STEPHENS'S INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL IN | forest which happened to strike a building,

YUCATAN.

From the Spectator.

or the local knowledge elicited from some particular Indian, after the man had seen, with wonder, the interest the foreigners

walls." In the use of the word cities, however, some limitation should perhaps be placed upon the modern European notions of the term. It seems probable that the greater number of these buildings were de

barbaric piles were erected for them, the builders were in a state of abject ignorance and poverty, differing little from that in which they are now found. The religious piles erected by the same people under the arts and influence of the Romish missionaries, afford an analogous example of what we mean,-a splendid church and convent; a congregation of Indians in the lowest condition both material and mental.

Ir may be remembered, that on the re-attached to what the natives term "old turn of Mr. Stephens from his mission to Central America, he passed through Yucatan, visiting some of the ruined cities of the aboriginal inhabitants, and hearing of many more. Circumstances prevented him from then pursuing his researches, or voted to religious purposes, the mass of bringing away any considerable relics; but the people remaining in a state of abject he left Yucatan with the full intention of slavery or degradation of caste. The mere returning to make a more thorough ex- power of erecting them would augur conploration, and to form an American mu- siderable scientific knowledge in the superseum: a purpose which he carried into intendents, a high degree of mechanical effect in about a year after his first visit; dexterity in the workmen, and a thicklyand these volumes contain a narrative of peopled country. It would, however, be his travels, and the result of his researches. going too far to conclude that the cities or Mr. Stephens was accompanied on this, sites of these buildings were inhabited by as on the former occasion, by Mr. Cather- an active and industrious population, bearwood, an artist, to survey the sites and copying a proportion, as in modern Europe, to the ruins. Dr. Cabot, a physician and or- the character of the public buildings of the nithologist, also volunteered to accompany place. They were the works of superthe present expedition; but his presence stition: it is probable that such knowledge contributes little to the story beyond an as existed was confined to the priestly occasional account of the effects produced caste, and that while these gorgeous but by his medical skill. With a few trifling exceptions, the explorations of the party were limited to two degrees of longitude (88-90), and little more than one of latitude, (20-21): further progress was checked by the scantily-inhabited and primeval condition of the country; and Mr. Stephens, as it seems to us, was not amply provided in funds or appliances proportioned to the object, but trusted, American-like, to the chance of good-natured help. A further These researches more than confirm the difficulty was the nature of the climate, assertion, as to the number of ruins to be which induced fever and ague when exposed found within a small space, hazarded by at certain places in certain seasons. In de- Mr. Norman in his touch-and-go tour, spite of all such drawbacks, Mr. Stephens from the information of the natives, or visited upwards of forty ruins of cities, probably from Mr. Stephens himself. The nearly forty of which are within the limits descriptions also exhibit considerable diver before mentioned. The most perfect dis-sity of style in the details, amidst a conplayed remains of extensive and elaborate siderable uniformity of building. In other buildings erected on artificial mounds, and respects, no new discoveries have been for the most part rising above each other made respecting the advancement or the in a succession of triple terraces; the character of this mysterious people; perothers exhibited ruins more analogous to haps they are rather lowered than raised, those of Babylon, the ground being thickly If they equal in mechanical execution the strewed with fragments, but no building re- builders of Palenque, and approach them in maining sufficiently perfect to enable the design for (perhaps symbolical) ornaments, spectator to determine its character from they fall far below them in imitation of the that particular ruin. Startling as these re-human figure. To us, who profess no sults are, Mr. Stephens thinks that a more minute knowledge of American antiquities, accurate survey, or, properly speaking, a the points of novelty which Mr. Stephens thorough clearing of the Tropical forest, has elicited appear to be these. The arch would discover greater wonders; for some was known to this people. The mounds of his most successful feats were the result and terraces which support the upper buildof accident a haphazard line through a lings appear at first sight to be solid masses

