Incidents of Travel in Yucatan Volume I Part 18

While toiling to bring to light these buried stones, I little thought that I was raising up another witness to speak for the builders of these ruined cities. The reader will notice in the first engraving a weapon in the hands of the kneeling figure. In that same large canoe before referred to, Herrera says, the Indians had "Swords made of Wood, having a Gutter in the fore Part, in which were sharp-edged Flints, strongly fixed with a sort of Bitumen and Thread." The same weapon is described in every account of the aboriginal weapons; it is seen in every museum of Indian curiosities, and it is in use at this day among the Indians of the South Sea Islands. The sword borne by the figure represented in the engraving is precisely of the kind described by Herrera. I was not searching for testimony to establish any opinion or theory. There was interest enough in exploring these ruins without attempting to do so, and this witness rose unbidden.

In lifting these stones out of the holes and setting them up against the walls, I had been obliged to a.s.sist myself, and almost the moment it was finished I found that the fatigue and excitement had been too much for me. My bones ached; a chill crept over me; I looked around for a soft stone to lie down upon; but the place was cold and damp, and rain was threatening. I saddled my horse, and when I mounted I could barely keep my seat. I had no spurs; my horse seemed to know my condition, and went on a slow walk, nibbling at every bush. The fever came on, and I was obliged to dismount and lie down under a bush; but the garrapatas drove me away. At length I reached the village, and this was my last visit to Kabah; but I have already finished a description of its ruins. Doubtless more lie buried in the woods, and the next visiter, beginning where we left off, if he be at all imbued with interest in this subject, will push his investigations much farther. We were groping in the dark. Since the hour of their desolation and wo came upon them, these buildings had remained unknown. Except the cura Carillo, who first informed us of them, perhaps no white man had wandered through their silent chambers. We were the first to throw open the portals of their grave, and they are now for the first time presented to the public.

But I can do little more than state the naked fact of their existence.

The cloud which hangs over their history is much darker than that resting over the ruins of Uxmal. I can only say of them that they lie on the common lands of the village of Nohcacab. Perhaps they have been known to the Indians from time immemorial; but, as the padrecito told us, until the opening of the camino real to Bolonchen they were utterly unknown to the white inhabitants. This road pa.s.sed through the ancient city, and discovered the great buildings, overgrown, in some places towering above the tops of the trees. The discovery, however, created not the slightest sensation; the intelligence of it had never reached the capital; and though, ever since the discovery, the great edifices were visible to all who pa.s.sed along the road, not a white man in the village had ever turned aside to look at them, except the padrecito, who, on the first day of our visit, rode in, but without dismounting, in order to make a report to us. The Indians say of them, as of all the other ruins, that they are the works of the antiguos; but the traditionary character of the city is that of a great place, superior to the other Xlap-pahk scattered over the country, coequal and coexistent with Uxmal; and there is a tradition of a great paved way, made of pure white stone, called in the Maya language Sacbe, leading from Kabah to Uxmal, on which the lords of those places sent messengers to and fro, bearing letters written on the leaves and bark of trees.

At the time of my attack, Mr. Catherwood, Doctor Cabot, and Albino were all down with fever. I had a recurrence the next day, but on the third I was able to move about. The spectacle around was gloomy for sick men.

From the long continuance of the rainy season our rooms in the convent were damp, and corn which we kept in one corner for the horses had swelled and sprouted.

[Engraving 49: Charnel House and Convent]

Death was all around us. Anciently this country was so healthy that Torquemada says, "Men die of pure old age, for there are none of those infirmities that exist in other lands; and if there are slight infirmities, the heat destroys them, and so there is no need of a physician there;" but the times are much better for physicians now, and Doctor Cabot, if he had been able to attend to it, might have entered into an extensive gratuitous practice. Adjoining the front of the church, and connecting with the convent, was a great charnel-house, along the wall of which was a row of skulls. At the top of a pillar forming the abutment of the wall of the staircase was a large vase piled full, and the cross was surmounted with them. Within the enclosure was a promiscuous a.s.semblage of skulls and bones several feet deep. Along the wall, hanging by cords, were the bones and skulls of individuals in boxes and baskets, or tied up in cloths, with names written upon them, and, as at Ticul, there were the fragments of dresses, while some of the skulls had still adhering to them the long black hair of women.

