Maya a story of Yucatan

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THE MEETING OF MAYA AND SANDOVAL(See page 36)


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MAYAA STORY OF YUCATAN

BY

WM. DUDLEY FOULKEH

ILLUSTRATED

SECOND EDITION

G. P. PUTNAM S SONSNEW YORK AND LONDONCbe Knickerbocker press

1901


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MCOPYRIGHT, 1900

J!YWM. DUDLEY FOULKE

Set up and electrotyped, November, 1900.Reprinted, January, 1901.

TTbe -Rnfcfecrbocher pree, Hew Both


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tfotCONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGEI. THE CASTAWAYS . ... .. . 1

II. THE FUGITIVES . . IOIII. GUERRERO AND AGUILAR . -13IV. SANDOVAL . . . . .21V. THE SENOTE . . . . 21VI. THE WATER CARRIERS . . 32VII. THE FIRST ENCOUNTER . . -39VIII. MEDITATION . . . . -45IX. HISTORY . . . . .48x. MAYA S SCHEME . . . . 58XI. MAYA AND HER MAIDENS . . 63XII. DREAMS AND DEVICES -. . .69XIII. PREPARATIONS . . . . 76XIV. THE NEW-MADE GOD . . .82XV. THE WEDDING . . . .88XVI. AT THE CHAMBER IN THE TEMPLE . 95

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iv ContentsCHAPTER PAGH

XVII. THE EMBASSY . . . .104XVIII. REPROOF INSTRUCTION . . I 1}XIX. THE SPY I l6XX. REVENGE . . . .122XXI. RELEASE 127XXII. EXILE 1^4XXIII. AHCUNAL . . . .138XXIV. LEGENDS 145XXV. UXMAL . . . . .153XXVI. THE CHILD . . . .162XXVII. THE GODS DECREES . . . 1 66XXVIII. THE CROSS . . . . 174XXIX. THE INVADERS . . . . l8oXXX. CONSOLATION . . . .187XXXI. CANEK . . . 191XXXII. BEREAVEMENT . . . . 194XXXIII. THE SONG .... 2OOXXXIV. SUBMISSION .... 203XXXV. THE ORIOLE .... 207XXXVI. THE NUPTIALS . . . .211XXXVII. CONCLUSION . . . .215


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ILLUSTRATIONS

52

THE MEETING OF MAYA AND SANDOVALFrontispiece

UXMAL. THE NUNNERY. EAST FAgADE,WITH HOUSE OF THE DIVINER BEYOND .

UXMAL. THE NUNNERY. CORNICE ONSOUTH FAgADE ....UXMAL. THE NUNNERY. PART OF WESTFAgADE . . . . .158

UXMAL. HOUSE OF THE DOVES 174


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INTRODUCTORY

THE peninsula of Yucatan, projectingnorthward into the Gulf of Mexico,which it separates from the Caribbean Sea,is above all other regions of the earth a fitabode for the mysterious and the supernatural. The Spaniard who dwells amid moregenial surroundings will tell you that it isun pais muy tnste, "a very sad land."And this it is especially during the dry season, which begins with our winter and endsin May a season when the forests arestripped of their foliage and innumerabletrunks and branches, twisted and gnarled,wave their grotesque arms like hosts ofspectres. Upon the ground there is nohint of the green herbage of our more temperate climes, no river, brook, nor glistening of laughing water anywhere ; the rainwhich still falls occasionally near the beginning and end of the long drouth steams

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viii Introductoryup from the hot soil or is sucked throughcrannies of the limestone into pools fardown amid the dark recesses of theearth.

For great caverns lie below, profoundabysses into whose depths the inhabitantsof cities now in ruins used to betake themselves for water until their steps have worndeep pathways in the stone.

It is a low flat land, as monotonous asSahara with stunted hills and stunted trees

with a sun which hurls its rays upon theearth till all things hide, or slinks behind amass of clouds as sullen and sombre as theland with an air which stifles the throatthat breathes it at noonday, and brings theexhalations of miasma with the chill of night

with thickets impenetrable filled withnoisome insects and venomous reptiles, butwith no shade nor cheer. Apart from thetowns and straggling villages which areclustered near the coast, and excepting occasional haciendas, devoted mainly to theculture of hennequin (a variety of the century plant, used for the manufacture ofhemp), such to-day is the wild land uponwhich half a hundred ruined cities, many of

f them vast and beautiful, have already been


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Introductory ixdiscovered, while perhaps others are stillhidden in the wilderness.For explorations are still going on in theinterior, which is inhabited by wild tribesof Indians who lurk in its recesses andsometimes beset the path of the wayfareror wage a desultory war against the government. And yet the finely chiselled featuresand delicate limbs of this fierce race bearwitness that it is the offspring of a peoplefar different from that which dwells uponthe land to-day. Indeed, the civilised Indi-)ans and the Mestizos (descendants of the (same Maya stock, intermingled more or less iwith Spanish blood), who constitute thefarm labourers and the artisans of Yucatan,are a people kind, docile, courteous, hospitable, scrupulously clean and fairly industrious, honest and intelligent even after theirlong service as hewers of wood and draw-ers of water for their Castilian masters. ,.One cannot compare these Mestizos with /the mongrel inhabitants of other parts ofMexico without a feeling that the Maya an^cestor must have been _far ahead of his^Az^.feOieighbgurTn those things which go tothe makingjjp orcfiaracter]~~Perfiaps the "sadTTarTd" upon which the


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x IntroductoryMayas established their abodes was itselfone of the causes of their superiority. Itwas in barren Attica that Greek civilisationreached its highest development. It wasupon the shores of New England that ourown best institutions first took root. Inlike manner, it was upon the "Maayha"peninsula, the "land without water" (forthis is one of the interpretations of theword), that there were found the noblestillustrations of the culture of our Western continent before the corning of theEuropean,


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ACKNOWLEDGMENTSHPHE author acknowledges his obligations1 to the following works in preparing

the historical, legendary, and descriptiveportions of his book : Landa. Relaciones delas Cosasde Yucatan; CogoUudo, Conquistade la NueoaEspana; Irving, Voyages of theCompanions of Columbus ; Prescott Conquest of Mexico; John L Stephens, Incidents of Travel in Yucatan ; Hubert HoweBancroft, Notice Races and Mexico; DesireCharnay, Ancient Cities of the New World;Brasseur de Bourbourg, Nations Crrtfiseesdu Mexique; Daniel G. Brinton. MffrsoLthe New World and The MJVJ Chronicle;Wiffiam H. Holmes, THSwwwafe cf Yuca-tan; Justin Winsor, Narrative and CriticalHistory of America ; Eligio Ancona, His-toria de Yucatan ; Alice Le Plongeon, Hereand There in Yucatan,


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MAYA


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MAYACHAPTER I

THE CASTAWAYS

AT the beginning of the year 1512, whenour story opens, the white man hadnot yet set foot in Yucatan. But the greatislands of Fernandina (or Cuba) and His-paniola (which we call San Domingo) hadpassed into Spanish hands, and from theseislands expeditions had set out in variousdirections for the conquest of unknownlands. One of the most important wasthat which had established upon the isthmus of Panama the settlement of Darien.This expedition had fallen under the command of Balboa ; among his followers wasone Valdivia, who was afterwards sentback to Hispaniola to make report of thedoings of his chief, to procure provisions,


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2 Mayaand to convey to the royal treasury a considerable quantity of gold.