of heaped-up earth; but on exploring what were exploring. The discoveries, howwas traditionally said to be a cave, it was ever, might have been presented in a more discovered, and a systematic examination specific and satisfactory form. Aiming at confirmed the fact, that in many cases these a popular narrative, the author's plan of mounds contained chambers, sometimes composition is too particular for a general square, sometimes in the shape of a small view and yet not sufficiently detailed for hay-rick, and once connected by passages. an antiquarian exposition. Large and elaThey were all, however, empty, and their borate drawings, with the drily technical uses could not be ascertained. Both pil- account of a mere surveyor, were not delars and columns have been discovered; the sirable: but we think a better effect would latter, in their most perfect form, approach- have been produced and a more distinct ing a bald Greek Doric. At Kabah, one impression left of the ruins of Yucatan, of the cities till now unvisited, greater had he entirely separated the architectural variety in the arrangement of the apart accounts from the narrative of his travels, ments was seen: in one city an internal presented each ruin successively, and acstaircase was found leading to the top of companied the more important ones with the building; in another, the interior rooms fuller details. The story might have been were built up with solid masonry, evident- shorter, but its effects would have been ly as the work proceeded, the ceiling being more telling. finished last. At the ruins of Tuloom, on In such parts of the work as belong more the sea-coast, the entire wall of a city was immediately to travels, Mr. Stephens extraceable, the perpendicular cliff forming hibits his wonted spirits and animation the defence on the sea-side: and we may In the account of his contrivances at the remark that the remains on the coast and ruins, there is often a Robinson Crusoe-like the island of Cosumel often appear to be character; and in their exploration of the of a superior character to those in the in- caves and subterranean wells, from which terior-less elaborate in ornament, but in the dry season the inhabitants laborimore simple and useful-looking in design. ously draw their supplies of water, there is The only exception to this opinion is a often considerable interest. Wandering in gateway and connected ruins at Labna, the remoter parts of the country, the author which Mr. Stephens pronounces equal to saw the people-Indians, Whites, and mix. any Egyptian remains; and the plate con- ed breeds in their genuine and undisfirms this opinion. It may be observed guised character; and his pictures of this that the serpent is constantly found among primitive society have a curious novelty. the ornaments; and there is a represen- But as a whole, there is something of the tation of a Death's head and cross-bones tediousness of a twice-told tale about these which would do honor to any English church-yard. Mr. Stephens attaches great importance to some carved wooden lintels; but carving on wood is by no means rare -the paddle of the veriest savage is often carved. A paved causeway, perfect for a short space, has been discovered; and it is said by Indian tradition to have led from one of the principal ruins to the present capital.

The zeal, energy, and perseverance of Mr. Stephens in exploring these ruins, is worthy of high praise; and, with the exception of Uxmal, whither Waldeck had been before him, all that he has done is clear accession, and which no one else seems likely to have attempted. Allow ance must also be made for the difficulties Mr. Stephens had to contend with, in limited means, listless laborers, indifference, and ignorance in the native whites, (except here and there a padre,) as well as the labor of clearing in a tropical country, and the effects of fever, which sometimes prostrated the travellers amid the ruins they

mere "incidents of travel." The probability of this Mr. Stephens seems to have felt; but, instead of shortening his book, he has labored his descriptions.

It is the confirmed opinion of Mr. Stephens, that the cities whose ruins he has investigated were not the work of an extinct people, but of the race which Cortes found in Mexico, and which still inhabits the country. His arguments for this view. are entitled to attention; and one of the most cogent is the general destruction of the Indian priesthood and nobility by the policy and religion of the Spaniards. But if the people were the same, they were in their decline: they might have the nechanical skill to practise arts which had descended to them, just as the Roman warlike machines in the decline of the Empire were equal or superior to those of their ancestors; but the spirit of their ancestors was gone. To the mere argument of their antiquity Mr. Stephens opposes the effects of tropical vegetation and rains in hastening ruin; and this not altogether as a mat

ter of reasoning, but of experience. On his cisterns; and the neighboring Indians, first arrival he saw

THE EFFECT OF A YEAR'S VEGETATION IN THE
TROPICS.

