CHAPTER XI.
Departure from Uxmal—Abala—The Road—The Curate’s Hacienda—Arrival at Merida—Hotel de Diligencias—Bishop Preaching—Strange Scenes—Parting with José—Departure from Merida—Coach and Passengers—Scenes of the Road—Zibackchen—Accommodations—Arrival at Campeachy.
The reader will remember that the narrative of my journeyings terminated at Uxmal. I finished making my observations of those ruins, and on the 4th of March embarked in a Yucatan coach and four, (four stout Indians,) crossed the Cordilleras, and the same night slept at the Casa-real at Muna, distant three leagues.
While waiting for my tortillas and eggs, I shall be pardoned for expressing my acknowledgments to the major-domo of the hacienda at Uxmal, to whom I was indebted for many kindnesses; and it will not be amiss to add, that his was one of the best managed estates that I observed in Yucatan.
The hacienda is built of hewn stone, taken principally from the ruins; more of which the Indians are now engaged in bringing away for the improvements the building is at present undergoing. It is about eighty feet front, having one range of rooms, with a high and wide balcony in front and rear, with a small chapel attached. In front is the cattle-yard, with its stone and mortar troughs for water, and wells and cisterns at the sides; the whole surrounded by a high stone wall, in the front centre of which is an immense arch-way, set off with pinnacled ornaments selected from the ruins.
There are a large number of Indians attached to this hacienda, who appear well; and so does every thing else connected with it. Different from many others, this establishment has an air of comfort and prosperity, much to the credit of those who supervise its concerns. It has its six hundred bee-hives, which are made of hollow logs, cut into lengths of two feet each. They are well arranged under sheds erected for the purpose—opened monthly, and the honey extracted. They do not yield so much honey, or of so good a quality, neither are the bees as lively as those of the north. Their bees have no sting. Great attention is paid to the preservation of the wax, which is almost a staple in the country, so much is consumed in the religious exercises.
On the following morning we were detained for the want of a mule, and as it had been engaged at an early hour, I felt not a little annoyed at the disappointment. To indemnify myself in some measure, I resolved to look at the town; but it was all like other towns here. That which most attracted my attention was seeing the Indian women, with their leathern buckets, and coils of long rope about their heads, and earthen pots under their arms, going to the well, which is in the centre of the square, to draw water. I thought of Rebecca—of the custom among the ancient Israelitish women, of performing the same duty—and of the lost tribes; and I wondered if they did not stray this way, and found all these large cities that are now tumbling to dust—and I was lost in reflection, and—lost my way to the Casa-real. Making my course through squatted Indians and these female water-carriers, who had led me out of the path, as they have many a wiser man before, I discovered the stopping-place and waiting mule much easier than a solution to my new theory.
At ten o’clock we were ready once more to set off upon our journey, over a rocky road, taking the former from choice, the latter from necessity. After travelling four leagues, we passed through the small Indian town of Abala. This place has a very neat white church, which was embellished with two turrets, making a pretty appearance amidst the dulness of every thing around it. There being no particular inducement to delay here, we once more took up our march, and, at five o’clock, and two leagues distant, we arrived at an hacienda belonging to one of the principal curates of the province, (Isamul,) where we remained for the night. The house, although plain, was so arranged as to be both convenient and pleasant. It looked quite unlike any of the buildings for similar purposes in the country, but resembled that of one of those comfortable Dutch farm-houses, so common in Pennsylvania. It had a garden unusually well cultivated, and great attention was paid to the fruit trees. I noticed that great attention was given also to irrigation, and, all things taken into consideration, it struck me as being a place where a man might make himself comparatively happy. Among the inmates of the house I observed a number of beautiful Mestizos, but they did not outnumber those of the curate’s house in Valladolid.
At three o’clock, on the following morning, our feet were in the stirrups; and bidding a kind adieu to our host, we were soon upon our rocky path, under the light of a waning moon. It must not be supposed that either the excellence of the road, or the particularly early hour, held out many inducements for leaving such desirable quarters; but I was anxious to reach Merida with the least possible delay. The distance was six leagues to the city, which we reached, after passing through several haciendas, encountering clouds of dust under a scorching sun, on the 6th day of March. The appearance of the streets, as we rode through them, was singular. The stores and houses were closed, and scarcely a person was to be seen. It was evidently the much respected hour of siesta. Clouds of the fine white dust of the streets filled the air. It was like entering a city in the desert of Barca.