Off the coast of Jamaica, Valdivia wasovertaken by a hurricane, and his smallcaravel, a clumsy craft to battle with astorm, was soon dismantled. It filled withwater, lay for a time at the mercy of thewaves, and finally sank upon the shoalsknown as Caymanes, or the Alligators.

Valdivia and his crew, twenty in all, tookrefuge in an open boat. They had no sail,their oars had been broken by the storm,and they could make no headway againstwind and current. For thirteen days theydrifted helplessly. They were tortured bythe pangs of thirst, and one after anotherperished, until seven had been cast into thesea, where their bodies quickly became theprey of the sharks, whose long sharp finswere seen above the water gliding silentlyand smoothly close to the side of the boat.At last, on a day when hope was whollydead among the survivors, they came insight of land. With all the strength left intheir exhausted bodies they struggled toreach the shore, and finally landed on anarrow strip of beach. Just beyond was alow ledge of rock where thickets grew, and


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The Castaways 3at whose edge the palms curved outwardand then rose tall and stately toward thesky. Here the wanderers sank upon thewarm smooth sand in utter weariness.Suddenly from the thickets there dashed

forth a multitude of dark-skinned natives.Most of these had no other garment than along cotton cloth wound about the loins,but a few, who seemed of greater dignity,wore short sleeveless tunics embroidered inbright colours and extending to the knees.Their long matted hair was coiled roundtheir heads and decked with the plumage oftropical birds. Many carried bows andarrows or brandished spears with heads offlint ; a few had large two-handed swordsof hard wood with sharp flint edges.Some ran quickly toward the boat,dragged it across the beach, and broke it inpieces on the rocks at the edge of the forest ; others surrounded the forlorn wanderers, who, too weak to resist, wee easily

Their hands were^Boundwith strong cords, and they were led to anIndian village, where they passed througha multitude of women and children, andwere taken into an enclosure surroundedby high palisades. Within was a large


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4 Mayaoval cabin or lodge, built of round polesplaced close together, plastered and coveredby a steep thatched roof of palm leaves.Their^cords were, lonsed^nd their captorsbmught them water, honey, and cakes ofrnlafe^rtoeleT with" fish

were shelteTand refreshment,and the captives began to hope that theyhad fallen into kindly hands. But afterthey had eaten, they were bound again,and led into the lodge. Worn out by exposure and suffering, they lay, some uponhammocks which they found suspendedfrom the ridge-poles of the building, andsome upon beds made of cane networkset upon short posts and overspread withmats ; and before the night closed in, theycovered their dreadful memories and uncertain apprehensions with the mantle of 8deep, unbroken sleep.When they awoke, the village was astir.The gate of their enclosure had beenopened, and the people of the place hadgathered to gaze upon the strange beingsand wonder at their

light skins, theirbeards, and curious clothing. The Spaniards could not understand what was said,but from the gestures they thought the


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The Castaways 5natives seemed to remark how weak andthin they were, and when abundant foodwas offered them they took it as a proofof kindness and sympathy. They weresuffered to live in idleness and great reverence was paid them, yet they were freedfrom their fetters only while they wereeating. They could not understand thereason for this, but since their meal-timewas their only hour of liberty they naturallywished to prolong it. To this their guardsdid not object, but always waited patientlytill they were done. Eggs, game, rice,fruits, and a strange sort of wine, not verygood to taste, but quite intoxicating, wereadded to their diet. They ate heartily, andit was not long until they had grown strongand well again.One of their number, Jeronimo de Agui-lar, was a priest. Whenever his arms werereleased from their fetters he held up a smallcrucifix which hung from his neck, whilehis companions fell upon their knees inprayer, and on several occasions when thewine was offered them he endeavoured, inrude fashion, to celebrate the mass. Hiscaptors looked on with interest and curiosity,and upon a sign from him they followed


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6 Mayathe Spaniards in the outward postures andsigns of devotion, as if willing to join inadoration of the strange deity.

After the Spaniards had remained perhapstwo months in this captivity, they noticedone morning that a great crowd had gathered in the village. Multitudes arrayed inbright apparel had come from the countryround about, and in an open square in frontof their prison all was made ready for a greatfeast. The houses were bedecked withflowers, and the prisoners saw through thechinks of the palisades that there were manygarlands upon the sides and summit of a flat-topped pyramid on one side of the square.They had noticed that there was a broad,steep stairway on one side of this pyramid,and a stone cornice just below the levelsurface on top, and they wondered whatcould be the purpose of such a building. Ittowered high above the houses of the town,and seemed to have been made for distinction and show. There was a large stonenear the middle of the flat area at the summit, and another smaller one in front. Thisday they saw many Indians climbing thestairway and scattering flowers along theway.


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The Castaways 7Evidently some public ceremonial was at

hand. The captives also noticed that otherdignitaries had arrived ; a few of these woreupon their heads gold fillets with brightfeathers, and one carried in his hand a broadflint knife.The gates opened, Valdivia and four of

his companions, the largest and stoutest ofthe company, were selected and led forth,they knew not whither, through a silentand respectful multitude.An hour afterwards those who remainedsaw their companions dragged naked up thesteep steps of the pyramid. The image ofa god, grotesquely shaped in clay, was carried before them, and placed upon the largestone on top, and one after another eachof the captives was stretched on the smallerstone by four of the long-robed priests,while a fifth threw over his neck a woodenyoke, shaped like a snake, pressing it downto strangle him, and a sixth, more richlyarrayed than the rest, opened the breast ofthe victim with a knife, and tore out hisheart, which was held, still smoking andpalpitating, up to the sun, and then dashedin the face of the idol. After the sacrifice,the body of each of the slaughtered men


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8 Mayawas cast down the steep sides of the pyramid, and borne away by attendants whowere in waiting below.More horrible still was the scene that followed ; for the prisoners could see upontables in the open square, amid the venisonand wild fowl and bread and wine andhoney, a new, strange viand, more eagerlydevoured than any other by the brutal multitude that sat, crowned with garlands, atthe festival.

So this was to be the end of their captivity ! And when would it come to thosewho were still alive? How long wouldthe bloody festival continue? The survivors observed that the feast was followedby a drunken orgy in which all the mentook part, even their own guards, to whomwine and food had been given in abundance.They now saw their chance for escape.