though nominally free, are in reality slaves. of the tank. In the remoter villages, when the natural or artificial ponds are exhausted in the dry season, they have to draw a On the fi teenth at eleven o'clock, we reached the hacienda of Uxmal. It stood in its suit of supply from subterranean wells, which, if sombre gray, with cattle-yard, large trees, and water were expended in the English mantanks, the same as when we left it; but there ner, would occupy the whole time of everywere no friends of old to welcome us: the Del- body in procuring this necessary fluid. Bemonico major domo had gone to Tobasco, and fore the civilization of the country had dethe other had been obliged to leave on account clined, this natural want was supplied by a of illness. The Mayoral remembered us, but we did not know him; and we determined to great number of ponds, with wells or impass on and take up our abode immediately in mense jars at the bottom, artificially paved the ruins. Stopping but a few minutes to give by two layers of stones, the upper coverdirections about the luggage, we mounted again, ing the joints of the lower layer, and the and in ten minutes, emerging from the woods. interstices carefully closed with cement. came out upon the open field; in which, grand Neglected, and half filled with mud, the and lofty as when we saw it before, stood the discovery of these artificial reservoirs, House of the Dwarf: but the first glance show-like most discoveries in Yucatan, was only ed us that a year had made great changes. The sides of the lofty structure, then bare and naked, were now covered with high grass, bushes, and weeds, and on the top were bushes and young trees twenty feet high. The House of the Nuns was almost smothered; and the whole field was covered with a rank growth of grass and weeds, over which we could barely look as we rode through. The foundations, terraces, and tops of the buildings, were overgrown; weeds and vines were rioting and creeping on the façades; and mounds, terraces, and ruins, were a mass of destroying verdure. A strong and vigorous nature was struggling for mastery over art, wrapping the city in its suffocating embraces, and burying it from sight. It seemed as if the grave was closing over a friend, and we had arrived barely in time to take our farewell.

Amid this mass of desolation, grand and stately as when we left it, stood the Casa del Gobernador, but with all its terraces covered, and separated from us by a mass of impenetrable verdure.

made by the accident of some speculative Spaniard clearing out his pond. Still Mr. Stephens thinks the country could not have watered the population it formerly contained, according to English modes of drinking; and he offers this ingenious solution.

Among the wonders unfolded by the discovery of these ruined cities, what made the strongest impression on our minds was the fact that their immense population existed in a region so scantily supplied with water. Throughout the whole country there is no stream, or spring, or living fountain; and, but for the extraordinary caves and hollows in the rocks from which the inhabitants at this day drink, they must have been entirely dependent upon artificial fountains, and literally upon the rain that came down from heaven. But on this point there is one important consideration. The aborigines of this country had no horses or cattle or large domestic animals, and the supply required for the use of man only was comparative

wants and habits, the same country would not support the same amount of population. And besides, the Indian now inhabiting that dry and thirsty region illustrates the effect of continual scarcity, habit, and training, in subduing the appetites. Water is to him as to the Arab of the desert, a scarce and precious commodity. When he puts down the load from his back, his body streaming with perspiration, a few sips of water dipped up in the palm of his hand from a hollow rock suffice to quench his thirst. Still, under any circumstances, the sources of supply present one of the most interesting features connected with the discovery of these ruined cities, and go to confirm belief in the vast numbers and power as well as the laborious industry of the

On the left of the field was an overgrown mil-ly small. Perhaps at this day, with different pa, along the edge of which a path led in front of this building. Following this path, we turned the corner of the terrace, and on the farthest side dismounted, and tied our horses. The grass and weeds were above our heads, and we could see nothing. The Mayoral broke a way through them, and we reached the foot of the terrace, Working our way over the stones with much toil, we reached the top of the highest terrace. Here, too, the grass and weeds were of the same rank growth. We moved directly to the wall at the East end, and entered the first open door. Here the Mayoral wished us to take up our abode; but we knew the localities better than he did, and, creeping along the front as close to the wall as possible, cutting some of the bushes and tearing apart and trampling down others, we reached the centre apartment. Here we stopped. Swarms of bats, roused by our approach, fluttered and flew through the long chamber, and passed out at the doors.

The want of Yucatan is water. On the large plantations it is preserved in immense

ancient inhabitants."

From the nature of the subject, and the necessity of plans and engravings to illustrate it with effect, we must refer to the volumes for any specific account of the discoveries of Mr. Stephens; but an extract will convey a notion of the difficul

ties he had to encounter from the charac-ed from them by blood, he could get out of them ter of his laborers, and give a specimen of twice as much work as I could. Him, too, they his style. could ask questions about us, and lighten labor by the indulgence of social humor; and very soon I had only to give instructions as to what work was to be done, and leave the whole management of it to him.

INGLESES AT KABAI.

Turning from the past to the present, here is a lively sketch of

ELECTIONS IN YUCATAN.

