With the permission of my reader I will here step aside, for one moment, from the detail of my ramblings, to say a single word about the geographical and political condition of the country in which I now found myself a denizen, pledging myself, however, to detain the narrative upon nothing which will not be pertinent to and explanatory of the subsequent pages.
The peninsula of Yucatan extends over a surface of some eighty thousand square miles, lying in a north-east direction from Laguna de Términos, and jutting out north into the Gulf of Mexico, between the Bay of Campeachy and Honduras. It is about five hundred miles long, and one hundred and sixty broad, and is divided into five departments, eighteen districts, and containing two hundred and thirty-six towns. It is inhabited by something short of half a million of people, the majority of whom are Indians.
The country is almost one entire plain, half of which, to the north, consists of a light soil formed upon solid and broken masses of a white lime and flint rock. The other, the southern half, is a deep rich loam, but much affected by the heavy rains of summer, which present serious obstructions to the exertions of the agriculturist. There are no rivers in the interior. The inhabitants are supplied with water from sonatos, or natural wells, which are liberally distributed throughout the country by the formation of supposed subterraneous rivers.
Yucatan was formerly a part of the Mexican confederacy, but having recently declared her independence, she has her own President and Congress of legislators, elected by a limited class of qualified electors. Various attempts have been made, by menaces and by offers of negotiation on the part of the Mexicans, to reduce the refractory provincials to their allegiance, but hitherto without success. The deficiency of means, and the distracted condition of the Confederacy at home, have doubtless prevented the Mexicans from qualifying their diplomacy with physical force, which is probably the only kind of logic that will be conclusive.
Sisal, the place (as I have already mentioned) at which I disembarked, is situated upon the north-west side of the peninsula of Yucatan, and is the second port of the province. It presents an open roadstead, which, during the prevalence of the northerly winds, is considered very dangerous. The continuance of these storms frequently compels vessels to get under way and stand out to sea. The town has little of interest to strangers. Its population is about one thousand, consisting principally of Indians, and the residue are Mexicans. The houses are built of stone, are one story high, covering a large space of ground, with a court in the centre, embellished with trees and plants of the tropics. The roofs of the dwellings being thatched, give to the streets a somewhat singular aspect to strangers. The rooms of these buildings are large and airy, and their floors are formed of mortar and sand. Glass is not used; but large openings are formed, protected by gratings and doors, which admit the necessary supply of light and air.
Near the beach is a small square fortification, rudely constructed and oddly enough garrisoned, if one may judge from the appearance of the soldiers upon guard. The Indians, who exclusively perform the menial services required throughout the country, seem to be happy and contented. Their wants are few and simple. The men wear loose white cotton trousers, extending a little below the knee, with a shirt of the same, or striped gingham, a palm-leaf hat and sandals. The women wear a simple loose dress hanging from the shoulders, loose about the neck, and falling negligently to the ankles. These garments are more or less ornamented with needle-work, according to the taste or the means of the wearer.
Although so near home, this scene was so entirely new to me, that I was exceedingly anxious to get a glimpse of the surrounding country. Unsuccessful, however, in finding an immediate conveyance to Merida, the capital of the province, we loitered about the town during the day, but could not discover any very especial signs of business. Every thing appeared to be dull and inanimate.
In the evening we were invited, through the politeness of the Collector of the Port, to attend the baptismal ceremony of his infant. The priest was early at his post, and the whole population of Indians was soon collected about the dwelling, and preparations were made for a grand procession to the church, where the child was to be baptized. Every thing being in readiness, the whole mass started, led off by half-breed Indians and boys, making all kinds of discordant sounds, with drums, horns, and whistles; then the priest and the parents, with the child dressed out with flowers and ribands, and gold and silver ornaments; after these came the relations and friends, followed by the multitude. When they had arrived at the church, the performances were conducted in the usual Catholic style. The child appeared to be the only one who had any cause of complaint. The rough hands of the priest, and the continual pouring of cold water upon its delicate head, fully justified its boisterous protestations against such harsh treatment. Its restoration to the arms of its mother seemed to give great satisfaction to all parties present, except perhaps to the deaf and the blind.
The company now returned to the house. On the route, small pieces of silver coin were distributed among the Indians. The evening was spent, as is the custom on such occasions, in the greatest hilarity; and none appeared to enjoy it with a better relish than the priest. Dancing was kept up till nine o’clock, when supper was announced. The ladies being seated, a place was assigned to me by the side of the divine, to whom I had previously been introduced. This secured to me a seat in the vicinity of the choicest wit as well as wine, that was in circulation; for, after paying his respects once or twice to the wine that was before him, his good humor and sociability soon convinced me that he would not willingly become the victim of too rigid fastings and carnal mortifications.
Supper being over, dancing was resumed. Those ladies and gentlemen who were not upon the floor, were smoking. The ladies here are general smokers; and do it, too, with a grace which, to a smoker, is a study. At first, it appeared rather strange to receive, from the delicate fingers of a female, a lighted cigar, yet fresh with the flavor which her own lips had imparted to it; but, with such tuition, we were quickly qualified to assume the customs of the country, and we now flatter ourselves that we can go through all that delicate etiquette with as much ease as though we were “to the manner born.” The ladies were dressed in the Spanish style, and appeared quite charming; they chiefly require animation. Their complexion is rather brunette, their hair dark, eyes black; and, generally, they are of a low stature.