At ten o’clock we arrived at the town of Tixcoco, and rode up to the Casa-real; which belongs to a class of houses set apart by the municipal authorities of every town for the accommodation of travellers. They are the substitutes for public houses; a convenience almost unknown to the country.
The Casa-real is also the receptacle for the public property of the place—such as implements of labor, punishment, &c.—consisting of crowbars, handcuffs, wooden scale-beams, and drums, staffs of the alcaldes, &c.
These accommodations and depositories are in charge of some six or eight Indians, who are drafted to serve one year, under the direction of the alcaldes, who represent aldermen in the judicial capacity. These Indians also attend upon the wants of strangers, and depend wholly upon the small pittances they receive for their support. It is almost needless to add, what follows necessarily from the tenure of their offices, that they are idle, negligent, and without enterprise.
At a quarter before eleven I took breakfast, which had been brought from some neighboring house. It was composed of eggs, tortillas, and frejoles. The tortillas are a kind of corn-cakes, and constitute the principal bread of the country. Frejoles are small black beans, in general use in all the provinces of Mexico, and occupy the same elevated rank in the domestic economy of that nation that the potato does in Ireland. To complete the morning’s repast, a calabash of maza was added. This is a drink prepared with corn, and is usually drunk by the natives in the place of tea and coffee.
The town of Tixcoco is ornamented with a large church, and the appurtenances thereto usually belonging in Catholic countries; but the dwellings, generally, are mere Indian huts, of mud walls and thatched roofs.
At three o’clock, after the heat of the day, we again started upon our route; and at six, rode up to the Casa-real of Calcachen, where we stopped during the night. The best room in the house was placed at our disposal. The corners of the apartment proved that it had been swept; for the collections of months still remained there, a standing evidence of the fact.
The Casa-real, according to universal custom, fronts upon a public square; where great preparations were at this time making to celebrate some one of the religious festivals on the following Monday. An amphitheatre was erected, formed of poles, having a row of seats overlooking the arena, where bull-fights were to take place. In the evening, in anticipation of the festival, guns were discharged, and a display of fireworks took place from the roof of the church. The Indians, on these occasions, like our juvenile patriots previous to the fourth of July, usually anticipate the sport of the festal day some forty-eight hours or more before it arrives.
Next morning (Sunday) I was awakened before daylight by the noise of the natives, who, as usual, could not restrain their impatience for the arrival of their day of rejoicing. Wooden drums and horns were brought in requisition; and, at sun-rise, rockets were being discharged from the church. The bells were rung, the crowd entered the building, and quiet was restored.
Preparatory to cleansing our guns, previous to our departure from this town, they were discharged. This was understood by the Indians to be a complimentary salute to their saint, and they crowded around me, to my great annoyance, insisting that I should remain with them until the end of the feast. Flattering as was this invitation, which, at one time, I thought I should be compelled to accept, I succeeded in declining without giving offence. Bidding them adieu, we saddled our horses, and were once more upon the road. After passing through two small Indian towns of little notoriety, we arrived at Isamal at noon.
The road continued to be good; and four miles distant, the church could be seen, throwing the shadows of its massive walls over the surrounding objects.