we crossed on fallen tree
trunks, where they were too deep to be easily forded. When
we finally encamped, we spent the evening in jerking the
flesh of our peccary over a slow fire of green wood—a process, which truth compels me to say, went far to make it tender and eatable, and removed much of the prejudice against
it which my first experience had occasioned.
The next day the sky was overcast, and a fine rain set in,
which threatened to continue until evening. I decided, • therefore, to adopt the light and airy costume of the Indians. In
these latitudes, the rain, which falls warm, is more endurable
than in Europe, and .the faintest ray of sunlight serves to
dispel the dampness. I found myself so much more comfortable "in my new garb—i. e., a pair of light drawers—that I
feel no hesitation in recommending it to those travelling in
the tropics, under similar circumstances. Why should we
continue to wear, under a burning sun, garments damp with
perspiration or wet with rain ? On arriving at our place of
encampment I put on a dry flannel vest, and this precaution
was sufficient to keep up a proper equilibrium in the functions
of the skin.
Toward the middle of the day, while I was travelling a
little in advance of the party, I perceived, by the side of the
road, a boa coiled up and apparently asleep. Our Indians
were anxious to kill him, but I forbade their doing so. As
the ground was open, and free from rocks and bushes, I was
desirous of testing the sagacity of this serpent, of which I
had heard so much, and ascertain how he would proceed to
extricate himself from his perilous position. At first he remained perfectly motionless, as if deliberating upon his course
of action. Soon, however, he commenced crawling away
backwards, his threatening head protecting his retreat. His
neck, during the execution of this manoeuvre, was much contracted, so that in case of danger he could dart it forward

292

ADVENTURE

IN

THE

E0BEST.

with the more force. Our dog endeavored to attack him at
some unguarded point, but he could not evade the vigilant eye
of the reptile, who throughout his retreat preserved his defensive attitude. Having reached the foot of a tree he slipped
his tail into « hole in the ground, into which his body grada
ually glided, finally followed by his head, which so long as it
was visible maintained its attitude of menace.
Toward evening, the forest wThich is full of cryptogamous
plants, assumed an extraordinary appearance. An immense
variety of ferns, some creeping and parasitical, and others almost arborescent, were mixed largely with the palms. We
found also, resting on a bed of moss, some delicate rosecolored eggs^ a trifle smaller than those of the hen, which the
Indians said belonged to the wood partridge. I never saw
this bird, which certainly belongs to the family of gallinse,
although I have frequently heard its melancholy cry, on the
approach of night.
Hardly had we reached the rancho of Chichac, when one
of our men complained of general illness, and especially of
violent pains in his head. I found him feverish, and was proceeding to administer such remedies as I thought his case required, when the physician of the party insisted upon taking
him under his own care. They were all aware that I carried
a box of medicines with me, but the Indians rarely have faith
in the white man's remedies. While admitting his superiority
on most points, they prefer, when ill, to have recourse to sorcery, the superstitious practices, and the receipts handed down
to them from their ancestors. Their lancet consists of a
small triangular piece of glass or obsidian, fastened with wax
in a little wooden handle. A slight blow upon this instrument causes it to enter the vein, producing a slight incision,
from which the blood issues drop by drop. This operation, at
which I assisted, was dexterously performed on a vein in the
hand. After it was thought that sufficient blood had been al-

. DENSE

VEGETATION.

293

lowed to flow, the surgeon applied a pinch of salt to the
wound, and led his patient to dinner.
The first half of our journey was now over, and no accident had yet occurred to us, whereat we were greatly cheered
and encouraged. The season to be sure was propitious; but
Heaven had otherwise smiled on us and smoothed the obstacles in our path, and nightly I bent my knee in gratitude for
its protecting care.
On the sixth day we entered a dismal portion of the forest, where the forest was so thick as to be entirely impenetrable to the rays of the sun. A dim light, like that of early
morning, filtered through the dense foliage, and tinged our
thoughts with a shade of melancholy and apprehension. To
the ordinary difficulties of the route, were superadded that of
a luxuriant vegetation, which, as the road had been neglected
for three years, very much impeded our progress. The district already began to justify its evil repute, and afforded our
Indians an opportunity of glorifying Peten at the expense of
Vera Paz.
In the midst of this forest flows a small river, over a bed
bristling with rough rocks, torn up from stratified beds which
dip at nearly right angles with the surface. The convulsions
of nature, which gave to this region its peculiar configuration,
are indicated by great masses of disrupted calcareous rocks,
scattered in all directions, and which heighten the sombre aspect of the solitudes with their pale, sepulchral forms. Here
silence reigns supreme, and life is visible only in the rank
vegetation by which the traveller is surrounded. We saw
neither bird, nor beast, nor reptile—only occasional clouds of
mosquitos drifted across our path, and forced us to accelerate
our pace. In some places the ground was strewn with dry
leaves, resembling those of our own forests in the autumn
time, but of astonishing dimensions. Among them I may
mention the leaves of the bop, similar to those of the oak,

294

ADVENTURE

IU

THE

FOREST.

but two feet and a half in length by a foot in width. We
found strange fruits decaying beneath gigantic trees, but few
of them were edible, and most of them without names known
to science. I called the attention of our guides to some
faint traces of human feet which seemed to cross our path,
and were lost in the forest. They pronounced them to be
those of the remnants of the Lacandon Indians wTho still reside among the mountains of Chichec.
At the close of this day's journey, we turned a little aside
from our direct path to the southward, towards the rugged
banks of the Boloncoh, where we passed the night in a cavern,
black with smoke from the fires of previous travellers. From
this point our path lay over marshy ground, which had evidently once been covered with water. Its traces were visible
on the rocks, and the surface of the ground was sprinkled over
with shells. Wherever the substratum of rocks was visible,
it was full of deep rents and great cellular cavities, partially
filled with water, in which, wherever the light fell favorably,
could be seen numbers of fishes of different varieties. Our
guides asserted that some of these cavernous lakes were
haunted by alligators, but I saw no traces of these reptiles.
When the September rains begin, the water rises in these singular reservoirs, and finally overflows from a thousand orifices, and covers the country, far and wide, so that travellers
are obliged to take long and weary detours to escape the perils
of the route.
We left this dreary, marshy waste, through the stony
channel of a dry stream, and during the rest of the day travelled from ravine to ravine, over a broken country, covered
with rocks and disrupted trees, which were scattered about in
direful confusion. This continued until we reached the station of Campamac, an hour before sunset, having achieved
this difficult part of the road in less time than we had dared
to anticipate.

THE

MOUNTAINS.

295

Campamac is put down on the map as a place of some importance. A half dozen worm-eaten posts stuck in the ground
in the midst of the forest, and supporting a thatched roof, a
small clearing in front, and faint traces of a path leading to it
in one direction, and from it in another—these are the only indications of man's occasional visits to this deserted spot. When
studying the programme of my route in France, I had noticed
the name of Campamac put down in large letters, and now I
had the reality before me; yet, in spite of my disappointment,
I experienced a secret satisfaction in the reflection that I had
really reached the distant point which I had so often visited
in imagination.
It was not without considerable effort, and after a series of
mishaps, that we succeeded in extricating ourselves' from the
mud of Campamac. At a distance of a league and a half
there is a chain of mountains extending towards the southeast, the declivities of which are covered with a fine, reddish
clay, which renders them very difficult of ascent. We crossed
successively the ce?TOS of Sakikib, of Chouyteu and Jierro,
calling in our hands to the aid of our feet, and dragging ourselves up the notches cut by preceding' travellers in the steep
sides of these mountains. Still, we found no absolute precipices, and although one must not expect to get on without
suffering repeated falls, yet they are not generally likely to
be dangerous. Even at the highest points in this portion of
our route, our view was much circumscribed by the surrounding forests. Hills and valleys, rocks and streams, are all
equally concealed by their thick, green drapery. At two
points we observed deep circular excavations, like wells, surrounded by rocks. At the bottom of one of them, yawning at
the summit of a mountain, was a bed of clay of from five to
six yards deep.
At the foot of the mountain chain flows a stream called
Chimuchuchj which we crossed on a singularly picturesque

296

ADVENTURE

IN

THE

FOREST.

and primitive bridge, formed from the trunk of a gigantic tree
called by the natives bop. It had been stricken down by the
lightning and had fallen across the stream, and now afforded
a safe and easy means of passage from one bank to the other.
The spot was one of great natural beauty, and was convenient
withal for an encampment, so I resolved to stop here for the
remainder of the day and night. My resolution was warmly
seconded by my companions, who, like myself, were wayworn and weary. We soon effected a little clearing, and a
rude hut rose rapidly in its centre. I devoted the afternoon
to augmenting my collection, and succeeded in adding to it a
coral snake, and a beautiful insect, of metallic brilliancy, of
the longicorne family (Mallaspis Moreleti, Lucas).
Toward evening the angry barking of our dog announced
the vicinity of strangers. Looking in the direction of Cahabon we saw, issuing from the forest, three persons of sinister
aspect. The first was evidently a ladino (mixed Spaniard
and Indian). His thin lips, high cheek bones, hooked nose,
small bright eyes, all betrayed a character compounded of
cunning and audacity. He carried a gun, and wore a white
head-dress twisted in the form of a turban. A tall mulatto,
and an Indian with a brutal visage, the one armed with a
hatchet and the other with a long hunting knife, followed the
stranger, who was apparently their leader. Their baggage
consisted of a large bundle which the Indian bore on his
shoulders. They approached our guides without any manifestation of surprise, and after exchanging civilities prepared
to bivouac at our side. This increase of our party annoyed
Fida greatly, who kept up a growling vigilance the whole
night long. As for ourselves, without precisely fearing these
strangers, we thought it well to be prepared for any treachery
on their part. We consequently placed our effects under our
shed, looked carefully to our arms, and put them in a convenient position beside us; and then, relying on the vigilance of

DESERTED.

297

Fida, we gave ourselves up to sleep, little dreaming of the
surprise which was in store for us on awakening.
When we opened our eyes the sun was already up, and
gilding the tops of the trees. Astonished at hearing no noise,
we arose hastily and emerged from our little hut. The embers of the fire wTere still smoking, but the bivouac was deserted. A solemn silence pervaded the forest. Terrified, we
looked around for our guides, but they had disappeared, and
their effects were nowhere to be seen. Our fears soon resolved themselves into certainties, and we wTere shudderingly
forced to admit to ourselves, that we had been abandoned.
Vainly did we seek to comprehend the cause of this odious
and unsuspected treachery.
Our first reflections were as to what course was to be
taken. Morin proposed continuing on our journey, but I
could not make up my mind to renounce all hopes of the return of our guides, nor did I like the idea of abandoning my
effects, which, although not numerous, were to me invaluable.
Perhaps, after all, the Indians were only setting this snare in
order to rob us of them. Besides, it was within the limits of'
possibility that other travellers might be journeying this way,
and come to our relief. We took an account of our stock of
provisions, and found that we had sufficient food for four days,
while the shell-fish and cabbages of the palms to be found in
the vicinity, not to speak of the game which we might be
able to shoot, would at least keep famine from our camp for
several days more. We concluded, therefore, that it was best
under all the circumstances, to remain where we were, for
three days, and if at the end of that time nothing favorable
turned up we might endeavor to find our way alone to Cahabon.
Having come to this decision, I left Morin at work, setting
snares for game, while I started out to explore the surrounding country. I took good care not to lose my way as I had
done at Palenque, but marked the trees, and broke down the
13*

298

4DVENTURE

I N THE

FOREST.

branches in my path. At the distance of a quarter of a
league, all signs of a road were lost in the midst of the ravines which intersected the country, so that I was forced to
retrace my steps, with the painful conviction that my efforts
in tracing the route had proved abortive.
The day passed without the occurrence of any incident.
Toward midnight a distant roaring suddenly awakened me.
Our dog, a courageous little animal, commenced barking angrily. I roused my sleeping companion in time to hear the
same sound repeated, more distinctly and apparently nearer at
hand. We started out into the little clearing in order to
avoid a surprise; but although we kept steady watch until
morning, we heard nothing further. It was doubtless the
roar of some jaguar in search of his prey.
As soon as day dawned Morin visited the snares which he
had set for game, but returned greatly disappointed, bringing
with him a solitary rat, the sole reward of his efforts. This
rat was nevertheless a curious looking creature, with ears of
such extraordinary size that I considered him worthy a place
in my collection.
Towards mid-day I shouldered my gun and directed my steps
toward the bridge of Qhimuchuch, in search of game. Just
as I was about crossing the river, I caught sight of our Indian interpreter on the opposite bank. This man was evidently advancing toward me, but perhaps detecting an expression of anger and menace in my face, he changed his mind
and sought to escape into the undergrowth. Irritated all the
more by this movement, I raised my gun and fired almost involuntarily. The fugitive screamed. I ran to the spot from
whence his voice proceeded, and found him lying on the ground
half dead with fright. I raised him up in no very gentle manner and dragged him to our camp.
Morin was greatly surprised. He had heard the shot, but
was not prepared for this kind .of game. We held a council

AN

INQUISITION.

299

of war, and then commenced interrogating our prisoner. My
anger was calmed now that he was in my power, and besides
prudence counselled a mild course of action. I endeavored,
therefore, to reassure the Indian, which, however, was not an
easy task.
When he had somewhat recovered from his fright, I asked
him whence he came. He answered, " From the sierra."
" And your comrades," I inquired, " where are they ?"
11
They are in the sierra, senor."
" Why did they leave us ?"
The Indian was silent. I repeated my question, but could
elicit no response. Morin, knowing his weakness, poured out
for him a glass of rum, and I soon after succeeded in engaging him in conversation, as follows :
" Have the Indians of San Luis any cause of complaint
against us ?•'
" No, senor."
" Have we overladen them with baggage ?"
" No, senor."
" Have we maltreated them ?"
" No, senor."
" Did I not pay them in advance the. price agreed upon ?"
" Yes, senor."
" Did I not, in addition, recompense them for any game
or fruits which they brought me from the forest ?"
" Yes, senor."
" Did I not, voluntarily, share with them my sugar,
brandy, tobacco, and any game which we shot ?"
" Yes, senor."
" Then what had they to complain of?"
" They did not complain, senor. They only said that the
pay was small, and the way long."
" Why did this not occur to them at San Luis ?"
" Seiior, the idea of leaving you would never have oc-

300

ADVENTURE

IN

THE

FOREST.

curred to them, but the men of Cahabon said, ' The strangers
are taking the advantage of you. Go into the sierra, conceal
yourselves there ; they will be terrified by your abandonment,
and will offer you better wages.' "
" This was bad advice, and the adoption of it was very
dishonorable."
It was quite evident that our neighbors of the preceding
night had intended to rob us, and had induced the Indians to
desert us in order to facilitate their designs. They were now,
doubtless, lurking about in the vicinity, awaiting the result of
their cunning. But the Indians had become tired of delay,
and were desirous to come to terms." We profited by this inclination on their part, and no efforts w^ere spared to convince
our prisoner that we bore him no malice, and that, on the return of his comrades, all should be forgiven and forgotten.
We decided to send him to them with a formal message ; but
as I had no very great faith in the result, I dispatched Morin
with our envoy, while I kept watch over the camp. They set
out at once for the sierra of Sakikib.
Five hours had elapsed since the departure of the two
messengers, and it was now quite dark. I had been so busy
arranging my insects and plants during this interval, that I
had scarcely noticed the lapse of time. Now, however, that
night had set in and I was unable to continue my occupation,
I began to experience a painful sense of loneliness. However
brave one may feel during daylight, I do not hesitate to affirm
that every one is less so in the darkness. I threw some wood
on the fire, and seated myself beside it, with my gun in my
hands, listening, with vague and varying emotions to the thousand weird noises of the forest. I fancied, now and then, that
I heard a rustling of the dry leaves, as if some one was stealing cautiously towards me, while my dog, from time to time,
pricked up. her ears, as if detecting danger, and then relapsed
into slumber again. Then I fancied that I heard the moaning

JOURNEY

RESUMED.

301

of some wild beast, and instinctively my hand sought my gun.
Little by little, however, I got the better of my fears, my
nerves became quieted, and I fell into a doze.
I know not how long I had been in this state, when I was
aroused by the report of fire-arms in the direction of Cahabon. I started up and listened attentively, All was silent,
not even a leaf stirred. I raked up the fire, w^hich cast a
feeble light around, and again listened. This time I fancied
that I heard a noise, dull and distant. Was it that of some
wild beast which had escaped the shot of a hunter, or was it
that of my Indians returning to the camp ? But how was it
that they were coming from the direction of Cahabon ? F i da's ears were pricked up, her hair stood on end, and she
snuffed the air, but did not bark. I concealed myself in the
undergrowth y and awaited the turn of events.
Suddenly a reddish light illuminated the forest, and a
party of men bearing torches made their appearance. If I
had any doubts as to the new comers, the joyous demonstrations of the dog, which sprang forward to welcome Morin,
speedily set them at rest. All was soon explained, even the
fact of our guides having gone out of their way in an opposite direction to avoid a portion of the route which it was dangerous to travel by night. I must add that a perfect reconciliation took place, which was cemented with the remainder of
my rum. We were too happy to escape from our embarrassing
and dangerous position to retain any feelings of resentment.
In the morning we crossed over the Cerro de Chirnuchuck, which had been the limit of my explorations on the
preceding day. This mountain, like those preceding it, was
covered with fine red clay, which renders its ascent very difficult, particularly during rainy weather. We followed the
principal ravine, with steep and almost precipitous flanks,
along which we scrambled diagonally, gradually approaching
the summit. Here all our care was requisite to avoid making

302

ADVENTURE

IN

THE-

FOREST..

a false step, which might easily prove fatal. Even our guides,
notwithstanding their experience, found it necessary to call to
their aid all their skill and courage. We nevertheless crossed
the mountain safely, and kept on our way, without halting,
over the Cerro de Leagua, which is the highest crest of this
mountain chain. From the lofty calcareous rocks with which
it is covered, an immense expanse of country would have been
visible had not the view been intercepted by the eternal vegetation, which was here as vigorous as on the lower grounds
behind us. I clambered to the top of a tall tree, but only
a lew blue rifts, indicating probably the course of deep and
unnamed valleys, were discernible. Our day's journey had
been a hard one, and for the first time I detected some symptoms of annoyance and impatience among my companions.
On the morning of the thirteenth day we reached the last
ridge of the mountain chain, which we crossed by a narrow
and dangerous pass, where we seemed for a time to be suspended in mid-air. Suddenly, through a break in the forest,
a vast blue expanse opened before us, and our Indian guide,
who was in advance, cried out joyously, " The savannas V
The cry was caught up, and " The savannas !—the savannas ! !" was echoed throughout the line of the foot-worn procession. Even these rude Indians, inured from infancy to
the greatest fatigue, and born and brought up among hills
and mountains, and under the shadows of great forests, could
not see the clear sun streaming down in a broad sweep on the
vast landscape without an emotion of joy and an expression of
satisfaction. I soon reached the spot, and thence, through
an opening in the forest, caused by the fall of an old tree, caught
my first glimpse of this new world. I t was an immense panorama, a confused and undefinable maze of hills, valleys and
savannas, in the centre of which, perched on a group of
hills, stood the town of Cahabon. A circle of low mountains
framed in the picture, beyond which, towering to the clouds,

OUT

OF

THE

WOODS.

303

could be traced the dim peaks of the great Cordilleras. We
all stopped, the Indians laid down their loads, and we traced
out the features of the country with feelings of liveliest curiosity and satisfaction. Morin, less demonstrative than myself,
seated himself apart, and smoked his pipe in silence. To me
the scene had all the attractions of that " promised land"
which gladdened the eyes of the prophets of old.
When our enthusiasm had somewhat abated, and we had
recovered from the fatigues of the ascent, we commenced
wending our way downwards. We soon reached a thicket of
aroides and bamboo trees, which clustered around the foot of
the mountain and extended into the valley. Here the hot,
close atmosphere, contrasting strongly with the cool air of
the mountains, seemed almost insufferable, and our eyes, accustomed to the dim light of the forest, were dazzled by the
brilliancy of the sun. Issuing on the open plain, I looked
back on the gloomy perspective of mountains accumulated on
the route to Peten, with no slight feeling of pride that I had
traversed them successfully, and that the secrets of their solitudes were mine.
An hour later we ascended the steeps of Cahabon. The
people contemplated our approach from the summits of the
little eminences which rose on every hand, and from behind
scattered rocks, with furtive glances of curiosity, retreating as
we came near. I must admit that our bronzed faces, dilapidated clothing and conspicuous arms, were collectively not
calculated to inspire confidence or invite familiarity. Two
women, whom we encountered bathing, showed more courage ; for on sight of us they modestly hid their faces, leaving
the rest of their persons to blush on their behalf. We went,
straight to the cabildo, where, however, I was not allowed to
stop, for the curate of the place, hearing of my arrival, at
once invited me to his own house. Here I found, for the first
time since leaving Carmen, a clean and well-ventilated dwell-

304

ADVENTURE

IN

THE

FOREST.

ing. A wide and charming view was visible from its windows, which, however, I neglected for a still more delightful
supper, and a real bed with a veritable mattrass, and sheets
white as snow. To appreciate these comforts rightly one
needs only to be deprived of them for a period of six months.
Yet such had become the force of habit, that with all these
luxuriant concomitants I could not sleep, and was finally
obliged to seek for slumber in my tattered hammock, where I
*dozed off directly into the land of dreams—much to the mortification of my host, who fancied that his hospitable intentions were not properly appreciated by the eccentric stranger.

THE THEATRE

OF

GUATEMALA.

IX.
T H E

CA.~VER^.

Oahabon—Picturesque views—Climate—Character of the people—Language—Physical
traits—Costume—Marriage customs—The foundation of Cahabon—Zeal of the early
missionaries—Organization of the Christianized towns—Policy of the Dominicans—
Restraints of their code—Retrogression of the Indians—Decline in numbers—The
mechanic arts—Lack of commerce—The cura Balduini—Departure for
Lanquin—
Character of the intervening country—Alpine scenery—Grand reception—Lanquin,
its people and their peculiarities—Remarkable cavern—£7 Due no de la Ciceva—Nature's laboratory—Human relics—Indian superstitions—Sierra of Lanquin—Farewells!—Resumption of j o u r n e y to Coban.

ON arriving at Cahabon, after traversing the dense forests
intervening between that point and Flores, the traveller is literally blinded with the apparent excess of light. His eyes
roam over an expanse which, from contrast, seems almost
boundless, and the arch of heaven appears limitless above his
head. Everything wears a new aspect, and the impulses of
life experience a new vigor. Such, at least, were the impressions produced on my mind and feelings by the transition.
The landscape which presents itself from Cahabon is extremely beautiful, resembling some favored view amongst the
Apennines, on the warm and sunny slopes of the Sabine.
The principal churcli of the place, and the old convent in
which my host resided, stand close together on the summit of
a commanding central eminence. Around this spreads out
the town, a good half league in circuit, made up of dwellings
embowered in fruit trees, some clustering on little knolls and
others scarcely visible in dark gorges, altogether making up a
scene of surpassing picturesque loveliness. A little river
flowing through a deep ravine, and called Actel-ha (cold water),

308

THE

CAVERN.

divides the town in two parts. It flows over a bed of transition calcareous rock, and is interrupted by a very graceful
little fall, which gives out an unceasing melody, in perfect
harmony with the scene.
Surrounding the landscape is a blue line of wooded hills,
interrupted only at one point towards the south-east, where a
passage is afforded for the winds from that quarter, which
sweep down on Cahabon, cold, loaded with miasma, and planting the seeds of disease in their path. A journey of five days
in that direction will enable the traveller to reach the lake and
port of Isabal. The road is similar to that from Peten ; that
is to say, it is wholly neglected.
Forming a contrast equally marked and agreeable with the
scenes through which I had passed, I at first thought I could
never weary of Cahabon. Day after day I traced out anew
the cool gorges, and my imagination busied itself in weaving
little romances in connection with every picturesque hut which
peered out modestly from among the verdure. At night I
dropped off to sleep in cadence with the music of the little
waterfall. But these impressions gradually became blunted,
a sense of languor oppressed my system, my muscles lost their
elasticity, and I became more and more disinclined to exertion.
Only the hope of new discoveries, in the department of natural history, occasionally roused me to action.
I had reached Cahabon with strong prejudices against the
people, who had been described to m.e as ungovernable barbarians, without the first elements of civilization. The corregidor of Peten had not failed to put me on my guard against
them. But my experience afforded me another evidence of
the impolicy of trusting to reports current in one town concerning the inhabitants of another, who, although contiguous,
nevertheless have but few relations with each other. The
bad repute of the place is, however, mainly due to the murder of their priest by the Indians, several years previously, in

INDIANS

OF

CAHABON.

309

a fit of drunken fury. Grosser, doubtless, and less industrious than their neighbors, they are really not more wicked,
although their ignorance and*unbridled passion for spirits,
render them averse to discipline. They never manifest openly
any resistance to the laws, yet all attempts to persuade or
compel their obedience to them have failed, more through their
inertia than their active opposition.
These Indians belong to a different race from the Mayas,
yet it is difficult to determine precisely the one to which they
pertain, for they are themselves unable to throw the least
light on their origin.* It is supposed that they are descended from the Quiches, occupying the northern provinces of Guatemala, whence they emigrated at the time of the
Conquest. They speak the Quec-chi dialect, which is probably a corruption of the word Qxiiche.\ They have no grammar, or dictionary, although the Dominicans constructed several, and left, in testimony of their erudition, a translation
into this idiom of the book of Genesis. The inhabitants of
Cahabon appear to be of a darker color than the Mayas, with
less regular features, and less symmetry of form. Childhood,
with them, takes a savage aspect; and old age is without dignity ; among the men it bears the stamp of vulgar and repulsive degradation, and in the women it is hideous in the extreme.
All have low foreheads, high cheek bones, and the top of
their heads rise to a point in a manner apparently artificial.
* M. Morelet, whose authority we are bound to accept on all matters connected with natural history, is not always exact in his ethnological observations. The Quec-chi dialect is one only of the numerous idioms of which the
Tzendal or Maya may be taken as the radix. It appears to be most closely
connected with the Kachiquel, which, with the Zutugil, Quiche, and Maya,
constituted the four great divisions of the lengua madre, or mother language,
of the civilized nations of Guatemala, Chiapa, and Yucatan.— T.
f The Quec-chi dialect is spoken in-Cahabon, Lanquin, San Pedro Oarcha,
Golan, and San Juan, in Yera Paz, as also in Ghinauta and Mixco in the department of Guatemala.

310

THE

CAVERN.

Their costume, without being remarkable, in point of picturesqueness, is preferable to the loose, flowing shirt of Peten
and Yucatan. A piece of cotton cloth twisted around the
head in the form of a turban, short but wide drawers, a full
shirt, fastened at the waist, and usually thrown over the left
shoulder, combine to give them, at a distance, the appearance
of Arabs. This resemblance is still more striking when they
are indolently reclining in groups under the shadow of some
old wall. The dress of the women is primitive in the extreme, consisting of a simple blue skirt, fastened around the
waist, and barely reaching to the knees. The fashion of
wearing a chemise, introduced by the missionaries, has fallen
into disuse. When they are worn on Sundays, they are
thrown over the shoulders, like a mantle. As for the children, it is sufficient to say that their freedom of movement is
quite unrestrained by drapery of any kind.
There exists in Cahabon, a custom peculiar to all the Indians speaking the Quec-chi dialect. As soon as the boys
attain the age of Dine or ten years, the parents begin to think
of settling them in life. The women take this important affair in hand, although among almost all savage nations, as well
as among civilized people generally, the men are allowed to
assume the initiative in matters of this kind. When the negotiations are concluded, and the last obstacles removed by
presents, the little girl chosen leaves the paternal roof for
that of her future husband. But as the ecclesiastical law
forbids marriage under the age of fourteen, the little one
grows up in the interval, and her good and bad qualities become developed, so that at the end of the time prescribed, she
frequently ceases to please her intended husband or her adoptive family. In such a case, she is sent back to her own parents, and a return of the presents, cementing the contract, is
requested. Of course this is invariably followed by a refusal;
hard words ensue, resulting in a quarrel, and frequently in

EARLY

MISSIONARIES.

