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