Lindesay Brine

“ On our way to Jacaltenango we had to cross the Sierra Madre, a range of mountains which traverses the centre of Guatemala. The mule track led us over some steep and rugged ascents, and through a long and deep barranca filled with a cold damp mist. During the greater part of the day we were enveloped in clouds which covered the summits of the hills. We finally reached the hamlet of Todos Santos, and obtained shelter at an Indian rancho. ”

“ San Domingo del Palenque is placed upon a rising grassy slope studded with fine trees. The church was in ruins and roofless. The population consisted chiefly of Ladinos. The Indians lived in secluded places near the outskirts, where they cultivated their milpas or cornfields. There was a charm about this sunny fertile savannah and the simple habits of life of its inhabitants, which must be attractive to men of sensitive temperaments. The land is fertile, corn is abundant, and cattle, horses and mules wander over the green pastures in freedom. ”

“ Amongst the ancient customs of the Indians none, however, are more strange than those connected with an almost unintelligible form of baptism. The Franciscan missionaries who endeavoured to convert the Indians at the time of the conquest, observed with astonishment the veneration of the natives for the Catholic rites of baptism and the readiness of their converts to accept this part of their teaching. In the course of their inquiries upon the subject they discovered that a form of baptism already existed, and was considered to be one of the most important and essential of their ceremonies. ”

“ In the prosecution of researches into subjects which relate to Central America, it is desirable as a preliminary step to consider the comparative civilisation of the Indians, as far as that is brought into evidence by what has been discovered with respect to mounds and earthworks, not only in that region, but also throughout the valley of the Mississippi. A distinction must also be made between earthworks which are unquestionably of great antiquity, and those that possibly may have been raised since the date of the arrival of European settlers. ”

“ Upon leaving the reservation, it was not possible to feel otherwise than regret that it had become the fate of the descendants of a powerful nation of warriors to be penned within these restricted limits. Men, women and children, were leading aimless and useless lives. They were pensioners upon Governments which would gladly escape from the duties and expenses which the existence of these Indians demand, and who are, in many cases, victims to the temptations offered to them by the habits of modern civilisation. ”

“ Under such conditions, requiring much administrative ability, it might have reasonably been expected that men of a white race, either Spaniards or belonging to the large population of half-castes of partly Spanish descent, would, in consequence of their superior qualifications, or their education, or military training, have taken the lead in these revolutions. As a matter of racial capacity, it is strange that ordinary Indians with absolutely no help from their surrounding circumstances, should have attained the highest power. ”

“ One of the things which he thought to be inexplicable, was their extraordinary veneration for the rite of baptism. They seemed to attach some peculiar importance to this ceremony, although the Padre did not think that what was in their minds215 had any reference to the Church tenets. In all matters connected with religion, the Indians had become quite independent. They came from afar to make offerings of blossoms and leaves, lighted candles before the altars of those saints they wished to honour, and then silently returned to their huts. ”

“ Upon reaching the upper slopes of the hill I dismounted, in order to visit some Indian farm buildings that occupied several acres of rising 210 ground near our path. Although there were evidences of what may be called comparative wealth, these Indians—like all others that I had seen—only possessed a single hut with one large room in it. Men, women and lads were all busy; the boys cleaning and spinning wool for their black ponchos or cloaks, and the women, as usual, engaged in grinding maize and making tortillas. ”

“ It was the commencement of the Carnival, an event which caused a considerable degree of anxiety and apprehension in the minds of the officials. Processions of Indians, dressed in appropriate costumes, were marching through the town, and groups of wild-looking men were dancing to the sounds of rudely shaped fifes and hollow wooden drums. In the morning these Indians, in accordance with their annual custom, performed a dance before the door of each house. These dancers were supposed to be dressed like the conquerors. ”

“ In the Northern continent there are two principal facts which attract the attention of those who are thrown into contact with the Iroquois, Chippewas and Dakotas. The first of these which comes under notice is the extraordinary number and diversity of their languages, and afterwards, upon a more extended acquaintance with the customs of these Indians, the strange and most grave nature of the higher character of their ancient religion. ”

“ The Dominican missionaries in Guatemala observed that the Indians were passionately fond of dancing and singing. The joyousness which originally existed in their nature or temperament has become extinct. The usual tenour of their lives seems to be accompanied by a quiet, subdued melancholy. It is not improbable that, as a consequence of several centuries of Spanish domination, the aboriginal races have sunk into a dull and apathetic state. It is however possible that other influences acted upon the taciturn and wild natures of these tribes. ”

“ It is a remarkable fact that although, since the period when Mexico was conquered by Cortes, an almost uninterrupted series of investigations have taken place into the peculiar conditions of civilization of the Mexican and Central American Indians, nothing satisfactory has yet been ascertained which explains the manner in which that civilization could have arisen amongst those exceptionally instructed races. ”

“ Hanging is a form of execution particularly disliked by Indians, because they consider that it is ignominious. The war was caused by a belief, spread among the tribes, that they had been treated with great injustice. They declared that they were not allowed to remain in possession of their lands, and that the treaties which had been made with them, had not been fairly carried out. The savage desire for revenge was aroused, and barbarous acts were committed by the Sioux, whilst they were in a state of passionate excitement. ”