311

blows, and the feelings of resentment engendered by an injury of
this nature are often transmitted from generation to generation.
The foundation, not alone of Cahabon, but also of most of
the towns and villages of Vera Paz. was laid by the Dominicans. These daring apostles, the first to penetrate into this
wild region, withdrew the Indians from their forest life, and
rendered them more social and less averse to discipline. On
listening to the religious chants of the missionaries, which had
been translated into their own tongue, the Indians were so
surprised and delighted that they knelt en masse beside the
humble crosses wThich the missionaries had brought with them.
Here the children received their first lessons in submission
and obedience ; the women learned to spin and weave; the
men were taught agriculture and the arts, and in a short time
numerous little communities sprung up, composed of orderly
artisans and laborers. The missionaries did not limit their
efforts to rendering the Indians industrious, but assiduously
applied themselves to their religious culture. They did not attempt to combat their errors and prejudices by violence, but,
on the contrary, had recourse to gentleness and persuasion.
And if they did not entirely succeed in unravelling the tangled
web of their intelligence, it was from no want of patient arid
earnest effort. Their success, although not complete, was still
remarkable. A church of imposing architecture was erected
on a central eminence, and its high altar was decorated with
precious stones, of which the inhabitants to this day are more
jealous than of their own personal effects. Numerous chapels
and buildings of public utility were successively erected in the
vicinity, around which soon clustered five hundred dwellings,
which sprung up as if by enchantment under the willing hands
of the Indians.
The administration of the Dominicans was based on the
supposed inferiority of the American race, in which they conscientiously believed. They conceived, perhaps justly, that

312

THE

CAVERN.

rigorous government is as necessary to society in its infancy
as to individuals in their childhood. It cannot be denied that
their system was well adapted to the character of the Indians;
it was an absolute but kindly jurisdiction, similar to that exercised by the father of a family. In order to insure their
contentment, the Dominicans considered it requisite that they
should have abundant occupation, and that idleness should
never be allowed to pass unpunished.^ The discipline introduced by them in Cahabon has left indelible traces. They
divided the community into six parishes, each under the protection of its special saint. The little white houses in the
form of ajonpas which one sees scattered at intervals through
the town, serve as chapels where the statues of the various
patrons of the town are religiously preserved. The Indians
still worship and pray to them. But, after all, the efforts of
the missionaries only resulted in a change in the objects of
native idolatry. The intelligence of the Indians has never
attained to the comprehension of a spiritual religion, and I
regret to say that the Christianity of the most devout is only,
after all, a slight modification from paganism.
In order to put down idleness and correct the inconstancy
of their flocks, the priests subjected them to the severest discipline. They obliged each one. in his turn, to devote himself
to the support of the church, the convent, or to such matters
as affected the material welfare of the community. This custom now exists only in Cahabon, San Augustin Lanquin, and
San Pedro Carcha. Eight men, selected by the alcaldes, every
morning place themselves at the disposal of the curate, who
employs them on different public works, under the direction
of the most capable among them, who, in virtue of being elevated to the position of mayor-domo, assists with becoming
* The Jesuits, whose ability is generally conceded, govern the Indians of
Brazil in the same manner.—A. Saint Hilaire, Voy. dans Vlnterieur du Bresil,
vol. ii. c. 1.

ORGANIZATION

OF

THE

INDIANS.

313

gravity, with folded arms, his cloak thrown over his shoulder
and his knife in his belt, at the dinner of his pastor. He will
not willingly relinquish this portion of his duties, although it
is purely honorary. The women thus chosen, on their part,
prepare the maize, cook the tortillas, and wash the linen of
the cura. In addition to this, the whole population contributes to the subsistence and other wants of the cura, in accordance with a traditional law. The alcaldes furnish the fat pine
wood which serves him for fire and light. The six barrios or
wards are bound alternately to supply him with maize, eggs,
and beans. The fishermen discharge their obligations to the
Church by supplies of fish and fresh-water crabs, while the
remainder of the inhabitants contribute fruits and vegetables,
principally the cabbage of the palm, which is highly esteemed
in Cahabon. The duties of the women consist in grinding
corn, making tortillas•, and in taking care of the cura's linen.
The labors enumerated above do not seem at all irksome
to the Indians; they perform them as natural obligations,
which it is impossible to avoid, and with an apparent, if not
a real pleasure. We certainly must render a tribute of admiration to the Dominicans, who succeeded in securing so much
from a poor and indolent race, and who managed to create
resources, in a perfectly isolated region, by which their successors are profiting after a lapse of three centuries ! As to
the moral result, which was the principal object of their mission, there remains but a faint trace. Emancipated too early
from their paternal restraint, they relapsed rapidly under the
control of their own brutal instincts. In losing their habit
of labor, they contracted an unappeasable taste for liquor,
and ceased to be useful citizens, I had almost said reasonable beings—gente de razon, to borrow a common expression of the Spaniards. As production-has diminished, so has
population ; and the parish of Cahabon, which fifty years ago
numbered upwards of four thousand souls, now contains

314

THE

CAVERN.

scarcely three thousand. With the independence of the colonies, they manifested great insubordination, which the priests
have only succeeded in overcoming by the most patient and ingenious efforts. At first, on the slightest exercise of authority,
they fled to the mountains, disappearing for a time from the
community, and in some cases never returning to it. These
irregularities seriously disquieted the government, which
sought to remedy them by the appointment of zealous and energetic officers in the district; but these found themselves
powerless for good, and were soon glad to resign their task to
the clergy, whose success has been considerable but not complete. The Indians are still in that feverish state of discontented submission which may, any day, be exchanged for one ot
open and savage independence.
It is a new spectacle for an European, that of a community
of three thousand souls in which there are no professional mechanics, nor any special dedication of any portion of the people
to the mechanical arts. The petty commerce in which some
of the inhabitants occasionally engage is limited to obtaining a
few reals for the purchase of salt or spirits, and they never
seek to extend their operations beyond what is strictly necessary to their present wants. In this furtive way they export
small quantities of cotton, thread of the agave, baskets, and
painted calabashes, for which they find a market at Coban.
They are the only manufacturers of the articles last named.
With a pointed instrument they work out designs, more or
less correct, upon the convex surface of a dish, and give relief
to the ornamentation by roughening the intervals. In painting them the blue is made with indigo, the red with anotto, and
the black with indigo mixed with lemon juice. The color is
fixed by means of a greasy substance formed by boiling an insect called aje.* The Indians prefer being porters to pursu* Juarros mentions the aje among the drags (drogas) of Vera Paz.
c. 3.

Lib. i.

THE

PRIEST

OF

CAHABON.

315

ing any mechanical or industrious calling, and they may be seen
carrying great loads of sarsaparilla on their shoulders for the
ladinos, instead of gathering themselves that valuable commodity on their own account. As in Peten, there are no title deeds
to property, but the rights of inheritance are respected, and
are transmitted from generation to generation without question
being raised of their validity.
The greater part of the information which I have recorded
was communicated to me by my host, a young ecclesiastic
born in a happier land, but who, in the noble hope of being
able to enlighten and ameliorate the condition of these poor
savages, had left the sunny slopes of Italy for these distant
solitudes. The Abbe Balduini had been in Cahabon for two
years. He did not conceal from me the sterility of his field
of labor, and I fully comprehended his feelings of disappointment when I came to comprehend the task which he had voluntarily undertaken. Without endeavoring to make new converts, he had sought to improve the morals of his flock, to
banish intoxicating drinks, to encourage and foster a taste for
labor—in a word, by patient and steady effort, to revive the
good works of the missionaries of earlier days. Few of the
missionaries of the present time are cast in the same mould
with those ardent and devoted apostles who first raised the
standard of faith in the New World. Such characters belong;
to epochs in the history of humanity which do not often come
round, and which have their periods and special purposes in
the economy of Providence. The Abbe Balduini was essentially a man of the present day. Of a delicate, refined nature,
he was capable of great exaltation and enthusiasm, but little
fitted for a sustained contest. He admitted that his isolation
from intercourse with persons of education and capacity was a
sad trial, and he entertained me with the recital of his griefs,
his projects and his hopes, pouring into my breast the heavy
load which had so long oppressed hi3 own. His face wore

316

THE

CAVERN.

that expression of austerity, at once noble and gentle, which
testified of fierce passions overcome; but when animated by
the fire of sentiment, or the memories of his native land and
his early years, every glance of his eye, every gesture, every
tone of his voice, bespoke the fearful contest that must have
been waged in his soul before he had acquired the calm and
patient resignation of the missionary. To a man of his temperament and constitution of mind, life in Ca,habon must be
a prolonged torture. In an unbroken solitude the soul may
lift itself to a free communion with God; but here, where the
harsh voice of drunken and contentious savages is never still,
such holy abstraction is impossible.
My sojourn in Cahabon was short. Three days after my
arrival the cura was called, in his ministerial capacity, to visit
the neighboring town of Lanquin, and invited me to accompany him. As this place was in my route to Guatemala, I
gladly accepted his invitation. We set out with an escort of
Indians, whose duty it was to carry the priestly robes and
sacred ornaments for the first half of the journey; the duty of
carrying them for the remaining distance devolving, according
to a traditional custom, on the people of Lanquin.
The morning was delightful, the air clear and cool, and
the valley bathed in dew. Our path followed the flanks of
the hills, winding in and out, to conform to the irregularities
of the ground. The soil was throughout clayey, but covered
with a layer of calcareous gravel, ferruginous in color, while
occasional projections of primitive rocks announced our vicinity to the great central. Cordilleras of the continent. We remarked little patches of cotton and maize, here and there,
while the prospect was brightened by occasional glimpses of
little huts half hidden among fruit trees. Most of these belong to the Indians of San Pedro Carcha, who are more
industrious and provident than their neighbors.
After travelling for three hours, we reached the river of

ROUTE

TO

LANQUIN.

317

Cahabon, the foaming waters of which dash noisily along the
base of a steep chain of mountains which runs parallel to its
course. It rises in the heights of Sulin, belonging to the
Patal chain, and after watering the towns of Taltick, Santa
Cruz, and Cohan, turns suddenly toward the south, and breaking through the mountains which intercept its course in that
direction, flows finally into the Gulf of Dulce or Lake Isabal.
In the distance may be seen the gorge in which it is engulfed,
after having received the Rio de Lanqubi, a still more impetuous torrent. The dazzling brightness of the waters of
this stream, its rapidity and volume, and the pines which
crown the sierras that border it, give to the country here the
aspect of an Alpine scene, and one, furthermore, by no means
wanting in grandeur.
We followed a path running along the banks of the river,
delightfully shaded, but narrow, uneven, and in places undermined by the current. Here the Abbe Balduini was evidently ill at ease, and never failed to dismount whenever we
came to a dangerous spot. To Morin and myself, however,
the road was comparatively easy. After having travelled over
the American continent, one is never astonished at any road,
however bad, and soon comes to exact from the animal which
he bestrides services that elsewhere would be considered impossible. Whenever we halted, our Indians put down their
burdens, and although dripping with perspiration, plunged
into the water. They were all good swimmers, yet the curate's own servant, a large and powerful mulatto from Nicaragua, surpassed them all. His athletic proportions greatly
impressed our escort, and besides this, they remarked that he
had a heavy hand, and a well sharpened knife in his girdle.
We finally turned off from the river towards Lanquin.
The kitervening country was rough and broken, and the soil was
scant and bare, with only an occasional stunted pine to relieve
its arid surface, from which the rays of the sun and the heat

318

THE

CAVERN.

were reflected with an almost insupportable brightness and
power. When we were still at a distance from the town, we
heard the church bells, echoed by the mountains, announcing
the important event of our arrival. We soon encountered a
group of Indians, stationed near a little stream, whose duty it
was to receive us with the customary harangue. They were
all of mature age, or rather old men, remarkable for their
gravity. They were dressed in the Cahabon fashion, and with
their imperturbable faces, withered features, bronzed complexions, and singular turbans, might have been mistaken in the
East for decayed eunuchs banished from the seraglio. They
were, in fact, the municipal corps of Lanquin. I n front of
these magistrates stood a youth, in the simple costume of the
golden age, engaged in beating a drum. His appearance from
the front was decent enough, but when he turned around I
could not help exclaiming to the curate, " F o r charity's sake,
Seilor Cura, give him another drum and complete his costume !" But Father Balduini was too much absorbed in his
own affairs to pay much attention to my remark. In fact,
he had been taken somewhat unawares by the dignitaries of
Lanquin, and hastened to adjust his band and to conceal his
little white vest beneath the folds of an ample cassock. t As
soon as he had properly adjusted his priestly robes, he majestically crossed the river, and after pretending to listen most
attentively to the harangue of the municipality, which was
long and monotonous, he gave the people his blessing. We
then put spurs to our horses and galloped into the village, in
the midst of a congregation of people as remarkable for their
savage aspect as for the scantiness of their clothing.
We dismounted at the door of the parsonage, where everything had been arranged for the reception of the worthy priest.
The floor had been strewn with the branches of pines, and
dinner was ready and waiting. Our dessert consisted of pineapples, of exquisite flavor, for which this district is celebrated.

CUEVA

OF

LAKQUIN.

319

The population of San Augustin Lanquin, like that of
Cahabon, consists entirely of Indians, and numbers two thousand five hundred souls. This village, buried as it were in a
cavity of the mountains, owes the little movement and activity
which it possesses to the fact of its being on the road to Coban. I t contains, however, a great natural curiosity, a strange
cavern, which I consider so remarkable as to be worthy of more
than passing notice, notwithstanding the slight interest which
usually attaches to descriptions of this class of phenomena.^
The mouth of the cueva, shaped like that of a funnel,
opens at the base of a limestone mountain, a quarter of a league
from the village. The Rio de Lanquin takes its rise within
it, and dashes out from its mouth with great noise and impetuosity. The body of water is not less than ten yards in width,
but its depth can scarcely be determined. Immense trees,
growing out from the crevices of the rocks which shut it in,
and bending forward as if in search of light, seem constantly
in danger of being uprooted by the torrent; while numberless
vines, springing up under their protection, bind them together,
and, by a sort of reciprocity, maintain them in their perilous
position.
We ascended a steep point which overlooks the fall, and
crept through a narrow opening in the side of the sierra,
into the cavern, where a few faint rays of sunlight penetrate,
giving a bluish tint to the numerous stalactites which the
imagination of the Indians readily transforms into statues of
saints and Madonnas. But if, as sometimes happens, instead
of these pleasing illusions, they fancy that they detect the
naming eye of El Dueno de la Cueva (the owner of the
cavern), a mysterious personage who inhabits its depths, neither exhortations nor promises of reward can induce them to
enter.
* Juarros gives the cavern of Lanquin the first place among the curiosities of Vera Paz, and Herrara also describes it, but very inaccurately.

320

THE

CAVERN.

This time, however, El Dueno did not make his appearance ; our guides advanced boldly, and we followed, in the
midst of rugged steeps, abrupt precipices, and chaotic masses
of fantastically-shaped rocks, which vividly recalled some of
Dante's dark and fearful pictures. The cavern seemed boundless, but at the request of the cura some of our guides went
forward, holding aloft their torches, which gradually revealed
to us its limits.
On their return, we determined on a somewhat perilous
adventure. A few yards from the point where we stood was
visible the mouth of a dark. and yawning chasm, from which
proceeded the murmur of distant and invisible waters. It was
not without some misgivings that wTe made up our minds to
follow the Indians and descend into this abyss. The most agile
among them undertook to light us on our way, and we commenced the descent. After overcoming the first difficulties,
the chasm became narrower, and its walls broke away in the
form of a gigantic stairway, which, leading from precipice to
precipice, conducted us to the bed of the torrent. Here we
found, on the brink of a stream, a fairy-like grotto, enriched
with a profusion of cones, aigrettes, and a fret-work of incrustations, which no profane touch had ever dishonored. In one
spot were masses of alabaster, plaited like the finest muslin,
while in other places it took the elegant structure of the coral.
The roof, the walls, and the floor, all were incrusted with little
crystals, which sparkled like diamonds beneath the light of
our torches. I was full of respectful admiration. It seemed
as if we had penetrated nature's .sanctuary, and had dared to
surprise her in her mysterious laboratory. On all sides was
audible the tinkle of water filtering its way through a thousand secret issues in the rock, finally to unite in one body be •
fore seeking the light of day. It is thus, by a slow and occult process, that nature gradually fills up the chasms rent in
the earth's stony bosom by primitive convulsions; and to the

A

MUMMY.

321

eye of the visitor to these secret cells, even inorganic matter
seems to be invested with life, so vividly does the phenomenon
before him recall the idea of true vegetation.
When our curiosity was satisfied, and we turned our eyes
upwards towards the frightful opening through which we had
descended, we experienced less pleasing emotions. By the
light of the torches scattered along the path, we caught
glimpses of the sombre masses of rocks which we were to
scale on our return. Some stood out bold and bare, while
others were huddled together in rough and chaotic masses, receding gradually until completely lost in the darkness. We
made our way back, however, without mishap, and left the
chasm, full of astonishment and delight at what we had
seen.
In scrambling through the upper gallery, bristling in
places with multitudinous pointed rocks, which I can only
liken to the needles of a glacier, our attention was attracted
by a singular object jammed into one of the crevices, the nature of which we could not clearly make out. One of our
guides succeeded in reaching it, but drew back in affright,
exclaiming that it was a human body. At these words the
cura and myself seized the torches, and at the hazard of our
4
lives descended to the spot where it lay. The Indian was not
mistaken; it was, in fact, a corpse, or rather a mummy, wThich
the dry air of the cavern had preserved from decay. The
head was wedged in between the rocks, and the pelvis and
lower limbs were thrown upwards. Some unfortunate being,
in times past, had here found a grave. Was he the victim of
crime or of an accident ? We addressed this question in vain
to the silent arches of the cavern. They kept their secret
well! * Our guides looked at each other in terror, murmuring
the name of El Dueno de la Cueva! We endeavored to
persuade them that these remains were probably those of a
monkey. This hypothesis was not beyond the range of pos14*

322

THE

CAVERN.

sibilitj, and as they did not attempt to dispute the suggestion,
I fancied that our arguments had convinced them; but Father
Balduini assured me that it would be many a long day before
they would return to the cueva.
Two days after our subterranean excursion, we ascended
the sierra, the inner depths of which we had already explored.
The summit is reached by a very steep path, shadowed over
by crooked and stunted trees. From this point may be seen,
to the north-east, the valley leading to Cahabon. The horizon is limited in every other direction by a double chain of
mountains, the summits of which are crowned with pines, as
could be determined from their pyramidal outlines. The basin
of Lanquin is of triangular form, and complete in its dreary
isolation. Among the rocks we found a cactus with trailing
and striated stalks, which bore a red prickly fruit, sweet, and
of about the size of an apricot.
I early made up my mind not to remain long in Lanquin, much to the regret of the Abbe Balduini, who sought to
retain me, at least until after the festival of Saint Augustin,
the patron saint of the place, which was near at hand. This
solemnity attracts a large number of visitors to the town,
which, for the time being, is full of life. But I was only too
anxious to exchange the burning climate, which was exhaust-^
ing my strength, for the bracing breezes of the mountains; I
therefore resisted all the entreaties of my host. When he
found me resolved to go, he lent me everj assistance in his
power to facilitate my journey ; and not content with furnishing me with provisions, filled my trunks with vanilla, copal,
various specimens of the products and industry of the country, and such other objects as would be likely to recall Lanquin to my mind on my return to Europe. When, on arriving at Coban, I went to pay my guides, I found that he had
forestalled me, and had himself paid them in advance.
Long years have passed since the day when, putting spurs

FAREWELLS.

323

to my horse, I waved my hand to the lone missionary, in a
mute and last farewell. I shall never forget his affectionate
smile, nor his look of mingled melancholy and resignation
which followed me. The Abbe Balduini was not born for
solitude. Eminently social in disposition and full of susceptibility, he had mistaken his vocation. Alas I what a contrast between the sunny plains of his native Italy and the
wild mountains and uncouth inhabitants of Vera Paz!

PS' 1 1'^ '^Wpia/ * § P ^
in a
•:|!ll|

iiiiiifiiiii

•nil,

mmffl

X.
L A

T I E R R A

TEMiFIiADA,

Review of route—The table lands—Vast maize fields—Difficulties of the road—PubHo
ranchos—Travellers'
offerings—Fondness of the Indians for fermented drinks—Improved condition of the country—San Pedro Carcha—First view of Coban—Beautiful approach—Liquid amber trees—Delightful climate—Productions—Plaza of Coban
—An embowered city—Hedge-rows—Population—Character of the people—Indust r y and the arts—Costumes—Castes—The Ladinos—Pleasing
reminiscences—An
E l Dorado for Naturalists—Birds—The imperial quetzal—Traditions
concerning i t Shells—Significant Indian names—The chase—New aspects of the forest—Tree ferns
—Hunting the quetzal—Monkeys—Mountains—Distant
volcanoes—Magnificent view
—Health of Coban—Fruits and vegetables—The bananna—Coffee—Commerce of Coban—The wilds of Chisec—Refugee Indians—The Bishop Las Casas— Tierra de Guerra
—Eeduction of the country—Change in its name—Foundation of Coban—Arms of
t h e city—Teachings of its founders—Religious reminiscences—The great church—
Negro • santos—Church
of Calvario—Confidences—A sentimental episode—Juana—
Growth of an a t t a c h m e n t — A n illusion dispelled—Abrupt departure from Coban—
Juana's epistle.

FROM the alluvial plains of Tabasco and Chiapa, our
route had led us, by the gradual ascent of the Usumasinta
and its tributaries, to the centre of Peten, where the country
broke away in a summit basin, so to speak, covered with numberless hills, isolated or in groups. Our advance toward the
south, from the lake of Peten to Dolores, and from thence to
San Luis, was still a constantly-increasing ascent; but here
we encountered veritable mountains, great primitive chains,
over which we clambered with difficulty, before descending
into the valleys of Cahabon, on the opposing or Atlantic declivity of the continent. From this point, however, our route
lay over a succession of high table lands, and it was only occasionally that we descended into the low levels of the tierra
ealientc. The lagoons, the savannas, and the great forests
disappeared; the horizon expanded, the atmosphere became

826

LA

TIERRA

TEMPLADA.

fresh and pure, the population more compact, the ties which
bind society together more numerous, and man appeared to
have recovered, in a large degree, his energy and activity.
He here displays greater industry, more forethought, and is
less averse to labor; his domain is more extended than in
higher and in lower grounds, his efforts better appreciated,
and he no longer sustains an unequal contest with Nature, but
subdues and binds her to his will.
The road which we followed, after leaving Lanquin,
crosses over a succession of hills and valleys which rise progressively to Coban. None are of remarkable height, but
there are great numbers, on table lands of varying elevations,
ranging from two to three thousand feet in altitude.
The
cultivated fields which we encountered here, had for us the
attraction of novelty; not only were the plains cleared and
tilled, but the steepest slopes bore the evidences of human industry. The pine and the oak appeared only on the hill-tops.
As far as our vision could reach, our eyes wandered over undulating expanses, covered w^ith maize, the stalks of wrhich
here often reach the height of from seven to eight yards {sept
a hnit metres de hauteur).
A t a distance, these maize fields
have the appearance of vast prairies ; but on entering them
both horse and rider are lost beneath their luxuriant vegetation.
Mallows, the arborescent helianthus, and similar
plants, when the ground is left fallow, succeed rapidly to the
forest.
As we advanced, the unusual and increasing movement
and life on the road, awakened our liveliest interest. A t intervals we passed long files of Indians laden with maize, cotton, mats, and other products of the country, and overtook
occasional whole families of the inhabitants proceeding to their
labors in the fields. Every member of these families, down
to the youngest child, was provided with a suyacal, (a kind
of cloak made of palm leaves) wrapped carefully around his

ROADS. — TAMBOS. — CHICHA.

327

shoulders. All were on foot, and no beasts of burden wTere
anywhere to be seen.
We were not long in learning the cause; for, after crossing
the first hill beyond the town, the road became so abrupt and
broken that we were obliged to dismount, and literally force
our animals over the more difficult places. The difficulties of
the route rather increased than diminished, as we proceeded,
and the road was occasionally interrupted by almost vertical
descents, impassable for mules, and only ascended and descended by pedestrians through the aid of rude ladders, formed
of the notched trunks of trees, placed against the rocks. A t
such points, persons travelling with animals are obliged to
make long circuits to avoid the obstacles in their course.
The accommodations for travellers on this route are much
the same as those which I have described as existing on the
more frequented roads of Peten, namely, simple sheds, open on
all sides. Only here they seemed to be more solidly constructed,
or rather they appeared firmer, as the climate is more favorable for their preservation. In nearly all of them we found a
little image of Christ, fastened against one of the posts, hung
round wdth dried flowers and fruits, the offerings of pious
wayfarers before us. The flowers were always of the most
beautiful varieties; but as for the fruits, I know not whether
their rarity, their brilliant colors, or supposed medicinal virtues were the reasons which induced their selection.^ I n the
vicinity of these rude tambos or public ranchos, and in fact
near all settlements, are d'ipots for chicha, a detestable beverage made by fermenting the juice of the sugar cane.f These
* The fruit of the lycop&rsicum pyriforme, called chuchu by the Indians, is
used in Guatemala as a specific against colds and headaches. A ripe berry is
selected and roasted in the ashes, and by the addition of a few drops of oil, the
pulp is converted into a kind of ointment, which is introduced into the nostrila
f This species of chicha is not the same as that manufactured in Mexico,
which is made by an infusion of maize, when the saccharine matter commences
to be developed by germination.

328

LA

TIERRA

TEMPLADA.

cliicharias have an irresistible attraction for the Indians.
They can rarely pass by them, so long as they have wherewith to purchase, by exchange or otherwise, a glass of their
favorite beverage.
We were struck, on the first night after our departure
from Lanquin, with the lowering of the temperature, and
after the second day, with the change in the vegetation.
The wooded tracts of country were now covered with ferns
with woody stems; beautiful rhexias bordered our path, and
vines with pink flowers twined up the trees in the midst of
blooming fuchsias. Plants of the night-shade family became
numerous, of large size, and arborescent. In the afternoon we
reached a tract of table land covered with a gravelly clay soil,
where the route was less broken and difficult, and our eyes
roamed over beautiful reaches of level land, alternating with
hills cultivated on all their slopes, and crowned with groups
of trees, the last remains of the primitive forests. The landscape here is wild and solitary, without, however, possessing
that severity of aspect which is the characteristic of elevated
regions.
It was still daylight when we arrived at San Pedro Carcha, a town where, for the first time since we had left Yucatan,
we observed any very marked indications of activity and of
efficient public administration. The roads were in good order;
the fields were separated by fences; tiled roofs took the place
of thatched, and there were shops, and customers withal, indicating the existence of artificial wants and the means of supplying them. We began also to meet with those singular
faces belonging only to the New World, where, if I may so
express myself, the peculiar features of both the black and
red races seem moulded in European clay. A population of
twenty thousand souls, the owners of all the cultivated grounds
between the town and Cahabon, regard San Pedro as their
common centre and metropolis.

APPROACH

TO

COBAN.

329

We did not stop long in San Pedro, but pushed on to the
more important town of Coban. It was on a lovely morning
in August when we first descried its churches perched on a
commanding eminence, plainly visible but yet two leagues
distant. Although the heat of the sun was great, the air
was fresh and bracing, and with invigorated frame and exhilarated spirits, I thought I could never weary of gazing on
the varied and pleasing prospects which were revealed at
every turn in our path. Here the Rio Grande washed the
foot of the sierra with its foaming current, and yonder it slept
quietly in deep and bubble-speckled pools. Here was a field
of maize bending its green leaves gracefully under the touch
of the cool breeze, and in a little grove of their own were clustered together the graceful liquid amber trees, remarkable for
their pyramidal shape and the richness of their foliage. They
form a characteristic feature in the scenery of the tierra ternplada, that is to say of the most salubrious and interesting
zone of equatorial America, and gave me great delight, since
the change of climate which they indicated inaugurated for me
a new era, in which health and a sense of security* were to
succeed languor, annoyance and peril. At the same time,
I saw a change in the whole face of nature, in the appearance
of the sky, the character of the plants and animals, and in the
morals and aptitudes of the people. It was almost like visiting
a new country.
The great diversity of the natural productions of the tierra
templada invests travel here with peculiar charms. Here
the trees and fruits of the tropics and those of the temperate
zone may be seen springing up side by side, from a soil never
consumed by the summer's sun, nor chilled by the frosts of
winter. Thus, I remarked, in the gardens of San Pedro, pineapples flourishing beside bushes blushing with roses, and coffeetrees in flower intertwined with beautiful Indian cresses, with
fringed petals, while arborescent yucas cast their shade over

330

LA

TIERRA

TEMPLADA,

bushes laden with blackberries in all respects similar to those
of our own country.
The road near Coban is bordered with gardens surrounded
by hedges, over which hang roses, jasamins, and dituras.
Advancing between these fragrant hedge-rows, wre caught occasional glimpses of little houses (casas del campo) nestling
among thickets of verdure, until, suddenly clambering up a
short and abrupt ascent, we emerged on the plaza or public
square of Coban. On one side rose a church, lofty and of
imposing appearance, while in front was a line of ruins of
ancient and apparently once magnificent edifices. The other
sides of the square .were lined by low colonnades facing the shops
of a few merchants and artisans. The pavement was broken,
grass grew between the stones, and altogether the square wore
an aspect of desertion and decay wmich produced a most unfavorable impression on our minds. We looked around us for
divergent streets lined with houses, but none were visible, and
we accordingly kept on our way, thinking that possibly we had
not reached the town. At this moment we met a tall Ladino,
wrapped closely in a woollen cloak, such as is worn during the
coldest days of winter. I addressed him,
" Amigo, if you are from Coban, will you tell us where
the town lies?"
The question evidently surprised him. He hesitated for
a moment, and then, as if satisfied from the expression of my
countenance, that I had asked the question in good faith, he
replied, sweeping his arm around in a circle,
u
Senor, the town is around you !"
And he was right. But how can I convey an idea of a
town of twelve thousand souls, built on an elevation, and yet
almost invisible? I shall make the attempt, however, but
with little hope of success.
The houses of Coban, for it cannot be denied that such
exist, are low and covered with tiles. A corridor, supported

CITY

0 E

COBAN.

