Travels Amongst American Indians, Their Ancient Earthworks and Temples / Including a Journey in Guatemala, Mexico and Yucatan, and a Visit to the Ruins of Patinamit, Utatlan, Palenque and Uxmal

by Lindesay Brine

On the plains a few miles to the west of the city, in the direction of the village of Mixco, there is a large and extensive group of ancient Indian mounds of whose construction or purpose nothing is known. They have never been scientifically examined and I was not able to ascertain that any plans had been made of them. No author has alluded to them unless by a mere passing notice, and yet they seemed to throw more light upon the question of the Toltecan or Aztecan migrations than any other remains of ancient antiquities. Possibly no previous traveller in this part of Central America had also seen the mounds of Cahokia, near the eastern banks of the Mississippi, or he could hardly have failed to have observed that their resemblance is so great, and indeed so evident as to place it almost beyond doubt, that the builders of the mounds at Cahokia were of the same race as those that dwelt on the plains of Mixco.

As it would be highly improbable that any nation would migrate from lands abounding with means of food, comfort and warmth to what must have been, at that period, the comparatively inhospitable regions of North America, the tribes that constructed these mounds must have originally migrated from the valley of the Mississippi.

I was employed for several days in making a rough survey of this Indian settlement and took measurements of the inclosure. The ground plan was made in the form of an extensive and irregular parallelogram about twelve hundred yards long and five hundred yards wide. The mounds upon the sides of the greatest length vary in their dimensions. Some of them are very large and exceed forty-five feet in height. The most important are those platform earthworks at each end of the inclosure upon which may have been placed the principal communal buildings, or the houses of the Caciques. There was also a mound of an exceptional shape, situated in the interior which, from its position, may have been intended for purposes similar to those that existed within the embankments of Fort Ancient in Ohio.

When Carrera was President of Guatemala he wished to know for what object these mounds were built, and he therefore gave orders that one of the largest of them should be thoroughly examined. It was ascertained, contrary to expectation, that it was not a burial place. The only thing found in it was a large and well carved granite grindstone of the same shape as those at present used by the Indians for grinding maize. The results of Carrera’s excavations appeared to establish the conclusion that the mounds were chiefly raised for the purpose of placing dwellings upon them; and this is also, I was informed, the opinion of the natives living in the neighbourhood.

Ancient Indian Mounds near Guatemala.

In the meanwhile from day to day the capital had been disturbed by rumours of the movements of the advancing insurgents, and it was difficult to make any decided plans with regard to my journey in the interior. It was considered by the Government authorities that it would be highly imprudent for me to attempt to pass through the disturbed provinces, as the natives were known to have become unsettled and excited. It was therefore with great satisfaction that I heard that the Indians were coming near and that a decisive battle was imminent. The President Don Vincente Cerna had taken all proper precautions, and had placed the troops under the command of his most able officer, General Solares.

On the twenty-third of January we were informed that the rebels were approaching, and that an action between the forces was expected to take place immediately. Baron Herbert and myself then went into the adjoining country with the hope of obtaining a distant view of the operations. In the afternoon we heard the firing of guns from the castle announcing to the people that the Indians were defeated, and, to prevent there being any doubts upon the subject, messengers arrived from General Solares bringing with them the head of his opponent. This practical method of assuring the inhabitants of the success of the Government troops had a good effect. It was afterwards made known that the Indians had been surrounded at an early hour and taken by surprise whilst they were amongst the ravines. Serapio Cruz fought desperately but was killed and decapitated.

Thus ended the Indian rebellion, and a period of considerable local anxiety. A political revolution is an event which may be expected to occur frequently in Spanish-American republics, but a rising of Indians in rebellion or, as it is called, a “Guerra de Castas” (war of races), is a far more serious matter, as was proved by the occurrences that happened at the time of the revolt of the Indians in Yucatan, in 1847, when their war cry was “Death to all Spaniards.”

At a dinner given at the English legation upon the evening of the conclusion of the insurrection, the subject of the state of the Guatemalan provinces was considered, with reference to the expediency of my intention to travel alone through the disturbed districts. Many of the members of the foreign legations were present.[55] It was thought that the Indian population near the Mexican frontier and amongst the remote parts of the Cordilleras would be, for some time, in a restless and excitable condition, and might be inclined to show their revenge for what had lately happened, by killing any white man who should attempt to pass through the country or who should by misadventure fall into their power. I was however informed by a Spaniard who understood the character of the native races that, although this opinion was true with respect to Spaniards, an Englishman would probably travel over the Cordilleras with safety. I accordingly lost no time in completing my preparations for the journey.