The floor of the church was interspersed with long patches of cement, which covered graves, and near one of the altars was a box with a gla.s.s case, within which were the bones of a woman, the wife of a lively old gentleman whom we were in the habit of seeing every day. They were clean and bright as if polished, with the skull and cross-bones in front, the legs and arms laid on the bottom, and the ribs disposed regularly in order, one above the other, as in life, having been so arranged by the husband himself; a strange attention, as it seemed, to a deceased wife. At the side of the case was a black board, containing a poetical inscription (in Spanish) written by him.

"Stop, mortal!

Look at yourself in this mirror, And in its pale reflection Behold your end!

This eclipsed crystal Had splendour and brilliancy; But the dreadful blow Of a fatal destiny Fell upon Manuela Carillo.

"Born in Nohcacab in the year 1789, married at the same village to Victoriano Machado in 1808, and died on the first of August, 1833, after a union of 25 years, and in the forty-fourth of her age.

He implores your pious prayers."

The widowed husband wrote several stanzas more, but could not get them on the black board; and made copies for private distribution, one of which is in my hands.

[Engraving 50: Skull]

Near this were the bones of a brother of our friend the cura of Ticul and those of a child, and in the choir of the church, in the embrazure of a large window, were rows of skulls, all labelled on the forehead, and containing startling inscriptions. I took up one, and staring me in the face were the words, "Soy Pedro Moreno: un Ave Maria y un Padre nuestro por Dios, hermano." "I am Peter Moreno: an Ave Maria and Paternoster for G.o.d's sake, brother." Another said, "I am Apolono Balche: a Paternoster and an Ave Maria for G.o.d's sake, brother." This was an old schoolmaster of the padrecito, who had died but two years before.

The padrecito handed me another, which said, "I am Bartola Arana: a Paternoster," &c. This was the skull of a Spanish lady whom he had known, young and beautiful, but it could not be distinguished from that of the oldest and ugliest Indian woman. "I am Anizetta Bib," was that of a pretty young Indian girl whom he had married, and who died but a year afterward. I took them all up one by one; the padrecito knew them all; one was young, another old; one rich, another poor; one ugly, and another beautiful; but here they were all alike. Every skull bore the name of its owner, and all begged a prayer.

One said, "I am Richard Joseph de la Merced Truxeque and Arana, who died the twenty-ninth of April of the year 1838, and I am enjoying the kingdom of G.o.d forever." This was the skull of a child, which, dying without sin, had ascended to heaven, and needed not the prayers of man.

In one corner was a mourning box, painted black, with a white border, containing the skull of an uncle of the padrecito. On it was written in Spanish, "In this box is enclosed the skull of Friar Vicente Ortigon, who died in the village of Cohul in the year 1820. I beseech thee, pious and charitable reader, to intercede with G.o.d for his soul, repeating an Ave Maria and a Paternoster, that he may be released from purgatory, if he should be there, and may go to enjoy the kingdom of heaven. Whoever the reader may be, G.o.d will reward his charity. 26th of July, 1837." The writing bore the name of Juana Hernandez, the mother of the deceased, an old lady then living in the house of the mother of the padrecito.

Accustomed as we were to hold sacred the bones of the dead, the slightest memorial of a departed friend accidentally presented to view bringing with it a shade of sadness, such an exhibition grated harshly upon the feelings. I asked the padrecito why these skulls were not permitted to rest in peace, and he answered, what is perhaps but too true, that in the grave they are forgotten; but when dug up and placed in sight with labels on them, they remind the living of their former existence, of their uncertain state--that their souls may be in purgatory--and appeal to their friends, as with voices from the grave, to pray for them, and have ma.s.ses said for their souls. It is for this reason, and not from any feeling of wantonness or disrespect, that the skulls of the dead are thus exposed all over the country. On the second of November, at the celebration of the fete in commemoration _de los fieles difuntos_ all these skulls are brought together and put into the tumulo, a sort of bier hung with black and lighted by blessed candles, and grand ma.s.s is said for their souls.