331

on wooden columns, or pilasters of masonry, extends along
the front. From the highest point of the town the streets
descend by a gentle slope into the surrounding valleys through
an almost impenetrable mass of verdure. Every dwelling,
with its court-yard, its little garden, and its adjacent cultivated field, is curtained behind a gigantic hedge, which separates it from the public road. A variety of nettle (ortie),*
tall, with immense prickly leaves of a rich green color, makes
up a principal part of these hedges, and prohibits incautious
approach. It is propagated from cuttings, and its growth is
so rapid that at the end of a few years the stalks become veritable trunks, which interlace so as to form a grey wall covered with mosses and lichens, and equally picturesque and
serviceable. Most of the streets of Coban are bordered with
hedges of this description, which form natural arcades, sombre
and continuous. The city is therefore enveloped in a net-work
of verdure, the meshes of which are so close that even its public
edifices are invisible except from their immediate neighborhood.
I have said that Coban contains a population of twelve
thousand souls, two thousand of which are Spaniards and Ladinos, and ten thousand Indians. These latter in no respect
resemble those of Cahabon. Active, enterprising and industrious, they possess the essential elements of civilization. This
great difference is, no doubt, due in large part to the difference
of climate. It cannot be denied that the circumstances in
which man exercises his faculties have a powerful influence on
his development. Hence it is that the American race presents so many different aspects in Guatemala, which is a region of small extent, it is true, but very much diversified in
surface, and where the transitions are as sudden as they are
great. The Indians of Coban, favored with a delightful climate; readily engage in agriculture, and also pursue many mechanical avocations. There are among them good carpenters,
* Opuntiaficus-indica,or possibly a columnar Cereus?—T.

332

LA

TIERRA

TEMPLADA.

dyers, weavers and tailors. They rarely work on their own
account, however, but are employed by the Ladinos, who
conduct the whole trade of the country. Indefatigable travellers, they go to Sacapulas in search of palm-leaf hats, to
Quezaltenango for woollen goods, to Yzabal for their crockery, and they carry for sale, even to Nicaragua, the hammocks
which they knit from the threads of the pita or agave, and dye
with brilliant colors.
On Sundays and feast days these honest artisans appear in
gala dress, wrapped in ample woollen cloaks, which contrast
strongly with their white pantaloons, and wearing tall black
straw hats, resembling our own in size and shape. As they
defile before him, the traveller can scarely realize that they
belong to the same race with the indolent, improvident, and
brutalized inhabitants of the tierras calientes.
The women are equally industrious. They spin and weave
cotton, embroider, and knit with taste and skill, besides being
tolerable cooks and tidy housewives. They wear a national
head-dress, which is pleasing in effect, and which I have never
observed elsewhere. Their hair, of which they have a profusion, is braided with • amaranth-colored woollen cords, of
eight or ten yards in length, frequently ornamented with tassels at the ends, and falling in festoons to their ankles. All,
without distinction, wear a blue checkered cotton skirt, to
which they add, when they appear in public, a short chemise.
The Spanish element being very small in Coban, the Ladinos constitute nearly a sixth part of the population. Superior to the Indians in intelligence, but less industrious and
moral, the Ladinos keep themselves quite apart, and affect the
greatest disdain for the very class from which they themselves
originally sprung. This intermediate caste, in Central America, is not famed for its virtues; destitute of education, and
without moral elevation or fixed principles, it has inherited
none of the good qualities of its progenitors, but only their

NATURAL

HISTORY.

333

vices. Nevertheless, they live peaceably enough upon the
fruits of their labor in Coban, and limit their ambition to
domineering over the Indians, who respond by most cordially
repelling their airs of superiority.
The province of Vera Paz is perhaps the most interesting
division of Guatemala, and Coban, in respect of natural history, is its most favored city. Not only is the climate salubrious and the soil productive, but the people are endowed
with an aptitude and good will rarely to be met with in Spanish countries. The delightful temperature, the serenity of the
sky, the aspect of the country—everything favors thought and
study, and disposes one to industry. It is with the greatest
pleasure that I recall to mind the days passed in that quiet
town, where the annoyances of my wandering life were so soon
forgotten. How often do I see, in my dreams, the little white
house which I occupied wTith my faithful attendant; the myrtles growing in a corner of the garden and diffusing their fragrance on the evening air; the blue lizards racing along the
hedges,^ and the brilliantly colored insects which buzzed
around my light, and afforded me such infinite amusement!
My life here, perhaps, wras rather too lonely, but it was one
of occupation and was sustained by hope, two great requisites
of happiness. I received the greatest kindness and attention
on the part of my hosts. Every day I met with new productions of nature, whose treasures here seemed as inexhaustible as my own desires. The absence of disturbing rumors,
vain illusions, and anxious solicitudes, left my mind open to
the free enjoyment of that repose which it so much needed,
and that communion with Nature in which my delights so
largely consisted. Nevertheless, one melancholy thought cast
its shadow on my spirit. In the midst of the fluctuations to
* The tropidolepis formosus, Dum., is very numerous in the gardens of
Coban. This lizard belongs to -the tribe of iguanas, and is of a beautiful blue
color, its back shading on copper.

334

LA

TIERRA

TEMPLADA.

which human affairs are subject, nothing, alas ! is less stable
than happiness. For seven long months I had been without
news from my family, and until my arrival in Guatemala I
could not hope for letters. The state of uncertainty and expectation in which I lived gradually unsettled my tranquillity
and embittered my enjoyments. In a word, after much hesitation and many secret contests, I finally tore myself away,
with the deepest regrets, from a spot which to me was full of
attractions.
The basin of Coban is an El Dorado for the ornithologist.
Even the children go about armed with a sarbacan^ or blowtube, an instrument which they use very dexterously, and which
they have inherited from their earliest ancestors.^ There exist
in the town bird fanciers by profession, who rear many curious birds in cages, particularly singing birds, which are highly
prized by the people of Coban. They understand skinning and
preserving them, by stuffing, remarkably well. The queen of
the woods is the quetzal.
All the way from the frontiers of
Tabasco I had heard of the marvellous beauty of this bird.
My curiosity was so much excited by what was told me that I
endeavored, but in vain, to classify it from the descriptions.
I t is now, however, pretty well known, having been within the
last few years extensively introduced into European collections.
Indeed, the demand for it has been so great that, unless it soon
diminishes, this magnificent bird must disappear from the forests of Guatemala. Its plumage is remarkable for its brilliancy.
On the back it is of silken fineness, and of a metallic, emerald
green, shading on gold. Under the breast it is of a rich purple. But it is the tail of the bird which constitutes its prin* " Taladran sutilmente las zdbratenas con puas muy largos."—Herrara,
Dec. iv., 1. x., c. 14. Montezuma did not disdain to use the sarbacan.
Among the presents which he sent to Cortez were a dozen of these implements, painted with considerable skill, as also a game bag of golden thread,
with balls of the same metal. See Cortez, in Lorenzana, 1. ii., p. 100.

THE

QUETZAL.

335

cipal beauty. This is seldom less than a yard in length, and
consists of four or five long and drooping feathers of the most
vivid green. *
The plumage of the quetzal is most brilliant in the month
of March, and it is then that the hunters enter the forest in
its pursuit. The hunt is kept up until the season of pairing,
when the male bird loses the plumes of its tail. Every year from
two to three hundred skins are sent from Coban, where they
are worth about half, a dollar, to Guatemala, where they bring
three dollars. For the most part, these find their way to Europe, where they are badly stuffed and set up as representatives of the species. The ancient inhabitants, if history may
be credited, caught these birds in snares, and after having
plucked out their beautiful tails, set them at liberty again.
To kill them was a crime punishable by law. j" At this early
period it is said the plumes of the quetzal constituted the
only article of export from Vera Paz—a poor country, covered with forests and difficult of access. Much sought after
by artists, they served to set off the curious and splendid
feather mosaics which so greatly excited the admiration of
the conquerors.
The environs of Coban abound in terrestrial shells, which
are found in the cavities of the rocks, or creeping on the mosses
of the woods. The largest specimens yet found in America, of
the genus helix, cylindrella, and glandina, exist in the recesses
of the mountains of Vera Paz. There is one thing worthy of
remark while on this subject, namely, that the Indians have a
separate and distinct name for each kind of mollusc .J The
Guarani dialect, spoken by certain Brazilian tribes, furnishes a
* M. Morelet, following Spix, classes the quetzal, Trogan pavoninus, while
Gould and others denominate it Trogan resplendens.—T.
f Herrara, Dec. hi., 1. x., c. ii.
$ Thus they call chotch, the h. Ghiesbreghtii of Nyst; tsitsib, the h. eximia
Pfr.; sapitan, the gh. fusiformis Pfr.; chulupilc, the cyl. decollata Nyst, etc.

336

LA

TIERRA

TEMPLADA.

similar illustration, for in that idiom there are fifteen words
by which to designate as many varieties of bees. This is, however, very natural; for it is by no means strange that the attention of man, being early concentrated on the objects which
surround him, and which are connected with his modes of life in
the way of food, should remark their minutest peculiarities, and
assign them distinct names. Those objects, on the other hand,
from which he derives no benefit long remain confounded under
a vague and general denomination. Thus the ancient languages,
the general richness of which cannot be disputed, are, in respect
of the natural sciences, extremely poor.
I never truly appreciated the pleasures of the chase except
during my travels in Central America. True, in a new country, covered with the most luxuriant vegetation, and full of
rare and unknown animals, as, for example, in Vera Paz,
this pursuit is invested with more than its ordinary charms.
The attraction which I found in this sport arose not less from
my passionate admiration of nature than the curiosity with
which her productions inspired me. In my first excursion in
the environs of Coban I was accompanied by Fabricio, my host,
an athletic young man, a good shot, and acquainted with every
inch of the country. We took with us provisions for three
days. Some hunters in the town joined us, as also a number
of boys more accustomed to roaming about the country than
to attending school. We spent our first night in a high valley, two leagues from the town. Before morning we suffered
considerably from cold, although the weather was dry, and we
kept up a good fire. Snow never falls on these heights ; but
in December and January the plants growing in exposed
situations are frequently nipped by frost, and their blossoms
blighted.
The forests, under the shadow of which we awakened, impressed me with such lively feelings of admiration that my
recent remembrances of the tierra caliente were at once effaced

TREE F E R N S . — T H E

QUETZAL.

337

from my mind. Everything that I saw around me, in its
minutest detail, was new; all was picturesque and magnificent. In no other part of the world have I ever seen the
humble mosses, lichens, and lycopodia so beautifully and
luxuriantly developed. Every inch of ground was covered
with these parasitic plants, the strength and vigor of which
do not here, as in our own country, indicate the decadence of
the tree around which they are entwined. In the midst of
this wilderness of cellular plants, which cover the steep slopes
of the mountain with a fresh and velvet-like carpet, spring up
hundreds of tree ferns, almost as high and straight, and infinitely more graceful than the palm. Their dark and reticulated trunks resemble the skin of a serpent. Their delicate
foliage is swayed by every passing breeze, and falls in graceful umbels beneath the shadows of gigantic oaks, of which
there are at least fifty varieties in Vera Paz, some of them
bearing enormous acorns.
It is in the depths of these forests that the quetzal, here
called couroucou, perched among the branches of some tall
tree, reposes during the greater portion of the day, or silently
lies in wait for the insects upon which he feeds. No sound
betrays his presence except during the time of pairing, when
the woods are vocal with his sonorous, melancholy notes. He
is not gregarious in his habits, but manifests the most tender
attachment for his mate, and shares with her all the labors of
incubation; at least the Indians affirm that frequently during
that period, the long tail of the male bird may be seen issuing
from the cavity where the pair have established their nest.
This circumstance appears to have impressed the historian of
Guatemala, who, however, gives it quite a different interpretation. " I t would appear," he says, very innocently, u #iat
the quetzdles are aware of the value of their tails, for they
take great care in providing two issues to their nest, entering
by the one and quitting it by the other, in order to avoid any
'15

338

LA

TIERRA

TEMPLADA.

accident to the most precious portion of their plumage/'*
The reader can choose for himself between these different representations. Among our companions was a man who could
imitate to perfection the plaintive note of the conroucou, a
talent possessed in a greater or less degree by all the hunters
of Coban. By this means two males were attracted toward
us, both of which we secured. But as these birds, at this
season, are divested of their principal ornament, I interceded
for them, and put a stop to their wanton destruction. We
afterwards shot a monkey of the altiate variety, covered with
soft, dark fur. We cooked him for supper, and I tasted a
portion of his flesh, which seemed to me tough and dry,
whence I deduced that the famous roast monkey, so highly
praised by Don Diego and Morin, was indebted for its principal
merit to the fact of the scarcity of our provisions and the good
appetites of its consumers. During the evening the most discordant noises awakened the echoes of the forest, which I learned
were made by the owners of the plantations beneath us, in
order to frighten away the foxes,f at the moment when they
leave their retreats, after sundown, to devastate the plantations.
The mountains surrounding Coban rise gently from the
table land, and form a chain of considerable uniformity. They
are covered with a gravelly clay soil, like the lower valleys,
and with a thick layer of vegetable deposits. From these
heights my companions called my attention to a bluish cloud
to the south-west, which they informed me was the summit of
the volcan de Agua, situated near the city of Guatemala. A
most interesting spectacle awaited us on our descent from
the mountain. While we were still in the shadow of the
woods, we caught sight of the valley spread out at our feet,
bathed in a flood of light. I distinguished fields of maize alternating with pasturage, and streams winding their way
* Juarros, trat 1., c. iii. p. 30.
f Vulpes tricolor, Cuv., the tepescuiute of the Indians.

C L I M A T E . —D I S B A S E S .

339

through the wide-spread verdure, and around the feet of
gentle eminences, which they seemed to cherish in their embrace. In the centre of the picture rose the white church of
Coban on a throne of emerald. Framing in the whole were
the hills, cultivated to their very tops, and crowned with pines ;
and still above these stood the great mountain chains, as if
propping up the distant horizon. This magnificently grand
landscape could not fail to inspire me with an enthusiasm unapproachable by any feeling except that of gratitude to that
supreme Intelligence, which had endowed me with faculties
capable of appreciating the glories of his wonderful creation.
The climate of Coban is damp but temperate. Much rain
falls during the year, but in small quantities at a time. After
a shower, the level portions of the town are covered with miniature lakes, and the streets, on the declivities of its site, become the channels of temporary torrents. These conditions,
however, are but slightly inconvenient for the greater part of
the inhabitants, who regard all kinds of shoes as effeminate
superfluities. During the month of August, the period of
my visit, the thermometer stood at 59° of Fahrenheit, at
eight o'clock in the morning, at 64° at mid-day, and at 61°
at sundown. The maximum range was 68°, the minimum
51°, giving an average mean of 59° 9', for the month. The
temperature varies but little from these figures during the entire year.
I was therefore in no small degree surprised, in such a
climate, to hear of a malady in Coban, which is generally
considered as belonging to hot countries. The dysentery rages
during the months of July and August, and is particularly
fatal to the Indian population who do not understand its treatment. The Ladinos take better care of themselves, and besides dieting, make use, with considerable benefit, of the astringent bark of the pomegranate.
The table lands of Coban abound in excellent fruits and

340

LA

TIERRA

TEMPLADA.

vegetables, among which the avocates and injertos are highly
esteemed.^ But horticultural industry has made but slight
progress in these mountains. At the time we were there, we
found only oranges and limas,-\ the latter a juicy fruit, the
perfume of which is almost entirely concentrated in the skin,
and granadillas. The granadilla is a green fruit about the
size of an egg, the tough and smooth skin of which covers a
gelatinous pulp, slightly acidulous, but very refreshing and
palatable. Every one, of course, has heard of these climbing
plants which decorate the gardens of tropical America, where
the peculiarity of their growth has obtained for them the appellation of passio?i Jloivers.
One day I was shown a fruit resembling small apples,
having a strong odor of roses. These rose-apples, manzanas
rosas, as they are called in the country, belong to a species of
myrtacece.% The flower of this tree is composed of innumerable stamens, which fall in sheafs on the calix. The pistil is
very long and continues after fructification.
The bananna also grows here; but does not attain very
great perfection. The coffee tree thrives vigorously, and yields
abundantly. Every garden contains a little patch for family
use. By the side of these tropical productions is the quince,
which comes to maturity during the month of August.
A fruitful soil, great diversity of climate, and productions
of the greatest variety and value, are among the advantages
which Nature offers to man in Vera Paz. The commerce of
the country is in its trade in maize, vanilla, sarsaparilla, and
perhaps I may add a few articles of the thread of the agave,
manufactured chiefly'in the town of Coban. Cotton formerly
constituted the principal article of exportation, but this branch
of trade has sensibly declined since the cultivation of cotton
was commenced in the western departments of the republic.
* Lucuma salicifolia, Kunth.
$ Eugenia jambos, L.
'

f Citrus medica, L. Var. dulcis.

THE

BISHOP

LAS

CASAS.

341

The shortest road between Flores and Guatemala, runs
through Coban. It crosses the great chain of the Chisec
mountains which extend from east to west, but they do not
present any permanent obstacles to the passage of beasts of
burden, as does those of Cahabon. Still, the numerous torrents which furrow it, and which, during three fourths of
the year, diffuse their waters over the neighboring valleys,
explain the neglect in which it remains. Chisec is a wild
region, where, in 1803, some disaffected Indians took refuge, at the time when the taxes were increased. They now
number, it is said, five hundred souls. Every year, when the
drought has rendered the roads practicable, an alcalde from
Coban makes his way to their fastnesses, gathers together the
scattered population, and collects the children who await the
sacrament of baptism, and the couples who have forestalled
that of matrimony by a previous union. The Church, like an
indulgent mother, receives them into her bosom, and sends
them back to their mountain homes, after having accommodated all the little moral difficulties that may have existed
previously.
Let us stop here, for a moment, to pay tribute to the memory of that illustrious bishop who devoted his whole career to
the defence of an oppressed race, and who first planted the
standard of the cross in Vera Paz. He stands forth as a noble example of practical charity. Animated by the loftiest
enthusiasm, and possessed of the tenderest of humaxi hearts,
his deeds cast a mild and consoling light over the sombre picture of the Conquest.
" Providence," said Las Casas, " only wishes to operate
upon misguided souls through the teachings of the gospel; it
has a horror of unjust wars undertaken in its name ; it wishes
neither captives nor slaves to bow before its altars. Persuasion and gentle treatment are sufficient to win the hearts of
the most obstinate to the shrine of the Deity." These words

842

LA

TIERRA

TEMPLADA.

produced a smile upon the lips of the incredulous secular
chiefs around him, who replied to his exhortations with the
monosyllable, " Try ! " *
And he did try ! In 1536, forty years after the discovery
of the new world, his indefatigable zeal led him to Guatemala,
where he heard of the province of Tuzulutlan,
called by the
Spaniards Tierra de Guerra (land of war), because of its
obstinate resistance to their arms.
So difficult a conquest
appeared to Las Casas worthy of his mission; he resolved
here to make trial of his principles, " without other arms,"
say the old historians, " than the double-edged sword of the
divine Word."f He only stipulated, as the condition of his
mediation, that none of his countrymen should be permitted
to enter the country for five years, and as a recompense, in
the event of his being successful, that it should never be enfeoffed to any of them.
We will not follow the pious adventurer in his pacific crusade, in company with the Fray Pedro de Angulo, who, in
1560, J was the first bishop of the province. I t is sufficient for
us to remember that the savage tribes of Tuzulutlan,
subdued by the meekness, the patience, and the evangelical virtues of the two apostles, little by little exchanged their native barbarism for the more gentle manners and' industrious
habits which they preserve to this day. To be brief, at the
expiration of a few years the name of Tierra de Guerra
(land of war) was forgotten, and that of Vera Paz (true
peace) was substituted ; the new designation being confirmed
by the Emperor Charles V. to perpetuate the remembrance of
a triumph, the better assured because it was not founded on
violence.
* See the Memoir of Las Casas against Sepulveda.
f Herrara, Dec. iv. 1. x. c. 13.
J The bishopric of Yera Paz, established in 1559, was in 160.T annexed to
that of Guatemala.

HISTORY

OF

COBAN.

843

Coban became the centre of action of the Dominicans, and
political capital of the province. I t obtained the arms of a
city of the first rank. A t the top of its shield, the rainbow
glowed in a field of azure, with the following motto from the
ninth chapter of Genesis : •" I do set my bow in the cloud"—
an allusion to the new alliance of the two worlds. Lower
down, the dove, bearing an olive branch, hovered over a globe
covered with the heraldric insignia of the order. The influence of a regular clergy, adhering to fixed principles and
instituting a uniform discipline, of course greatly seconded
governmental action in Vera Paz. The fathers, above all, endeavored to inculcate in their flocks respect for authority, and
so great was their success, that this region of country still
continues to be the most peaceable of the State, and the most
submissive to the requirements of duty. In the minds of the
people of Coban the remembrance of the Dominicans is closely
united with that of the colonial administration, .to which they
always refer with expressions of gratitude. It was in truth
the most fortunate epoch in their history.
Since that period the political revolutions and the change
of the seat of civil authority to Salama, have struck a mortal
blow at the dearest interests of their city. Its public edifices
have fallen into decay, and the various routes of communication have ceased to be kept up. Industrial activity has slackened, the means of education have disappeared, social ties have
insensibly become relaxed, and everything in fact, both materially and morally, instead of progressing, has subsided into
decadence.
Coban still retains a remnant of that mystic devotion
which has survived the destruction of the convents. A t the
corner of every street is a chapel containing an effigy of Christ,
enveloped in a mantle of white linen, leaving only the extremities uncovered. Everywhere are to be seen crosses or
other symbols of worship, and the interiors of the houses are

344

LA

TIERRA

TEMPLADA.

full of religious images, relics, and crucifixes. At the first
chime of the Angelus, every one kneels and murmurs a
prayer; but we must not place too much reliance on these
outward manifestations, which proceed less from piety than
from habit or custom. The principal church is a large edifice,
on which the hand of time has left many sad traces. I regretted deeply that it contained no portrait of Las Casas.
That of Fray Pedro de Angulo, who died in 1560, adorns its
walls and it bears an inscription testifying to his zeal in favor of
the Indians. The interior decorations of the church can hardly
be considered in good taste. The eye is distracted by a multitude of pious images, angels, saints, Madonnas, sculptures,
paintings, gildings, all of which are scattered about with a
luxurious and strange confusion which recalls the freaks of
the oriental imagination. These accessories are highly admired and prized by the Indians, who have no respect for a
badly-dressed saint. All the prejudices of race are respected
here, and not the slightest pretext is afforded for jealousy
between the whites, blacks, and Indians. The African, for
example, need not blush to kneel at the feet of a Christ with
a visage as dark as his own !
Another church, called El Calvario, occupies the top of an
isolated hillock. This edifice is white, and shaded by great
pines, produces a strange effect when illuminated by the rays
of the setting sun. All around it spreads-a vast cemetery,
which is rarely visited by a people whose lightness of spirit
induces forgetfulness. A beautiful and picturesque road leads
from the city to El Calvario. I frequently felt myself attracted
to this spot, and it soon became my favorite resort. The dreamy
and melancholy air pervading it communicated a certain sadness and gentleness of feeling to my spirit, which were not
without their charms. It appeared to me, when musing here,
that I was less distant from my home, and less of a stranger to
what was around me than elsewhere; a feeling which I at first

A

LOVE

EPISODE.

345

imagined instinctive, and which I attributed to the proximity
of that great leveller, the grave, but of which I soon discovered the true source, which is far more consoling, since it consists in Faith.
Now that I am about to close my chapter on Coban—the
quiet and delightful spot where some of the happiest hours of
my life were spent—I feel a strange longing to take the reader,
who has followed me thus far, into my confidence, and I cannot resist thefloodof memories which are welling up from the
depths of my heart. Facts often present a better picture of
the moral aspects of a country than the longest homilies. I
scarcely dare invoke this consideration, and yet I will not
reject it, if you, oh reader! be willing to admit its value.
I occupied a neat little house in the town of Coban, in the
midst of a garden filled with coffee, orange and pimiento trees,
which, during the day, afforded a delightful shade, and in the
evening gave out a delicious perfume of cloves. This little
house belonged to a family composed of three sisters and a
brother, who lived opposite in a larger dwelling, separated from
the others by one of those avenues of trees which I have already
described. They were called Indians; why, I do not know.
Perhaps because of the kindly relations which they kept up
with the aborigines, whose language they spoke with the utmost fluency. But a certain delicacy of shape, fine, silken hair,
and an intelligence well cultivated, denoted, particularly in the
women, that they were not pure Indians, but had an infusion
of foreign blood.
The most perfect harmony existed in this family. The
eldest sister was perhaps thirty-five years of age. Active and
industrious, she divided her time between domestic duties and
devotional exercises. She attended to the business matters of
the little family, while the young brother cultivated a piece
of land, situated a short distance up the mountain, for their
common use.
15*

346

LA

TIERRA

TEMPLADA.

The second sister was a girl of about twenty-eight years,
rather pleasing in appearance, although inclining to embonpoint.
She was of a gentle, amiable disposition, and, from
choice, had resolved upon a life of celibacy. She attended
more especially to the household duties, and in the fulfilment
of her task displayed a spirit of method, order and neatness
rarely met with in Spanish countries. The youngest, Juana,
was about sixteen years of age, and did not in any particular
resemble the elder sisters. She displayed a strange mixture
of indifference and vivacity, of curiosity and carelessness, of
wildness, cultivation and delicacy, proceeding evidently from
a mixed ancestry. In her the Indian element certainly predominated. Her face usually wore an expression of melancholy, but when gay and animated all the blood of the tropics
seemed coursing through her veins.
Juana's intelligence appeared to be less flexible and less
developed than that of her sisters. With her, instinct was all
powerful. Her principal charm consisted in her ingenuous
nature, which betrayed her slightest emotions with spontaneous vivacity. I was on terms of intimacy with the family, and observed with the greater interest the little incidents which threw out, in bold* relief, this innocent nature,
inasmuch as I had so long been deprived of the delights of
domestic life.
The young girl, in her turn, was not insensible to the unusual movement which our arrival occasioned. The presence
of two strangers in quest of novelty had effectually broken in
upon the quiet monotony of her existence. Less industrious
than her sisters, whose almost maternal tenderness excused
her idleness, she spent most of her time in our society. Our
collections, our effects, our daily occupations, were so many
novelties appealing to her curiosity. She enquired about all
things without attaching importance to any. Her nature was
a most impressible one, but she was so changeable and so im-

JUANA.

