| Page | |
| Machete, used as tool and weapon, | [28] |
| Malaria— | |
| chief scourge of Indians, | [36] |
| treated by sweating, | [36] |
| Marriage— | |
| age of, | [32] |
| all degrees of racial mixture, | [34] |
| ceremony often delayed, | [33] |
| Maya women to Negro men common, | [33] |
| not legal among Santa Cruz unless performed by certain official, | [33] |
| obligation somewhat loose, | [33] |
| usually by Catholic priest, | [33] |
| Massage, practiced by midwives, | [38] |
| Maya, progenitors of present inhabitants, | [15] |
| Medicine, list of plants used as, | [38] |
| Men— | |
| cruelty of, often in nature of reprisal, | [18] |
| dress of, | [18] |
| example of cruelty of master to servant, | [18] |
| have no desire to accumulate wealth, | [18] |
| mental characteristics of, | [17] |
| occupation of, | [17] |
| skillful in finding routes and in following tracks, | [18] |
| stoical in bearing pain, | [18] |
| Metate— | |
| superseded by hand mills, | [17] |
| use of, | [21] |
| Milpa— | |
| many fruits and vegetables grown in, | [20] |
| preparation of, | [20] |
| Moccasins, making of, | [19] |
| Mosquitoes, carriers of malaria, | [36] |
| Mounds— | |
| abundant on fertile soil, | [50] |
| classification of, | [49] |
| contents indicate physical appearance of ancient inhabitants, | [51] |
| manner of construction, | [65] |
| Museum of the American Indian, objects from collection of, | [13] |
| [O.] | |
| Odor, peculiar, | [16] |
| Oils, for cooking and lighting, | [31] |
| Ornaments, worn by ancient inhabitants, | [52] |
| [P.] | |
| "Pine ridges," description of, | [14] |
| Plants, list of, used as medicine, | [38] |
| Pottery— | |
| ancient, description of, | [54] |
| ancient, ornamentation of, | [54] |
| slight attempt at decoration, | [28] |
| Pottery making— | |
| exclusively by older women, | [28] |
| no polish, glaze, or paint applied, | [28] |
| rendered unnecessary by iron pots and earthenware, | [17] |
| Property, disposition of, at death, | [33] |
| Punishment— | |
| fine, flogging, and death only methods of, | [35] |
| for witchcraft or sorcery, | [36] |
| imprisonment as, unknown, | [35] |
| [R.] | |
| Religion— | |
| ancient inhabitants, | [56] |
| Catholic priests not permitted for many years, | [41] |
| Page | |
| Christianity a thin veneer, | [42] |
| four principal ceremonies, | [42] |
| human sacrifice by the ancient inhabitants, | [57] |
| Indian conception of, | [40] |
| native priests appointed, | [41] |
| Religious altars, draped and decorated, | [28] |
| Rum— | |
| made locally, | [34] |
| women usually drink privately, | [34] |
| [S.] | |
| Sandals, worn by ancient inhabitants, | [52] |
| Santa Cruz tribe— | |
| emigration of, | [13] |
| estimate of population, | [13] |
| measurements of, | [15] |
| physical description of, | [15] |
| policy of extermination of, by Mexican Government, | [13] |
| Smallpox— | |
| terrible scourge, | [37] |
| treatment for, often disastrous, | [37] |
| Snakes used as food, | [24] |
| Spinning— | |
| method of, | [29] |
| no longer practiced, | [17] |
| universal among ancient women, | [55] |
| Spirits, belief in, | [40] |
| Superstition, "Santa Cruz" oracle, | [41] |
| Surgery, practice of, | [37] |
| [T.] | |
| Teeth, filed and filled with plugs, | [51] |
| Tobacco— | |
| curing of, | [30] |
| vanilla leaves mixed with, to give flavor and fragrance, | [30] |
| Torch used in fishing, | [25] |
| Tortillas, preparation and cooking of, | [21] |
| Traps used in capturing game, | [24] |
| Turkey, use of, in Cha chac ceremony, | [45] |
| [V.] | |
| Villages— | |
| description of, | [32] |
| foreigners not permitted to reside in, | [32] |
| frequent changes of sites, | [27] |
| locations of, carefully concealed, | [32] |
| [W.] | |
| Weapons— | |
| defensive, of ancient inhabitants, | [53] |
| offensive, of ancient inhabitants, | [52] |
| Weaving— | |
| method of, | [29] |
| no longer practiced, | [17] |
| Women— | |
| dress of, | [19] |
| in gala costume present attractive appearance, | [16] |
| industrious workers, | [17] |
| jewelry and ornaments worn by, | [19] |
| obscene and disgusting language used by, | [16] |
| occupation of, | [17] |
| personal cleanliness of, | [16] |
| physically and mentally superior to men, | [16] |
| social characteristics of, | [16] |
| [Y.] | |
| Yucatan, geographical description of, | [14] |
| Yucatecan tribes, immigration into northern British Honduras, | [13] |
[1] Que los indios eran muy dissolutos en bever y emboracharse, de que les seguian muchos males, como matarse unos a otros, violar las camas ... y pegar fuego a sus casas.—Landa, Relación de las Cosas de Yucatan, chap. XXII, p. 122.
[2] In 1859 a mission was dispatched by the superintendent of British Honduras to the chiefs of the Santa Cruz, with the object of rescuing Spanish prisoners held by them. The following account is from "A narrative of a journey across the unexplored portion of British Honduras, with a sketch of the history and resources of the colony," by Henry Fowler, colonial secretary (Belize, 1879):
"That night as usual all the available Indians in Bacalar arrived in front of the home where the Santa Cruz is kept. The boy attendants or sentries on the idol, called angels, were in front of it and the drums and bugles sounded at recurring parts of the song. The chief was inside with the image and the angels. The subordinate chiefs and soldiers knelt outside, and did not rise until the service was over, when they crossed themselves and rubbed their foreheads in the dust. About 11 o'clock the Indians were heard running backward and forward, and an order was given to bring out the prisoners, who were placed in a line before the Santa Cruz, and a large body of soldiers were placed with them. They all knelt down in the road. There were about 40 female prisoners, with one arm tied to the side, and 12 or 14 men pinioned by both arms. All were calm, except the children, although it was known Santa Cruz was pronouncing their doom. A squeaking whistling noise was heard issuing from the oracle, and when it ceased it was known the Santa Cruz wanted a higher ransom from the prisoners. * * *
Some of the women and children were separated from the rest, amongst whom was a young Spanish girl well known in high circles. A procession was then formed and marched off to the east gate; first came a strong body of troops, then alternately in Indian file, a male prisoner and his executioner, who drove him on with his machete, holding him by a rope; next came the women, 35 in number, driven and held in a similar manner; then another body of soldiers closed the rear; the Englishmen were not allowed to follow. The procession halted under a clump of trees about 150 yards off. And soon the butchery commenced; shrieks were heard, but in 10 minutes all was over.