Though practically enduring, in some respects, the appendage of an aristocratic government, the Indians, who carried us on their shoul

Late in the afternoon we returned to the village, and in the evening had a levee of visitors. The sensation we had created in the village had gone on increasing, and the Indians were really indisposed to work for us at all. The arrival of a stranger even from Merida or Campeachy was an extraordinary event, and no Ingleses had ever been seen there before. The circumstance that we had come to work among the ruins was wonderful, incomprehensible. Within the me-ders and our loads on their backs, have as good mory of the oldest Indians these remains had never been disturbed. The account of the digging up of the bones in San Francisco had reached them, and they had much conversation with each other and with the padrecito about us. It was a strange thing, they said, that men with strange faces, and a language they could not understand, had come among them to disinter their ruined cities; and, simple as their ancestors when the Spaniards first came among them, they said that the end of the world was nigh.

votes as their masters; and it was painful to have lost the opportunity of seeing the Democratic principle in operation among the only true and real native American party; the spectacle being, as we were told, in the case of the hacienda Indians, one of exceeding impressiveness, not to say sublimity. These, being criados, or servants, in debt to their masters and their bodies mortgaged, go up to the village unanimous in opinion and purpose, without partiality or prejudice either in favor of or against It was late the next day when we reached the paritcular men or measures: they have no ruins. We could not set out before the Indians, bank questions, nor questions of internal imfor they might disappoint us altogether, and we provement, to consider; no angry discussions could do nothing until they came; but, once on about the talents, private characters, or public the ground, we soon had them at work. On services of candidates; and, above all, they are both sides we watched each other closely, free from the degrading imputation of man-worthough from somewhat different motives; they ship, for in general they have not the least idea from utter inability to comprehend our plans and for whom they are voting. All they have to do purposes, and we from the fear that we should is to put into a box a little piece of paper given get no work out of them. If one of us spoke, to them by the master or major-domo, for which they all stopped to listen; if we moved, they they are to have a holyday. The only danger stopped to gaze upon us. Mr. Catherwood's is, that, in the confusion of greeting acquaindrawing-materials, tripod, sextant, and compass, tances, they may get their papers changed; were very suspicious; and occasionally Doctor and when this happens, they are almost invariCabot filled up the measure of their astonish-ably found soon after committing some offence ment by bringing down a bird as it flew through against hacienda discipline, for which these inthe air. By the time they were fairly broken in dependent electors are pretty sure to get flogto know what they had to do, it was necessary ged by the major-domo. to return to the village.

to commence, the retiring functionaries go round the village and catch these unconscious favorites of the people, put them into the cabildo, and keep them together all night, that they may be at hand in the morning to receive the staves and take the oath of office.

In the villages, the indifference to political The same labor was repeated the next day distinctions, aud the discrimination of the public with a new set of men; but, by continual super- in rewarding unobtrusive merit, are no less vision, and urging, we managed to get consider-worthy of admiration; for Indian alcaldes are able work done. Albino was a valuable auxili- frequently elected without being aware that they ary; indeed, without him I could hardly have been held up for the suffrages of their felhave got on at all. We had not fairly discover-low-citizens; they pass the day of election on ed his intelligence until we left Uxmal. There the ground, and go home without knowing any all had a beaten track to move in: but on the thing about it. The night before their term is road little things were constantly occurring in which he showed an ingenuity and a fertility of resource that saved us from many annoyances. He had been a soldier; and at the siege of Campeachy had received a sabre-cut in a fleshy part of the body, which rather intimated that he was moving in an opposite direction when the These little peculiarities were told to us as sabre overtook him. Having received neither facts; and of such a population I can believe pay for his services nor pension for his wound, them to be true. At all events, the term of the he was a little disgusted with patriotism and incumbent officers was just expiring: the next fighting for his country. He was by trade a morning the grand ceremony of the inaugurablacksmith; which business, on the recommend- tion was to take place; and the Indians going ation of Donna Joaquina Peon, he had given up out of office were actively engaged in hunting to enter our service. His usefulness and capacity up their successors and bringing them together were first clearly brought out at Kabah. Know- in the cabildo. Before retiring, we went in with ing the character of the Indians, speaking their the Padrecito to look at them. Most of them had language, and being but a few degrees remov-been brought in, but some were still wanting.

They were sitting round a large table, on which | All knew that I did not understand a word he lay the record of their election; and, to beguile said, and the laugh was strong against me. I was the tediousness of their honorable imprison- a little annoyed at being made such a mark; but, ment, they had instruments by them, called mu- recollecting the achievement of our vernacular sical, which kept up a terrible noise all night. at Nohcacab, I answered him with an English Whatever were the circumstances of their elec-oration. The effect was instantaneous. He had tion, their confinement for the night was, no never before heard a language that he could not doubt, a wise precaution, to insure their being understand; bent his ear earnestly, as if by close sober in the morning. attention he could catch the meaning; and looked up with an air of real perplexity, that turned the and I answered with a stanza of Greek poetry, laugh completely against him. He began again; which had hung by me in some unaccountable

The Mestiza ball will give an idea of Yucatan society in the interior. It must be understood that it is altogether the fancy-ball of a sort of saturnalia; the sup-way. This again completely silenced him; and posed Mestizas being White ladies in masquerade dress, but without a mask.