347

pulsive that nothing left any very deep traces on her mind.
I doubted whether she was capable of loving; she was certainly in perfect ignorance of the mysteries of the human
heart and the realities of life. Seated in careless grace under the myrtles of the garden, her head resting upon her
hand, her tresses unbound, and reaching almost to the ground,
she would follow, for whole hours, the movements of my pencil without the slightest symptom of weariness ;• but hardly
was the drawing finished before she would snatch it from me,
and bound away like a fawn, to show it to her sisters and
enjoy their surprise and admiration.
After Juana had become my almost constant companion, life
wore for me a new aspect. Her presence invested the minutest
objects with a certain charm ; it was the ray of sunlight which
gives warmth and soul to the picture. To correct her ideas,
reply to her questions, and develop her intelligence, became
my favorite occupation. I was surprised at not having previously remarked the harmonious accents of her voice, the beauty
of her hair, the flexibility of her waist, the air of picturesque
grace which pervaded her whole person. I had at first looked
upon her only as a simple child; had she already• become a
dangerous woman? A wise man would not have hesitated;
he w^ould have escaped from the fascination without stopping
to fathom its mystery. Alas ! I must, in all humility, confess that such an idea never entered my mind!
Obeying her natural impulses, and seeming unconscious of
the existence elsewhere of social distinctions and conventionalities, Juana kept me in a constant state of perplexity.
Sometimes I thought that she loved me, but at others this
notion vanished. A look of indifference, some trivial action,
or a symptom of coldness, dissipated the illusion. The pain
which I then felt was greatly softened by a generous impulse
of my heart. After all, what were my intentions in regard
to her ? Should I bring trouble and shame upon this family,

348

LA

TIBRRA

TEMPLADA.

in which I had been so hospitably welcomed ? Should I not
rather fly from the spot while it was yet time ? I decided
upon taking my departure, yet day after day I lingered,
quaffing still deeper the delicious poison of her presence.
One morning the young girl rapped at my door, bringing
with her a superb bouquet, which she had just gathered in the
garden, to make up for the loss of some flowers which I had
dropped the day previous in fording a stream. It would have
been an act of ingratitude, to have explained to her the particular interest which I felt in the simple field flowers which I
had lost. " This," said she, "is the vergonzosa. See, senor
how sensitive it is ! I have scarcely touched it, and yet it is
already shrivelled u p ! " She showed me a sensitive plant,
the leaves of which, one after another, had contracted under
the touch of her fingers. "This one/' she continued, "we
call the passion flower; here are the spear, the nails, and the
crown of thorns; it weeps every Good Friday," she added,
with a pretty air of mystery, " a t the hour when our Saviour
expired." " A s to that," I interrupted, smiling, " I am a
little dubious about i t ! " "You do not believe me, then?
Well, ask my sister, Teresa !" Then suddenly changing her
tone and manner, " Is it really true, senor, that you intend
to leave us, as Morin affirmed last night?" At this unexpected enquiry, I was somewhat startled, and did not answer.
Putting down her bouquet, and taking my hand within her
own, she continued, with an affectionate expression which I
had never before seen upon her face, "Are you not content
here ? Why will you go to Guatemala ?" And her lustrous
dark eyes were turned on me with a glance which thrilled my
very soul.
Alas ! how fragile a thing is virtue. I had long been vibrating between the hopes and fears of success, and had determined upon remaining silent; yet here, at the first temptation, my secret was about to be divulged. The trial was a

J U A N A.

349

severe one; the attitude of Juana, the emotion of her voice,
her look in which I read a prayer, all intoxicated and subdued me, and gliding my arm around her waist, I exclaimed^
" In the name of Heaven, Juana, may I hope that you
love me ?"
" Oh yes, you may well believe that I do," she answered
unhesitatingly.
" And you wish me to remain at Coban ?"
" Of course I do," she said, bending her head until her
ebon tresses grazed my cheek, " at least you will not go until
after my marriage ?"
Her words fell with a chill on my heart. Mechanically,
I withdrew my arm from her waist, and my hand disengaged
itself from her clasp. The young girl cast on me a look of
astonishment, not unmixed with anxiety, yet she was evidently
ignorant of the blow she had dealt.
"What is the matter, senor?" she exclaimed, in a voice
made tremulous by apprehension.
I made no answer. My tender illusions were rudely dispelled. I rose, opened the window, and took a few steps, incapable of a single coherent thought or expression. At last,
by a painful effort I recovered my self-possession, reseated
myself and decided upon my course of action.
"Then you are about to marry, Juana?"
"Yes, senor" she replied, lowering her eyes witn an air
of instinctive delicacy.
" When is the ceremony to take place ?"
" I n about a month, senor: my brother Fabricio will not
be at liberty until the harvest is over."
"But you are not about to marry your brother, I suppose ?"
" Oh, senor /" and a hearty laugh betrayed her pearl-like
teeth. " Fabricio and I are to be married on the same
day."

S50

LA

TIEERA

TEMPLADA

"Well, and who is your betrothed?" I inquired, assuming
an air of indifference.
" My betrothed, senor? Why, have you not heard of Don
Santiago Corientes ?"
"'He is certainly not a very ardent lover," I could not
help observing, " for I do not once remember having seen him
at your house."
" This is not surprising," she rejoined hastily, " since he
has been at Salama these two months."
"And you love this young man, Juana?"
"Senor?"
" I understand. As for him, of course h§ cannot but love
you?"
" Certainly, senor, since he wishes to marry me."
" Well then, all is for the best/'
I opened a case, and drew from it a coral necklace, which
I threw around her neck. " Here, Juana, is my marriage
gift, for on the day of your wedding I shall be far away.
Be happy, dear child," I added, pressing a kiss on her forehead, "and sometimes remember the poor traveller in your
prayers."
And here perhaps the indulgent reader will permit me to
anticipate events, and give the sequel of the little love episode
of Juana and the Stranger. A month after leaving Coban,
and having, in the meantime, reached Guatemala, I wras one
day surprised in my garden by an apparition, having the lank
figure and all the peculiar lineaments of my ancient fellowtraveller, honest Diego de la Cueva, who had accompanied me
through the forest between Tenosique and Peten, and who was
reported to me at the latter place, as having died, in the odor
of sanctity, at the village of Sacluc. I was speechless with
astonishment as the familiar figure approached me. It ad-

J U A N A.

. 351

vanced with a dignified step and ceremonious manner, bearing
in one hand a hat, and in the other a little bundle.
" I perceive that you are surprised, Senor caballero" observed the apparition, as it paused in front of me, "and this
is an evident sign that your worship has not forgotten me."
"And is that really you, Don Diego, and are you sure
that you are of this world ?"1 exclaimed, as soon as I had recovered my powers of utterance.
" A t your service, caballero /" he responded, with a
grave and respectful bow. " I was myself for a long time in
doubt on the subject."
On hearing these words, which carried conviction with
them, I approached Don Diego, gave him the benefit of a
close inspecion, and congratulated him as befitted the occasion. I then begged him to gratify my curiosity, touching
his adventures since we parted, while awaiting the preparation of the dinner to which I invited him. " I have no
monkey to offer you/' I added smiling, "but I hope that
you will be able to make a meal without it."
" Would to heaven, your worship," he replied, with a deepdrawn sigh, " would to heaven that I had met with even a
monkey on the infernal road over which I have just travelled!
I should not then so often have had cause to regret the excellent fare I enjoyed while journeying in your company."
The compliment appeared to me exaggerated, but perhaps
he was sincere. We seated ourselves in the shade. Diego
put down his bundle, asked for some tobacco, rolled up a cigarette and commenced the recital of his adventures, or, perhaps I should say, misfortunes. He had long lain at death's
door, in the village of Sacluc, where I had left him, but his
good constitution finally triumphed over the disease. As soon
as he was convalescent, he started after us, but when he
reached Flores. he found that we had left that town five days
before. The corregidor, on learning his history, kindly gave

352

LA

TIERRA

TEMPLADA,

him shelter, until the departure of the courier for Guatemala,
with whom he made the journey. He ended his narrative by
imitating the cry of the hocco, of which he had made a careful study on the way.
Morin here joined us, and his astonishment was scarcely
less than mine. Diego repeated his adventures to him, while
I glanced over a letter from the corregidbr, in which, even
through the ceremonious forms of Spanish politeness, there
was much that was kind and genuine. Our ancient travelling
companion having reached Coban, without once getting off
our track, had soon discovered the house which we had occupied during our stay. He regretted being unable to pass
more than one day there, for the hospitality of the ladies was
such as to efface from his mind even the agreeable recollections of Flores.
At this stage of his story, Don Diego thought it requisite
to assume an air of mystery, which brought a smile to my
lips. And when I enquired if he had any message from me,
he opened his vest and displayed a bag of blue cloth suspended
around his neck like an amulet. This bag contained a letter,
which he ceremoniously presented to me, and of which the following is a literal translation:
" SENOR AND FRIEND :

" Since your departure we have had a great grief. God
has taken to himself the soul of poor Santiago. He rests in
peace at Salama. If you still love Juana, come to her as soon
as you receive this. In five days you can be in Coban, and
oh! how happy I shall be to see you ! Fabricio will accompany
you to the sierra, where he has seen some beautiful green
birds. My sister has been saving seeds for you, and I have
collected some beautiful shells from the garden hedge. May
Heaven ever watch over you !
" JUANA."

JUANA.

353

" I would not have lost this precious letter," said Don
Diego, "for a hundred dubloons !" and he laid his hand upon
his skinny breast, as if to render the assertion more impressive.
Of course I had not a doubt of his sincerity, and praised
his honesty, while promising in turn to look after his interests.
I finally succeeded in obtaining for him employment with a
merchant in Guatemala. As he was intelligent, apt, and of
pleasing address, he soon insinuated himself into the good
graces of his patron, who finally entrusted him with a little
stock of wares for sale in Nicaragua. He never saw him
afterwards. The story ran that in crossing a lagoon near
Realejo, he had been made away with by an alligator, but I
have always been a little skeptical on this point, thinking it
more probable that he had made away with the merchandise !

XI.
T H E

O O R D I L L E R, ^

S.

Bonte from Coban to Guatemala—Difficulties of a start—Meteorological phenomena—"
Town of Santa Cruz—Flowers—Town of Taltick—Tierra helada—The Dona Ana
Guzman—A Taltick school and schoolmaster—Scanty fare—Sybaritic beds—Valley
of Patal—Santa
Eosa—Mountain roads—Salama—AJiesta—Sugar estate and refinery—A deserter—A caravansery—Work and wages—Armed travellers—Rare
plants—Solfatares—Hot springs—A precocious child—Motagua river—Suspension
bridge—Pendant mosses—Storm and suffering—Glimpse of Guatemala—Fording
rivers—Chinauta—Ascent of the plateau of Guatemala—Entrance into the city—
Gloomy prospects—A good Samaritan—New use for a table cover.

THE camino real from Coban to Guatemala, as I have
already said, crosses the great mountain chain of the Cordilleras at its lowest point, six thousand five hundred feet above
the level of the sea.* But although it is called the royal road,
it has never been traversed by the wheels of any vehicle whatever.
The bare feet of the Indians, and the mule's hoof alone have left
their traces on it, and so it seems probable it will continue to be
for generations to come. The aspect of the country, its climate,
and the forms of vegetation which it supports on its surface,
vary equally with the prodigious variations in its altitudes.
At one point it rises in cool and nebulous plateaus, while in
another, close at hand, it subsides in hot and humid valleys.
It had been decided that we were to leave Coban at an
early hour for the village of Taltick, distant eight leagues, in
order to reach there before the time when, at this period of
the year, the afternoon rain sets in. But the sun was high in
the heavens before our escort made its appearance. Under
* The culminating points of this chain are here at least one thousand feet
higher than the most elevated peaks of the Jura Alps.

356

THE

CORDILLERAS.

pretext of purchasing provisions, which they procure from
their own households without any disbursement, the Indians
never fail to exact their pay in advance, so that the traveller
is afterwards entirely in their power.^ This custom, to which
one is forced to submit, has other inconveniences^ For instance, when at last our guides did make their appearance,
three of them were already drunk, and as we proceeded, one
left his machete in pawn for more liquor, at a wayside chicheria, and a little further on another did the same. I fancy
they would finally have pledged my own effects had I not discovered what was going on, and put an end to their proceedings.
The route which we followed rises progressively over the
slope of the sierras^ and meanders under the shadow of the
liquid amber trees, the pyramidal tops of which mingle with
those of the pines. Numberless flowers, among which I found
a beautiful rhexia of carmine color, enamel the sides of the
road, and invest them with a pleasing interest to the traveller,
and an absorbing one to the naturalist.
After reaching a considerable altitude, we observed an unfortunate change in the atmosphere. Great masses of clouds
floating off to the northward, often shut out the sun from
view. They seemed to be swept on by a strong upper current,
and to bank themselves up around the tops of the mountains.
After a while they began to subside into the valleys below us,
shutting the country from view beneath their fleecy folds.
Directly they began to pulsate with electricity, and we heard
the peals of thunder echoing beneath our feet. As they gradually discharged themselves they rose again up the sides of the
* The distrust of the Indians, it must be confessed, finds a perfect justification in their past experience. This is what Thomas Gage says, who visited
Guatemala at the beginning of the seventeenth century : " The traveller has
a right to select from every village as many Indians as are necessary to lead
his mules and carry his effects; then, at the end of the journey, he seeks a
quarrel with them, and sends them back home with blows, as the reward of
their labors."—Nevi Survey, etc., c. xxix., p. 140.

TIERRA

HELADA.

357

sierra, and we had barely time to reach the village of Santa
Cruz, through a forest of pines blackened by fire, before the
rain began to fall in torrents.
Buried in a mass of verdure, like the neighboring city,
Santa Cruz displays to the traveller only a solitary church,
shaded by two gigantic cypress trees, which bow towards it as
if in homage. A population of two thousand souls, occupied
in agricultural pursuits, live so quietly in the town and its
suburbs, that, excepting on Sunday, one might almost suppose it had been suddenly deserted. The landscape around it
is mountainous and romantic. At a league to the north-west,
on the banks of a little lake, is the hamlet of San Cristobal.
I had a letter of introduction to the cura of the place, but
learning that he was absent, and the bad weather continuing,
I determined to proceed on my way without paying it a visit.
These cool regions of the Cordilleras abound in most beautiful flowers. They literally embalm the air with their odors.
The amaryllis, the helianthus, and the oralis, or wood-sorrel,
are especially numerous on the borders of the prairies. The
ipomeas and the clematis festoon the woods, in which they
form numberless fragrant bowers. Indian pinks, with orangecolored corollas, gem the hill-sides ; while the glycine enlaces
the trees, and its clusters of fruit fall around them in festoons.
There are also several varieties of pentstemons and tree ferns
of pale green, the branches of which droop over the surrounding cliffs.
Taltick is approached by a spacious valley, a league in
length and a quarter of a league in width. The village is
situated at the head^ of the valley, where the chains of hills
which form it come together. We were delighted with the
air of comfort and cleanliness which it presents, and especially
with the fine orchards of orange trees, carefully inclosed,
which lined the roads by which it is approached. The vicinity
of the forests adds to the natural dampness of the climate,

358

THE

CORDILLERAS.

and gives it a relative degree of chilliness. In December the
cold is occasionally sufficiently great to congeal the fog, which
becomes a hoar frost, while the rain comes down in the form
of a light snow. The word frio (cold) is not considered sufficiently forcible by the people of Coban to convey an idea of
the temperature of this place. The plateau of Taltick they
call a tierra helada (a frozen land), yet as the bananna tree
flourishes here, the mercury can never fall very low in the
thermometer.
' We had been recommended to the house of Dona Ana
Guzman, as not only one of the best in the town, but as the
only one open to strangers. Of course we had no choice but
to go there direct. With the remembrance of Coban still
fresh in our minds, we expected to meet with a neat dwelling,
smiling faces, and a kindly welcome. Full of these cheerful
anticipations, we spurred our animals into the muddy court in
front of her dwelling. The noise of our horses' hoofs attracted
to the door an individual whose appearance speedily dispelled
our illusions. He was a man of repulsive physiognomy ; his
skin was red and inflamed, his eyes deeply set, his thick and
projecting upper lip was covered with red bristles, and his
forehead was deeply pitted by the small-pox. Altogether, he
presented an appearance of brutal vulgarity, which seemed to
belong rather to the old than the new world. He wore a cotton
handkerchief tied in a slovenly manner over his head, and
slippers without stockings. We saw before us the proprietor
of the house, and, at the same time, the village schoolmaster.
After having inquired the object of our visit, whence we
came, and whither we were going, Senor Guzman called with
an air and voice of indifference to the Senora Ana, his mother,
as it appeared. A moment after we saw issuing from a smoky
kitchen, in answer to the call, an old woman, with hard, repulsive features, skin like parchment, and piercing eyes—a
fitting mother for such a son. She wore an apron which had

THE

DONA

ANA.

359

probably once been white, but which now bore testimony that
her culinary occupations were none of the neatest. Her gray
hair, confined with greasy ribbons, was arranged on the top of
her head like a crown : her feet were bare; there was a dishcloth in her hands, and in her mouth a huge cigar!
* This agreeable personage, after having carefully surveyed
us through a cloud of tobacco smoke, showed us into a gloomy
room, which received its only light through a low but wide
opening used as a doorway. It contained two old gilt frames,
handed down, I doubt not, through several generations, inclosing, as far as I could make out in their state of obliteration,
the pictures of ancient saints. A miserable miniature chapel,
decorated with faded flowers, sanctified one corner of the apartment, and two large benches, of w^hich I afterwards learned the
use, furnished the opposite side of the room, which did triple
duty, serving as a dining room, school room, and dormitory.
We had hardly entered before our hostess commenced entertaining us with an account of the dearness of provisions in
Taltick, and the famine which prevailed in the neighboring
country. We cut her short by asking for dinner. In about
ten minutes it was prepared. Morin and myself were each
favored with two saucers, one containing an omelette, composed
of one eggy which, to increase its size, was mixed with the parings of tomatoes, and the other containing a small quantity of
boiled rice. A few dry beans, harder than pebbles, formed our
dessert, and constituted, with a calabash of water, and some
venerable tortillas, the whole of our repast. I did not conceal my discontent, and requested my hostess to procure a
chicken, which she finally consented to do, on being paid for
it in advance.
When we had finished our meal, I made inquiries concerning our sleeping accommodations. The old woman pointed to
the two benches, to which I have already referred, and assured
me, in her most persuasive manner, that they were very com-

860

THE

CORDILLERAS.

fortable, and that none of her former guests had ever complained of them. These representations did not reconcile me
to them, and I had my hammock swung across the room.
A t the first stroke of the Angelus, the various members
of the Guzman family assembled for prayer, after which every
one made his arrangements for the night, although it was
only sundown. Doiia Ana having extinguished the light,
shared with her two grand-daughters the only bed which was
visible in the establishment. The two Indian servants spread
a mat on the floor, and disappeared beneath an ample blanket.
The younger son, enveloped in his cloak, threw himself down
beside Morin on the bench which I had rejected, while the master of the domicile passed into a blind closet, which appeared to
be appropriated exclusively to his use. I never learned whether
he slept on a bench, or a mat, or a bed.
An hour after our arrival we had determined to leave
Taltick at the earliest moment possible. The surrounding
country offered but little of interest, and the Guzman family
was certainly not attractive; but unfortunately for us we
needed mules or porters, and as the Indian carriers require
so much time for preparation—one always needs at least
twenty-four hours in which to get them started—I made up
my mind to be patient, and await their good pleasure, keeping my eyes open meanwhile to what was going on around
me.
Three little girls and two boys, with their hair arranged
in monastic style, that is to say, with heads closely shaven,
leaving only a circle of hair around the temples, constituted
the school. The only book taught appeared to be the catechism, and that not with very great success. For, to economize the time of her servants, Doiia Ana made large demands
upon that of her pupils, keeping them pretty constantly employed with the household duties, so that when the time for recitation came round, the little folks were quite ignorant of their

VALLEY

OF

PATA'L.

361

lessons—an unpardonable dereliction, it would appear, for at
such times the blows from the master's ferule were distinctly
audible, followed by the tears and entreaties of the culprits.
I never knew this quotidian distribution of favor to fail. The
children who profited by it were all Creoles, no Indians seeming
to be anxious to enjoy the benefits of the establishment. There
was also a pack of mangy and half-famished dogs about the
house, which always rushed into the dining room, with savage
howls, whenever the meals made their appearance. The ferule
so dreaded by the scholars then passed into the hands of our
hostess, who made use of it upon the animals with unmerciful
skill.
We took leave of this amiable family, one cold morning,
in the midst of a fog so dense as to prevent our distinguishing
any object at a distance of four paces. Morin had wasted
much time in endeavoring to procure animals for our journey,
but without success. Perhaps there were none in Taltick,
or perhaps we did not inspire the inhabitants with sufficient
confidence to lead them to trust us with them. We were
obliged, therefore, to start on foot, but after ascertaining the
difficulties of the route, we found reason to congratulate ourselves on having done so ; for the ground proved to be so slippery that horses, or even mules, could scarcely have maintained
their equilibrium on the almost perpendicular slopes of the
mountain. After having passed through a narrow defile of
the mountain, at an elevation of about five thousand two hundred feet, we. reached the valley of Patal, a vast, swampy
plain, surrounded by forests and overlooked by high peaks,
constantly enveloped in clouds. Here, at considerable distances apart, like the chalets of an Alpine village, are scattered a few little houses and cultivated patches of ground;
but there is no centre of population entitled to the designation
of a town, as has been erroneously set down in the maps.
The numberless marshes through which I should be obliged

362

TH'E

CORDILLERAS.

to struggle on foot, and my desire speedily to reach Guatemala,
prevented my visiting Purula, a town of four hundred inhabitants, situated at a short distance from Taltick, and which is
celebrated for the grottoes in its vicinity.
We stopped to rest on the plain of Patal, then continued
our course up the mountain, under the shadows of towering
oaks, and finally reached the valley of Santa Rosa, where
we passed the night. The cold here was pinching in the extreme. Magnificent pines, with long, rigid leaves, mingled
their foliage with that of different kinds of oak, which retain
their verdure during the whole year. From the .branches
of these trees swayed the grey thread-like masses of the tillandsia, a variety of moss which, when stripped of its bark,
becomes a veritable vegetable hair.
The valley of Santa Rosa has no other issue than a dark,
narrow rift in the masses of serpentine which shut it in, and
which have strewn the route with their d'bris. On emerging
from this gorge, after passing the heights called by the Indians Quilila, we enjoyed a remarkable and interesting view.
The morning fog had settled down on the valleys, and only
the tops of the sierras were visible, lighted up by the rising
sun like so many golden islets in an aerial ocean. But
soon the vapors, dilated by the rays of the sun, began to rise,
and we found ourselves enveloped in a cold, damp mist, which
suspended all relation between our eyes and the neighboring
objects.
When this had cleared away, we were surprised to find
the change which had taken place in the country. The layers of clay and vegetable deposits over which we had travelled previously, had disappeared, and the rocky flanks of the
mountains were visible in all their nakedness. This aridity
forms a striking contrast with the richness of the opposite declivity of the range. An eruption of green, steatitious rocks,
mixed with great silicious masses, sometimes of dazzling white-

SAL A MA.

363

ness, had produced this sudden metamorphosis. It would require all the youth and energy of the New World to vivify the
sad inertia of these deserts. But, as if by way of compensation, we find that in the damp fissures of the ravines, where
the lapse of centuries has perhaps deposited a little vegetable
earth, the sun has nursed to life some of the most rare and
beautiful flowers with which we are acquainted. Odoriferous
bignonias, or trumpet-flowers, purple glycines, blue convolvuluses, and even beautiful scarlet dahlias. We find here
also the agave, with its short but wide and fleshy leaves,
contributing its share to hide the ruggedness of the rocks.
We spent half of a day in this wild region, gradually ascending to an altitude of from five to seven thousand feet
above the table land of Guatemala, which is itself four
thousand feet above the sea. At about two o'clock we
reached the extremity of the mountain of Juluctoich, where
the chain abruptly terminates, and from whence an immense
prospect opened before us. At our feet was the great escarpment of the mountain; then came a vast plain, resplendent
with light, broken up by isolated bluffs, while in the distance
rose up a high, irregular swell of ground, of dark blue color,
dotted over with the white houses of Salama. At the height
from which we contemplated it, this landscape, with its broadlymarked features, was full of harmony and effect. But when
we reached the base of the mountain, and commenced travelling over the country which at a distance had so dazzled us,
the illusion was dispelled, and our admiration gave place to
quite a different feeling. A wide plain, arid, sandy, and covered with pebbles and burning gravel, extended before us.
The hills were bare and sterile, and the ground entirely uncultivated. A few miserable mimosas, with shrivelled foliage,
bowed their heads languidly under the heat, and some sickly
blades of grass profited by their shade to spring up in a feeble
growth. But nature's resources are inexhaustible, and even

364

THE

CORDILLERAS.

this ungrateful soil she does not leave wholly bare, but dots it
over with strange, hardy, succulent plants, principally the
melocactus, the fleshy globe of which is covered with spines,
but which bears at its top a spadix surrounded by a kind of
down of snowy whiteness.
Late in the afternoon, after crossing a number of ravines
worn deep in the gravelly clay of the plain, we reached
Salama. The dark verdure of the garden, the white cupola
of the church, the ruined escarpments which served to support the first houses, and the Indian girls with their blue
skirts, carrying water jars on their shoulders—all made up a
scene of quite an unexpected character, and awakened in my
mind the classic remembrances of the East. We forded the
river which flows near the town, and following a dreary,
crooked street, soon found ourselves on the plaza or central
square. A church, the barracks occupied by Indians, a market, and a beautiful fountain were the most remarkable objects which met our eyes.
We arrived at Salama at an unfortunate moment. The
festival of Saint Matthew was near at hand, and the solemnity
had drawn a large concourse of strangers to the city, so that
every family had its guests or expected to have them, and we
vainly knocked at every door for admission. In this dilemma
we had recourse to the corregidor, who sent his alcaldes to
our assistance, but without effect. The people were deaf to
their official representations as they had been to our entreaties. Pitying our distress, the corregidor finally placed
his own house and table at our disposal, and here I was afforded an opportunity of renewing my acquaintance with some
of the usages of civilized life with which I had of late been
all too unfamiliar.
Salama, the political capital of the department of Vera
Paz, is dreary in the extreme. It is built in the Spanish
style, and lias suffered greatly from the siege which it sus-

SAL A MA.

365

tained some years ago against the troops of Carrera. With a
population of four thousand five hundred souls, a figure considerably under that of the rival town of Coban, it still overbalances it by its vitality, which corresponds with its political
importance. The position of Salama, at a short distance from
the city of Guatemala, and in the neighborhood of the more'restless and turbulent departments of the republic, explains the
preference which the government has given to it over the former metropolis of the province. I t cannot be denied that the
general interests of Vera Paz suffer from the concentration ot
the administrative power at the extremity of so large a department ; but in a State where so little unity and so many elements of discord exist, political questions efface or outweigh
all others.
The most interesting object in the vicinity of Salama is an
industrial and agricultural establishment situated two leagues
from the town, in a south-easterly direction. Founded by
the Dominicans, the Hacienda de San Geronimo, is now in
the hands of an Anglo-Spanish company, which employs not
less than five hundred persons in the cultivation of cane and
the manufacture of sugar. The sugar produced here is refined on the spot, which is a great advance for the country.
On leaving Salama, we were told that we should be
obliged to follow the base of the sierras for a distance of two
leagues, then climb a mountain of from three to four thousand feet in elevation, at the base of which, on the other
side, we should enter on the table land proper of Guatemala.
We had consequently a tolerably hard journey before us,
when we halted, a league and a half from the town, to ascertain if our party was complete. We found, on enumerating
our followers, that one man was missing, whereupon* I dispatched a second in search of him. While waiting for his return, I ascended an eminence near by, which overlooked the
country. The soil at this end of the valley was broken up

366

THE

CORDILLERAS.

by projecting rocks of blue, crystalline limestone, which bore
evident traces of great antiquity. Indian figs, euphorbias,
and mullens, with trailing, cannulated stems, were dispersed
among the blocks of quartz scattered here and there, and glittering like snow in the sunshine. But these plants afforded no
shade, and we suffered greatly from the burning heat, during
the two mortal hours which we passed in waiting for our
men, with nothing to occupy us except watching the undulating movement of the vapor which rose from the sweltering plain.
At Salama I began to feel considerable uneasiness, when
I reflected that we were now in the midst of a people more
mixed and audacious than any which we had hitherto encountered, and my apprehension increased when I looked forward,
over the chain of mountains before us, where the protection
of the law could scarcely be said to extend, and among the
fastnesses of which it was easy for the perpetrators of crime to
find a safe retreat! And I could not help reflecting, in the
same connection, that the missing porter was precisely the
man who had charge of my most valuable effects. Vainly
did I look towards Salama, but neither the straggler nor the
messenger was visible. After waiting until exhausted, I
finally decided to send Morin to inform the corregidor of
our situation. He threw himself into his saddle and set off,
at a brisk trot, on his errand.
Three quarters of an hour after, my Indian messenger returned and announced that search was making for my man
in the town. A cloud of dust soon after announced Morin's
approach, and from the speed with which he galloped towards
us, I inferred that he brought news of importance. He informed me that the delinquent had been found in a pulperia,
where he had happily forgotten his journey and all the annoyances of life together, and that he had there been arrested
by order of the corregidor, who had sent an alcalde to deliver

A

C A RA V A N S E R Y.