Hitherto they had made no attempt of thesort, because a wandering life in the wilderness had seemed as much to be dreaded asthe evils of bondage. But now, with deathstaring them in the face, they must actand act quickly. Their keepers had falleninto a heavy sleep. One of the captives,Gonzalo Guerrero, a rough sailor, gnawed


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The Castaways 9asunder the cord which bound the hands ofAguilar, and the priest, thus freed from hisfetters, released his companions. Seizingthe weapons of their guards, the Spaniardswaited until nightfall had shrouded thevillage, then, tearing open the gate, theyrushed into the open square in front of it.Happily they

found amid the drunkenthrong none who were able to capture them,and they ran at full speed to the nearestthickets. Some women followed for a time,screaming and pelting them with stones,but the fugitives were soon lost in thedarkness. Later in the night the moon roseand by its aid they struggled on until theydeemed themselves safe from pursuit, whenthey took refuge in a small cavern hiddenin a thick grove and awaited the coming ofthe morning.


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CHAPTER IITHE FUGITIVES

GLAD though they were to escape theirpresent doom, when they reflectedupon their condition, they found it pitifulenough. What hope was there that theycould ever rejoin their countrymen ? Theysupposed that the region where they hadlanded was a vast island, in which, even ifthey should escape the doom of their companions, they

must remain prisoners forever.They had taken bows and arrows from theirkeepers and they could make others forthemselves. Birds of every kind wereabundant, turkey, quail, and pheasants aswell as larger game, wild hogs and deer,and they believed that they could alwaysfind food in the wilderness. Their chieffear was of the lack of water, for theynoticed that there were no streams in the

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The Fugitives 1 1forest, and although it was still the rainyseason, and there were occasional pools forpresent use, the fugitives were filled withdread as to what would happen whenthe dry season should begin. They determined therefore not to rest until theyhad found some lake or river which wouldassure them a constant supply.They resolved to travel by night, the

better to avoid discovery. In the daytimethey would hide in the forest, going forthonly in pursuit of food.Thus they wandered for many weeks, butfound no lake nor river. They made rudehammocks and they built each day out ofleaves and branches a shelter against sunand rain. They had a plentiful supply ofgame, but they suffered greatly on accountof the unwholesome climate. First one andthen another was seized with the fever soprevalent in the low-lands of the tropics,and the sickness of one often detained theothers for many days. They proceededwith great caution from the fear of meetingbands of natives or of coming suddenlyupon some Indian town, and for a longtime they eluded observation. One day,however, while two of their number were


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12 Mayalying ill, the others, who were hunting in theneighbourhood, were seen by an Indian whobrought the news back to his village. Thesame night the Spaniards were surrounded,and after a short struggle all were madeprisoners again.They were distributed as slaves amongthe chief men of the community, and in* many ways their fate seemed more cruel( than during their earlier captivity. They\were fed scantily and compelled to work at/the hardest and most degrading tasks.

They were cruelly beaten, their clothing and/ all that they had saved from the wreck\ were taken from them, even the crucifix of/ Aguilar, although the priest was allowed toj keep his breviary. They were threatened/ with death and torture whenever they

failed to do the bidding of their masters.They were pinioned each night by thewrists to strong stakes driven into theground. Little mercy^was shown themeven in sickness, and during the weary

followed." nfTe"~after anotharsuccumbed to fever and suffering until allbut three had perished.


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CHAPTER IIIGUERRERO AND AGUILAR

/^UERRERO and Aguilar, the two cap-Vj tives who had fallen to the lot ofAhkin Xooc, the chief, fared better thanthe rest. Their master died soon afterthey were taken, and they became theslaves of Taxmar, his successor.Once when an embassy set out to make

a league of friendship with Nachan Can,the neighbouring chief of Chatemal, Guerrero was sent as a gift, with copal, cacao,cotton cloth, and Indian damsels. Hesoon became useful to his new masterhe was dextrous in making tools andweapons, he was skilful with bow andarrow, and best of all he aided his chief bya well-laid plan of attack against a tribewhich was at war with Chatemal. Hismaster won the battle, wherein much booty

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14 Mayaand many prisoners were taken, and thegrateful Nachan Can now commandedGuerrero to be baptised according to theMaya rites, and to wed one of the chiefmaidens of the tribe a buxom damsel, notquite such a one as he might have chosenin his native town of Palos, but a girl strong,lithe, agile, and good-humoured by far themost palatable morsel among the maidensof her race.

Guerrero was thrown into great confusion by this command. His refusal wouldno doubt awaken the religious zeal of hisoffended master, and Nachan Can mightwell deem it his duty to devote his captiveto the gods with other prisoners who wereto be sacrificed at a coming festival.The old sailor had been a sad dog duringhis roving life, and was not ready to die.Still he had some qualms of conscience atturning]iis_bakupon the saints, the angels,^ th^YTrgTn, a rid!he Holy Trinity. Bui then,/ during the past/few months what had theN saints, the angels, the Virgin, and the HolyI Trinity done for him ? Why not seize thepresent opportunity for life and comfort ?

/ This baptism and wedding were mere/ forms, he could make what mental reser-

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Guerrero and Aguilar 15vjrtions he pleased, and if he should everge\ out 6f that wretched country, he wVildrepent with all his heaVt and God woyldsurely forgiVe him. If npt, he would haveat lea\t a few years of grace before per-ditionA^ nSuch were the sophistries of his unlettered mind. Life is sweet even in Yucatan.So he went through the baptismal ceremony with his secret reservations, he tookto himself the dusky princess and he became a great man of the tribe.

But a downward step is not easily retaken. He had indeed professed the faith ofthe Mayas, but he had not yet given thoseunalterable proofs of his sincerity whichpublic opinion demanded. He must be ta-tooed ! He must wear in ears and lipsand nostrils the badges of his exalted rank !

So at last he underwent that painful process which would sever all hope of restoration to his kindred. His cheeks weredecorated with the symbols of the strangereligion the sun, mystically portrayed inyellow and Kukulcan, the "serpent bedecked with feathers" worshipping. Heavygold rings adorned his features. At last hehad become beautiful and godlike !


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1 6 MayaHe lived many years ; children were

born to him who inherited their father stalents and their mother s piety for still itwas observed that the father lacked zealwhen he took part in the elaborate ceremonials and bloody rites of the people ofChatemal.Some years afterwards, when Cortes

(whose ships lay off the coast of Yucatanbefore his descent into Mexico) sent by asecret messenger a letter offering ransomfor the Spanish captives, the old sailor hadmany pangs of regret, yet his lot had nowbeen cast irrevocably with the tribe. Hecould not go home again without becomingan object of derision. Moreover, his wifeand children with many tears besought himnot to leave them, so he remained, andwhen at last he died, as we shall relatehereafter, let us hope that trie good Lord,accetjngj^s finaj^rjenitence, allowed himto atone by a short stay ifTpttrgatory for alife of heresy born of such dire necessity.The career of Aguilar, who had remainedwith Taxmar, was much more edifying.The poor priest, bereft even of his crucifix,was in sore straits, but had not his belovedMother Church told him that after all it was


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Guerrero and Aguilar 17the heart and not the symbol which wasthe important matter for salvation ? Eachmorning he might be seen upon his kneesin prayer adoring an invisible deity, andwhen they threw him upon his face beforetheir gods, he always cast his eyes abovethe horrible idols and seemed to look forsuccour to the skies.Taxmar, however, was a man of sense ;

he worshipped the gods for what they couldgive him, nothing more, and seeing thatoftentimes his sacrifices to Acanum broughthim no game, and his offerings to Chaacbrought him no crops, he had been filledwith doubt as to the power of these deitiesto bring game, crops, and other essentialsto happiness. Sometimes the gods wouldhelp him, but again they brought sorrowupon his people, so Taxmar began to lookupon the strange faith of his captive witha skeptic s tolerance. Perhaps the Christian s God was as good as his own ; whythen should he not suffer his slave to indulge in this harmless worship ?