In the afternoon the padrecito pa.s.sed our door in his robes, and, looking in, as he usually did, said, "Voy a buscar un muerto," "I am going for a corpse." The platform of the church was the campo santo; every day the grave-digger was at his work, and soon after the padrecito left us we heard the chant heralding the funeral procession.

I went out, and saw it coming up the steps, the padrecito leading it and chanting the funeral service. The corpse was brought into the church, and, the service over, it was borne to the grave. The sacristans were so intoxicated that they let it fall in with its neck twisted. The padrecito sprinkled it with holy water, and, the chant over, went away. The Indians around the grave looked at me with an expression of face I could not understand. They had told the padrecito that we had brought death into the village. In a spirit of conciliation I smiled at a woman near me, and she answered with a laugh. I carried my smile slowly around the whole circle; as my eyes met theirs, all burst into a laugh, and while the body lay uncovered and distorted in the grave I went away. With these people death is merely one of the accidents of life. "Voy a descansar," "I am going to rest," "Mis trabajos son acabados," "My labours are ended," are the words of the Indian as he lies down to die; but to the stranger in that country death is the king of terrors.

In the mean time pleasure was treading lightly upon the heels of death.

The fiesta of Santo Cristo del Amor was still going on, and it was to conclude the next day with a baile de dia, or ball by daylight, at the place where it began, in the house of the patron. We were busy in making preparations for our departure from Nohcacab, and, though strongly solicited, I was the only one of our party able to attend.

Early in the morning the saint was in its place at one end of the room, the altar was adorned with fresh flowers, and the arbour for dancing was covered with palm leaves to protect it from the sun. Under a shed in the yard was a crowd of Indian women making tortillas, and preparing dishes of various kinds for a general village feast. At twelve o'clock the ball began, a little before two the padrecito disappeared from my side, and soon after the ball broke up, and all moved toward the house.

When I entered, the padrecito was in his robes before the image of the saint, singing a salve. The Indian s.e.xton was perfuming it with incense, and the dancers were all on their knees before it, each with a lighted candle in her hand. This over, came the procession de las velas, or of the candles. The cross led the way; then the figure of the saint, a drunken Indian s.e.xton perfuming it with incense. The padrecito, in taking his place behind it, took my arm and carried me along; the patron of the saint supported me on the other side. We were the only men in the procession. An irregular troop of women followed, all in their ball dresses, and bearing long lighted candles. Moving on to the church, we restored the saint to his altar, and set up the candles in rough wooden tripods, to be ready for grand ma.s.s the next morning. At this time a discharge of rockets was heard without, and going out, I saw another strange procession. We had all the women; this was composed entirely of men, and might have pa.s.sed for a jubilee over the downfall of temperance. Nearly all were more than half intoxicated; and I noticed that some who had kept sober during the whole of the fiesta were overtaken at last. The procession was preceded by files of them in couples, each carrying two plates, for the purpose of receiving some of the dishes provided by the bounty of the patron. Next came, borne on barrows on the shoulders of Indians, two long, ugly boxes, the emblems of the custody and property of the saint, one of them being filled with wax received as offerings, ropes for the fireworks, and other property belonging to the saint, which were about being carried to the house of the person now ent.i.tled to their custody; and the other had contained these things, and was to remain with its present keeper as a sort of holy heirloom. Behind these, also on the shoulders of Indians, were two men, sitting side by side in large arm-chairs, with scarfs around their necks, and holding on desperately to the arms of the chairs, with an expression of face that seemed to indicate a consciousness that their elevation above their fellow-citizens was precarious, and of uncertain duration, for their Indian carriers were reeling and staggering under their load and agua ardiente. These were the hermanos de la misa, or brothers of the ma.s.s, the last inc.u.mbent of the office of the keeper of the box and his successor, to whom it was to be delivered over. Moving on with uproarious noise and confusion, they were set down under the corridor of the quartel.

In the mean time our procession of women from the church had arrived, the musicians took their places under the corridor, and preparations were immediately made for another dance. Cocom, who had acted as our guide to Nohpat, and had repaired the locks and keys of our boxes, was master of ceremonies; and the first dance over, two Mestiza girls commenced a song. The whole village seemed given up to the pleasure of the moment; there were features to offend the sight and taste, but there were pretty women prettily dressed; in all there was an air of abandonment and freedom from care that enlisted sympathetic feelings; and as the padrecito and myself returned to the convent, the chorus reached us on the steps, soft and sweet from the blending of women's voices, and seeming to spring from the bottom of every heart,

"Que bonito es el mundo; Lastima es que yo me muera."