367

him into my hands. A little later that officer and his charge
arrived, and I was forced to listen to the long explanations
of the worthy functionary, and thank him for his good offices.
By this time the day was so far advanced that we could not
undertake the ascent of the mountains, but limited ourselves
to reaching a hacienda conveniently situated at their foot.
It was a large house, situated on a high terrace, overlooking
the plain. We received a cordial welcome here, and passed
the remainder of the day in contemplating the blue summits
which we so recently descended, and the steep. escarpments
which lay before us. As night approached, our attention was
interested by a more animated spectacle. The plain which,
up to this time had been quite deserted, was now covered
with little caravans, which succeeded each other at brief distances, now rising over the gentle undulations of the country,
and anon disappearing from view in the little valleys which
intersected it. All were following the same route with ourselves, and like us, stopped at the hacienda, in search of hospitality, which, it appeared, they were always certain of finding here. When the last party had come in, I counted an
aggregate of fifty-seven travellers. They were people from
Salama, Coban, and even from San Pedro Carcha, and San
Juan. Each group established itself apart, without interfering with the others, and proceeded in the most orderly manner to install itself and make preparations for supper. When
we were all encamped, and a dozen fires were lighted around
the terrace, the general bivouac presented an extremely curious and lively aspect. Most of the wayfarers -were Indians,
occupied in transporting maize to Guatemala where the harvest had been scant. The load of each man was four arrobas,
or one hundred pounds, for transporting which he expected to
receive eighteen rials, or two dollars and a quarter. By calculating their profits, after deducting the expenses of a journey of eight days, the reader will be able to form an idea, in

368

THE

C 0 R D I L L E K A S.

an industrial point of view, of the value of man's time and
labor in Guatemala.
After leaving Salama, almost every Ladino whom the
traveller encounters, carries a knife in his belt, and a long unsheathed rapier by his side or over his shoulder. This warlike equipment is, however, more for show than for use, since
assassinations are by no means frequent. I was struck with
the Gothic shape of the swords, which resembled those used in
the days of Alvarado. I afterwards learned that they were
all of Spanish origin. The travellers whom we met on the
road, with their slender, agile limbs, their tawny complexions,
and scant clothing, carrying their little bundle of effects on
the ends of their swords, over their shoulders, reminded me
of the heroes of Le Sage, although we were a long way from
Salamanca and Cordova.
We passed over a very picturesque ravine, on the morning
of leaving the hacienda, and again rose gradually to the region of fogs. The wind now and then elevated the floating
masses which came down to earth in the form of rain, at
which times we caught sight of the surrounding peaks, some
of them at least three thousand feet high, crowned with pines,
and walled up by fearful precipices. But these glimpses were
very transient, and the view was soon interrupted again by a
new condensation of vapor. The water trickled down in numberless little ravines, where the most beautiful of our exotic
plants were to be found in native luxuriance. Among them
was the cosmos, with its delicately-cut foliage, the inga pulcherrima with its crimson blossoms, superb gloxinias and numerous kinds of achimenes, the corollas of which, of a purplish blue, spread out in the shade like colossal violets.
When we had reached the other side of this summit, we
found ourselves in a warm valley, irrigated by a stream called
Cana Brava, the banks of which are lined with bamboos.
Crossing this, the route extends over poor and sandy soil, cov-

PRECOCITY.

369

ered with wild guava trees. At a distance of four leagues,
from the foot of the mountain our nostrils were suddenly saluted by a strong smell of sulphuretted hydrogen; and we
soon aftef came to some white open spaces of ground, devoid
of vegetation, veritable solfatares, wrhence escaped a cloud of
mephitic vapors. Numerous springs of hot water, issuing
from the ground around them, discharged into the bed of
a little stream of repulsive appearance called Rio de las Tejas. I cast but a hasty glance on these new phenomena, as
the rain had set in, but hurried onward toward a hut which we
perceived in the distance. At the sound of our horses' hoofs a
little brown head, animated by sparkling black eyes, protruded
itself through the bamboo enclosure of the hut, and a childlike voice exclaimed, " Senores, no hay gente aqui / " — " Gentlemen, there is no one at home !" We nevertheless entered
the enclosure in spite of this announcement, where we found a
little girl of perhaps four years of age, who placing herself
unflinchingly before us, exclaimed, in a tone of decision.
" Senores, this house is not an inn !" We could not avoid
smiling, and entered into a parley with the infant dragon of
the place. The child listened to our expostulations with the
utmost gravity, and allowed herself to be moved by them ;• then
•
turning toward our Indians, she said with a comic air of superiority : " And you idlers, why do you not fasten your animals
to that tree yonder, where you see the straw and the maize ? '
I was perfectly delighted with this pert little creature, so
young, so resolute, and so intelligent. I inquired her age,
what she did, and all about her family. She replied to all
my questions in a pretty, prompt way. " Are you not afraid/'
I inquired, " alone here in the house ?" "Oh no, I am never
afraid, for God watches over children.'' This reply enchanted
me, and I caught her in my arms in a tempest of delight.
Friendly relations having been established, the little lady
passed into an adjoining room and left us alone. As she did

370

THE

COR D I L L E R A S .

not return, and the storm having in the meantime subsided, 1
•went in search of her, not wishing to leave without making
her some little present. I then learned the cause of her prolonged absence. Guided by that desire to please* which is
born with woman and characterizes her during every stage of
her existence, she had left us for the purpose of arraying
herself in her finest garb; but this first impulse was checked
by a feeling of bashfulness, and in her embarrassment she hesitated to reappear before us. Charming instincts, happily
found in all countries of the world, even in the most isolated
huts of the new continent!
We had not proceeded far, before we heard the roaring 01
the Motagua or Rio Grande, a foaming torrent, which rises
in the mountains of Solola, thirty leagues to the northward
of the capital of the republic, and which separates the department of Vera Paz from that of Guatemala. After falling
rapidly for six thousand feet, and describing a semicircle of
more than an hundred leagues in a south-easterly direction,
the torrent becomes a quiet stream, which discharges its
waters in the Gulf of Honduras.
We crossed it on a wooden bridge of a single arch sustained by chains, and solidly fastened to the ledges of rock
which rise on either bank. This bridge had in the preceding year
resisted one of the most overwhelming floods ever experienced
in this country, which twice completely submerged it. The
inhabitants of Guatemala speak of this work with the most
respectful admiration, and are disposed to enumerate it as the
eighth wonder of the world. They seem to have forgotten, in
the fervor of their patriotism, that it was built on the banks
of the Thames. Intended, in the first instance, for an English
company which ruined itself in some absurd scheme of colonization, it was sold for debt, and bought by the government of
Guatemala. Never was money better invested, for previously
to its erection the only mode of crossing the river was in a

STORM

AND

SUFFERING.

371

frail canoe—a process which, during the rainy season, was both
diflicult and dangerous. A plain, substantial house has been
built at one end of the bridge for the abode of the watchman,
and to afford shelter to travellers. We slept there, with the
roar of the stream sounding in our ears, the imposing voice
of which seemed redoubled in volume during the night.
Next morning we commenced to climb the flanks of the
Cordilleras anew, and traversed a temperate region, very rough
and broken, where but few inhabitants are to be seen, and
little or no cultivation to be met with. A little before sundown a fresh wind commenced to blow from the south-east,
bringing up from the depths of the valleys great masses of
vapors, in which we soon found ourselves enveloped. We had
reached the highest crest of the chain, where all the trees were
covered with pendent mosses, with wThite and threadlike stems.
Seen through the evening mist, these monastic robes had a
strange and melancholy appearance; but we were allowed but
little time to contemplate them, for the sky suddenly became
black, and the clouds all at once dissolved themselves in rain,
which fell so rapidly that we had scarcely time to open our
suyacals before we were drenched to the skin.
Fortunately we were not far from the place wit ere we proposed to spend the night, and our guides had pointed it out to
us during the afternoon. But it was necessary, in order to
reach it, to leave the main road and pursue a bye path, which
we found it almost impossible to follow, owing to the obscurity
and the violent rain which poured down on us in an unabating
flood. Night, furthermore, was coming on, and our exhausted
horses stumbled at every step, and every trace of a path seemed
to have disappeared. Convinced that we had missed our way, we
decided upon turning back. Soon after the wind and rain both
subsided, the skies became brighter, and we wTere finally enabled to find the shelter of which we were in need. It was
high time, for it was now quite dark. Let the reader imagine to

372

THE

CORDILLERAS.

himself a rude piece of masonry, full of crevices, crumbling,
smoky, destitute of every comfort, and then crowd it with
twenty drenched and famished travellers, shivering with cold,
and he will have a picture of our retreat for the night. A
similar confusion to that attending a shipwreck reigned in the
interior. Every one struggled, by the faint light of the fire,
and without regard to his neighbor, to change his saturated
garments, and obtain some food. The arrival of more guests,
followed by the luggage, also dripping with water, was not an
agreeable incident, but we had to conform ourselves to the circumstances. The night seemed of endless length; the water
filtered through the roof in our faces, and loosened pieces of
the plastering, which rattled to the floor around us.
The reader may be sure that we were awake early, and
we left this miserable spot before sunrise, and without regret.
Towards noon we caught sight, from the heights, of the city
of Guatemala in the distance. The mountains to the west had
disappeared, and we only distinguished a few luminous spots
on the flat uniformity of the plateau. One of these, to which
our guides called our attention, they said was the church of
San Francisco, the loftiest in the city, which was all the more
distinct by contrast with the purple bulk of the Volcan de Agua
rising behind it to the very clouds.
Soon after we came to a narrow valley, surrounded by
sterile bluffs. The Rio de los Platanos, swollen by the
rains of the preceding night, rushed through it writh frightful
impetuosity, and brought us to a full stop. On both of its
banks were travellers like ourselves, discussing the possibility
of crossing it, while others wrent about in search of a ford, or
quietly watched the foaming waters without being able to come
to any conclusion. We were ourselves of this latter category.
After some delay, one of the most resolute of our guides, a
robust fellow and excellent swimmer, removing his clothes,
and retaining only his staff as a support against the current,

F0RDINO

RIVERS.

373

undertook to ford the stream. All eyes were anxiouslyturned towards him. The water was not very deep, but fearfully rapid, and when he reached the middle of the torrent,
he staggered, and seemed unable to oppose its power. Every
moment we expected to see him swept away; but he recovered
himself after considerable effort, and finally reached the opposite bank in safety. The ice was now broken, and nearly all
were ready to attempt a passage. On such occasions the
Indians display great prudence; they never venture alone,
but go in a body of three or four, in order to oppose their
united strength against the force of the current. For half an
hour the banks of the stream presented quite an animated and
amusing scene, and at the end of that time, all except the
most timid travellers had effected the transit. Resuming our
journey on the opposite bank, we directly found the route
obstructed by hillocks of shifting sand, which at first sight it
seemed impossible to pass over, but which we nevertheless
succeeded in evading by following the hollows between them.
Hardly had we overcome these obstacles when we heard the
roar of a second torrent, deeper and more impetuous than the
Rio de los Platanos.
Here our guides seemed wholly uncertain as to what was to be done. They measured with their
eyes the depths of the waters, and after a short deliberation,
came to the conclusion that the stream could not be forded
here. We therefore determined to ascend it, keeping as close
to the banks as possible, and carefully holding on to the bushes.
Twice our horses stumbled, and came near being precipitated
into the water, after which we had great difficulty in restoring
their confidence and making them proceed. A t last we
reached a point which seemed more favorable, and although
the ford here wTas scarcely less dangerous, yet we resolved on
attempting it. All got over safely except the last Indian,
who lost his balance, and disappeared beneath the surface.
For a moment, I trembled for his life, but his comrades v^ent

374

THE

CORDILLERAS.

speedily to his rescue, and dragged him safely to the shore.
Morin and myself then followed, trusting to the sureness of
foot of our animals. I was quite nervous when, at a critical
moment, my horse flagged, faltered, and came near losing his
footing. A sudden prick of the spur, however, brought him
to his feet again, and he carried me to the opposite shore without accident.
A third stream, the Rio de las Vacas, presented the same
difficulties, which we overcame with the same good fortune.
The bed of this torrent is wide, but not very deep. It is
divided into several channels, and occupies the hollow of a
valley overlooked by picturesque sandy hills, very varied in
aspect, and covered with pines. * A little beyond we came to
the village of Chinauta, through which we passed without
stopping. Our guides were desirous to remain there over
night, but as we were two leagues from the city, I turned a
deaf ear to their hints and suggestions. I must admit that
the execrable roads, destitute of bridges, and affording neither
shelter nor accommodations, at the very gates of the capital,
gave me but a poor opinion of the administration of the country, and cast some shades over the smiling perspective of my
imagination. Evidently we had not yet reached the end of
our trials.
At Chinauta commences a prodigious ascent to the plateau of Guatemala. The road leads up through a ravine cut
deep in the flank of a gigantic declivity by the rains, and is
obstructed throughout by the crumbling masses of indurated
sand which have fallen from its sides. Nowhere else caa the
steep escarpment or edge of the plateau be ascended. We
struggled up wearily, and when we reached the top, we halted
to take breath and look back on the vast cones which rise
from the lower valleys. So steep are they, that a grain of
* P. tcmifolia, Benth.

APPROACH

TO G U A T E M A L A .

375

sand detached from their tops does not stop until it reaches
the bottom. The country before us appeared to be level, but
marked shadows here and there indicated that it was cut
through by deep valleys similar to that through which we had
just passed.
We continued on our journey. All was fresh and green
on the table land. The horizon was vast, the volcanoes stood
out in bold relief, and nothing was wanting to the landscape
except a ray of sunlight. Unfortunately, the sky was overcast, the sun hidden from view, and white clouds floated at the
base of the sierras, as if to give warning of coming rain. We
were now so near the town as to be able to distinguish its
principal edifices, but we looked in vain for farms, gardens,
country seats, or other traces of the life and movement belonging to a populous centre.
Meanwhile the atmosphere became every moment heavier,
and the rain was evidently near at hand. Worn out with fatigue, our guides advanced but slowly, stopping at intervals
of every few minutes to rest. Convinced that they could not
reach the city until very late, I put spurs to my animal and
left them to pursue their way under the charge of Morin.
Ten minutes after, a sudden wind sprung up from the southwest and swept over the table land, bringing with it the rain,
which fell in cataracts. I t seemed as if the windows of heaven
had indeed been opened ! I was forced to slacken my pace,
and my poor horse, as if discouraged and overcome by the
drifting rain, faltered, fell, rose, and fell again, leading me to
believe that his last hour had come. After a time the ground
became less slippery and more firm. We passed between two
rows of hedges; a few houses became visible at considerable
distances apart; finally they became closer, and directly the
horse's hoofs sounded on the pavement of the capital!
A wide, straight street extended before me, as far as the
eye could reach. The buildings which lined it were not, how-

376

THE

CORDILLERAS.

ever, very imposing, and the grass was growing up in all directions between the stones of the pavement. The picture was
not bright, and the dull sky lent to it an additional degree of
gloom. The rain, moreover, still continued to fall in torrents.
How was I to find my way in a strange city, the streets of
which were not named, to the house whither I had been directed ? I made inquiries at several doors, but could obtain
neither information nor shelter. At sound of my horse's
hoofs, which awakened an echo in the silent streets, some
few of the inhabitants were attracted to their windows, but
I must add, with regret, that their demonstrations were anything but friendly. At last, however, after much trouble and
many rebuffs, I succeeded in reaching my place of destination.
The house at which I stopped was well known in the city,
having belonged to the historian Juarros, whose name it still
bears. It was then a hotel, or rather a casa de pupilos, a
respectable kind of boarding-house for students. I resolutely
entered the court-yard, although not without some misgivings
as to my reception. I had scarcely three rials in my purse,
and there was no hope, in this bad weather, of the arrival of
my baggage before the following day. My pale face, trembling
voice, and dripping clothing, however, moved the compassion
of the landlady. She did not inquire into the condition of my
exchequer, but conducted me into a tolerably clean chamber,
in which she speedily swung a hammock. A few minutes afterwards a person entered, a second good Samaritan, bringing
with him a pair of pantaloons, a shirt, and slippers, which he
solicited me to accept. He had seen me dismount, and comprehended my distressed condition. I was next served with a supper only fit for a nun, of eggs, chocolate, sweetmeats, and white
bread. I should have preferred something more substantial,
but had not the heart to complain, when I thought of my poor
travelling companions wandering about, wet and famished, on
the dreary table land.

NOVEL

BED

CLOTHES.

377

When bed-time came, I found my costume rather cool for
the night, and asked for a blanket. My hostess had none to
give me, but offered me instead a kind of mantilla used by the
women of the country. I gratefully accepted it, and forced
it to do all the service of which it was capable. While philosophically pacing my room, wrapped up in this grotesque
garment, seeking to warm myself by exercise, a brilliant idea
struck me, as my eye rested upon a large piece of green cloth
covering the table. Thanking Providence for its manifest intervention in my behalf, I removed the remains of my supper, seized the precious covering, wrapped myself in it, rolled
into my hammock, and fell asleep.

XII.
G

U

A

T

E

M

A

L

A

.

Rain—Out again—Disappointed emigrants—View of plateau and city—Giant volcanoos
—Dangerous fort—Dreariness of the environs—Streets of the city—The grand plaza
—Public buildings—Great fountain—The cathedral—Its treasures—Sculptures—Indigenous school of art—Paintings—Church of Santo Domingo—La Merced—San
Francisco—Hospital—The cemetery—Strange burial ceremonies—Eeminiscences of
Spain—University of San Carlos—Ancient books—The F r a y Ximenes—Mythical
Academy of Natural Histoiy—The Economical Societj'—Gloomy aspect of the city—
I t s flora—The curse of bells—Habits of the people—/Sterenos—Indian women—Carrera—The public market—The massacre of 1840—The plateau of Guatemala—Absence of water—Aqueducts—Irrigation—Building materials—Plan of dwellings—
R u d e furniture—Gardens—Horticulture—Uniformity in mode of life—Absence of
social enjoyments—Traits of the better classes—The women—Religious ceremonies
—Food and meals—Cereals—The agave
americana—Pulque—Costume—TheatreLack of hotels—3fesones—Education—General demoralization—The mechanical
arts—Interior commerce—Foreign trade—Political condition—Rafael Cwrrera—His
origin—Rise to power—Character—Parallel with Rosas—Not quite a presentation—
T h e army—Yisit to the Pacific—Morin—Conclusion.

THE morning after my arrival, Morin appeared with his
Indians. ~ He had passed the night in a kind of caravansery,
resorted to by native carriers and gente comun, or common
people, and seemed to be very little delighted with what he
had seen and experienced in Guatemala. In fact, the bad
weather was not likely to produce pleasant impressions on the
most cheerful spirit, especially after the fatigues and exposures
of a long and weary journey. For three days we were confined to our house, chilly, cheerless, and miserable, listening
to the eternal drip, drip, drip, of the rain, and without a single friend to enliven us with his conversation, or excite us with
an account of the novelties before us. On the fourth day,
however, the sun broke triumphantly through the heavy squad-

380

GUATEMALA.

rons of leaden clouds that had obstructed its rays, clearing the
atmosphere and restoring us to liberty.
The capital of Guatemala (Quauternalan according to the
Indian orthography) is too little known to permit me to pass
it by without a description. I should feel obliged to notice
it, if only in view of the condition of the unfortunate Europeans who reside there, seduced to the spot by exaggerated accounts of its wealth and facilities for enterprise,
and who, after having exhausted their resources in an expensive voyage, find, too late, all their illusions dispelled,
and themselves reduced to a condition of abject dependance on the caprices of a suspicious and unsympathizing
race.
The spectator, placed on the cerro de Carmen^ a hill
rising to the north-east of Guatemala, and which supports a
little church, the most ancient monument of Christian architecture in the country, is able to take in a vast horizon, in
which the city occupies the first place. The plateau in the
centre of which it stands, is vast, bare, and monotonous; but
beyond the city, in needful relief, rise three gigantic volcanoes, of which that called Volcan de Agna or Water Volcano,
eight leagues distant, is most remarkable for its symmetrical
outlines, and its imposing grandeur. The Volcan de Fuego1
or Fire Volcano, to the left of tha/t just named, and half hidden by an intervening chain of mountains, has an effect less
grand; but its ashy crown, which no human foot has ever
reached, and from which rises a column of smoke, frequently
illuminated by flashes of flame, accompanied by subterranean
thunders, is most likely to arrest the eye of the traveller, and
overawre his imagination. To the south-west, and of inferior
height, but a giant still, rises the Volcano of Pacaya,^ at the
* This volcano derives its name from a kind of palm (chamcedora elatior,
Mart.), which abounds around its base, and of which the succulent flower a£-

THE

VOLCANOES.

381

foot of which steams the sulphurous lake of Amatitan. D u ring the rainy season, or, as it is called here, the winter, these
three colossi, starting from a base itself elevated four thousand
feet above the sea, are enveloped in clouds, and their summits
are then only rarely visible. But when the dry season comes
round, and the atmosphere becomes pure, their outlines appear with wonderful clearness, and they leave an impression
rather on the spirit than the vision, at once vague, grand, and
almost oppressive—standing there in their proud isolation, as
if in disdain of the earth, high up, in communion with the
clouds.
As I have said, Guatemala is built in an open plain, and is
without defences except a little fort, in course of construction
at the time of my visit, called el Castillo, and which seemed
to be a source of more inquietude to the citizens than it could
ever be to an invading force. As the houses are low, one
sees from a distance only a monotonous succession of roofs,
relieved here and there by the domes and clock-towers of the
churches. A n air of solitude and abandonment pervades its
environs; there are no gardens, no plantations, no country
houses, nor any of those industrial establishments, which
throng the approaches to our capitals. The houses of the
suburbs are mere huts, covered with thatch, and separated
from each other by hedges or open spaces of ground. Proceeding further, the traveller finds broad streets, all alike, laid
out with the severest regularity, which prevails equally in the
architecture of the houses. As a precaution against earthquakes, their height is limited to twenty feet, and they are
therefore reduced to a single ground floor. Their fronts are
fords an article of food, when yet young and tender, and still enveloped in its
spathe. This mountain has an altitude of seven thousand one hundred feet
above the sea. The altitude of the Volcan de Agua is fourteen thousand
five hundred (or something greater than that of Mont Blanc), and that of
the Volcan de Fuego is thirteen thousand nine hundred and thirty feet

382

GUATEMALA.

without ornament, but sometimes are bordered by a narrow
sidewalk, which give a momentary relief to the pedestrian,
from the detestable pavement of the streets, composed of stones,
rough, angular, and badly laid down.
The centre of the town is occupied by the ground plaza, a
vast rectangle, six hundred and twenty-five feet long by five
hundred and thirty-five feet wide, on which are collected most
of the public buildings of the city, the Palace of the Government, which was the residence of the Captain General under
the Crown, the Cabildo or City Hall, the Palace of the Court
of Justice, in which are deposited the archives of the old confederation, the Mint and the Prison. These are all low and
uniform, masked by a covered colonnade in front, and without
the least architectural display, although pompously denominated palaces. One side of the square is occupied by private
individuals, and is lined with shops. The cathedral stands at
its western end, and in its centre is an octagonal fountain,
heavy in style, and altogether in bad taste, once surmounted
by an equestrian statue of Charles IV., which was thrown
down and broken in the first ebullitions of the Independence.
The horse only remains, as if to illustrate the nothingness of
the human grandeur which it survives. Considered in an artistic point of view, it is to be regretted that the horse did
not share the fate of his royal rider.
Successive rows of mean huts fill up a great part of the
area of the square, in which are sold pottery, articles of iron,
the thread of the agave, and other articles of merchandise
of little value. Their rent is an item in the municipal revenues.
The cathedral, divided into three arched naves, is simple
and elegant, and was built in 1780, by an Italian architect.
The great altar is of wood, gilt, and conforms to the character of the edifice. Among its ornaments is a large and
tasteful lamp of silver, but one now looks in vain for the other

SCULP TURE.

883

sacred vessels, and the six golden candlesticks, with which it
was endowed by the munificence of the Archbishop Francisco
Monroy, and which were not less precious for their execution
than their intrinsic value. They were upwards of three feet
in height, and each weighed two hundred and fifty-six ounces.
Four of these were taken, by some sacrilegious hand, on the
night of the 24th of June, 1815 ; the two remaining ones
were taken somewhat later, but this time the spoilation was
disguised under the name of " public necessity."
The cathedral contains numerous sculptures in wood,
painted and gilded with all the original luxury of the ancient
missals. Some of these are not without merit. Among them
is a remarkable figure of an expiring Sebastian. The sad but
resigned expression and position of the head, the play of the
muscles, and the entire anatomy of the torso, reveal a deep
knowledge of art. This statue originated in Guatemala a school
of sculptors unknown to Europe. Strangers to the models
of the old world, and left free to their own inspirations, they
combined with their ardent piety a deep artistic sentiment,
which was well expressed in their works. And here, it may
be remarked in passing, that the Spanish imagination neglects
nothing in art which may contribute to exalt the devotional
feeling, and if this cannot be done by the lights and shades of
sculpture, it calls color to its aid to heighten effects and deepen
impressions. Such was the origin of these works of undeniable taste, to which such men as Eoldan, Montanes, and Alonzo
Cano, devoted their talents, and who, under the circumstances,
carried their art to astonishing perfection. They flourished
under the protection of the Church, and were supported by
the government; but with the revolution came liberal ideas,
the religious orders were suppressed, and the sources of their
support were dried up. As a consequence, sculpture, of a
dignity to come under the designation of art, is now extinct.
Painting, too, has fallen into equal decline, and even the in-

384

GUATEMALA.

ferior arts, such as that of the goldsmith, and the manufacture
of inlaid work, etc., are now in a state of decadence so complete that it may well be doubted if they had ever reached
any high degree of development.
Among the paintings in the church, almost all of which
are mediocre and bad, is one by Rosales, the most eminent
professor of his art which Guatemala has produced. I n it he
has undertaken to reproduce the grief of the angels at the moment that our Saviour expired; an ambitious conception which
might well have embarrassed the prince of painters himself.
I t is perhaps sufficient to say that Rosales was no Raphael,
notwithstanding the whimsical pretensions of his countrymen.
His picture is feeble in combination, atrocious in perspective,
and contains only a few pretty heads, and a tolerable study of
Christ.
Because I have devoted so much space to the cathedral
and its decorations, the reader need not fear that I am going
to carry him through the remaining twTenty-four churches,
which serve for the religious exercises of the people of Guatemala. I shall only allude briefly to the three principal ones,
namely, Santo Domingo, La Merced, and San Francisco.
Santo Domingo was the first church erected after the abandonment of the old city and the selection of the present site of
the capital, in 1776.^ The facade is overloaded with ornaments, of the style of the rennaissance, which with the yellowish color of the edifice, convey the impression, however in* I may mention here that the first city of Guatemala, founded by Alvarado, was destroyed in 1541, by a flood of water which broke through the
crater of the Yolcan de Agua, at the base of which it was built. The site
and ruins now bear the name of Ciudad Vieja. The second city, and that
which attained the greatest prosperity, and was really magnificent, was in
great part destroyed by an earthquake in 17*73- It has still a considerable
population, and is called La Antigua. The third and existing city, La Nueva,
was founded in IT76, three years after the catastrophe which destroyed the
old capital.

CHU R C H E S .

385

congruous it may appear, of those wonderful structures which
constitute the glory of our pastry cooks and candy manufacturers. The interior, however, is splendidly decorated. On
entering it the low vaults, the heavy pillars, and the massive
character of the architecture, show at once that the predominant idea of its builders was strength and security against the
visitations under which the old city had fallen. Among the
paintings which it contains, are two large ones by Pontaza,
the last painter which the country has produced of any reputation. It represents the irruption of the Mohammedans into
the church of Sandomir at the moment of the celebration of
the holiest rites of the Church. The other is the martyrdom
of San Sadocet and his companions. The composition of both
is hizarre in the extreme, but not destitute of invention. The
sculptures are of a higher character, and the figures are distinguished for their expression, variety, and the naivete of
their attitudes, and the luxury and caprice of their accessories. Faithful to the spirit of their race, the various
artists "have sought to reproduce scenes of barbarity in all of
their details. The Christs, in particular, are represented
of life-size, agonized, contorted, and bloody, to a revolting
degree.
The Merced, in the Spanish style, is a pretty church, with
a fine site. In an artistic point of view, its massive towers are open to criticism, notwithstanding that they give to
the edifice a great part of its originality. The interior is well
arranged, so that the light from the dome is concentrated on
the grand altar, while the audience is left in deep shade. In
the last chapel on the right is a Christ bearing the cross, an
impressive piece of sculpture by Alonzo de la Paz. The head
is a chef d'oeuvre worthy of the Spanish masters. Not far distant is a virgin of Chiqi/iniquira, with a face of ebony, and
loaded down with sumptuous toys. She receives exclusively
the homage of the faithful of the African race.
17

883

GUATEMALA.

The church of San Francisco, or the Pantheon, is the
loftiest of all, but it is only an incoherent, indecisive mass,
very far from justifying the expressions of admiration which
have been bestowed on it. It wTas commenced in 1796, and is
said to have cost a million of dollars—an enormous sum in a
country wanting in the very necessaries of life. From its top
may be obtained a finer view of the city and surrounding
country than can be had from any other point.
The monuments which I have enumerated, whatever may
be said of them in other respects, possess the merit of having
been built by a comparatively poor colony, less happily endowed than Mexico and Peru with the precious metals. In
1829, after a most sanguinary struggle, their ornamental
treasures became the spoils of the victorious party. The
Liberals, not content with abolishing the monastic orders,
exiled the clergy, confiscated their property, and went so far
as to pillage the churches for the means of defraying the cost
of the civil war in which they were engaged. It is said that
the cathedral and the churches of Santo Domingo aild the
Merced furnished a contingent of $150,000.
The hospital of Guatemala is an establishment which reflects great honor on its citizens. It occupies a large area of
ground on the eastern limits of the city, and has an annual
revenue, thanks to numerous pious bequests, of from eighteen
to twenty thousand dollars. A portion of this, however, is
raised by imposts levied expressly for its benefit. It has two
hundred beds, and is free to all who need its care. It would
be an improvement if it were better ventilated and had more
light, and above all if it had better beds, for it must be admitted that a simple plank is rather a hard couch for the sick
or wounded. During the year 1853, not less than four thousand and sixty-four persons received the benefits of the hospital, of which three thousand six hundred and thirteen were

THE

CEMETERY.