Aguilar, like Guerrero, turned out to be auseful man. He served his chief withmeekness and zeal. He was brave in battle and wise in council. The high-priest


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1 8 Mayaof the tribe indeed had besought Taxmar tooffer the stranger to the gods, and make anend of his silly superstitions, but Aguilarcraftily said to hjs master :

"Thou canst dowrfh me as thou wilt,butthou art far too wiseto~3esTroy ofTe"whois wholly devoted to thee."So the cacique refused to part with him,

preferring the certain services of his captiveto the whimsical favours of uncertaindeities. There are men who are like thisto-day.Then the high-priest talked of treacheryand told the chief that the virtue of Aguilarwas a pretence. There was one thingthat neither of them could understand.The Spaniard had always kept aloof fromwomen. Surely this must be deceit ! Soa scheme was devised to test him. Tax-mar sent the captive with a beautiful youngslave girl to fish in the early morning ina distant lake. They were to spend thenight upon its borders, and the girl hadstrict orders to beset the poor priest withthe same temptation which the Devil onceprepared for good St. Anthony. The nightwas cold, but Aguilar kindled a fire andslept alone upon the beach some distance


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Guerrero and Aguilar 19from the single hammock in which he hadwrapped the maiden in warm skins. Ontheir return she told to wondering ears thestory of his strange behaviour, and so greatbecame the confidence of the chief, thatwhen Taxmar went to war he intrustedthe priest with the management of hishousehold his wife, his slaves, and hischildren.

Years passed and a messenger arrivedwith Cortes letter wound in the tressesof his hair. The heart of the poor exileleaped for joy, and he besought his masterto accept the proffered ransom and let himgo. He prevailed, and setting out with themessenger, he reached the spot whitherCortes had sent Ordaz, his lieutenant, withthree small vessels to wait for the wanderers. Ordaz had already departed, but Cortes was still at the island of Cozumel, a fewleagues from the coast. Aguilar hired acanoe with six oarsmen and they landednear the ships of the great captain. Herethey were seized and brought before thecommander. The poor priest, in aboriginal nakedness, with long hair and skin asbrown as that of his companions, wastaken for an Indian like the rest. He threw


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20 Mayahimself upon the ground, and in brokenCastilian (for he had almost forgotten hisnative tongue) he besought the protectionof his countryman. Cortes welcomed him,gave him new garments, inquired with tenderness after his companions, and thencarried the exile with him upon his campaign for the conquest of the Aztec kingdom.*

* Amid many conflicting accounts of the reception ofAguilar by Cortes, I have chosen that of Bernal Diaz, whowas present. Aguilar afterwards became " regidor " ofthe City of Mexico.


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CHAPTER IVSANDOVAL

THE Spanish chronicles speak of Guerrero and Aguilar as the only survivorsof the castaways in Yucatan. But there wasanother Pedro de Sandoval, a distant relative of that companion of Cortes whosename has become famous in the history ofthe Conquest of Mexico. Sandoval wasone of those who had been captured by thetribe of Ahkin Xooc, and in the distributionof the captives he had fallen to the portionof the Indian who had first discovered theSpaniards. His fate was harder than thatof those who had been allotted to the chief,for he was put to the most menial tasks andwas

scantilyfed and poorly housed. Butduring his captivity of nearly two years he

acquired a thorough knowledge of the language of the country. At last he fell ill of

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22 Mayaa fever, and so miserable was his conditionthat when one morning he was no longerseen, it was said that, like the others whohad perished from disease and hardship, hetoo was dead, and the mound was shownunder which he had been buried.The fact was, however, that Sandoval,

seeing his comrades perishing around him,had resolved to take his chances in the forestrather than bear longer a hopeless captivity. An opportunity occurred one night,when his wrists had been insecurely fastened and the Indians about him wereasleep. He stole forth from the village unobserved, taking nothing with him that hehad not brought into the world, yet eventhus, happy in his liberty.The joy of youth had come to him withreturning health (for the fever had passedaway), and a free life, even with the deerand wild-cat, seemed better than thebondage from which he had fled.Making himself a primitive bow from the

saplings and tendrils of the forest, and fashioning rude arrows from the straight twigsand sharp stones in his path, he was able,with nuts and wild fruits and abundantgame, to provide for the necessities of


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Sandoval 23nature. There were many dangers in sucha life, but what was danger by the side ofslavish misery ? He wandered aimlesslyfrom day to day, avoiding all pathways andall signs of human habitation. If he couldhave had a comrade in his wild life he wouldhave been content !One

peril, however, greater than allothers, more deadly than jaguar or reptilenow beset him the lack of water. At thetime of his escape the rainy season was justover. The pools which he encountered inthe forests became rarer and shallower, andat last they were wholly dry.He wandered for days and found not adrop to quench his intolerable thirst. Hekilled a deer, and with mad eagernessdrank its blood, leaving its flesh untasted.He tried to follow the tracks of the wildbeasts on their way to water, but theycrossed each other everywhere, and hewould thread for hours a tangled labyrinthonly to lose it in the end ; for he wasunskilled in tracing foot-prints in the wilderness.

At last, on one broiling day, while struggling, faint from thirst, through the denseundergrowth, he saw, a little way ahead of


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24 Mayahim, what seemed a small opening in thewoods. On reaching it, he found a greate, perhaps a hundred feet across andnearly circular in shape, which proved tobe the mouth of a huge cavern, still largerin dimensions, that yawned beneath him.He leaned over the edge, and far below hesaw plainly by the light of the vertical sunstreaming into the abyss, a pool of clear,light-green water, in which fish were darting to and fro.

That sight was more maddening to himthan the cup _of_ Tantalus. His parchedtongue Was hariging^from his mouth, hiseyes were bursting from their sockets, hisbrain was whirling in flame, and yet therewas a cool refuge from the heat shelter,water, restoration sparkling a hundred feetbelow him, seemingly as inaccessible as thewells of his native city across the sea ; foras he skirted the margin of the opening, hefound that it was simply the top of an irregular dome, impossible to scale or todescend. On one side, indeed, vines,bespangled with bright tropical flowerscrept over the mouth of the cavern andhung in matted masses down from theedge, but below their extreme reach the


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Sandoval 25gap was so great that he could not leapinto the shining water, and if he did, howcould he ever climb again those archingwalls of rock ? A living death would bethe price of his short-lived enjoyment.