THE BALL.

he dropped the title Ingles, put his arms around my neck, called me "amigo," and made a covenant not to speak in any language but Castilian. This over, he ordered the music to commence,

The bayle de dia was intended to give a pic-planted a vaquero on the floor, and led out a ture of life at a hacienda: and there were two Mestiza to dance, again threw all the bystanders prominent personages, who did not appear the into confusion, and sat down quietly on the floor evening before, called fiscales, being the officers at my feet. All the Mestizas were again called attendant upon the ancient caciques, and repre- out in order, presenting the same pretty spectacle senting them in their authority over the Indians. I had seen the evening before. And there was one These were the managers and masters of whom I had noticed then, not more than fifteen, ceremonies, with absolute and unlimited authoridelicate and fragile, with eyes so soft and dovelike ty over the whole company; and, as they boast ed, they had a right to whip the Mestizas if they pleased.

that it was impossible to look upon them without a feeling of tenderness. She seemed sent into the world to be cherished and cared for, and closeted As each Mestiza arrived, they quietly put like the finest china, the very emblem of purity, aside the gentleman escorting her and conducted innocence and loveliness; and, as I had learned, the lady to her seat. If the gentleman did not she was the child of shame, being the crianza or give way readily, they took him by the shoul-natural daughter of a gentleman of the village. ders and walked him to the other end of the floor. A crowd followed wherever they moved; and all the time the company was assembling, they threw every thing into laughter and confusion by their whimsical efforts to preserve order.

Perhap sit was that she seemed so ill fitted to buffet with contumely and reproach that gave such an indescribable interest to her appearance; but fortunately brought up in her father's house, she may go through life without meeting an averted face or feeling that a stain rests upon her name.

At length they undertook to clear a space for dancing; backing the company in a summary As may be supposed, the presence of this seway as far as they could go, and then taking the norita on the floor did not escape the keen eyes of men and boys by the shoulder and jamming the mercurial fiscal. All at once he became exthem down upon the floor. While they were cited and restless; and, starting to his feet, gazed thus engaged, a stout gentleman, of respectable at her for a moment as if entranced by a vision; appearance, holding some high office in the vil- and then, as if carried away by his excitement, lage, appeared in the doorway, quietly lighting and utterly unconscious of what he was about, another straw cigar; and as soon as they saw he pushed aside the vaquero who was dancing him they desisted from the work they had in with her, and flinging his sombrero on the hand, and in the capricious and wanton exercise ground, cried out in a tone of ecstasy, "Voy of their arbitrary power, rushed across, seized baylàr con vd, mi corazon." I am going to him, dragged him to the centre of the floor, hoist- dance with you, my heart." As he danced, his ed him upon the shoulders of a vaquero and pull-excitement seemed to increase: forgetting every ing apart the skirts of his coat, belabored him thing around him, the expression of his face bewith a mock vigor and earnestness that convulsed came rapt, fixed, intense; he tore off his cathe whole company with laughter. The sides cique's mantle, and, dancing toward her, of the elevated dignitary shook, the vaquero spread it at the lady's feet. This seemed only to shook under him, and they were near coming excite him more; and, as if forgetful of every down together. thing else, he seized the collar of his camisa, and dancing violently all the time, with a nervous grasp, tugged as if he meant to pull it over his head, and throw all that he was worth at her feet. Failing in this, for a moment he seemed to give up in despair; but all at once, he thrust his hands under the long garment, seized the sash around his waist, and, still dancing with all his might, unwound it, and, moving up to her with mingled grace, gallantry, and desperation, dropped it at her feet, and danced back to his place. By this time his calzoncillos, kept up by the sash, were giving way Grasping them furiously, and hold

This over, the rogues came directly upon me. El Ingles had not long escaped their eye. I had with difficulty avoided a scene, and my time seemed now to have come. The one with the cacique's mantle led the way with long strides, lash raised in the air, a loud voice, and his eyes, sparkling with frolic and mischief, fastened upon mine. The crowd followed, and I was a little afraid of an attempt to hoist me too on the shoulders of a vaquero; but all at once he stopped short, and, unexpectedly changing his language, opened upon me with a loud harangue in Maya.