387

discharged cured, and four hundred and twenty-one died.
Its expenses for the year wrere $19,300.
The practice of burying in the churches was abolished in
1831 by a decree of the Legislature, which opened the cemetery of the hospital to the city, and prohibited inhumations
elsewhere. This cemetery is nearly surrounded by high walls,
which, as in Spain, serve in their turn for purposes of burial.
They are built with compartments, opening on the inside, in
which the coffins are placed and the mouths plastered up.
Occupying corresponding places on the outside are lozenges
painted in black for receiving inscriptions, so that the wall
resembles the display of multitudinous packs of cards. At
the end of every ten years, the fosses for the common dead
are cleaned cut for the reception of new occupants, and the
bones are piled together in pyramidal heaps, one in each corner of the enclosure.
One day, while in the vicinity of the cemetery, I heard,
at a little distance, the sound of music, gay and animated as
that of a festival. It proceeded from a group, of young
people, bearing in their midst a litter, apparently covered with
flowers. Every face wore a cheerful expression, and all entered the enclosure with light steps, as if going to a wedding.
Surprised by the spectacle of such a group in a place apparently so little in harmony with its spirit, I instinctively followed it, until it stopped at the edge of one of the deep fosses
which always stand yawning for the dead. I approached one
of the party, and inquired the occasion of such a merry gathering. " We are burying a baby !" was his simple response,
and he looked at me with an expression of surprise, as much
as to say, " What a singular question V The explanation
recalled to my memory an incident in my Spanish experience, which I hope the reader will pardon me for recounting
here.
While stopping at a little port of Algarve called Villa

388

GUATEMALA.

Real, where I had gone to embark for Guadiana, I was
roused in the middle of the night, by a noisy concert, intermingled wTith joyous shouts, which proceeded from a neighboring dwelling. The sounds continued until daybreak, that is
to say, they were kept up until the hour of our departure.
When we had got outside the bar of the river, a slight breeze
sprang up, a sail was hoisted, the oars were abandoned, and
our sailors finding themselves at leisure, commenced preparing
for their frugal repast of bread and olives. The captain invited me to join them, and we entered into a conversation in
which I alluded to the concert of the preceding night.
" It was in celebration," he explained, " of the death of a
child in the neighboring house."
" How !" I exclaimed in astonishment, " is this your mode
of manifesting grief in Villa Real ?"
" Senor" he replied gravely, " I am ignorant what may
be the custom elsewhere, for I have never been abroad, but
here, when we lose a child who has not yet attained its seventh
year, we sincerely rejoice in the event as a manifestation of
God's mercy; for it thus escapes the miseries of this world,
and returns to the bosom of its Creator, unsullied by a single
sin."
While the old sailor expressed himself in these earnest
words, I gazed on his bronzed, weather-beaten face, dropping
with perspiration, and his rough hands hardened by toil, and
reflected on his miserable fare, his lowly lot, and the dangers
of the deep to which he was daily exposed, and I comprehended
the full force of his words. Such then is the rationale of a
custom, growing out of a deep and religious appreciation of
our mundane miseries. But in the Spanish American colo
nies, where its true sense is lost, or is not understood, it only
serves as an occasion or pretext for untimely merriment and
diversion.
Among the public edifices of Guatemala, may be mentioned

PUBLIC

INSTITUTIONS.

389

the buildings of the University of San Carlos, which, although
unfinished, form a harmonious group, somewhat severe in
style, yet strictly in good taste. The institution dates back
to the year 1678. It contains a library of three thousand
volumes, composed, for the most part, of ancient theological
works of but slight interest. This collection was at one time
doubled by the spoliation of the convents, but the present government has restored the musty spoils to their legitimate owners. But here, however, its munificence ceased, for, among
all the treasures confiscated belonging to the religious orders,
these are the only ones which have found their way back.
There exists in the library of the university, a history of the
country, in manuscript, by the Fray Ximenes, which I have
never seen quoted—perhaps because it has never been so fortunate as to find a reader. It is in four large volumes, and I
must confess that I neglected to avail myself of the excellent
opportunity for instruction which was offered in its pages.^
As to the Anatomical Museum, of which I had heard such
marvels, it consists of a single subject, modeled in wax under
the direction of Dr. Flores, and is preserved in the amphitheatre of the hospital. A similar disappointment attended
* M. Morelet does not here keep up that catholic scientific spirit which
gives to his book, as a whole, much of its value; and his " confession," in
this case, is not altogether to his credit. The works of the Fray Ximenes
are in three volumes. One contains a part of the " Historia de San Vicente
de Chiapa y Guatemala" commencing with Book iv., and concluding with
Book v., Chapter lxxxvi., comprising the history of the country between the
years 1601 and 1698. It has 1031 folio pages. The second volume has 572
pages in quarto, and comprises a vocabulary of the Kachiquel, Zutugil, and
Quiche dialects, " the metropolitan languages," as they were called, of Guatemala. A third volume contains a number of distinct works bound together,
among which the most important are, a grammar of the Kachiquel, Zutugil,
and Quiche languages; A Confesionario and a catechism in the same languages ; and a " History of the Origin of the Indians of the Province of Guatemala, translated from the Quiche language, for the greater convenience of
Ministers of the Holy Gospel," etc. The latter was printed in Vienna, in the
year 1857, from a copy made by Dr. Carl Scherzer.—T.

390

GUATEMALA.

my search for the Museum of Natural History, and the Academy of the Fine Arts—institutions which have never existed,
except in the imagination of the inhabitants, and in certain
geographical treatises.
I am aware that in 1795 a patriotic association was formed
for the encouragement of agriculture, the amelioration, in an
educational point of view, of the condition of the lower orders,
and for the stimulation of national industry. This society
had a passion for everything that was new. It overflowed
with communications, projects, and reports. A reform was
requisite in the culture of cacao. The mulberry tree promised most astonishing results. Flax was brought up and subjected to most interesting experiments. One day a paper
was submitted on the simplification of the manufacture of indigo, and on the next a novel suggestion for the spinning of
cotton. An appropriation was voted for the relief of ailing
laborers; in a word, every member was anxious for the public
prosperity, and desirous to hasten on the day when Guatemala
should rival the proudest capitals of the Old World in science
and the arts.
But the ardor which burned in the breasts of the founders
of the " Economical Society" cooled with time. Governmental disturbances, the scantiness of their pecuniary resources, the disappointments inseparable from first attempts,
chilled the zeal of the members. Political convulsions and
changes turned men's thoughts and energies into other channels, and gradually member after member threw up responsibilities and obligations which were becoming onerous; in a
word, the institution, long tottering, is now in its last gasp.
Thanks to a stipend obtained annually, through means of a
lottery encouraged by the government, it still maintains a
gratuitous school for drawing, sculpture, and the elements of
mathematics. And it still continues" to publish a bulletin,
wThich, to be sure, nobody reads, and persists, in the midst of

ASPECT

OF

THE

CITY.

391

general indifference, to distribute prizes for industry and
skill; but so slight is the competition that frequently the
principal prize is borne off by an embroidered handkerchief,
or some other frivolous object, the work of some young
lady of good family.
Guatemala is gloomy in appearance. The uniformity of
its houses, the absence of vehicles, the silence and desertion
of its streets, all communicate a feeling of mortal ennui to
the stranger who has satisfied his curiosity. None but a
botanist can find occupation in the city. Towards the end of
September, the period of my visit, I observed along the walls
of the houses a very beautiful variety of the aster, a kind
of nicotina with pale and tubulous corollas, the beautiful
red flowers of the mirabilis jalapa, and a magnificent vine,
the ipomcea villosa, gracefully festooned against the walls,
which were further set off with Indian pinks and the various
kinds of solanacece.
On the borders of the streams I also
found the aquatic helianthus, the red ce.nethere, etc. These
plants grow freely between the stones of the pavement, which
are almost hidden beneath their luxuriance. The flora of the
place, however, becomes richer as we advance from its centre
towards its suburbs. There we find the arborescent dahlia,
the datura (night-shade), the ipomoea longistipulata,
the
euphorbia pulcherrima,
and a lovely blue convolvulus, which
I believe has never been described.
But if in Guatemala the stranger escapes the noise and
bustle of a mart of industry and trade, his ears, on the other
hand, are tormented by the melancholy jangle of its bells,
which is prolonged from church to church, and convent to
convent, for the entire day. The people go to bed early and
get up late. A t eight o'clock in the morning the streets are
still deserted, and the petty traffic of the place can hardly be
said to commence before ten o'clock. As soon as the shadows begin to shorten, the wares exposed for sale are with-

392

GUATEMALA.

drawn within the shops, the doors are hermetically closed,
and by eight o'clock in the evening only the watchmen are
found in the streets. The organization of a corps of serenos, or night police, and the lighting of the city, are two
improvements of recent date. Before the year 1841 the
streets were hardly safer than they were in Havana before the
administration of Tacon; but now one may go about freely,
without arms, and without fdar, within the circle guarded by
the police. I t was not without difficulty that the municipal
authorities succeeded in establishing these reforms, and in obtaining from the citizens the moderate contributions requisite
to ensure their support.
The most interesting spectacle which the city afforded to
me was that of the public square, where the Indians collect
from every direction around the capital, to dispose of their
wares and provisions. From the north come charcoal, fat
pine wood, and the variety of wild plum called by the Indians
jocote, and which gives its name to the village of Jocotenango. The women of Chinauta come here, laden down
with earthen ware, under which they daily struggle up the
steep declivity which I have already described as separating
their village from the plateau. From the east the city derives its supply of milk and the fruits and vegetables of the
temperate zone; from the south the products of the tropics,
sugar, cotton, and the fish of the lake of Amatitan. From
this direction come also the Indians of Los Altos, the best
conditioned of all Central America. Their faces are more
oval and intelligent, their beards heavier, and their manners
more confident and manly, than those of the Indians of Vera
Paz. They are indubitably the most useful and industrious
citizens of the State. They supply the city with cheese,
woollen stuffs, cacao which they obtain in barter from Soconusco, and hats and petates which they manufacture from

THE

MARKET

PLACE.

393

the leaves of the palm in the course of their long journeys.^
Here, also, may be seen the Indian woman advancing with
an agile step, her basket supported on her head, her lastborn astride of her hip and held in place with one hand,
while with the other she leads the next oldest, a little naked
child who trots along by her side with an imperturbable face,
and never a word of complaint or expression of fatigue. Some
of these women bring their tortillas, still fresh and almost
smoking, all the way from Mixco to the city, a distance of
nine miles, in an hour and a half.
By eleven o'clock, the last village of the neighborhood has
furnished its contingent, and the market then presents a most
singular and animated appearance. It is full of busy traffickers, and a mingled hum of voices is heard at a distance of
several squares around it. All at once, the guard at the
cuartel beats to arms, and the reclining soldiers leap up,
seize their muskets, and range themselves stiffly along the
front of their quarters. We look to see the occasion of the
* The three departments of Totonicapan, Quesaltenango, and Solola form
what is called Los Altos, the Highlands—an elevated, mountainous, cold
country, which, in 1838, constituted an independent State. The population
of the three departments amounts to 201,000 inhabitants, of which 140,900
are Indians, and 62,000 whites and Ladinos. The Indians speak the Quiche,
Mani, and Sauval dialects. Totonicapan, the principal town in the department of the same name, has a population of 20,000 souls. It is built on a
high plateau, surrounded by mountains; the climate is cold and humid, and
the soil of medium quality, but the inhabitants supply by their industry what
it lacks in fertility. They raise principally wheat, potatoes, and others of the
fruits of the temperate zone, but not of excellent quality. Quesaltenango is
situated at the foot of a volcano, of which the last eruption was in 1758. The
temperature here is probably lower than in any other part of Central America.
Snow falls occasionally, but soon disappears, and the thermometer seldom
stands long at the freezing point. The department produces wheat and
maize in abundance; sheep are raised in great numbers, and the people
carry on a large commerce in cereal grains, and in fabrics of cotton and
wool.
17*

394

GUATEMALA.

sudden movement, and observe approaching a man of medium
height, still young, with coal black hair and tawny complexion, who moves slowly up the arcade which leads to the house
of the government. He is President Rafael Carrera, that
redoubtable Indian who has overthrown the prestige and tho
authority of the Spanish race, and who now represents the material power of the State. He is dressed in ordinary costume,
without any distinctive insignia of authority. The men of
sinister mien who surround him, and whom you mistake for
lackeys, are the aids of his Excellency—sad fellows, who have
emerged like himself from the lower orders, bound to his fortunes, and who, to retain his favor, are ready to perform any
kind of service. The President marches in silence, his head
bent forward and his eyes fixed on the ground, without responding to the salutations of those whom he meets, and disappears in the palace. As for the people themselves, they
scarcely notice an incident which takes place every day, and
with which they are familiar.
The market of Guatemala is well supplied with vegetables,
collected, it is true, from places not far distant yet possessing
different climates. The fruits of Europe, few in number, and
of inferior quality, are confounded with those of America, to
such a degree, indeed, that the venders themselves are ignorant
of their origin. Scattered at intervals, are little shops, where
the Indians gather to obtain a cheap meal. They first lay in
a stock of tortillas which are sold separately, and then hand
in their porringer or calabash to be filled. For a cuartillo
(three cents) they are furnished with a thick, red soup called
pulique, composed of maize, peppers, and fragments of tortillas.
Nothing can be less tempting than this national dish ; indeed
the general manner of serving repasts, in these Indian restaurants, is revolting in the extreme. Overtaken one day by a
heavy shower, which obliged me to seek shelter under one of
the galleries of the plaza, I employed my leisure moments in

THE

MARKET

PLACE.

395

watching the economy of these establishments. The one
nearest me was kept by an old mulatress, squatting, like a
monkey, beside a furnace which supported three earthen jars.
When a customer presented himself, she drew from a basket
near by a large plantain leaf, plunged her wrinkled hand into
one of the earthen vessels, and drew out a quantity of the
steaming contents which she spread over the leaf, then she
added a layer of beans, and finally the same hand, still dripping, disappeared in the third jar and came out of a charming orange color, for it now contained the pulique, the highly
seasoned soup, to which I have referred above, and which
gives to her customer's dish the culminating touch of perfection. The culinary skill of the mulatress was certainly highly
appreciated, to judge from the large demand for her delicacies.
Here and there huge parasols covered with palm leaves
shade the booths where are sold syrups, tiste, and other refreshing or tonic beverages. In the distance, those naked,
copper-colored men, who are seated on the church steps, apart
from the movement and seductions of the place, are the Indians of the tierra caliente, resembling a flock of migrating
birds ; they are resting themselves, while making their simple
breakfast on an ear of maize. This group, close at hand, is
made up of sambos, a strange type of men, a cross between
the Indian and negro, easily recognized by their sooty color,
their brilliant eyes, and their crispy hair. They are bloodthirsty in disposition, and totally destitute of honor, morality,
or principle. The inhabitants of Palin and Jocotenango are
easily distinguished by their white cotton drawers, which do
not reach to the knee; a peculiar costume, derived by their
ancestors from the conquerors, to whom it was probably transmitted by the Moors. Here lounge the ladinos, under the
shadow of the arcades, veritable lazzaroni, regaling themselves with boxes of sweetmeats; they have finished their
day's labor, and are rapidly consuming its products • nor will

396

GUATEMALA.

they return to work until driven to it by necessity. And
lastly, those men with round jackets, who so carefully close
their shops and barricade them within ; they are the true citizens of the place. The rustic simplicity of their costume and
manners, is not to be mistaken as belonging to the republican character, for they are full of aristocratic vanity, and feel
deeply wounded if, when addressed, the title which they have
seen fit to prefix to their names is omitted.
On the morning of the 19th of March, 1840, the plaza of
which we are speaking was the scene of one of those melancholy and sanguinary episodes which characterize the civil
wars of Spanish America. General Morazan,' the chief of the
Liberal party, had forced his way, by a brilliant but imprudent
coup de main, into the city, and occupied the great square.
But he soon found that his force was too small to maintain his
position, surrounded as he was by vastly superior forces under
Carrera. After a vigorous defence, he was compelled to escape with his main body in the night, leaving a detachment of
two hundred men to hold the enemy in check, and cover the
movement. In the morning the truth was discovered. The
little band in the plaza was attacked at every point by overwhelming numbers. After a short and spirited resistance, it
was compelled to lay down its arms, when the victors commenced an indiscriminate butchery of the men who had
trusted to the conventionalities of war. As a fitting sequel to
this bloody massacre, the commander of the corps was taken
before Carrera and Paiz, his satellite, who had directed the carnage. They both fell upon him with blows, struck him to the
ground, and forced their horses to trample on him, horribly
mangling his body, while he vainly supplicated for death.
Finally Paiz handed his own lance to one of the assassins in
his suite, who drove it through the heart of the unfortunate
officer, and relieved him from further brutalities.
A salient feature of the plateau of Guatemala is the ab-

AQUEDUCTS.

397

sence of water on its surface, which is a result due to its geological constitution. The volcanic materials which principally
compose the soil, have filled up the valleys to the depth of
from three hundred and fifty to sixteen hundred feet, so that
only the middle and superior portions of the mountains are
visible to the eye. As a consequence, the streams, acting on
this scoriaceous material, have worn their beds deep below the
surface, to the original level of the earth, and formed those
immense ravines which cut up the country between the 14th
and 16th degrees of latitude.
In order to supply the city with water, therefore, it has
been found necessary to construct two considerable aqueducts,
reaching to the sources of the rivers Pinol and Mixco, situated
three leagues to the southward. These supply, besides the
public fountains and washing tanks, great numbers of private
houses, in quantities proportioned to the rates paid by the proprietors. The water is not limpid, and requires to be filtered
before it is used. The surplus is allowed to run through the
streets, of which the slopes are toward the centre, and which
are really the sewers of the city—thus accounting for the
sweet brooks which some geographers have described to us
as flowing through the principal streets. These overflow when
obstructed in the least degree, and render impassable the lower
parts of the city and its suburbs, where they form stagnant
pools of intolerable odor, from which a few cultivators in the
vicinity obtain the requisite material for irrigating and at
the same time fecundating the soil of the plateau. Under
better arrangements, it might be largely and usefully employed
for this purpose. I may here mention, that the lands in the
neighborhood of Guatemala are worth from $20 to $40 per
acre, and that not far from forty thousand acres have the benefit of irrigation.
The material chiefly employed in building in Guatemala,
is a kind of indurated clay, and a variety of puzzolana, which

398

GUATEMALA.

come in irregular blocks about three feet square, and which
acquire, in time, a considerable degree of hardness. These
are laid in mortar, and the wall is then plastered over and
whitewashed. The general character of the architecture is
that which prevails in the south of Spain, where the Moors
have left so many deep traces of their tastes and habits. Each
house is built on a slightly elevated rectangle, and consists of
a central court, surrounded by a corridor, on which all the
apartments open.
This arrangement, borrowed from the
Orient, is sufficiently pleasant, but spoiled by the bad distribution of the rooms, in which light is altogether too economically dispensed. The doors are made without any regard to
symmetry, the partitions are badly put together, the windows
are unglazed, and the stranger soon discovers that the life
which circulates here, is widely different from his own.
Within a few years, the importation of furniture and other objects of luxury from Europe has been considerable ; but notwithstanding the models and suggestions which the foreign
articles afford, the corresponding objects manufactured in the
country, are coarse, heavy, and inelegant. The city has very
good masons and tolerable carpenters; but the incompetence
of its tilers is unpleasantly manifest on the occasion of every
rain. Most of the houses of the capital have within their
courts one or more little gardens, which are invariably divided into compartments by lines of masonry. Under a temperate sky like this, the cultivation of flowers, and horticultural pursuits generally, might be one of the most agreeable
modes of passing the time known to a society which is yet
but imperfectly acquainted with the resources of the territory
which it occupies. Without going beyond the adjacent woods
and mountains it might find abundant specimens with which
to begin its work. The orchidse, for example, beautiful plants
and of infinite varieties, might be reproduced in the town and
its neighborhood in the greatest profusion and with trifling

MODE

OF

LIFE.

399

care. But such are not the congenial occupations of the
Spanish race. They require strong excitements to rouse them
from their characteristic apathy and indolence. The gardens
of the town are consequently badly cared for, and afford no
objects worthy of interest to the stranger.
The mode of life of the people of Guatemala is very regular and uniform, and one is astonished, that in a capital containing forty thousand souls, enjoying a certain degree of
wealth and comfort, and who pique themselves on their cultivation, there are so few dinners, balls, concerts, and those
other pleasures which elsewhere animate the world of elegance, and bring together its members in a more agreeable and
intimate union. I thought, at first, that this deficiency was
due to the unhappy political divisions which had so long harassed the country, embittering the spirits of the people, and
sowing among them distrust and suspicion. But I afterwards
became satisfied that it was due to deeply-seated and characteristic traits of character. The wealthy class is made up of
circumspect and parsimonious merchants, little interested in
new things, who pass most of the day in their offices, and who
shut themselves up in the evening to post up their books and
calculate their balances. Their happiness seems to consist in
accumulation, and they dread anything which tends to disturb
the ordinary course of their existence. I t is not because they
are destitute of a sentiment of nationality, or are insensible to
honors and distinctions; but their ambition is tempered with
prudence, and in times of difficulty they are ready to compromise and adjust, rather than vindicate their rights by appeals
to force or violence. A stranger has only to understand, that
their courteous formulas, their expressions of sympathy and
interest, and their flattering compliments are only vain formulas, which mean nothing, and that when they put their
houses, their credit, and their fortune at his disposal, they do

400

GUATEMALA.

not really intend to offer more than a glass of water, or at
most a cigar.
The women, of a relatively good position, are not wanting
in personal attractions. In an intellectual point of view they
are just what might be expected ; that is to say, possessed of
considerable natural ability, but having a very limited education. As young girls they embroider and play upon the
piano, but rarely go out. As wives they devote themselves
to their families and household duties, and make excellent
mothers. Gracefully submitting' to the most complete subjection, they themselves narrow the circle of their dominion,
and generally avoid the society of ladies from abroad, whose
easier manners and better cultivated minds render them painfully conscious of their own inferiority. In a word, even civilized man here seem reduced to very slender proportions.
Petty personal interests, the small vanities which make up
the sum of his life, the monastic seclusion which circumscribes
his horizon, are all reflected in his character, which is a compound of narrowness, timidity, and frivolity, plainly discernible in his face and general bearing.^
Religious ceremonies alone have power to awaken the city
from the state of lethargy into which it subsides when not
shaken by civil discord. Once, at the voice of the priests,
whose power was sovereign, the whole population responded
by forming processions, and bestowing those munificent donations which built up the monasteries and churches. Every
citizen then belonged to some pious association, and on Saint's
days wore the insignia of his office; and then it was that the
whole city appeared to be only one vast brotherhood. But
the revolution of 1829 struck a mortal blow at the monastic
* These observations may seem severe, and yet they are mild as compared with the picture drawn by a G-uatemalian of his countrymen in a periodical many years back. See the Gaceta de Guatemala of the 20th February,
1797.

RELIGIOUS

CEREMONIES.

401

spirit. Although by a succeeding revolution the religious
bodies have recovered some of their former immunities, still
they have never regained their wealth, nor, as a consequence,
their power. The influence, however, which, for several centuries, they have exercised over the character of Guatemalian
society, is still evident, for the city itself has been very justly
compared to a vast convent, and the dwellings to so many
cells. The people always manifest great ardor for religious
festivals, which, by their frequency, favor their propensity to
idleness. They are passionately fond of the deafening sound of
clanging bells, the noise of petards, and Indian music, a most
cruel scourge to peaceable individuals. They also have an innocent admiration for the ridiculous ceremonies gone through
with for the purpose of increasing their devotion, and which
to the stranger seem all unworthy of the dignity and majesty
of the Catholic faith.
I have frequently heard travellers reproached for omitting
in their works all mention of the food and drink of the people
in the countries which they visited. If the reader be one of
those curiously inclined in this respect, he will not object to
learning how these exigences of our human condition are satisfied under a climate considerably differing from our own.
The customs of the people of Guatemala, as concern their
repasts, conform with the traditional practices observed in all
Spanish America. Breakfast is taken at nine, dinner at two,
and supper at eight or nine. These three meals are substantial. I n the morning and evening they consist of chocolate,
or coffee, beans prepared after the universal fashion, boiled
eggs, and sometimes a dish of broiled meat. The principal
culinary effort of the day, however, is dinner. After the
soup, the olla is served with its retinue of vegetables and
fruits. I believe there is no single production of the vegetable kingdom which does not take its place in the olla, from
the ripe bananna down to the green ear of maize. The repast

402

GUATEMALA.

is invariably terminated by some sweet dish, usually rice and
milk, after which come preserves and dulces of various kinds.
As for fruit, it is taken between meals, but never immediately
after them, in accordance with hygienic principles rigorously
observed in all Spanish America.
Wheaten bread is much used, even in the poorest families;
but wine is a luxury to be afforded only by the rich. Many
persons are fond of taking, in the middle of the day, an Indian beverage called tiste, composed of parched maize, cacao,
ginger and sugar, all reduced to powder and mixed with water.
This beverage is not to be despised in a climate where stimulants are almost a necessity.
Hog's lard is used in the preparation of food, consequently
swine are highly prized and very numerous in Guatemala. The
style of cooking is simple and without much variety. The national dish, of which the people never weary, even though it
appears twice a day, equally on the board of the rich and the
poor, is black beans, or frijoles.
Without these no breakfast
or supper is complete. They are mixed with a few slices of
onions and a spoonful of lard, and cooked over a slow fire.
However simple this receipt, there is nevertheless, according
to connoisseurs, a tact and talent in the proper preparation
of the dish of which even the best of cooks are not always
masters. The knowledge is inborn, and rarely to be acquired,
so that in many houses the task of preparing the frijoles devolves upon a simple, but always a venerated servant, whom
nature has favored with this precious gift!
The domestic economy of Spanish countries is rarely based
on that wise forethought which regulates the laying in of provisions to conform with the season and state of the market.
I n Guatemala the people live literally from hand to mouth,
purchasing in the morning only what may be requisite for the
day, whether it be bread or salt, sugar or coal. Without possessing all the elements for good living, the city nevertheless

ARTICLES

OF

FOOD.

41 *

offers sufficient resources for a tolerably good fare at a small
cost. Beef and mutton are cheap, and well flavored; pork is
abundant; but the bread is neither white nor good. There is
but little choice in vegetables; game is scarce, and there are
scarcely any fish to be had at any price.
No one seems to be aware here that vegetables are susceptible of great improvement through proper cultivation. The
art of producing good vegetables and fruits, and of diversifying
and perfecting them by grafting, trimming, manuring, and
daily care, is totally unknown. The indigenous vegetables
which are used grow wild, while those brought from Europe
soon lose the qualities which there recommend them, through
want of care and culture. Wheat flourishes on the table
lands at an elevation of from five to seven thousand feet. On
lower grounds the stalk attains considerable vigor, but the
yield of grain is small. This cereal, the introduction of which
dates almost as far back in Guatemala as in Mexico, has
greatly degenerated here, doubtless because the seed grain
has not been renewed.^ •
The flour in use in Guatemala is ground in the rudest
manner, and is delivered to the baker, in its rough state, who
is himself obliged to sift it from the bran. An ordinary European or American flour mill, driven by a turbine wheel,
adapted to the power of the little streams in the neighborhood
of the city, I am convinced, would prove a good speculation.
It certainly would give the people of the capital a better claim
to that high civilization of which they flatter themselves they
are such brilliant exponents. I may add that only one kind
of bread is made, which is not sold by weight, but by the loaf.
* The introduction of wheat into Mexico took place about the year 1530.
One of the negroes of Cortez, it is said, found accidentally a few grains of
this cereal among the stock of rioe sent out for the afmy; these were carefully collected, and were planted with great success.

404

GUATEMALA.