But his great need lent wings to his invention. The sight of the tendrils thathung from the opening gave him thethought that he might find others inthe neighbourhood with which to reachthe pool below. He saw many vines encircling the trees around him, but nonelong enough for his purpose. He began,however, to disentangle them, hoping thatby connecting three or four, he might construct a natural rope for his descent. Aftersome hours he had spliced several of thesevines together in such a way that it seemedpossible to reach the bottom. Windingone of them around the trunk of a treethat stood near, and throwing the othersover the edge of the orifice, he saw thelower end of his rope trailing in the waterbelow and frightening away the fishesthat were swimming where it fell. But hehad not been able to join the vines securely by the thin withes he had gathered forthat purpose, and there was great danger


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26 Mayathat the rope might break somewhere Inhis descent, or that its sections might fallapart after he had reached the bottom.Still his need was so great that he resolvedto make the trial.Swinging himself from the margin, he

climbed down, hand over hand, and in afew minutes he felt the cool water abouthis ankles. Thereupon he let go his frailladder and plunged into the pool.What joy to swim in its liquid depths,to drink his fill from the clear waters, tolie in calm repose upon the broad ledge ofrock around its border ! He had no doubt,if his rope would but hold together, thathe could climb again to the mouth of thecave. The vines were twisted and gnarledand would furnish in many places an excellent foothold where he could rest in hisascent.

So, wearied with his long efforts, hemade a rough bed of some grass and weedsthat grew on a scanty patch of earth closeto the edge of the water, and fell into along, deep slumber.


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CHAPTER VTHE SENOTE

&

WHEN he awoke, it seemed as if evening were coming on, but he noticed that the shadows lay in the oppositedirection from that toward which they hadbeen creeping when he lay down besidethe pool. It was plain then that he hadoutslept the night. He began now atleisure to inspect his surroundings. Thedome above him was irregular and somewhat oblong. The bottom of the cavewas perhaps two hundred yards long andmore than half as wide, the pool in themiddle occupying scarcely as much space asthe shelving rocks around it. It was, however, of great depth, and although no streamcould be seen flowing into it or out of it,there seemed to be a slight current comingfrom some source still deeper in the entrails

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28 Mayaof the earth. The water was very clear, andits faint green colour was evidently due,not merely to the way in which the lightthrough the opening above was reflectedby the limestone walls, but also to somepeculiar qualities of its own. The mattedvines, sparkling with wild flowers, hungin rich festoons down from the orifice. Afew palms and cacti leaned over the edge,and above these there were light cloudschasing each other swiftly across the deepblue of the sky. The rope by which hehad descended was still dangling abovethe pool, swayed this way and that by alight breeze which seemed, he thought, toblow from one side of the cavern towardthe opening above, for the leaves of thevines would sometimes curl upward as ifpressed from below.

After another deep draught from thewaters of the pool and another plunge intoits cool depths, Sandoval prepared to ascend,for a sharp morning appetite, which therewas no means of satisfying in the cavern,had followed his long slumber. But whenhe examined more narrowly his rope ofvines, he made a dreadful discovery. Theconstant swaying had gradually uncoiled


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The Senote 29and loosened the fastening of the nearestlink of his precious chain, and it seemedas though the lowest section of the ropewas soon to fall. Perhaps it would stillbear his weight. He must act quickly ifat all. Seizing the vine as it swung nearthe edge of the water, he began to climbwith great activity, but before he reachedthe critical fastening, his worst fears wererealised. The sections parted and he fell,sinking deep into the pool below.

Struggling to the surface, he sat down onthe bank breathless and despairing, a preyto the gloomiest forebodings. His fateseemed even more terrible now than whenhe had stood in expectation of sacrifice, forthen at least the last pang would soon havebeen over and there would have been companionship in suffering. But thus to diealone, to undergo the prolonged agony ofstarvation the thought of it stifled andchoked him. Perhaps he could fashionfrom the contents of the cavern some implement to catch those beautiful creatureswhich swam and sported in the lusty joyof life before his eyes. But where was thenet, the hook, the bait wherewith to makethem his prey ? He walked again and


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30 Mayaagain around his prison searching every-where, but there was no succour.Then another hope toyed with his suffer

ings. Whence came that soft wind whichblew toward the entrance of his prisonhouse ? There must be some other way tothe outside world. He tracked the sourceof the breeze to a long cleft in the rockson one side of the cave. But the cleft wasnot wider than the breadth of a handthere was no egress there.

Suddenly he noticed on the ground acurving track, where the rock seemedsmoother than elsewhere, as if it had beenworn into a path, perhaps by men, perhaps by wild beasts upon their way towater. Here then was the hope of rescue.Let him follow the track and he might discover the door of his prison. He foundindeed that the pathway led behind a rockso much like the walls of the cavern thatthe opening could not be seen until he wasbut a few steps away.Without knowing what was before him,he plunged into the darkness. Emergingfrom a narrow passage, he walked upon astill narrower ledge at the side of a deepchasm. On his left was a jagged wall and


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The Senote 3 1on his right he could hear the gurgling ofwater far below him. Anywhere upon theway a panther might meet him, or somehuman being more pitiless than the beastsof the forest. Yet what were such dangers by the side of the terrible fate fromwhich he fled ?He made his way cautiously, yet swiftly,

feeling with his feet for the smooth path inthe rock which was always distinguishablefrom the rougher surface on either side.He had not gone far, however, when heseemed to hear the confused sound ofvoices, and then there appeared in the distance the glimmer of a flickering light. Involuntarily he turned back and in a fewmoments had again reached the opencavern.

Here he began to look hurriedly for someplace of concealment ; there was none saveat the farther end close to the limestonewall ; there a little promontory of rocksome two feet high projected into the pooland offered shelter. The water was quitedeep at that point, and if he kept his bodysubmerged the small jutting ledge wouldhide his face. He betook himself at onceto this place of refuge and there waited.


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CHAPTER VITHE WATER CARRIERS

THE confused murmur of voices washeard again ; then it broke forth intoa low song.

But music, which everywhere else uponGod s footstool brings comfort and delightto him who hears it, was laden with sternforebodings to the castaway. For musicwas the prelude to those horrible religiousrites in which his own part was the doomof sacrifice. It seemed to him, however,that these voices were softer than the harshtones of the priests at the dreadful orgieshe once had witnessed, and peering througha crack in the limestone, he saw, enteringthe cavern at the opposite side, ajjle^of-4n-4Jan maidens, each with a water jar uponher shoulder all but one, for the damselwho led them, more richly apparelled thanthe rest, was free from any burden.

