Guatemala

“ CHAPTER XIX.—A GUATEMALA ADVENTURE.
“This,” said Captain Anderson, waving his hand, as the steamer entered a little harbor, “is Champerico, the only Guatemalan port at which we shall touch. It is the last Central American republic we shall see. Would you care to go ashore?”
“I would like to go,” said Shirley, with a sidelong look at her father. ”

“ The costliest amusements of our gayest cities can never equal the gratuitous diversions which nature provides for her favoured guests. Thus it is that one feels when traversing the tropical forests of Guatemala. Eastern Guatemala, that part bordering on the Gulf of Mexico, is an American Java, a botanical garden spot where climate and the black soil vie with that eastern isle. And no land can compare with it in the number and variety of its birds and flying insects, for it is a veritable natural museum of living birds and butterflies. ”

“ GUATEMALA (sometimes incorrectly written Guatimala) , a name now restricted to the republic of Guatemala and to its chief city, but formerly given to a captaincy-general of Spanish America, which included the fifteen provinces of Chiapas, Suchitepeques, Escuintla, Sonsonate, San Salvador, Vera Paz and Peten, Chiquimula, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Totonicapam, Quezaltenango, Sololá, Chimaltenango and Sacatepeques,—or, in other words, the whole of Central America (except Panama) and part of Mexico. ”

“ The Republic of Guatemala, which name is derived from the Indian word "Quanhitemallan," signifying "land covered with trees," has been described as the privileged zone of Central America. This is because of its resources, its climate, and its accessibility.
The country is easily reached from all directions through its seaports on both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and through its rapidly growing system of railways. From California, from the neighboring ports of other Central American countries and from Panama there is regular and reliable steamship service on the Pacific coast. ”

“ Between Honduras and Guatemala the frontier is formed by the Sierra de Merendon. (5) The great plain of Peten, which comprises about one-third of the whole area of Guatemala, belongs geographically to the Yucatan Peninsula, and consists of level or undulating country, covered with grass or forest. Its population numbers less than two per sq. m., although many districts have a wonderfully fertile soil and abundance of water. The greater part of this region is uncultivated, and only utilized as pasture by the Indians, who form the majority of its inhabitants. ”

“ Guatemala, or the "Republic of Central America," is the most southern point or portion of the North American continent, exclusive of the isthmus. It has an area of one hundred and eighty-five thousand square miles. It is composed of five states, which are sub-divided into districts, and of the federal district, which contains the seat of government.
The soil of the country is in general good, and exhibits the same variety as in Mexico, with similar productions. In portions of it, Guatemala is subject to tremendous convulsions [Pg 831] of nature. ”

“ Tourists and commercial salesmen are going there in greater numbers, and each one comes back enthusiastic over the possibilities of development of that country.
Guatemala is the most important of the Central American republics and is the nearest to the United States in geographical situation. It is a short journey for the traveller in search of new and novel sights, and should not be overlooked by the merchant or manufacturer on the lookout for new fields of conquest. The near-west is just as good a field as the far-east and the exertion is less. ”

“ Dominick, whose houses and presence makes that street excell all the rest of the City, and their wealth and trading were enough to denominate Guatemala a very rich City. The Government of all the Country about, and of all Honduras, Soconusco, Comayagua, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Vera Paz, Suchutepeques, and Chiapa, is subordinate unto the Chancery of Guatemala ”

“ Inhabitants.—The inhabitants of Guatemala, who tend to increase rapidly owing to the high birth-rate, low mortality, and low rate of emigration, numbered in 1903 1,842,134, or more than one-third of the entire population of Central America. Fully 60% are pure Indians, and the remainder, classed as Ladinos or “Latins” (i.e. Spaniards in speech and mode of life) , comprise a large majority of half-castes (mestizos) and civilized Indians and a smaller proportion of whites. ”

“ Guatemala is essentially an Indian republic. Among its 2,250,000 people—who incidentally comprise forty per cent. of the total population of Central America—there are a million of pure aboriginal ancestry. ”

“ In its physical aspects Guatemala is a country of mountains, tropical forests, lakes and rivers and coast plains. It was described by Humboldt more than one hundred years ago as extremely fertile and well cultivated, and this description holds good to-day, though there are vast areas of rich agricultural land yet open to profitable cultivation and only awaiting immigration to develop their richness. ”

“ Introduction Guatemala Background: The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more than 100,000 people and had created some 1 million refugees. ”

“ That they are fond of gallantry and are careless in the manner of evincing their disposition towards it, there can be no doubt, but, there are in Guatemala, no less than in every other country, many who form exceptions to that rule, being, in spite of all appearances, both amiable and virtuous:—with a few false colourings and unwarrantable conclusions, what character can be safe? ”

“ In any Central-American republic, one notices a “homey” quality lacking in the larger territory of Mexico.
In these smaller nations, every one of any prominence knows every one else. The capital is something of a Latinized Main Street. This is more true of the little countries to the south, but Guatemala is not completely an exception. Its provincialism manifests itself particularly in the newspaper, which savors always of the local country weekly, although a flowery verbosity gives it a unique distinction. ”

“ In travelling through Guatemala I was convinced of the physical advantages the country possessed, though I was not blind to the indisputable fact that of all countries I have seen, Guatemala, in common with the other States of Central America, makes least use of her natural advantages, and does least to overcome those obstacles Nature has thrown in her way. ”

“ Historically every period of Guatemala is fascinating. Usually the history of the country is divided into the epochs of the aborigines, the Spanish Conquest, Independence, and the era of liberal governments. ”

