CHAPTER II.
Description of Merida, Geographical and Historical—The City—Public Squares—The Market—Trade—Habits and Customs—Health—The Public Buildings—A way to get a Husband—New Year Eve—New Year Day—The City and Environs—A Touch of Music—A Country Seat—Congress of Yucatan—Franciscan Ruins—More Holy-days—Cock-fighting—A Drill—The Bishop at Home—The College—Miracles.
Merida, the capital of Yucatan, is situated about the twenty-first degree of north latitude, and is elevated some twenty-five feet above the level of the sea. The thermometer ranges at about eighty of Fahrenheit, and the maximum length of the days is nearly thirteen hours. The city was built upon the ruins of an Indian town, which was destroyed by the Spaniards in their superstitious zeal, so madly manifested in the destruction of every thing throughout Mexico that was found belonging to the people whom they had conquered. The present population is calculated at twenty thousand, the majority of whom are Indians and half-breeds.
The city was founded in 1542. From the few scattered facts which have been handed down to us by history, we gather that, prior to the Spanish conquest, there existed in Yucatan a people of an origin remote and unknown, who were under the subjection of rulers, with fixed principles of law and order; had passed through the ordinary vicissitudes of nations, and finished their career by losing, at once, their liberty and their dominions. The triumphant forces of the Spaniards having obtained full possession of the country, the Church came in to execute its part; and their language, manners, customs, and religion, were disseminated by the steady and persevering arm of Catholic power and management. To complete the work, every thing that had a tendency to remind the vanquished of the past was obliterated, in accordance with the grovelling policy or the blind fanaticism that marked the times. Ancient pictorial and hieroglyphical manuscripts were burnt; their idols, images, and planispheres, were destroyed, and their temples and cities were razed to the ground. It is melancholy to reflect that a chasm has thus been made in the early history of the country, which the historian must despair of ever seeing filled up.
Merida, since it was rebuilt, has not rendered itself in anywise historical. Its remote and isolated position has prevented its participation, to any extent, in the political struggles which have marked the history of the city of Mexico; and the inhabitants appear to have availed themselves of their peace and political composure by a cultivation of letters, and general mental cultivation, to an extent certainly unsurpassed in any province of Mexico.
The streets of Merida are of a good width, laid out at right angles. The side-walks are four feet wide, paved with rough stone. The houses are quite uniform in their appearance, and are built of stone. The mason-work is creditable. The roofs of their houses are flat, and their exteriors finished in stucco; some of which are painted in the Moorish style, with balconied windows, ornamented, and presenting rather a pretty appearance. The middle of the street is the lowest, forming a passage to carry off the water. During ordinary rains, small rivers, comparatively speaking, form themselves; flooding the streets to the edge of the walks, and rendering them impassable for hours after the rain has ceased, without great exposure. Candles are used for lighting the city; but, of course, for that purpose, are almost useless.
This place contains a number of fine squares, the principal of which is in the centre of the city. It is bounded by the cathedral, bishop’s palace, government house, and dwellings occupied by the citizens. In the middle of this square is a waterless fountain. No attention is paid to this place, which might justly be compared, from its deserted aspect, to the “Neutral Ground” in New Orleans; and, like that, it is susceptible of being rendered a most beautiful promenade. On the side of this square is the dwelling of Simon Peon, Esq. The front is ornamented with a relic of the times prior to the conquest. It is a huge door-way, elaborately carved in figures and lines. The city is indebted to this gentleman for this display of his liberality and taste, in preserving a very interesting memento of a people whose history, probably, is destined to remain for ever sealed to mankind.
The market occupies a large square, in a central position, having two sides devoted to the sale of meats, and the other two remaining open. The interior is provided with accommodations for the venders of fruits and vegetables. The meats are of an indifferent quality; they are cut up and sold by the butcher in long strips. Their variety of vegetables is limited, and but little skill is shown in their cultivation. Poultry is abundant and cheap, as are also the other necessaries of life.
There is but a very limited trade here, of any kind. The resources of the country are too small for it to be otherwise. To give some idea of the state of trade in the vicinity of the great public square, just described, it is sufficient to state that, in crossing it, we have disturbed the buzzard and killdeer at noonday.