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The Water Carriers 33The others were arrayed in the clothingcommon to the unmarried women of the

higher classes short white skirts embroidered at the lower edge, and loosesleeveless tunics covering the waist. Theirheavy black hair was combed in tresses ; apart of it was wound around their headsand decorated with flowers and smallbright feathers, while another part hung inlong braids down their backs. They carried their jars to the pool, they splashedtheir feet in the clear water, they filled thevessels and set them close to the margin ;then they sat down upon the flat rock totalk. They had also brought with themfruit and cakes of corn which they distributed and began to eat.

It was clear now that this pool was oneof the "senptes " which furnished to somecity in the neighbourhood a part at least ofits supply of drinking water, and that thesegirls had come to perform their morningtask of fetching the water to their homes.They all talked at once and so confusedwas the chatter that Sandoval could under

stand but little of what they said. But henoticed that they addressed their remarkschiefly to the tallest of their number, the


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34 Mayamaiden who had first entered the cavern,and that there was something said abouta coming marriage festival. There wasmuch laughter in their girlish prattle, buthe observed that the maiden to whom theytalked listened gravely and spoke but little.They had not finished their repast when

one of them produced from the folds ofher dress a trinket, a grotesque figurecuriously moulded in clay, which sheshowed to the tall damsel who sat in theirmidst. Another maiden, sitting near, triedto seize the trinket, and the first sprangquickly to her feet and shot off like anarrow, pursued by her companion, whilethe rest watched them with much laughterand many exclamations.They flew around the margin of the pooland were coming dangerously near the

place where Sandoval was hidden. Thesecond girl rapidly overtook the fugitive,who at last plunged into the water to saveher treasure. From this point she perceived, just in front of her, the beardedface of the stranger.

"A god! Some dreadful god!" shescreamed, and recoiling in terror, sheclimbed back to the rocks, and ran head-


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The Water Carriers 35long to the entrance of the cave ; thenseizing one of the lighted fagots left therewhen the maidens entered the archedchamber, she vanished. The others wereclose upon her heels, and soon the greatdome was empty. All had disappeared.No, not all Sandoval perceived that onehad remained ; the tall maiden, the mis

tress of the band, had risen to her feet andwas looking quietly and gravely towardthe corner of the cavern from which hadcome the startling apparition.To thee, O reader, who hast been trainedin the worship of a God of love, the cryof terror at the sight of a deity may seemstrange and unnatural. But many of theMaya gods were of a sterner race ; theywere solemn avengers pitiless tyrants ;they thirsted for man s blood they werehungry for human flesh ; they inflictedall the sufferings of earth they presidedover the torments of hell. To confronttheir superhuman power needed morecourage than to meet the foe in battle.

Yet the Maya girl was undaunted. Whyshould she fear the gods ? She had notharmed them. She had laid constantlyupon their altars her offerings of fruits and


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36 Mayaflowers. Nay, why should she fear anything ? For she was the daughter of theking. So she waited until the strange godshould appear.Concealment was no longer possible.Sandoval came out from his hiding-place.He swam across the pool, and emergedpartially from the water in front of themaiden, holding out his hand in supplication.

"Come forth," she said, and he roseand stood before her.

Reader, I blush to tell thee how he looked.For he was quite devoid of those ornamentswith which young men are wont to bedeckthemselves when they first appear beforeladies of beauty and rank. He had naturallymade no preparation for this unexpectedmeeting. He had not even a girdle of leaves,and he could not, like Ulysses, snatch abough from some tree near by ere he shouldsupplicate his Nausicaa, for there was notree at hand. He could show his modestyby nothing but a blush, and to the creditof his Christian breeding be it said, thatamong the mingled emotions that possessedhim, shame was uppermost, and he blushedto the roots of his hair.


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The Water Carriers 37His unclad condition was not, however,

in the maiden s thought. To those wholive where, with the men at least, clothingis rather an ornament than a necessity, itis not to be expected that its absence shouldcall for special observation.

But he who stood before her was indeeda strange being, such as she had never seen.His fair hair, waving above a broad forehead, his ruddy face, his light skin, brownedindeed by exposure to the sun, but quiteunlike that of her own people, and strangestof all his full curling beard and his blue eyes

all these things made him appear to heras no mere man, but as a being of quiteanother kind. Perhaps the blush whichoverspread his countenance was a markof his anger that she had dared thus toconfront a deity.

But if he was a god, where was theplumage which the gods always wore ?What was the meaning of the unhealedwounds, of marks that looked like thescars of a lash, why the traces of thethorns and insects which had tormentedhim ? Could the gods be thus defiled ?A bow he had indeed this he had keptconstantly slung over his shoulder with a


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38 Mayafew arrows, for it was his one means ofprocuring food during his sojourn in thewilderness but such a bow ! It wasmerely a rough sapling fastened by longtendrils. Her own maidens could makea better one. Would a god hunt with suchan implement ?


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CHAPTER VIITHE FIRST ENCOUNTER

WHILE the heart of the girl was filledwith wonder at the form and faceof him who stood before her, the eyes ofthe wanderer rested upon a vision whichwas never to pass away from the recollections of his life. Her long black tresseswere bound around a shapely head andcombed over a brow, not broad indeed,but high and thoughtful. Of her face allthat he saw were two great luminous eyes,"dark as the night, yet shining like thestars," which gazed on him with calm,unconscious fearlessness. She was tall indeed when gauged by the standard of herpeople, yet only of middle stature if measured by our own. Her complexion, thoughdarker than that of the Caucasian, wasvery light when compared with the

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40 Mayaswarthy colour of the men of her race.Her form was slender, of perfect graceand symmetry, and in the loose garmentswhich hung about her in full folds shewould have been no unworthy model fora sculptor s chisel. Her skirt, foldedaround her waist, fell to her ankles. Atthe lower edge it was delicately embroidered in small geometric forms, while ashort tunic, falling to her knees, was decorated in the same manner, both around thebottom and about her neck and arms,which were left bare. Over her shoulders hung a mantle of many colours,which served as a light shawl in the daytime and as a covering while she slept atnight. There were bracelets of gold uponher wrists and ankles, and around herthroat a necklace studded with opals, whosechanging hues glowed like the clouds ofsunset. Sandals of deerskin wrought withiridescent feather-work covered her tinyfeet.

Sandoval did not of course examine thesedetails with critical eye ; he only saw the richbeauty of the girl and of her garments andher stately presence, for she stood before him, one foot slightly advanced, not


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The First Encounter 41haughty but erect, looking in her virginmajesty the queen she was, but still aqueen unconscious of her royalty.Meanwhile she gazed upon the wanderer, not quite able to guess from hisstrange appearance whether he were god.,man, or devil. In her doubt she chose theplainest and directest way to knowledge,

she asked him." Art thou the god of this senote or of

the stream that feeds it ? Who art thou ?"The answer came in choking accents, so

broken that she could hardly understandthem :

" No god only a man poor, hungry,with no friends a stranger. Pity me ! "And he sank upon his knees, and picking from the ground a morsel of earth, hebrought it to his heart in token of submission, after the manner of the men of herown race.Then a change came slowly over her

countenance. The look of dignity withwhich she had dared to meet even thefrown of a deity was gone, and in itsplace a smile of compassion stole overher features.