“ I had already become aware that the influence of priests of the Dominican Order was exceptionally great amongst the Indian tribes in the Cordilleras, but I had not hitherto observed the actual evidence of their personal power over the minds of the aboriginal race. The events that were taking place before me, were extremely strange and characteristic. Each of the Indians, as he went by, bowed down towards the earth, and waited to receive a blessing. Several women who had requests to make, knelt and remained in that posture. ”

“ In the afternoon we stopped in a place where we could get some shade until sunset. I found a shelter within a hut near the bank. Throughout the night the atmosphere was very oppressive. We slowly made our way by the help of a small boat, manned by our Indian crew, which took us in tow. All of us suffered greatly from the attacks of myriads of mosquitoes. On the following day we arrived at an open sheet of water, called the inner lagoon, where it was perfectly calm and we had to endure on the open and exposed deck, the full strength of the tropical sun. ”

“ On the west face there were the remains of a large chamber, but as that part of the pyramid was in a ruinous condition, its dimensions could not be measured.
It is strange that so little is known concerning the ancient rites and ceremonies performed by the priests upon these high altars. Immediately after the conquest these Indian customs ceased, and all the signs of their religion and religious usages disappeared like a dream. When Grijalva’s expedition reached the Bay of Campeachy, they saw a large Kue which must have been similar to that we were examining. ”

“ The Utes, or Digger Indians, have always been considered to be the lowest in civilization of all the American tribes. It has been thought that they may be the descendants of outcasts, but this opinion does not seem to be based upon sufficient evidence. There are good reasons for believing that they are allied in race and language with the Shoshones, and they are apparently treated by them on terms of friendship and equality. ”

“ I took my place upon a mattress, and before midday we were several leagues away breathing the pure and bracing air of the open country. The change acted like magic. The fever seemed almost immediately to leave me, but there remained a persistent headache.
We stopped at a village to get dinner, and met an intelligent man who was employed as constructor of a new road that was being made on this part of the coast. It had happened, that in the course of his work, he had made several cuttings and excavations, and discovered many things of much antiquarian importance. ”

“ Thus the theory of migratory tribes of Indians bringing with them from the North into Mexico, a comparatively advanced knowledge of arts and sciences is opposed to all evidence. It is almost certain that the state of civilisation that at one time existed in the regions of Chiapas and Yucatan, was introduced into the country at some period subsequent to the arrival of the invading tribe, unless it can be established that the aboriginal races already possessed a competent intelligence, and an architectural capacity. ”

“ During this time the town of Comitan was in a state of unusual excitement in consequence of the arrival of numerous bands of Indians to take part in the festival of San Caralampio, to whom was dedicated one of the churches. In front of that church numerous Indians were assembled. In some respects the scene was like that which took place at Jacaltenango, but the proceedings were more of the character of a fair than of a religious ceremony. The plaza was covered with booths, and a local Indian traffic was being busily transacted. ”

“ I had previously picked up in an ancient earthwork outside the city, several fragments of the same substance, which had evidently been placed on the edges of wooden daggers or swords which inflicted jagged and dangerous wounds. Obsidian knives were used by the Aztec priests when offering human sacrifices to their gods. The spear head was in form and in the method followed for chipping the mineral into the requisite shape, similar to the large arrow heads made by the Indians in the western parts of North America, where obsidian is obtained near the volcanic ranges of the Sierra Nevada. ”

“ A political revolution is an event which may be expected to occur frequently in Spanish-American republics, but a rising of Indians in rebellion or, as it is called, a “Guerra de Castas” (war of races) , is a far more serious matter, as was proved by the occurrences that happened at the time of the revolt of the Indians in Yucatan, in 1847, when their war cry was “Death to all Spaniards.” ”

“ An outer ditch is usually considered as not only of essential importance in works of defence, but its excavation supplies the earth required for the ramparts. It seems evident that either these Indians in their method of defensive warfare did not always consider a ditch to be useful, or it is possible that, in consequence of not having shovels or pickaxes, they preferred obtaining earth in some other manner which they found more convenient. ”

“ The Quichés are reserved in their intercourse with strangers. Whatever may be their comparative condition of wealth or poverty they all live in the same manner, and seem to be satisfied with the barest necessaries. Near Jacaltenango, when amongst the Mams, I met one of the richest and most influential of the Indians of that tribe. He was living like the meanest of the people, although he was the owner of a prosperous estate. This apparent equality in the habits of life is universal amongst the Indians. ”

“ In his youth, he had dwelt with his mother in the villages of the Sioux, and spoke their language. In manhood, he had acted as an agent and trader for the tribes, and passed much of his life in constant communication with them, and possessed an intimate acquaintance with their superstitions and religious ceremonies. This kind of direct personal knowledge, can only be obtained by a man whom the Indians consider as being one of themselves, in consequence of his having had an Indian mother belonging to their tribe. ”