As the sun rose we began to ascend the hills. When we reached the summit I stopped for a few minutes for the purpose of observing, towards the south, the lofty cones of Agua and Fuego whose graceful outlines were clear and distinct in the atmosphere of a deep blue tropical sky. In the forenoon we reached Chimaltenango, which was once a place of importance but is now becoming deserted. Beyond this town we followed a track leading to the village of Comolapa, and had to descend an abrupt and deep ravine, which crossed that part of the country. We then rode up a long hill and passed near several groups of oak trees, whose leafless branches were made gay by clusters of brilliantly coloured orchids.
Upon arriving at Comolapa, I obtained a room in a little inn, where we arranged to remain for the night, having already accomplished a distance of nine leagues. The parish priest, Padre Rodriguez, proposed that I should join him at supper, at which meal there also appeared a Mexican, travelling on his way to Guatemala from the frontier, and who was able to give me some useful intelligence about the roads and the political state of the country in the province of Chiapas. The Padre spoke with earnestness about the difficulties he had to overcome with regard to the teaching of the Catholic doctrines. He said that there were more than two thousand Indians under his charge. They attended church as a custom, and seemed to take part in the services, yet, he was certain that in their hearts they retained a faith in their ancient worship, and that they had shrines concealed amongst the mountains where they kept their idols. He had also found, by experience, that there was the greatest repugnance amongst them to all attempts at education, and no children would attend school after they were seven or eight years old.
We looked at the interior of the church. Some of the wood carvings at the altars were well designed and executed. Over the western porch there was a large coat-of-arms, with lions as supporters. In this district a great number of the Mexican allies, who accompanied Alvarado in the conquest of Guatemala, were given lands, and many of them, during the early periods of the Spanish occupation, were men of considerable wealth; but their descendants and their families have now disappeared or have become merged into the aboriginal population.
On the following morning we proceeded on our journey to Patinamit. We passed a high mound, situated near the path, which in shape was like that of Grave Creek, in Virginia; but it was not so large. Its height was about fifty-five feet. Augustin proposed that we should take a short cut, in consequence of which we lost our way, lengthened the ride by over two leagues, and had to descend and ascend a profound and precipitous barranca. On the sides of the track we saw many ferns, and passed clumps of mountain firs and other trees belonging naturally to high altitudes. We were riding over a country at an average height of seven thousand feet, and following steep and rough tracks, which tried the prudence of our sure-footed mules to the utmost. At noon we reached Tepan Guatemala, and were received at the convent by Padre Viatoro. The remainder of the day was passed in examining the ruins of ancient Patinamit, the chief city of the Kachiquels, a tribe of the same race as the Quichés.
Patinamit is placed upon the summit of a height separated from the rest of the world by a steep ravine, which, except at one narrow point, so completely encircles it as to make it practically a kind of detached island. The site resembles that of Fort Ancient, and the earthworks are nearly as large as those upon that great fortified hill. It is supposed that the palaces and temples of the Kachiquels were built upon this plateau, but nothing of them can now be traced. There are a few mounds from ten to thirty feet high, and there are several heaps of large loose stones, evidently taken from the ravine. The position must have been exclusively chosen for the purposes of defence, for it is almost impregnable to assault. The surrounding barranca is, in several places, perpendicular for a depth of over two hundred feet. The slopes are composed of a firm volcanic substance, consisting chiefly of pumice, pozzolana, ashes and stones.
It has been stated[60] that, in Patinamit there was, during the rule of the Kachiquels, a small building, in which was kept a kind of stand formed of a substance resembling glass. The judges sat round this building and heard the causes brought before them. In the ravine below there was a black transparent stone, in looking into which, could be seen the representation of the punishment to be awarded. It was also consulted in time of war. Upon my return to the convent, I asked the padre if he knew anything about this stone, which might have been an unusually large fragment of obsidian, such as would have been found in this region, formed of matter thrown out from the craters of volcanoes. He said that he had never seen it, and did not know whether it still existed. He wished me to understand that he did not take any interest in the past history of the parish, but devoted his attention to his work amongst the numerous Indians placed under his care.
Upon the morning of our departure, whilst the guide was saddling the mules, I went out to the platform in front of the convent walls, to look at the wide and distant views which it commanded. This outer court was placed well above the ground. On the top of the steps which led up to the platform, stood Padre Viatoro, dressed in his robes, and receiving the homage of his Indian parishioners as they passed beneath him on their way to their daily work. I had already become aware that the influence of priests of the Dominican Order was exceptionally great amongst the Indian tribes in the Cordilleras, but I had not hitherto observed the actual evidence of their personal power over the minds of the aboriginal race. The events that were taking place before me, were extremely strange and characteristic. Each of the Indians, as he went by, bowed down towards the earth, and waited to receive a blessing. Several women who had requests to make, knelt and remained in that posture. All of these meek, simple and ignorant natives seemed to look upon their priest as a being of a far superior nature to themselves, and Padre Viatoro by his imperious manner, did not permit them to suppose that he could be approached otherwise than with the greatest respect and deference.
As we proceeded on our journey, I stopped my mule in order to take a final glance at the convent, and saw the tall erect figure of the Dominican sharply defined against the sky, whilst men, women and children were still passing before him. In the far distance were the ranges of the Cordilleras, and close at hand was the great stronghold of the Kachiquel conquerors, who, many centuries earlier, held the ancestors of this submissive race under their subjection and cruel tyranny. It was a scene in all respects so remarkable, that it remains fixed upon the memory.
Our path to the hamlet of Las Godinas led over hills and plains, until we arrived at the edge of a barranca which we had some difficulty in crossing. This great chasm was about one mile wide at the top, and was more than a thousand feet deep; it crossed the level country for several miles. The sides were almost perpendicular for the first three hundred feet of descent, and then sloped sharply downwards. Our path was narrow and, in the places where it curved round the projecting precipitous banks, looked dangerous, but the mules went forward without hesitation. As it seemed to be unadvisable to attempt to guide my mule, I adopted the plan which I thought to be the most safe, and dropped the bridle over her neck, and she was thus left free to choose the road. I soon found by experience, that complete confidence could be placed in her wise and cautious judgment.
Upon reaching the bottom we rode for some distance up the valley, and then ascended to the level of the plain. After a short ride across the open country we came to another equally steep barranca which had to be crossed. This chasm I estimated to be nearly twelve hundred feet deep. The sides were composed of volcanic ash, pozzolana and blocks of lava. The nature of the violent influences that must have been at work in the production of the ravines, which have thus separated these plateaux has yet to be fully investigated. With regard to the theory that they were caused by earthquakes, it may be observed that those around Tepan Guatemala must be approximately twenty miles from the nearest volcano.