Bending, she raised our hero from the


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42 Mayaground, led him to a low ledge of rockand bade him sit, while (since real pity isalways practical) she gathered the remnants of the breakfast which had beenleft by her companions in their flight andset them on the rock beside him. Andshe did all this (strange conquest of apassion that wells unquenchably in woman s breast) without asking him a singlequestion ! But when he had eaten the/ repast she sat beside him, and lookingS full into his face (for she was unlike the

\ maidens of her race who cast their eyesI upon the ground when they address agranger), she asked :

" Of what country art thou ? Why hastthou come to a land where thou hast nofriends ? What has befallen thee ? "

/ "My country," he answered, "is far( across the sea where the sun rises. I cameI with many comrades in a boat with wings\ borne by the wind. For three moons we\ journeyed, till we reached an island wherethere are towns built by my people. Herewe tarried for a time, and then set forthagain sailing toward the noonday over thebright waters, until we came to a new landwhere there was much toil and suffering.


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The First Encounter 43At last our chief sent me with others backto the island to bring him succour, but onthe way a cruel storm drove us upon yourshores. Five of my companions were sacrificed, the rest fled. We were seizedagain and held in hard captivity. Othersperished, but I escaped and wanderedthrough the forest. Thirsting unto death, Iclimbed down to this cave. There are thebroken vines by which I reached it. Thouknowest the rest ; behold me here, thyslave." And he sank to the ground andkissed the hem of her garment.

"I will help thee," she said in a quietvoice. "Come with me."And taking his hand she led him forth

through the narrow entrance. The torcheshad been carried off by the maidens in theirflight so the two groped their way togetherthrough the darkness. She knew the path,but they crept cautiously, for there weresharp precipices and deep gulfs and rockysteps, and at one place they crossed a bridgeof logs over a narrow gorge. At last afaint line of light greeted their eyes andthey came forth into a broad chamber witha low doorway leading to the upper world.At the side of this entrance there was a


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44 Mayadeep recess where one might well be hiddenfrom observation.

"Rest here," she said, and taking themantle from her shoulders she wrapped itaround him ; then adding, "I will sooncome back to thee," she disappearedthrough the thick palmettos and lofty cactiwhich bordered the winding path outsidethe entrance of the cave.


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CHAPTER VIIIMEDITATION

THE grove through which she returnedto the king s palace lay in a valleybetween two low ranges of hills. Therainy season was just over and the foliagewas still green ; above the dense growthof copse and thicket arose multitudes ofgraceful palms ; the majestic ceiba, withits huge trunk covered with bark like anelephant s skin, spread its innumerablebranches high and wide, while great numbers of air-plants, countless wild flowers, alabyrinth of interlacing vines, great cactiof many varieties and vast dimensionssome taller than the trees themselvesadded to the confusion and oppressiveluxuriance of the jungle.The princess walked slowly along thewinding path, deeply absorbed in thought.She had promised to succour the stranger

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46 Mayaand this she would do at whatever sacrifice.But how ? She might keep him for a timein the depths of the senote, but he couldnot stay there forever. If she went to himalone her absence would be noted and mustbe explained. Besides, how could theking s daughter bear.food to him with herown hands ? And what servant or companion could she trust with her secret ?But if he came forth from the cavern andthe men of the city should find him, his fatewould be certain death ; for the king, herfather, was diligent and punctual in fulfillinghis obligations to the gods. She shudderedwith fear at the thought of such a doom.What then was there in this poor wanderer that should fill her heart with painfulapprehensions ? What was it that broughtto her mind as never before the horrors ofhuman sacrifice, with the blue eyes of onevictim looking helplessly to her for succour?What magic was it which poured into anear that had never hearkened to suggestionsof craft or cunning, the poisoned counsel tosave him even by deceit ? Nay, she did notharbour a doubt whether the end wouldjustify the means, but forthwith devised amost Jesuitical plan for his salvation.


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Meditation 47The fact that the stranger had been taken

for a god gave her the clew. She wouldkeep him in the cave till he was sound andstrong, bringing to him all he might needin order to come before her people in thelikeness of a god. Then he should seekher hand in marriage, and she would be thebride of the new deity. After that whatharm could befall him ?

Yet what of Canek, the lord of Peten-Itza ? What of that powerful alliance between the tribes her father s cherishedhope ? She put the thought from her, yetit returned with steady persistence.


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CHAPTER IXHISTORY

WE must now go back a little in ourstory to the early life of the princessand the history of her people.The traditions of Yucatan tell us of vari

ous migrations into the peninsula. Thefirst of these Genial or " the little descent "they called it was from the east across thewater, perhaps from Cuba or some neighbouring island, and the legend is that as thepeople came, their god opened for themtwelve pathways through the sea. A longtime afterwards there followed another migration from the south-west ; Nohenial,

the great descent," it was called.The first hero-king wasZamna, the civil-iser, high-priest, and lawgiver, who broughtin the hieratic writing and taught the peoplethe art of medicine. Like Adam he gave

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\

History 49names to the things around him not indeed to beasts and birds, but to the bays,the straits, the capes, the senotes, and thetowns. He was the leader of the Itzas andhe laid the foundations of Itzamal, whereeven to-day his colossal face may be seenmoulded in stucco at the side of a loftypyramid. He also established the city ofChichen-Itza. The religion he taught wassimple an_d^ gracious. The sun and starswere objects of adoration and human sacrifices were unknown. _After he died hewas worshipped as a deitv like great meneverywhere among rude peoples.Long afterwards there came from thewest another hero, Kukulcan, " the feathered serpent." He came bare-headed withnineteen bearded followers, and led a life ofmarvellous purity. First he ruled overChichen-Itza till the nobles called him tothe throne of the kingdom and invitedhim to Mayapan,* "the Maya Banner,"which now became the capital of the land.Kukulcan moved thither and reigned prosperously for ten years, at the end of which

* A city so called from the national standard of richlywrought feather-work which was kept there, the city thusbecoming the rallying point of the entire confederacy.


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5O Mayahe gave up the crown and taking the roadto the coast, followed by a few disciples,he embarked and nothing more wjas everheard of him. Then he too took his placeamong the gods.

These were the heroic days of the race,so far back among the mists of time thatno man can say how much of the legend ishistoric and how much is mythological.The people chose his successor from thefamily of the Cocomes, great lords of Yucatan, who thus established an illustriousdynasty.*A native document, thought to be reliable, tells us that in one of the earliercenturies of the Christian era there wasstill another migration from the south, ledby the Tutul Xius, a race of warlike kingswho, after many wanderings, establishedtheir capital not far from Mayapan and* The seven sovereigns who successively reigned after

him continued to give the country an excellent government, and tradition tells of the blessings which theyconferred upon their subjects and the monuments whichthey built the fountains, reservoirs, baths, roads,palaces, temples, schools, hospitals for the old and infirm, retreats for widows and orphans, halting placesfor travellers such were the titles of the Cocomes topublic gratitude.