When flour is dear the loaf is small; when abundant it is
larger, but never of surprising dimensions.
I did not find, in Guatemala, any important plantations of
the agave americana, from which, in Mexico, the natives
procure the intoxicating drink known as pulque. Formerly,
the Indians of Almolonga and San Gaspar had the privilege
of supplying the capital with this liquor; but drunkenness
became, in consequence, so general that one of the bishops was
obliged to interdict its manufacture, under penalty of excommunication. Since then its production has entirely disappeared from the country. The agave only flowers after a
growth of from eight to fifteen years. The moment the stalk
begins to appear, the central cluster of leaves enveloping the
bud is cut out, forming a sort of reservoir, which i3 rapidly
filled by the ascending sap, and #is converted into a kind of
vegetable fountain, which may be emptied several times a day
for a period of three months. A single plant will yield from
thirty to two hundred and thirty gallons of juice, according
to the quality of the soil, which, after fermentation, is highly
intoxicating. The plants die after the operation which I have
recounted, but the suckers which start from their roots perpetuate the plantation. I am surprised that no one has undertaken the production of pulque in Algeria, where the
agave americana has been naturalized for two centuries, and
where it propagates itself spontaneously, with the greatest
luxuriance.
Notwithstanding the diversity of races and castes which
exists in Guatemala, it is difficult to find a picturesque costume among them all. The men, in easy circumstances, follow the European styles, and as the climate is variable, they
change from cloth to light clothing of cotton or linen, according to the state of the weather.^ Sometimes, however, they
* Careful meteorological observations have been made at Guatemala,
during the last three or four years, by the members of the newly-established

COSTUME.

405

unite extremes, and cover a light garb, of twilled muslin or
nankeen, with a vast blue cloak. The ladies still wear the
Spanish mantilla, especially on grand occasions ; but this costume, so noble and graceful, has not escaped the fluctuations
of all things human, and is gradually giving way to the Parisian styles of dress. The garb of the people at large is simple in the extreme. The men wear a kind of jacket of thick
woolen cloth of native manufacture, pantaloons of simple cotton cloth, a palm-leaf hat covered with oiled cloth, and a sarape of many colors, which supplies the place of the Mexican
poncho.
The dress of the women is in no way peculiar or
remarkable. That of the Indian women is the simplest, and
consists of a piece of blue cotton cloth fastened around the
body above the hips, to which is sometimes added a short
white chemise, occasionally embroidered, but usually plain.
Their hair, interbraided with a red cord, is wound around
their temples, where it forms a sort of crown.
The city is without a public promenade; it has no cafus,
no reading room; nor, in fact, any places for reunion or for
pleasure. I t is equally destitute of a theatre,^ the lack of
Jesuits' college. The results, for the several months of the year 1857, were
as follows: Average maximum of thermometer 88.7° Fah. ; average minimum, 38.9°; average mean, 65°. Number of inches of rain, 64-J-. Clear days,
131; clouded, 139; obscure, 95. Average mean of barometer, 25.23. Number of days of rain, 156 ; fog, 87 ; hail, 1. Number of days of lightning, 113 ;
thunder, 36; storms, 57 ; earthquakes, 7.—T.
* Since M. Morelet's visit, the acquisition of California by the United
States, and its rapid development consequent on the discovery of its mineral
wealth, havo given a new and powerful impulse to the Spanish American
States on the Pacific, including Guatemala, which has doubled its commerce
within the past ten years. The establishment of a line of steamers along the
coast of Central America, between San Jose and Panama, -has also brought
the country in closer relations with the great centres of civilization in Europe
and America. The effect in Guatemala has been perceptible in many important respects. Among other ameliorations a line of coaches has been established between La Antigua and the capital, a number of private carriages
have been introduced into the city, and a large and elegant theatre has been

406

GUATEMALA.

which is supplied by a kind of arena for bull fights, of which
the profits (which are from ten to twenty thousand dollars annually) go to the hospital, in virtue of a royal decree, which
the revolutions have respected. And wrhat is worse, the city
is without a hotel of any kind, and the stranger, unless provided with good letters of introduction, is obliged to seek an
asylum in one of the miserable posadas or meso?ies, veritable
caravanseries, cut up into little, dark, dirty, dilapidated rooms,
or rather pens, fetid, and infested with fleas, niguas, and all
kinds of vermin, which are the resorts of the Indian marketmen or peddlers. One must be well hardened to inconveniences and disgusts of all kinds, who ventures on a sojourn
in one of these dens.
Scientific instruction lacks much of what it should be in
Guatemala. How could it be otherwise with a people who,
for three centuries, were oppressed by a regime opposed to the
dissemination of intelligence, and who, since they obtained
their liberty, have been almost constantly involved in civil
wrars? There are two principal educational establishments,
the University and the Tridentine college or seminary, founded
in 1690, besides several schools for the benefit of the working classes. The nominal basis of instruction is little different from that adopted in France. In the University there are
chairs of Greek and Latin, mathematics and philosophy; but
except in law, or rather chicanery, which it is useful to acquire in a country fertile in litigation, all the instruction is
of the most superficial character. The professors do not in
the least exert themselves to develop the faculties of their
scholars with reference to their social condition, or the places
erected (of which an engraving is elsewhere given) which probably equals
any other in Spanish America in size and style, and which may be compared
favorably with those of our own country. Whether the performances to
which it is devoted harmonize in all respects with the edifice, and are
worthy of it, remains to be told to us by some future traveller.—T.

EDUCATION.

407

which they may be called to fill, and they leave their masters
without any just idea of the world, without fixed principles to
guide them, and, I may add, without even a knowledge of the
physical laws of the universe.
The public or common schools are twenty-seven; eleven
for boys and sixteen for girls. They are sustained, in great
part, by private contributions, but hardly seem to come up to
the expectations of their founders. In order that they should
yield any beneficial fruits, it is necessary not only that they
should be better frequented, but that the moral education of
the pupils, the real basis of the social edifice, should take a
first place in the system of instruction, and finally that the
lessons of the master should not be nullified by the bad example of the family. But we can hardly look for this in a town
where the inferior classes have vegetated for cycles in complete ignorance of their rights and duties. We may lay the
blame of this state of things, with better reason, on the old
colonial administration; on those governors w ho put up public
employment at auction, and taught the nation to despise merit
and honor money; on the officers of the customs, who organized fraud ; on the judges who trafficked with justice, and on
the clergy who, by their cupidity and the license of their habits, brought contempt on religion, and corrupted the public
morals.
The people still cherish the formulas of Castilian civility,
which their ancient masters seem to have regarded as the essence and end of education; but they have not yet clearly recognized the difference between right and wrong; and, destitute
equally of private honesty or public virtue, they live in sloth
and ignorance, under the empire of the meanest passions and
the grossest superstitions.
Mechanical industry, that important and interesting branch
of popular instruction, is equally in arrear in Guatemala. I

408

GUATEMALA.

have already alluded to the use which the Indian makes of his
?nachete) a simple hunting knife, with which he not only opens
his path in the woods, but clears his fields, builds his house,
and fabricates his furniture. The artisans of the capital, almost all of whom are ladinos, are not much better oif in
respect of instruments; they are furthermore still ignorant of
the benefits of association and the division of labor. And
when we consider the limited number and imperfect character
of their tools, we are led to believe %that such skill as they
possess, and their manual dexterity, are inherited from their
Indian progenitors: They imitate but they do not invent, and
carry no branch of manufacture to perfection. I sought in
vain, among all the products of their labor and skill, for a
single article worthy to be carried home as a souvenir of the
place. My acquisitions in this respect were limited to a simple jacket Qtijerga, and a straw hat, both the veritable handiwork of the Indians.
The interior commerce of the country would soon be reduced to a minimum, were it not that the climate, by its diversity, forces an exchange of products. Traffic in maize
is however the principal form of speculation in the country,
since it rarely happens that there is a good harvest of this
indispensable article of food, in all parts of the State at the
same time.
The exterior trade of the country increased greatly after
the overthrow of the royal authority, and the substitution of
more liberal commercial regulations; but its activity was not
sustained ; one article of export after another fell off, and now
cochineal is about the only product sent abroad, to cover the
imports of the country. This decline is not at all surprising.
No kind of enterprise can flourish in a country agitated
by civil wars, and where material interests are destitute of
the least security. Besides, the roads of the country are

RAFAEL

C A R R E R A.

409

simply detestable, and the transportation of goods is slow,
expensive and insecure, to such a degree as to consume their
value.*
Among all the misfortunes which have happened to Guatemala, since the period of its independence, none have been
more deplorable than that which befel it on the day when,
after twenty-five years of intestine war, it bowed its neck under the yoke .of an Indian. The genealogy of Rafael Carrera
is not clearly established, not even in the town where he was
born; but it is well known that he sprung from the lowest
class of society. He was born in the suburb of Candelaria,
and the occupations of his youth conformed to the obscurity
of his origin. After a time he became a servant in Amatitan,
where he finally set up a traffic in pigs. In 1837 he appeared,
for the first time, on tbe political scene, taking part in the
troubles of the country in the character of a simple bandit,
chief of a sanguinary guerilla, ravaging the province without
mercy, and without respecting any party. The following
year, having in the meantime received large accessions to his
strength, and his ambitious instincts having been developed
wTith success, he surprised the capital itself, at the head of a
vast body of barbarians, and gave the frightened inhabitants
an hour to choose between pillage or the payment of a ransom.
Such was his beginning; but it is not my purpose to trace the
steps whereby he rose, in the midst of anarchy and blood, from
the rank of a pig-driver, to that of chief of the State. The
history of his career is sufficiently well known to all persons
interested, and would hardly be worth recounting here.
* M. Morelet here goes into various estimates of the value of the productions of the country, its exports, imports, etc. But all these have undergone
a great change since his visit, and it is therefore unnecessary to repeat his
statistics. For an abstract of the trade, etc., of the State, brought up to $i©
present time, see Appendix.-*rT.

is

410

GUATEMALA.

It must be admitted that Carrera is no ordinary man.
This is sufficiently evident from the fact, that without political experience, without education, or other guide than his own
instincts, he has known how to retain the power won by his
sword. The leading members of all parties have, at one time
or another, abased themselves before him, in the hope of making him their instrument; but he has played with them all,
and contrived to profit by their antagonisms. His role is a
difficult one, for he is only supported by a set of timid men,
gathered around him from necessity, or by sycophants without position or character. For a long time he refused the
presidency, alleging his want of education and the incompatibility of his habits with the dignity of the position.^ .Flattery, nevertheless, finally smoothed down all obstacles, and he
has conformed to the more obvious outward requirements of
his office, retaining only his round jacket and straw hat. As
I have already said, he is a man of medium height, with a
clear predominance of Indian blood in his veins, which is indicated equally by the shade of his hair, the scantiness of his
beard, and the slight obliquity of his eyes, which he keeps
habitually bent downwards. Active, unscrupulous, obstinate
as only an Indian can be, he is taciturn in his humor, and violent and sanguinary in temper; nevertheless, he is not without a qualified generosity, and since he became " master of the
situation," has used his power with moderation.
I have no great reason to be proud of my relations with
this high personage. Conducted to his palace by one of the
* Since M. Morelet wrote, by acts consummated in 1854, Carrera has been
made President for life, (Presidente Vitalico), with power to name his successor ! His titles, as printed in the official acts, are, " His most excellent Senor,
Don Rafael Carrera, President for life of the Republic, Captain General of the
Forces, G-eneral Superintendent of the Treasury, Commander of the Royal
Order of Leopold of Belgium, Honorary President of the Institute of Africa,
decorated with various insignia for actiqns in war," etc., etc—T.

RAFAEL

CAREERA.

411

leading citizens of Guatemala, I waited in vain for the honor
of a presentation. A t the end of three quarters of an hour,
he came out from his cabinet, crossed to the other side of the
apartment, and disappeared, without giving us the compliment
of a look, much to the consternation of my companion. I t
was in vain that I endeavored to convert our common misfortune into a joke; the smile did not return to his lips. I n fact,
I have always thought that I owe to him whatever there was
of disgrace in my reception, or rather non-reception, for an
audience had been graciously accorded to me through the
medium of the Minister of the Interior. Perhaps it may be
necessary, in a country where the soil is so slippery, to have
a special care in choosing a guide to lead you!
The history of Carrara has singular likeness with that of the
ancient dictator of Buenos Ayres. Both wTere from the lowest rank, and passed the early years of their lives in humble
and dependent conditions; and both, if report runs true, were
driven from the employ of their masters for acts of indelicacy.
Without education, but with active energies and indomitable
resolutions, both profited by the disturbances of their respective countries, and both commenced their military career by
an invasion of the capital—Carrera at the head of his Indians,
and Bosas at the head of his gauchos.
The elevation of both
dates from the same audacious aggression. But, without pushing the parallel further, it is only necessary to add that they
used their powers differently; the first used his to paralyze
his enemies; the second to annihilate them. Bosas was a
pitiless despot, but at the same time an able diplomatist, far
superior to Carrera in capacity, the extent of his views, and
the part which he played in his country, which is not without
its recognition in Europe.
The military force of Guatemala is principally recruited
among the Indians, who form its permanent nucleus. This

412

GUATEMALA.

nucleus is the contingent from Mita and Santa Rosa, a corps
made up of devoted friends of Carrera, who guard the capital. With the garrisons of Quesaltenango, La Antigua, Amatitan and Isabal, they number about five hundred men. But
the entire effective force of the State is not less than four thousand. These soldiers receive two rials (twenty-five cents) per
day, out of which they clothe and support themselves. Their
officers are veritable sbirros, who owe their promotion to some
action alike violent and detestable. In times of peace their
martial air imposes on peaceable citizens ; but I am assured
that their warlike demonstrations are very much modified before an enemy.* In times of danger, Carrera raises the Indians on whom he can depend, en masse^ and incorporates
them in the ranks.

From Guatemala I made a trip to the Pacific, passing
through La Antigua, the old capital, grand even in ruin ;
through the busy town of Amatitan, the watering-place of
Guatemala, surr6unded by its broad cactus fields, glistening
like silver under their precious coating of cochineal; past the
* During a period of twenty-one years, from 1821 to 1842, not less than
fifty-two battles were fought in Guatemala, with an aggregate loss of two
thousand two hundred and ninety-one men killed and four hundred and
seventy-one wounded. The most important affair was that of the 19th of
March, 1840, when Carrera triumphed definitively over Morazan. On that
occasion the loss was four hundred and fourteen killed and one hundred and
seventy-two wounded. The aggregates for the five States of the old confederation for the period referred to, were one hundred and forty-three battles,
seven thousand and eighty-eight killed, and one thousand seven hundred and
eighty-five wounded. Whatever may have been their results in other respects, it will be seen that open warfare in Central America has not been
alarmingly bloody. More men have probably fallen by assassination and
military and political executions, than in the field.

CONCLUSION.

413

wild and magnificent falls of San Pedro Martyr ; across the
burning plain of Esquintla, to the miserable little port of Istapa,
at the mouth of the river Michatoyat, where Alvarado built his
ships for his expedition to Peru. Here I received such advices from home as to require my immediate return to France.
I went back, therefore, to Guatemala, where I remained only
long enough to complete my preparations for my departure,
by way of Isabal and the English establishment of Belize, for
Europe. The journey was performed without any remarkable
incident, and we reached France in the midst of the exciting
events which followed on the flight of King Louis Philippe,
and which have made the year 1848 one of the most memorable in history.
The year following, my faithful servant and friend Morin,
infected by the golden fever which then raged throughout
Europe and the Americas, became eager to try his fortune
in the new and veritable El Dorado of California. Young,
robust, courageous, and accustomed to exposure and fatigue,
he had every chance of success in his favor. I felt bound to
second his views, and had the satisfaction of seeing him depart, in search of fortune, under the most favorable auspices.
But I regret to add that I never heard of him again, and
that my enquiries as to his fate have been unattended with
success.
As for myself, I returned to civilized life,, with my mind
filled with lasting and pleasing recollections of my adventures
among the grand forests and sublime scenes of an almost untracked but deeply-interesting portion of the New World. I
still dream of its splendid tropical nights, and often hear the
roar of its unnamed rivers in my ears. It was in the seclusion
of those magnificent regions, where the dominion of man is so
restrained, and where man himself sinks into such insignificant
proportions, that my spirit received its profoundest impressions

414

GUATEMALA.

of the majesty and mercy of God, leading me, by an irresistible
impulse, to bow my face to the earth, and to exclaim, with the
Psalmist,
" Thy knowledge is too wonderful for me ;
It is high; I cannot attain unto it.
"Whither, Lord, shall I go from thy Spirit ?
Or whither shall I flee from thy presence ?
If I ascend up to heaven, thou art there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there !
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there shall thy hand lead me,
And thy right hand shall cover me."

APPENDIX.
A.
MEMOIR
READ BY M. ARTHUR MORELET BEFORE THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OP
FRANCE.

THE Academy did me the honor, some time since, to encourage,
by special instructions, the researches which I proposed to make
in a part of the American continent which had never been explored by
naturalists. I shall now attempt to give some account of the principal
results of my subsequent journey. On leaving the island of Cuba, I
directed my course towards Yucatan, with the view of visiting its interior districts and exploring the low chain of mountains which extends
from one extremity of the peninsula to the other, and which seems to
belong to the irregular group of Peten. But the political troubles of
the country which broke out before I could reach there, forced me to
change my plans, and direct my steps to the Lagoon of Terminos, and
the island of Carmen, the entrepot of the trade in logwood. Here commenced the hazards and difficulties of my journey. The Rio Usumasinta, which flows into the Lagoon, and of which the uncertain course
is only conjecturaliy laid down in our maps, afforded a natural route for
penetrating into the interior of this portion of the American continent.
I ascended this river, which is much the largest of Central America, for
more than a hundred leagues, to the remotest limits of Tabasco, where
my further progress was impeded by falls and rapids. Hence, after
traversing eighty leagues of unbroken forests, I reached the hitherto
almost unknown district of Peten, which depends politically on the
State of Guatemala.
This mysterious country, isolated in the midst of a wilderness,
seemed to promise to reward my activity; but the interest which it

416

APPENDIX.

afforded me, in respect of natural history, proved to be entirely secondary. I found here the same climate, soil, and productions of Yucatan,
with only some diversity in the lower forms of animal life. The establishment of the fact, however, is not without its importance in filling a
blank in our previous knowledge of tropical America.
Proceeding from Peten towards the south-west, I found the surface
of the country more broken, and soon encountered the ramifications of
the Cordilleras which diversify the province of Vera Paz. The ravines
or beds of torrents here afforded me my only roads, and led me from
mountain to mountain, to the temperate regions where flourish the
arboresaent ferns, and finally to the salubrious plateau of Guatemala.
Hence I continued my journey to the monotonous shores of the Pacific, where I received intelligence which obliged me to retrace my
steps to Guatemala, and take the speediest route to Europe.
Such is a rapid outline of my travels, and I now proceed to speak
of the results which attended them with equal brevity. I may remark
at the outset that the part of Central America which claimed most of
my attention, and which is included in the State of Guatemala, exhibits in its* physical characteristics, as also in its' natural productions
generally, a striking analogy, as well with the hot as with the temperate portions of Mexico. Indeed, the entire isthmus seems to have been
developed under the same conditions. It is only as we approach Panama and the South American continent, that nature begins to invest
herself with new forms in a manner sufficiently general to modify sensibly the physiognomy of the country. The collections which I made,
especially in the vegetable and animal kingdoms, support this observation, as would also the mineralogical specimens which I got together,
had not the accidents of a long and troublesome journey reduced them
to an insignificant number.
The cryptogamous plants are represented in my collection by ninety
species, and the phanerogams, of which the specific classification is not
yet complete, by forty different genera. I may specify a magnificent
shrub, with thick and coriaceous leaves, constituting a new genera
(Sarcomeris) of the family of Melastomaceas, a native of the Isle of Pines.
The conifers from which this little island takes its name, are of two
species, distinct from any known in Europe, and particularly from the
P. occidentalis of Swartz, which grows also in the Antilles. The latter
has five leaves, while those of the Isle of Pines have but two or three
united on tile same stem. It is well known that these trees, by an organic arrangement which was for a long time considered exceptional,

APPENDIX.

417

but of which we have now numerous examples, grow at the level of
the sea, under a burning sky, and mingle their leaves with those of
the palm and other trees purely tropical.
I shall not stop to mention the grains, resins, specimens of woods,
etc., which form part of my collection.
The animal kingdom afforded me, in the inferior classes, a considerable number of sponges, star fishes, echinoderms, and Crustacea, of which
the greater part are new. Of insects my collection has one hundred
and eleven coleoptera, forty lepidoptera, and twenty-seven specimens
of other orders, in all one hundred and seventy-eight species, of which
one sixth have never been described. The mollusca, which are most
easily preserved, are more numerous. I attached myself by preference
to the terrestrial and fluvitile varieties, which are less known to naturalists than those which inhabit the ocean. They are upwards of three
hundred in number, of which at least one half are without a name in
science. I confine myself to specifying two Helices, one from the Isle
of Pines, remarkable for the elegant indentation of its keel, and the
other from the mountains of Cuba, surpassing in size all known species.
The Melaniee, very different from those of North America, are equally
remarkable for their extraordinary proportions. Finally, a Unio from
Cuba, the first which has been brought from the Antilles.
Among the vertebrata I obtained a complete series of the fishes found
in the great lake of Itza, as also a great number of species from the
streams of Vera Paz. These fishes, almost all unknown, include one
new genus of thirty-two species. To the specimens preserved in
alcohol, I have added notes and drawings from the life.
The reptilia, consisting of one hundred and four specimens, represent fifty-six species, of which six are undescribed, and five remain
in doubt. Some of these specimens are very rare, and are not to be
found in the Museum of Natural History. The saurians have afforded a new and peculiar genus. I allude to the crocodile of Peten,
a species hitherto unknown (C. Moreleti), anJEmys equally new, a very
curious triton, of which the organic characteristics are still uncertain,
the Bhinophrine, a singular batrachian, which has an equal claim on
the attention of scientific men, besides various Boas, Crotali, and
Trigoncephali.
Birds, whicn from their powers of locomotion are more extensively
diffused over the continent, did not afford me so rich a field for discovery. Among seventy species represented in my collection, but two 01
three are new.
18

418

APPENDIX.

Finally, mammals, fifty-seven specimens, including the stag of
Peten, a great variety of squirrels, and many other little rodents.
Such is a summary of the results of my journey and explorations in
the department of natural history. The specimens I have enumerated
are deposited in the Museum, in the hands of competent professors, who
will make a just use of the materials I have given them for the benefit
of science. I undertook my explorations under the sole incitement of
my love for natural history, and with, I hope, an honorable spirit of national emulation. I conducted them at my own cost, in the midst of
obstacles and dangers which can hardly be considered imaginary. If
what I have done shall meet the approval of the Academy, and be
accepted as a proper compliance with its instructions, I shall consider
myself amply rewarded for all that I have undergone and accomplished.

B.
SOME ACCOUNT OF THE PROVINCE OF VERA PAZ, IN GUATEMALA, AND OF
THE

INDIAN SETTLEMENTS OR PUEBLOS ESTABLISHED THEREIN.

FR. ALONZO DE ESCOBAR. From the Journal of the Royal
graphical Society of London. Vol. xi., pp. 89-97.

BY

Geo-

THE province of Vera Paz may be divided into the high country
(alto), the low (baxa), and the very low (mny baxa). This division
opens to view the natural advantages of an intertropical territory,
comprising a variety of climates, and capable of rearing and maturing
the vegetable products of both the East and West Indies. In the
southern part of the province, and towards the capital of Guatemala,
are the settlements of Choi, Rabinal, Cubulco, and Salama. These,
having a climate ordinarily hot and dry, must be assigned to the low
division of the province.
Of the principal rivers towards the south, the first is the Rio Grande,
or the Motagua, the sources of which are on a, mountain in the settlement of San Tomas Chichicastenango, in the jurisdiction (Alcaldia Mayor)
of Solola: passing through this district, it divides it from that of Zacatepeques, and afterwards entering the district of Chiquimula, it takes
the name of Motagua, and flows into the Atlantic ocean. The river
Salama rises in a mountain opposite to the San G-eronimo estate (hacienda), in a tract called by the Indians Chirremundo, and flows by the

APPENDIX.

419

town of Salama, from which it takes its name. Joining in Panzuh with
the river Cachil, which comes from the mountain of Matanzas, it flows
on until, at the Sta. Anna estate, it unites with the river Chixoy, called
also Sacapulas, the sources of which lie in some mountains within the
jurisdiction of Totonicapam. A little further on it receives the river
Cachecla, descending from the mountain of Pambach, which lies on one
side of the settlement of Taltic. The most information which I possess
respecting this river (the Salama) is, that where it flows by the mountain of Chamma, it is already of great magnitude.
In this (the southern) quarter are found many sulphureous and
chalybeate springs. Proceeding from Guatemala, after passing the Eio
Grande, we meet the Rio de la Agua Caliente, so named from the hot
water flowing into it from numerous boiling springs. In the settlement
of Salama, near the banks of the river, are several hot water springs,
popularly called the Licks (Chupaderos), because they are sought by the
cattle on account of their saltness. Sheep, drinking those waters, soon
grow fat, and their flesh acquires a delicious flavor. A great mistake
prevails among the people in Guatemala, who ascribe to those sulphureous waters a remedial virtue in the endemic disease of goitre (giiegiiecho); and those who suffer from it consequently come and reside for a
time in the settlement of Amatitan. But the experience of the country
proves the contrary fact, since those dwelling near the banks of the Rio
de la Agua Caliente, and the people of Salama, who drink its waters,
are commonly affected with goitre. A similar observation has been
made by Alcedo, respecting the river Guali, in the kingdom of Grenada,
where the guegitecho of our people is called coto.
Twelve leagues from Salama, on the summit of the mountain, after
the forests of Patal, on the royal road, stands the settlement of Taltic;
and four leagues further on is the settlement of Santa Cruz ; that of
San Cristobal lying on the left of the road; four leagues more reach the
imperial city of Coban, wherein resides the alcalde mayor of the province. One of the seven divisions of Coban S. Juan Alcala, was originally peopled with the Indians of Chisec, or the tract of country north
of the city. A league from San Juan Alcala is the settlement of S.
Pedro Carch&, south of which, little more than a league, lies that of
S. Juan Chamelco. The climate of these settlements is cold and excessively humid, on account of the heavy rains that fall all the year
round; although there is a transient summer in March and April, when
the sun warms the earth a little, to prepare it for the speedy recommencement of winter. But this applies only to the settlements on the

420

APPENDIX.

summit of the mountains, and not to those below, which have six
months of summer, and six of winter, as is generally the case in America. An unclouded sky is a rare spectacle in those regions; but when
bright weather is coming, the river Ohixoy announces it at San Pedro,
and the river Chico, in Coban, by a fitful murmuring in the stillness of
the night. However, in compensation for bad autumnal and summer
seasons, these mountains never suffer from drought, but the trees and
herbage continue fresh and green for the whole year round. The coldness and wet are most sensibly felt in November, December, and January. During the rest of the year the air is mild and agreeable. The
stormy winds serve to cool the low country towards the south. The
clay on which the north wind begins to blow in the mountains receives
from the Indians a particular name (hoc), because with it begins the return of the water-fowl.
The mountains are so many and so close together that there is hardly
half a league of level land to be met with in all this high country. Whichever way the eyes be turned they are sure to meet with mountains,
most of them of great elevation. Hence it is that the roads here are
extremely rugged and precipitous, insomuch that it is only on the royal
road, and in tolerably dry weather (which comes but seldom), that it is
possible to travel. After rain has fallen, as the roads are all up and
down, and of slippery clay, it must be a very good and practised beast
that does not fall at every step. Everywhere, indeed, there is danger
of falling; even in the passages and court-yarcls of the houses, which
become so slippery when wet, that treading them is like walking upon
soap.
For the Indians, however, there is no road too bad; and where no
beast can keep its feet, they go and carry loads without difficulty. Herein
is seen the power of habit, since these people beginning at six years old
to carry burdens, become such active carriers as to be able to make
journeys of two hundred leagues, or more, without suffering, when the
best mule, if unshod, becomes so lame as to be unable to move a step.
I have often seen them, after having hurt themselves by stumbling, hold
a burning skewer near to the wound or bruise, to prevent inflammation,
and start fresh on their journey the day after this painful treatment.
When on a journey they carefully avoid drinking cold water, and
quench their thirst with water as warm as can be taken. Their ordinary food is a little roasted maize paste, called totoposte, which they
crumble into boiling water, and so eat it; or else they warm it entire
with chile (capsicum) and salt; and this is their whole nourishment.

APPENDIX.