"How beautiful is the world; It is a pity that I must die."

APPENDIX. VOL. I.

THERMOMETRICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Temperature of Merida, according to observations taken by the cura Don Eusebio Villamil, for one year, beginning on the 1st of September, 1841, and ending on the 31st of August, 1842. The observations were taken with a Fahrenheit thermometer at six in the morning, midday, and six in the evening. The thermometer stood in the shade, in an apartment well ventilated.

SEPTEMBER, 1842. | OCTOBER.

Days. Morn. Noon. Even. | Days. Morn. Noon. Even.

1, 80 84 84 | 1, 83 86 85 2, 80 84 83 | 2, 83 86 85 3, 80 84 83 | 3, 83 85 83 4, 80 84 82 | 4, 81 84 82 5, 80 84 83 | 5, 81 84 83 6, 81 85 84 | 6, 81 84 82 7, 81 84 82 | 7, 81 84 82 8, 81 86 85 | 8, 81 84 82 9, 81 85 84 | 9, 80 84 82 10, 82 85 85 | 10, 80 84 83 11, 83 85 84 | 11, 80 85 84 12, 82 85 84 | 12, 82 85 84 13, 82 85 85 | 13, 80 84 84 14, 82 86 85 | 14, 80 84 84 15, 82 86 85 | 15, 81 84 84 16, 83 86 85 | 16, 81 84 83 17, 83 85 84 | 17, 80 83 83 18, 83 85 84 | 18, 81 83 83 19, 83 85 84 | 19, 81 84 84 20, 84 86 85 | 20, 82 83 81 21, 84 86 86 | 21, 80 81 80 22, 84 86 84 | 22, 78 80 78 23, 84 86 86 | 23, 76 78 78 24, 84 85 83 | 24, 76 78 78 25, 80 84 83 | 25, 76 76 76 26, 80 85 83 | 26, 74 76 76 27, 81 85 83 | 27, 74 78 78 28, 82 85 84 | 28, 76 80 79 29, 82 86 86 | 29, 77 81 80 30, 83 86 85 | 30, 78 81 81 | 31, 81 82 82

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER.

Days. Morn. Noon. Even. | Days. Morn. Noon. Even.

1, 82 83 82 | 1, 72 74 74 2, 80 82 81 | 2, 73 77 77 3, 78 80 80 | 3, 73 79 79 4, 80 77 77 | 4, 78 79 79 5, 77 78 78 | 5, 75 76 75 6, 74 77 76 | 6, 72 74 74 7, 74 76 76 | 7, 72 74 74 8, 75 78 78 | 8, 71 74 74 9, 75 78 78 | 9, 70 74 74 10, 74 79 79 | 10, 74 78 78 11, 76 79 79 | 11, 76 78 78 12, 77 80 80 | 12, 74 77 77 13, 77 80 80 | 13, 74 78 77 14, 80 80 80 | 14, 73 78 78 15, 78 79 79 | 15, 75 79 79 16, 74 78 78 | 16, 76 78 77 17, 74 78 78 | 17, 75 75 75 18, 72 77 77 | 18, 71 74 74 19, 73 79 79 | 19, 65 73 75 20, 75 79 79 | 20, 68 74 74 21, 78 82 82 | 21, 70 76 76 22, 80 83 82 | 22, 72 88 78 23, 80 84 83 | 23, 74 78 78 24, 79 82 82 | 24, 76 77 77 25, 80 83 83 | 25, 75 77 76 26, 79 82 80 | 26, 75 78 77 27, 79 78 78 | 27, 74 79 78 28, 78 76 75 | 28, 76 79 78 29, 73 73 74 | 29, 76 78 78 30, 73 74 74 | 30, 76 77 76 | 31, 76 78 78

JANUARY, 1842. | FEBRUARY.

Days. Morn. Noon. Even. | Days. Morn. Noon. Even.