“ Considering the size of Central-American republics, one feared lest the train overrun the boundary lines and trespass upon the sovereignty of Salvator or Honduras. But it stayed within its own domain, turning eastward, and climbing out of the coffee-covered Pacific slopes to the pine-clad heights of central Guatemala, landing us in the evening at Guatemala City, 4870 feet above the sea.
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To the American at home, all Central America is a heat-stricken jungle. He invariably greets the returned traveler with, “I’ll bet you’re glad to get back to God’s country!” ”

“ Guatemala was the head of Spanish power in Central America under the general term of the Spanish Captain Generalcy for two centuries.
During the two hundred and fifty years following the Conquest the country had three capitals in turn, all named Guatemala City. The first, founded by Alvarado, was on the very spot where he fought the battle which made him conqueror. The Indian kings of the South having heard of the exploits of Cortez in Mexico, sent an embassy to him which he received with distinction. ”

“ From this point study each little republic by itself, beginning with Guatemala, the farthest north, adjoining Mexico, and resembling it in many ways.
Here the feature of prime importance is the natural forests of rare woods; the soil is also unusually fertile and can be made to produce remarkable crops under cultivation. The cities are modern; Guatemala City has tree-planted avenues, a beautiful plaza, electric lights, schools and churches. Manufactures and trades are interesting, especially the wood-carving and embroidery work. ”

“ Antonio, which is the chiefe and head Town of all the Suchutepeques. But all the coast neer joyning to Guatemala, especially about a Towne called Izquinta, or Izquintepeque twelve leagues from Guatemala, is absolutely the richest part of the Dominion of this City; for there is made the greatest part of the Indigo which is sent from Honduras to Spaine, besides the mighty farmes of Cattel which are all along that marsh. Though the living there be profitable and the soile rich, yet it is uncomfortable by reason of the great heat, thundrings and lightnings, especially from May to Michaelmas. ”

“ Guatemala contained a large colony of foreigners. There were many Germans engaged in the coffee business on the Pacific slopes, many Americans from the banana plantations of the Caribbean Coast, a few exiled European noblemen who had come with the remnants of their former fortunes to live as long as possible without working in a country where living was cheap, and several Old-Timers, all with the rank of General, who had fought in the various past revolutions of Central America, and were now resting upon their laurels. ”

“ It is to this colony that the Guatemalian merchants come to make their purchases; and owing to the facilities thus offered by its situation, as well as on account of the duties of introduction being so much lower into that republic than they are at Mexico,—being in the proportion of about sixteen to seventy per cent.—it follows, necessarily, that Guatemala is much better supplied with British goods than is Mexico.
Recapitulation of the Trade of Guatemala. ”

“ Since the Travels of Stephens fascinated the public nearly half a century ago, the people of the United States have paid very little attention to Guatemala or its commerce. Even now there are thousands of square miles of wholly unexplored territory between the low Isthmus of Tehuantepec and the Lake of Nicaragua.
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No country on the northern half of the American continent has a finer climate or more beautiful and varied scenery, or is a more attractive field for the genuine traveller. Valleys rivalling the paradises of the islands of the Pacific ”

“ The progress of Guatemala during the last twelve years, and the advancement of the country towards a modern standard of civilization, has been very rapid, and it is due to the energy and determination of one man, José Rufino Barrios, who stands next, if not equal, to Morazan as a patriot and benefactor of his country. ”

“ The Pacific coast of Guatemala for an average width of seventy miles is low and unhealthy, with few inhabitants in modern, as, judging from the absence of material relics, in ancient times. Then comes a highland tract which contains the chief towns and most of the white population of the modern republic; succeeded by the yet wilder and more mountainous regions of Totonicapan and Vera Paz, chiefly inhabited by comparatively savage and unsubdued aboriginal tribes; from which we descend, still going northward towards Yucatan, into the little-explored lake region of Peten. ”

“ Owing to their tropical heat, low elevation above sea-level, and marshy soil, they are thinly peopled, and contain few important towns except the seaports. (2) The precipitous barrier of the Sierra Madre, which closes in the coastal plains on the north, is similarly prolonged into Salvador and Mexico. It is known near Guatemala city as the Sierra de las Nubes, and enters Mexico as the Sierra de Istatan. It forms the main watershed between the Pacific and Atlantic river systems. ”

“ The ideas of many concerning the Central American republics are drawn from the playlife 2of popular novels and the comic-opera stage. Although there may have been some foundation for their portrayal of political life along the shores of the Caribbean Sea, and there are some things approaching the burlesque to our eyes, yet there is a more serious side to life in these countries. There are thousands of Guatemalans, Honduraneans, Costa Ricans, Salvadoreans, and Nicaraguans, who are seriously trying to solve the problem of self-government, and they are improving each year. ”

“ Guatemala has just given the latest proof of her sincere desire to terminate a question which has been pending for half a century between the two countries by sending the undersigned to this city. If on the part of Mexico, then, there exists the same desire, as Your Excellency has been pleased to intimate to me, nothing will be easier than to draw closer, by means of equitable conventions, the ties of friendship and fraternity which ought always to bind together two neighboring republics which have the same origin and identical interests. ”

“ Two sides of the city, those to the south and east, are bounded by the three grand conical mountains of Guatemala, and the other two sides by craggy and luxuriant sierras of less elevation; amongst which winds the road to the new capital. The most beautiful of the three large mountains is to the east: it is called the Water Mountain, as emitting, at times, cold water from its northern side: the other two, to the south, also emit water, but as the same is always hot, they have acquired the designation of the Fire Mountains. ”