421

Wherever they stop they stretch themselves at full length, although it
be on the stones, extending to the utmost their legs and arms, and by
this means they soon regain their vigor. There are reckoned to be a
thousand Indians in Coban alone; above three hundred in S. Pedro
Carcha, and two hundred in S. Juan Chamelco, not including those who
wander over the whole kingdom buying and selling.* They usually
take to Gruatemala for sale a great quantity of rice, and thread of all
sizes. To Chiquimula, Zacapa, and San Salvador, they take blankets,
knife-blades, Indian mantles, pimento grown in the country, hammocks,
lassos, and a few other articles; and in return they bring back money
and cattle, which they go for to Esquipulas, Cucuyagua, and Gracias,
drawing also from Sonsonate and the Salinas the salt which constitutes
one of the principal articles of their trade.
But to return to the Cordilleras of towering mountains which traverse the high country to an immense distance. Those mountain tracts
still remain quite unknown even to the Indians themselves, who never
penetrate into them except by the road to Peten. South of Coban and
of S. Pedro Carcha extend the mountains of Patal, which separate the
low settlements of Salama, Eabinal, Cubulco, and Choi, from those of
the highlands; and further on, in the same direction, are the lofty summits of Chichen, Chitzujay, Zaamico, Zacampat, Quixmez, Iloman,
Chixoth, Gruayona, Chidla, and Zacriyl, the peak of which is laid bare
by the fire and smoke that have at times issued from it. Besides these
is seen Xucamel, the highest of all these mountains, rising between
Chichen and Chitzujay, with its summit towards the south-east, its
branches extending to the lake of Bodegas.
East of San Pedro are the mountains of Chintyl and Chacalte ; after
which follow those of Chicac and Tamajul; beyond which the Indians
penetrate no further in that direction. The limit of their excursions is,
they say, three days from the settlement; beyond it the country is reported to be uninhabited, and to be filled with rugged mountains, which,
according to their accounts, I should suppose to run towards the port
occupied by the English in Belize.
To the north-east are situate San Augustin Lanquin and Santa
Maria Cahabon. The first of these settlements is twenty leagues, the
second twenty-eight leagues, from San Pedro, by roads of the worst
description, over mountains named Ziguanja, Chirreguim, Talal, and
* These figures are considerably below those given by M. Morelet, and evidently too
small. Juarros, the historian of Guatemala, who wrote in 180S, puts the number of pa*
rishioners attached to the church in Coban, at 12,435; San P e d r o Carcha, 5,917; Cahabon,
3,538 ; Salama, 1,600, etc.

422

APPENDIX.

Chimelco. At the chief stations on those roads, are lodges (ranchos) for
the travellers to and from these settlements, or to the castle of Peten.
San Pedro confines towards the north on the widely-spread mountains of Toccala, Zucha and Chiacam; and in the same direction occur
the plains of Ivovila, and of Babul, with the mountains of Zaclech; the
last being accessible only to the Indians, who advance a three days'
journey into this impracticable region for the sake of collecting some
fruits and other productions, but have no further knowledge of that
country, which they describe as uninhabited.
On the north-west are the mountains of Chisec, anciently inhabited
by the Indians now established in the Alcala division of Coban. In the
same mountains the Indians of Coban still grow their cotton and ke-ep
their plantations of achiote* and cacao ; not that they plant or do much
more than take advantage of the earth's spontaneous production. Two
days from the mountains of Chisec begins the central ridge of the high
land, on which are plains of boundless extent, with one of the largest
rivers of the kingdom winding through them.
The Rio de la Pasion rises among the mountains of Chamma, in the
lake of Lacandon. It flows at first from west to east; and when it
passes by the mountains of Chisec, north of Coban, it is already fifty
yards wide, and twenty feet deep. In winter its width increases to half
a league, or considerably more, according to the violence of the rains,
and its depth, of course, is at the same time augmented. On reaching
the mountains of Peten, it is joined by the rivers Santa Isabel and Mataquece, with many other streams, till at last it unites with the rivers of
Usumasinta, and finally discharges itself northwards into the sea, west
of Campeachy and the Laguna de Terminos, forming the great delta
called the Barra de San Pedro y San Pablo. The kingdom of Guatemala can never be said to have attained prosperity so long as the banks
of this great river remain uninhabited and uncultivated.
On the banks of the river de la Pasion dwell many unconverted I n dians, as at Peten and towards the mountains of Zaclech, whither the
people of Coban are fearful of going, lest they should fall in with the
Lacandones. This river is the Nile of Guatemala, fertilizing with its
waters the country through which it flows. It abounds in fish: the
land near it is well suited for the cultivation of coffee ; and its cacao is
equal, if not superior, to that of Soconusco, and in great abundance,
* The iichiote (so called from the native Mexican name achiotl) is the shrub yielding
the red pulp from which is prepared the dye or drug called in commerce annotto. It is
the bixa orellana of Linnaeus. The names bixa and rouoou, which latter is used by
the French, were both learned from the natives of Brazil.

APPENDIX.

423

though unaided by cultivation. The sugar-cane is said to attain there
in its wild state a degree of perfection unknown elsewhere; nor does it
require irrigation, so rich and humid is the soil. The best dye-woods,
as well as caoba, (mahogany,) cedar, and other timber for ship-building,
may be had in any quantities on the banks of that river. These fertile
lands are far more valuable than mines of the precious metals. But to
return to the description of the country round San Pedro.
Between the west and the north-east lie the mountains of Chamma,
inhabited by the wild Indians of Lacandon, who gave so much trouble
from the first conquest of these countries till the end of the seventeenth
century, when the greater part of them were reduced to subjection. Our
historians assign to those Indians a great extent of territory, which in
fact they still possess, and it appears to me that, for the sake of avoiding
confusion, a distinction ought to be drawn between the western and
eastern Lacandones. All the country lying on the west, between the
bishopric of Ciudad Real and the province of Yera Paz, was once occupied by the western Lacandones. Some of them may still remain there
in the recesses of the mountains, the extent and intricacy of which make
it difficult to explore them perfectly.
The country of the eastern Lacandones may be considered as extending from the mountains of Chamma, a day and a half from Coban,
along the borders of the river de la Pasion to Peten, or even further, as
this nation, by means of the numerous canoes with which it trades on
the river, asserts the occupancy of a, territory a hundred leagues in
length, without having therein any fixed abode; for if they be discovered in one place, they immediately take to their canoes, with their
wives and children, and go off to some other; and hence many unconverted Indians still remain in Peten.
With the subdued Lacandones, who were taken at the end of the
last century from the mountains of Chamma, the Dominicans founded
San Marco de Coban; and some of their descendants there still speak
among themselves the Ecolchi language, which is that of the Lacandones. The division of San Tomas Apustol is as ancient as the Conquest, and was peopled with Lacandon Indians dwelling to the north oi
Coban. In like manner San Domingo de Coban was established with
Indians taken from the mountains of Chichen and Xucamel. The four
divisions of San Pedro Carcha were peopled with the Indians of the
immediate neighborhood. In general the Indian communities of San
Pedro and Coban still gather the produce of those tracts of country
which anciently belonged to their respective ancestors.

424

APPENDIX.

In the lowest part of the province, north of San Pedro, lie the settlements of San Augustin Lanquin and Santa Maria Cahabon, in a remarkably hot and humid climate. Twenty-three leagues from Cahabon, in the midst of inaccessible mountains and morasses, dwell the
Ghols and Manches, the subjugation and conversion of which Indian nations began in 1675. On that occasion were founded the settlements of
San Lucas Zaclech, Nuestra Senora del Eosario, and Santiago. Further
on, near the river Yaxja, was established the settlement of San Jacinto
Matzin, and four leagues higher up San Pedro and San Pablo Yxil; at
another station, four leagues on, was fixed the settlement of San Jose
May, and subsequently those of Asuncion, San Miguel Manche, San
Francisco Socomo, and San Fernando Axoy, making altogether eleven
settlements in the province of Choi and Manche.
But this unlucky province did not last long, and with it vanished
the hopes of enlightening and converting a numerous aboriginal population. The Indians, taxed excessively on one hand, and on the other
terrified with threats of force, of which they had had some experience,
suddenly took to flight, withdrawing to the most remote and trackless
mountain region, and have never been seen from that time to the present. Only a small remnant of them was at that time brought together
and placed in the settlement of Santa Cruz del Choi, between the Rio
Grande and Rabinal; so few, indeed, remained that perhaps there is
now in that place hardly one Indian descended from the original Choi
and Manche settlers.
I t is doubtful where these two Indian nations, viz., the Chols and
the Manches, eventually fixed themselves; but it is likely that some of
them retired, beyond the mountains of Chamma, to the river Zaclech,
in order to unite with the Lacandones, who, as it was afterwards known,
had numerous canoes, with which they carried on traffic on that river,
both those originally established there and the new comers. The
greater number of the emigrants, however, probably went eastward,
to the neighborhood of the sea.
From Cahab6n the road for Peten leads, in ten days, over uninhabited mountains, to the settlement of San Luis, which is the first in the
jurisdiction of that government (Presidio). The opening of this road
gave rise to much altercation between the Alcalde Mayor Pacheco, and
the engineer, Bon Juan Antonio Carvajal; the former opposing in every
way the decisions of the latter, who had been appointed for the special
purpose of constructing this road, but who never completed the work,
because, after surveying an immense extent of mountainous country,

APPENDIX.

425

he found it impossible to make the road where the Alcalde Mayor proposed. His instructions were to open a line of road, avoiding as much
as possible the main chain of mountains. But this was never done; for
in going to Peten at the present day we have all the mountains to cross
with great toil and difficulty. Had it been then known that the Indians descend the Rio de la Pasion in canoes, from the place where it
passes the mountains of Chamma, a day and a half's journey from CoM n to Peten, we might probably have now had a shorter as well as more
convenient mode of communicating with the latter place. But by land
it is not likely that the road will ever be much abridged, or otherwise
materially improved; for if the line of level country be sought out, it
will be found to be intersected by numerous rivers not fordable in the
wet season, and the crossing of which at any time would be a work of
hazard and delay.
Before we leave the country of Cahabon there are two things to be
mentioned: the first is that the cotton of those mountains is the best
produced in the whole kingdom, being at once fine, white, and extremely soft; it is spun in large quantities by the Indian women. Next
it is to be remarked, that in this settlement there are few persons without goitre, and that the waters in the highlands, so far from engendering this disease, even cure it; while in the valleys below, on the other
hand, they produce it.
Half way down the mountain of Xucamel, south-east of San Pedro,
facing the south, stands San Pablo Tamajum, a settlement pertaining to
the curacy of Taltic, from which place it is four leagues distant by a
miserable road. The elevated situation makes* the settlement melancholy ; but, in respect to climate, it is advantageously placed between
the extremes of temperature. The river Polochic passes through it, descending from Xucamel, where that river has one of its two sources : so
near its origin it is no great stream. Four leagues from Tamajum,
going along the river, stands San Miguel Tucuru, likewise depending on
Taltic. Its climate is extremely hot and moist, as is the case with all
the country lower down to the lake of Bodegas and the Grulf; and is
consequently well adapted to the cultivation of cacao, cotton, coffee,
achiote, indigo and sugar.
About eight leagues or little more below Tucuru, and near the river
Polochic, is the site wherein formerly stood the settlement of Santa Catalina, which, according to the accounts of old Indians, was destroyed by
the English. At present there is at that place an estate whereon cacao
and indigo are cultivated, and where the increase of the cattle speaks

426

APPENDIX.

well for the soil and climate. Three leagues lower down is the wharf
or landing-place (embarcadero) called Ave Maria, where the canoes and
boats with goods from Honduras used to unload, before the navigation
of the river was closed up. By this channel came the images, bells, and
ornaments sent, from Spain for the churches in the settlements. Two
or three leagues further down the river stood the settlement of San
Andres Apostol, which was also destroyed at the same time by the
English.
It is impossible to ascertain exactly where the settlement of Xocolo
stood near the lake of Bodegas. Nueva Sevilla is said to have been
built in 1544 in the plain of Munguija, three leagues from the port of
Honduras, on the bank of the river of Bodegas, by some Spaniards from
Yucatan and Cozumel, who wished to take possession of the country;
but their oppression of the Indians was carried to such an extent that
three years later the royal authority was obliged to interpose and to
break up their colonies, which were soon evacuated. The evil, however, was not so easily removed. The discovery of the port and of the
means of communication with the interior by the river, entailed lasting
vexations on the Indians inhabiting its banks, who were compelled to
serve as boatmen and carriers, subject to all kinds of contumely and unfair dealing. The consequence was that they also deserted the country.
Formerly, while the settlements flourished and the Indians were numerous on the banks of the Polochic and the shores of the Gulf—when desolation did not as yet reign paramount as it does at present—it was
customary for the Prior of Coban to send to the coast to greet the missionaries arriving from Spain, and to take charge of them in their journey up the country. But at the present clay no one would think of
sending a messenger from Coban to the sea-shore ; nor would any missionary venture to traverse the unhealthy desert intervening, since those
who enter it rarely survive to tell their safety. Yet we are informed
that companies of Dominicans have at various times ascended to Coban
by the river Polochic, and certainly that route wants only practicability
to be preferable to any other.
From the preceding description it will be seen that the settlements
in the elevated country, cold and very humid, are six in number, viz.:
Santa Maria Asuncion, of Taltic; Santa Cruz, de Santa Elena; San
Cristobal Caccoh; the imperial city of Coban; San Pedro Carcha, and
San Juan Chamelco. The settlements in the warm and dry climates
are four, yiz.: San Pablo Rabinal; Santiago Cubulco; Santa Cruz del
Choi, and San Mateo Saiama ; those in the region of great heat and hu-

427

APPENDIX.

midity are San Augustin Lanquin, Santa Maria Cahabon, San Mig'^sl
Tucuru, and San Pablo Tamajum; making altogether fourteen settlements, now comprised in the province of Yera Paz. Two settlements
which were established among the Polochic Indians, viz., Xocolo and
San Pablo de Amatique, with New Seville, in the country of the P o conchics, have experienced a like fate.

C.
RUINS

IN

THE

D I S T R I C T OF

PETEN.

REFERENCE has been made, in the body of this work, to the letter of
Colonel G-alindo, dated from Palenque, April 27, 1832, and addressed to
the Secretary of the Geographical Society of Paris. It is chiefly taken
up with an account of the ruins of Palenque, which, however, has been
superseded by later and more complete investigations. Incidentally, this
letter give3 a brief description of the remains found by its author in the
district of Peten, which is subjoined in his own language :
" Beaucoup plus loin, a l'autre c6te de la ville de Flores (chef-lieu
du Peten), se trouve le lac de Yacha de deux lieues de largeur, qui contient quatre petites iles, une desquelles, qui est pierreuse et elevee, ayant
plus de mille pas de diametre, est couverte de debris de pierres; le plus
remarquable, c'est une tour caree de cinq etages, chacun de neuf pieds
de haut, la base a vingt-deux pas sur chaque cote, et les etages entre
deux pieds en dedans de tous les bords : il n'y a acune entree ni fen&tre
dans les premiers quatre etages: mais du cote de l'ouest, un escalier de
sept pieds de largeur conduit jusqu' en haut Les marches de I'escalier
n'ont que quatre pouces chacune; deux portes fort basses dans le cinquieme etage, permettent d'y entrer a quatre pattes; et cet etage consiste en trois chambres sans toit, jointes par de semblables petites portes ;
quoiqu'il y ait apparence par le son, qu'il y a au-dessous un vide, cependant il ne parait aucune entree aux premiers etages : les pierres dont la
tour est construite sont un peu plus grandes que celles employees dans le
Palenque, mais d'une meme forme, qui est la seule ressemblance que je
trouve entre l'architecture d'ici et celle de Yacha ; soit que les edifices de
Yacha* soient plus moderne3, ou son atmosohere moins corrodante, on

428

APPENDIX.

pour d'autres causes; la, des parties des poutres des portes restent encore, d'un bois qu'on appelle jabin ; mais ici [Palenque], toute espece
de bois a deja disparu, et il ne reste que cles pierres et du platre."

N O T E

ON

G U A T E M A L A .

THE republic of G-uatemala comprises sixteen departments, which
are expressed in the following table, together with the number of
births and deaths, and aggregate increase in population for the year
1852 :
DAPARTMENTS.

Guatemala
Sacatepequez
Amatitlan
Escuintla
Vera Paz
Santa Kosa
Jntiapa
Chiquimula
Izabal
Chimaltenango...
Quezaltenango
Snchitequepequez
Totonicapan
Solola
San Marcos
Huebuetenango

I MARRIAGES, i

240
170
130
T85
S2S
149
118
562
82

BIRTHS.

8.416
1,(HS
l,4sS
825
4.26 >
1,813
79't
4,1.15
67
2,550
8,119
1.682

1.S48
1,1*2
1,078
421
1,642
466
291

r>92
3b8

8.,()S8
2.711
2,411

2.192
1.560
786
2.896
1,697
1.744
1,338

38,858

f?::?;>
4D3
i>l (>
9o»

1,568
506
40S
404
2.618
847
499
2,028
18
858
1.559
946
2,411
1.3SS
267
1,078

21,298

17,478

2,127

The total population of the State, in the absence of a satisfactory
census, has been estimated at 890,000, distributed over an area of not
far from 43,380 square miles, or deducting the territory recently ceded
to Great Britain, in connection with the establishment of Belize,
35,000 square miles. Its principal exportable product is cochineal, a
variable crop, of which there were sent out of the country, in the year
1849, 1,469,000 pounds; in 1851, 1,231,610; in 1852, 567,000; in
1853, 313,700 ; in 1854, 1,759,300; in 1855, 1,204.510 ; 1858, 1,739,000.

429

APPENDIX.

The exports and imports of the State for the past four years were as
follows:
TEARS.

IMPORTS.

1854
1S55
1856
1857
1858

$326,481
1,206,210
1,065,816
1.186,517
1,223,770

EXPORTS.

$2,282,891
1,282,891
1,708,963
1,615,388
1,924,509

The revenues of the State, from customs, for the year 1854; were
$182,103- 1855,287,553.
The total revenues of the State, derived from the liquor and tobacco
monopolies and other sources, are, however, much greater, and in the
year 1856 amounted to $1,040,444.
A late number of the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of
London (vol. xxviii., p. 359-362) contains a brief paper, u On the Latitudes and Longitudes of some of the principle places in the Republic of
Guatemala. By A. VAN DE G-EHUCIITE. Notwithstanding the somewhat pretentious way in which the facts that it contains are put forward,
there seems to be no reason for doubting their accuracy.
The following is Mr. Yan Grehuchte's table of latitudes and longitudes of leading places and important points in the Republic. He does
not tell us how he obtained the position of Flores. Had he visited the
place it seems hardly probable that he would have omitted special
mention of the fact,
POSITIONS.

Volcano of Agna

"

Fanta Maria
rr

Solola

Iztapa

,

J

'

LON. WKST OF OREKNWICH.

90°
90°
90°
91°
91°
9-2°
92°
90°
90°
90°
90°
90°
91°
9i°
91°
89°
91°
90°
90°
90°
90°
91°

45' 0 7 "
53' 30"
36' 34"
12' 4 7 "
36' 8 1 "
06' 0 7 "
15' 17"
30' 4 7 "
44' 5 0 "
37' 50"
47' 4 8 "
49' 30"
12' 14"
21' 4 5 "
34' 2;;"
86' 5 0 "
82' 1 7 "
88' 14"
24' 4 7 "
04' 5 2 "
43' 00"
09' 27"
51' 2 9 "

LATITUDE.

14°
14°
14°
14°
14°
15°
15°
14°
14°
14°
14°
14°
14°
14°
If
15°
14°
14°
15°
17°
13°
13°
14°

26' 4 3 "
27' 2 5 "
21' 3 0 "
84' 3 8 "
46' 89"
09' 5 8 "
24' 1 1 "
37' 80"
82' 5 8 "
28' 3 9 "
16' 4 6 "
88' 49"
46' 54"
58' 1 8 "
51' 3 2 "
28' 1 5 "
54' 1 0 "
40' 4 2 "
17' 1 0 "
09' 4 7 "
53' 5 3 "
53' 93'^
09' 0 7 "

1

1

1
j
1

430

APPENDIX.

The mean results of sixty-four observations for latitude, and numerous calculations for longitude, made, it would appear, from the cathedral
of the city of Guatemala, give the position of that point, lat., 14° 2 7 '
3 0 " K ; Ion., 90° 30' 4 7 " W. from Greenwich. Mr. Van Gehuchte's
triangulation fixed the cathedral, as above, at a distance of a little less
than fifty-two miles, in a right line, from the port "of Istapa, on the Pacific, in lat. 13° 53' 5 3 " N.) and Ion. 90° 43' W. from Greenwich. H e
also fixed the vertical line of the summit of the volcano of Pacaya at a
distance of nineteen miles from the cathedral, that of the Volcan de Agua
at twenty miles, and that of the Volcan de Fuego, twenty-eight miles.

MISCELLANEOUS W O R K S
PUBLISHED

BY

LEYPOLDT & HOLT,
25 BOND
Prices

are for

STREET,

NEW

YORK.

Cloth lettered, unless otherwise

stated.

Taine's Italy.
(Rome and Naples; Florence and Venice.) Translated
by JOHN DURAND. A new edition, 2 vols, in 1, with corrections and an index. 8vo. $2.50.
" One of the most powerful writers of the day—to our own taste, indeed, the most powerful—the writer of all others who throws over tho
reader's faculties, for the time, the most irresistible spell, and against
whose influence, consequently, the mental reaction is most violent and
salutary. * * * His style, literally translated (and Mr. Durand i*
very literal), makes very natural English. I t has an energy, an impetus, a splendor to which no words of ours can do justice. * * *
Finally, we cannot help laying down our conviction that M. Taine's
two volumes form a truly great production ; great, not in a moral sense,
and very possibly not in a philosophical, but appreciably great as a
contribution to literature and history. One feels at moments as if, before this writer, there had been no critics, no travellers, observers, or
{esthetic inquisitors.1''— Nation.
"• M. Taine studies its (Italy's) art from its history, and not its history
from its art, as Mr. Ruskin does, for example ; and we th'ink he has by
far the clearer idea of the time, it.3 people and its work."—Atlantic
Monthly.
1,1
Taine is so vivid, so accurate in his details, that pictures might
almost be painted according to his descriptions by an artist who never
saw Italy, and be recognized as views. * * * Our readers will do
well to get the book and see for themselves the beauty, the charm, the
greatness of Italian art, * * * the exquisite fascination of its
landscape, and the indescribable power of Rome and Naples over
the imagination. Nobody that ever dreamed of going to Italy should
be without it."—N. Y. Evening Post.

Taine's Ideal in Art.
By H. TAINE, author of " I t a l y , " " Philosophy of Art,"
etc. I61110. $1.25.

Taine's Philosophy of Art in the Netherlands.
Uniform with the

u

Ideal in Art."

16mo.

$1.25.

Other Works by Taine, in preparation.
The Philosophy of Art (a new edition).
The Philosophy of Italian Art.
The Philosophy of Greek Art.
English Literature.
1

MISCELLANEOUS

PUBLICATIONS.

The Novels of Friedrich Spielhagen.
In uniform style. 12mo, cloth, $2 per volume.
I. PROBLEMATIC CHARACTERS.
Translated by Prof. Scheie de Vere.

II. THROUGH NIGHT TO LIGHT, (Sequel to
"Problematic Characters.")
Translated by Prof. Scheie de Vere.

III. THE HOHENSTEINS.
Translated by Prof. Scheie de Vere.

IV. HAMMER AND ANVIL.
Translated by William Hand Browne.

V. IN RANK AND FILE.
(In preparation.)
" Such a novel as no English author with whom we are acquainted
could have written, and no American author except Hawthorne.—Pw£nam's Magazine.
"These characters live, they are men and women, and the whole
mystery of humanity is upon each of them."—iV. Y. Evening Post.
" Terse, pointed, brilliant, rapid, and no dreamer, he has the best
traits of the French manner, while in earnestness and fulness of matter he is thoroughly German."—Boston Commonwealth.
" Far above any of the productions of either Freytag or Auerbach."
—N. Y. Times.
" T o Friedrich Spielhagen, comparatively a new-comer in America,
must be granted the first place among modern German novelists."—
Boston Post.
" Vastly superior to the bulk of English novels which are annually
poured out upon us—as much above Trollope's as Steinberger Cabinet
is better than London porter."—Springfield Bepubliean.
"We have no hesitation in pronouncing * Hammer and Anvil' one of
the greatest masterworks of fiction, in any language, of late years."—
Ev. Mail.
"Everywhere one traces the hand of a master, and this work (Hammer
and Anvil) alone would be for any man a title to enduring fame."—
Liberal Christian.
" Like Auerbach, he is a subtle and profound thinker, and possesses
that rare gift in a modern novelist, the ability to plan a story with
ingenuity and probability. In tenderness, passion and pathos he seems
to us quite unsurpassed by any writer of fiction, English, German 'or
French."—John Q. tiaxe.
2

MISCELLANEOUS

PUBLICATIONS.

Pumpelly's Across America and Asia.
Notes of a Five Years' Journey Around the World, and
of Residence in Arizona, Japan, and China. By RAPHAEL
PUMPELLY, Professor in Harvard University, and some
time Mining Engineer in the employ of the Chinese and
Japanese Governments. Small 8vo, with maps, woodcuts, and lithographic fac-similes of Japanese woodcuts. Price, 2.50.
* One of the most interesting books of travel we have ever read.
*
. . . . We have great admiration of the book, and feel great respect
for the author for his intelligence, humanity, manliness, and philosophic spirit, which are conspicuous throughout his writings."Nation.
" Fresh throughout—fresh in material and fresh in style
Sensible and racy, full of important facts, and enlivened by entertain*
ing adventures. It is rarely the fortune of a young man to have so
good a tale to tell, and rarer still for a young man to tell his tale so
well."—N. A. Review.
" Mr. Pumpelly's narrative is interesting and instructive throughout.
. . . .
He makes no attempt at eloquence or fine writing, but his
book is often eloquent, and is characterized by that best kind of fine
writing which consists in presenting concrete details picturesquely
and forcibly, with entire simplicity of statement."—Atlantic Monthly.
" It is crowded with entertainment and instruction. A careful reading of it will give more real acquaintance with both the physical
geography and the ethnology of 4:he northern temperate regions of
both hemispheres than perhaps any other book in existence."—N. Y.
Evening Post.
" We cannot now recall any recent traveller whose diction is quite as
perfect in style, and whose faculty of description so admirably supplements his faculty of seeing. He sees only what we would like to see,
and while he does not weary one with tedious descriptions of things
which strike only his own attention, he does not fill his landscape with
the huge historic objects of the guide-books. . . . Whatever else
there is about his book, there is no baldness. It is warm, glowing,
human, and luminous through and through."—Overland Monthly.
" One of the most fascinating and intelligent books of travels that
has ever fallen into my hands, . . . and the next book of travels
you bay, let it be this."—Irenceus {Rev. Dr. Prime) in New York
Observer.
3

MISGELLANEO

US P TJBLICA TIONS.

Auerbach's Villa on the Rhine
Lending literary authorities speak thus of the translation of Auerbach's " Villa on the Rhine":
" For our own part, we prefer the New York Edition : the whole of
the first part of it seems nearly unexceptionable ; and afterward, in
critical passages, such as Sonnenkamp1s confession, where a. certain
vigor and swing- of expression are necessary.it seems to us at once
more smooth and more forcible than Mr. Shackford's version.' 1 —The
Nation.
" The translation of the work is thoroughly satisfactory."—Galaxy.
The '•''New York Edition" is the AUTHOR'S EDITION. A few papers,
some of them of no authority whatever, have expressed confiding opinions
regarding the two translations, which have been diligently quoted by interested parties. The above qvotations settle the matter.
Library edition, 2 vols., uniform with " On the Heights," and "Village Tales," $1.00 per vol.; Pocket Edition, four parts, paper, uniform
with the Tauchnitz books, 40 cents per part, or $1.50 complete.

Auerbach's Black Forest Village Tales.
Author's Edition. 16mo, cloth, uniform with the library
edition of " The Villa on the Rhine." Price, $1.50.
This is the work which made Auerbach famous. Bayard Taylor says
of it in his biographical sketch of Auerbach, prefixed to the author's
edition of " The Villa on the Rhine :" These '" Villa Stories" are models
of simple, picturesque, pathetic narration . . . . A soft, idyllic atmosphere
lies upon his pictures, and the rude and not wholly admirable peasant
life of the Black Forest is lifted into a region of poetry.
" I n a word, it is one of those rare and wholesome books which the
little folks and the grown ones find equally delightful. It is luckily the
fashion now to read Auerbach."—Hartford Courant.
.. .. " told with delightful simplicity and naturalness. The engravings
are, many of them, very quaint, and admirably illustrate the text. It is
on the whole a charming book."—Boston Commonwealth.
"Many charming little lyrics are scattered about in these stories,
which are rendered with equal simplicity and effect; and an undertone
of German music runs through the whole series."—-Ar. Y. Evening Post.

The Annals of Rural Bengal.
By W. W. HUKTEU, B.A., M.R.A.S.

First American,

from the second English edition. 8vo. Cloth. $4.

" * * We have given but a faint sketch of the mass of matter in this
volume, the rare merit of which will sometimes only be perceptible to
Anglo.Indians unaccustomed to see their dry annals made as interesting as a novel. We most cordially counsel Mr. Hunter, of whom, it is
needful to repeat, the writer never heard before, to continue the career
tie has chalked out for himself."—Spectator.

5