1, 75 78 77 | 1, 75 78 78 2, 75 77 77 | 2, 74 80 80 3, 76 76 76 | 3, 76 81 81 4, 74 78 77 | 4, 76 80 79 5, 74 78 78 | 5, 77 80 79 6, 74 78 78 | 6, 76 80 80 7, 74 78 78 | 7, 76 80 80 8, 74 78 77 | 8, 76 74 74 9, 74 77 76 | 9, 73 74 74 10, 74 77 76 | 10, 71 76 76 11, 73 78 77 | 11, 74 79 78 12, 74 78 77 | 12, 74 80 79 13, 74 77 76 | 13, 76 80 79 14, 73 78 77 | 14, 77 80 79 15, 74 77 76 | 15, 77 80 80 16, 74 76 76 | 16, 78 76 76 17, 73 76 75 | 17, 72 76 76 18, 73 76 75 | 18, 75 79 79 19, 70 76 76 | 19, 76 79 78 20, 73 76 76 | 20, 77 80 80 21, 72 72 72 | 21, 78 76 75 22, 70 72 72 | 22, 73 74 74 23, 68 72 72 | 23, 70 74 72 24, 68 73 72 | 24, 69 78 76 25, 69 74 74 | 25, 71 77 77 26, 72 78 77 | 26, 74 78 78 27, 73 76 76 | 27, 76 81 81 28, 73 76 77 | 28, 77 81 81 29, 74 78 78 | 30, 74 79 79 | 31, 74 80 80 |

MARCH. | APRIL.

Days. Morn. Noon. Even. | Days. Morn. Noon. Even.

1, 78 82 82 | 1, 78 83 80 2, 78 83 82 | 2, 76 80 82 3, 78 83 82 | 3, 77 83 82 4, 78 83 82 | 4, 78 84 84 5, 78 84 84 | 5, 78 84 84 6, 78 84 84 | 6, 79 86 84 7, 78 85 84 | 7, 79 84 84 8, 78 84 82 | 8, 79 84 84 9, 77 82 84 | 9, 81 85 84 10, 76 84 84 | 10, 77 84 83 11, 78 84 84 | 11, 79 85 84 12, 78 84 83 | 12, 78 85 83 13, 76 84 83 | 13, 78 84 83 14, 79 84 81 | 14, 77 84 83 15, 78 84 81 | 15, 79 84 83 16, 78 81 80 | 16, 80 85 84 17, 77 82 80 | 17, 81 84 84 18, 76 83 82 | 18, 80 84 84 19, 76 81 81 | 19, 79 83 82 20, 76 81 80 | 20, 78 84 82 21, 75 80 80 | 21, 78 84 83 22, 76 81 80 | 22, 79 83 82 23, 76 82 81 | 23, 77 83 82 24, 76 82 81 | 24, 78 84 84 25, 76 82 81 | 25, 80 85 85 26, 76 84 80 | 26, 81 86 85 27, 76 80 75 | 27, 84 83 82 28, 76 82 80 | 28, 80 83 82 29, 76 82 82 | 29, 78 84 84 30, 78 83 82 | 30, 78 83 83 31, 78 83 82 |

MAY. | JUNE.

Days. Morn. Noon. Even. | Days. Morn. Noon. Even.

1, 79 84 84 | 1, 79 84 84 2, 81 86 86 | 2, 80 86 85 3, 82 87 86 | 3, 81 86 86 4, 83 86 83 | 4, 82 86 85 5, 82 84 84 | 5, 83 86 86 6, 80 82 82 | 6, 84 87 87 7, 79 81 80 | 7, 82 86 85 8, 78 81 80 | 8, 83 87 87 9, 78 81 81 | 9, 87 86 85 10, 76 83 81 | 10, 83 86 83 11, 78 84 82 | 11, 81 86 85 12, 78 84 83 | 12, 82 86 85 13, 80 85 83 | 13, 84 86 86 14, 80 85 83 | 14, 84 87 86 15, 79 85 84 | 15, 85 88 88 16, 79 84 84 | 16, 85 88 84 17, 79 85 85 | 17, 84 87 86 18, 79 86 86 | 18, 84 88 88 19, 80 86 86 | 19, 84 88 88 20, 81 86 85 | 20, 84 88 87 21, 82 86 85 | 21, 84 88 87 22, 82 86 85 | 22, 83 88 88 23, 82 86 86 | 23, 82 88 86 24, 81 86 86 | 24, 82 89 86 25, 82 86 85 | 25, 83 88 86 26, 82 84 82 | 26, 82 88 86 27, 82 83 81 | 27, 82 88 86 28, 80 84 80 | 28, 82 88 85 29, 80 83 80 | 29, 82 86 85 30, 80 83 81 | 30, 82 88 85 31, 80 84 83 |

JULY. | AUGUST.

Days. Morn. Noon. Even. | Days. Morn. Noon. Even.

1, 83 86 84 | 1, 83 88 86 2, 83 86 84 | 2, 82 87 86 3, 82 86 84 | 3, 84 87 86 4, 82 86 85 | 4, 84 87 86 5, 82 86 83 | 5, 83 87 86 6, 81 86 86 | 6, 82 86 85 7, 82 88 86 | 7, 82 86 86 8, 82 86 85 | 8, 82 87 86 9, 81 86 85 | 9, 83 88 86 10, 81 84 82 | 10, 83 88 87 11, 80 82 81 | 11, 84 88 82 12, 78 82 82 | 12, 82 86 86 13, 80 84 83 | 13, 83 86 86 14, 79 86 85 | 14, 82 87 85 15, 82 87 85 | 15, 83 86 83 16, 82 86 86 | 16, 82 86 83 17, 82 86 86 | 17, 81 85 84 18, 81 85 83 | 18, 81 86 85 19, 81 85 83 | 19, 80 86 84 20, 81 85 82 | 20, 82 86 86 21, 80 85 82 | 21, 82 86 86 22, 80 85 82 | 22, 82 86 84 23, 80 85 82 | 23, 81 86 86 24, 81 86 85 | 24, 82 86 86 25, 82 87 85 | 25, 83 87 86 26, 81 86 84 | 26, 84 87 86 27, 82 87 86 | 27, 82 87 86 28, 83 87 86 | 28, 80 85 85 29, 83 86 86 | 29, 80 86 86 30, 83 88 86 | 30, 81 86 86 31, 83 87 86 | 31, 82 86 86

TABLE OF STATISTICS OF YUCATAN.

-------------------------|--------------------------|---------|-------- Districts. | Princ.i.p.al Places |Parishes |Villages | | |annexed -------------------------|--------------------------|---------|-------- Capital | Merida | 4 | 5 Campeachy | City of Campeachy | 2 | "

Lerma | Village of Lerma | 3 | 8 Valladolid | City of Valladolid | 11 | 17 Coast | City of Izamal | 16 | 27 The Upper Highlands | City of Tekax | 9 | 7 The Lower Highlands | Village of Teabo | 8 | 5 The Upper Royal Road | Town of Jequelchakan | 6 | 11 The Lower Royal Road | Village of Maxcanu | 5 | 7 The Upper "Beneficios" | Village of Ichmul | 7 | 15 The Lower "Beneficios" | Village of Sotuta | 6 | 16 Tizimin | Village of Tizimin | 7 | 18 Island of Carmen | Town of Carmen | 2 | 1 Seiba-playa | Village of Seiba-playa | 3 | 6 Bacalar | Town of Bacalar | 2 | "

----------------------------------------------------------------------- Total | 15 | 91 | 143 -----------------------------------------------------------------------

TABLE OF STATISTICS OF YUCATAN. (CONT'D) -------------------------|----------------|------------| Districts. | Distance from | Population | | the Capital-- | | | Leagues | | -------------------------|----------------|------------| Capital | | 37,801 | Campeachy | 36 | 19,600 | Lerma | 37 | 10,567 | Valladolid | 36 | 63,164 | Coast | 15 | 78,846 | The Upper Highlands | 25 | 60,776 | The Lower Highlands | 17 | 42,188 | The Upper Royal Road | 26 | 54,447 | The Lower Royal Road | 14 | 41,726 | The Upper "Beneficios" | 39 | 66,680 | The Lower "Beneficios" | 22 | 49,443 | Tizimin | 41 | 37,168 | Island of Carmen | 80 | 4,364 | Seiba-playa | 42 | 8,183 | Bacalar | 88 | 3,986 | -------------------------------------------------------- Total | 578,939 | --------------------------------------------------------