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History 51near the southern slope of a low sierra,that stretched across the peninsula fromeast to west. This city they called Uxmal,and they embellished it with stately palacesand temples.

For a long time there was a triple confederacy among the lords of Mayapan,Uxmal, and Chichen-Itza, in which theleadership was accorded to Mayapan. Butat last the Cocome kings became proudand oppressive*; serious dissensions arose

* First of the tyrants was Ahtubtun, " spitter ofprecious stones," who wrung harsh tribute from thepeople and squandered it in luxuries and in gifts tofavourites. Then followed Aban, who added to hisname the august title of Kinehahau, " Child of theSun." Aban moved with his court to Kimpech (nowCampeche) upon the seaboard, and put himself in communication with the princes of Xicalanca, in Mexico,asking them to furnish him with armed troops, so thathe could silence the murmurs of his people. They madehaste to serve the Ahtepal (or king) by sending himseveral " Xiquipils " or legions, each of eight thousandmen, well armed and disciplined. These men belongedto the Nahuatl race, who were accustomed to humansacrifices, and their abominable rites soon spreadthrough the peninsula.The 1 iii[^ nnjjnjli illuHinj THfrklMCJu^ rajik and

puTuslied^triers by reducing them to slavery/~~This wasthe first time that a Maya prince had dared to strike atthe liberty of his subjects, who had never known slavery


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52 Mayawithin the capital, and the lords of Uxmalnow saw that the moment had come tobefore, and who considered it more dreadful than death.The people lost their affection for the Cocomes andturned their eyes upon the neighbouring Tutul Xius.These princes had always been mindful of the welfareof their subjects, and they now won the love of thepeople of Mayapan, for when Aban, with his foreigntroops, had begun to reduce his vassals to slavery, thekings of Chichen and Uxmal remonstrated and preventedthe Ahtepal from pursuing upon their own domains theMayas who had there sought a refuge against histyranny.

At last Aban died, but the complaints were renewedagainst his successor, Hunac Ceel, who fell into thesame excesses. He brought in new troops from Xica-lanca ; he punished with rigour all whom he suspectedof complaining, and he gave his subjects no other choicethan revolt or abject servitude.He convoked an assembly of the higher vassals of thecrown, and obtained from this tribunal a decree for thedeposition of the lord of Chichen-Itza,

a thing unheardof up to that time.

Ulmil, the successor of the deposed prince, resolvedupon vengeance, and Hunac Ceel at last gave him hisopportunity. He loaded his subjects with new taxes;the foreign soldiers became the masters of the country;the Maya lords were excluded from all places and thoughtthemselves happy if they did not fall victims to the plotsof the tyrant. At last they sought the aid of the kingsof Chichen-Itza and Uxmal, imploring deliverance, andthe dynasty of the Cocomes was overthrown.


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History 53seize the sceptre of the kingdom. After abloody battle Mayapan was taken, the kingand the royal household were put to death,and a Tutul Xiu was, by the choice of thenobility, confirmed in the title of suprememonarch.*During a long period which followed, he

and his successors dwelt in Uxmal in morethan regal state. But after an era of prosperity, a usurper, Ahcunal, obtained pos-

* The monarch of Uxmal now devoted himself to uprooting the abuses of the last Cocomes ; he restored theexiles to their homes ; he set free the greater part ofthose who had been reduced to bondage ; he attemptedto abolish slavery altogether, but it had taken such rootin the land that his efforts were ineffectual ; he protectedthe foreign mercenaries who had escaped the massacre ofMayapan, and assigned to them a province south of themountains of Mani. These generous acts strengthenedthe throne of Uxmal.

But among the children of the last of the Cocomesthere was one who by his absence from the city hadescaped the massacre. The new king (" The Face ofFire " as he was called) was too magnanimous to visitupon this prince the crimes of his ancestors. He notonly suffered him to live, he also gave him as an appanage the province

of Zotuta. But in thus perpetuatingthe family of the Cocomes, the Tutul Xius nourished inthe heart of their kingdom the hatred of a fallen race,and the lords of Zotuta afterwards became the mortalenemies of the dynasty.


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54 Mayasession of the throne. Great disordersfollowed, and when he was overthrownand the Tutul Xius were again restored topower, the people of the city determinedto abandon their own capital and to betakethemselves to Mayapan. They accordinglymigrated thither, and the monarchs reignedfor a time in great splendour at the ancientcapital.

But it was not long until various factionsagain began to contend furiously with oneanother. Ah Xiu, the reigning sovereign(grandfather of the king who dwelt inMani at the time of our story), became thevictim of a plot among his vassal lords.He was driven from Mayapan and pursuedfrom one province to another; the rebelchiefs gave to the flames the great citywhich had been the centre of his dominionand the scene of their own vassalage, andthe kingdom was divided into little principalities whose mutual hates and jealousiesaccomplished the ruin of the Maya race.The downfall of the kingdom took placeabout the middle of the fifteenth century.It was followed by a series of disasters. Onewinter night there was a terrible hurricanewhich swept away the forests and fHe


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History 55crops and killed great multitudes of humanbeings. Then, after fifteen prosperousyears, there was a pestilence, the OcnaKuchil or " Sudde~rT~Death," so dreadfulthat birds of prey came into the housesand devoured the corpses which lay un-buried. Then there were sixteen years ofwaj^among the tribes, and it is said that inone great battle between the contendingfactions there perished a hundred and fiftythousand men.

In one of the provinces, however, a newcity had been built by those who remainedfaithfuLto-4he-k4ng. They named it Mani,

It is past, " for the old empire had departedand the threads of life had to be taken upanew. Here a palace and temple had beenerected for the,_exi]ed[ sovereign and a faintecho of the solemn worship and imperialmagnificence of Uxmal and Mayapan wasstill preserved. The successor of Ah Xiureigned over Mani for more than forty years,and now Ahpula, his only male descendant,had been for ten years upon the throne.Ahpula had no son to be the heir of the

kingdom. One boy had been born to him,but the child had not outlived his nursing,and although the king had made many sac-


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56 Mayarifices and prayers to Ixchel, yet his daughterMaya was now the only living offspringof his union with the wisest and best ofqueens. Often indeed Ahpula had beenurged to put away a consort so unfruitful,but he would not part from her, for she hadbeen the love of his youth. Should Mayahave a son, however, that son might inheritthe throne. Hence came the offer of Canek,the lord of Peten-Itza, who ruled in the islandcity of Tayasal.* He was a prince, crafty

* The story of the origin of this city is lit by the flameof romance. Another Canek, first of the name, hadbeen one ofthe lords of Chichen-Itza. He was enamouredof a noble maiden, Lila, u the dewdrop," and she returned his love, but her hand had been promised by herfather to Chanbel, another lord, for whom she cared not,and the day had been set for the wedding. The eveningbefore the festival, when Lila was walking in the gardenin front of her father s palace, and bemoaning the fatewhich was to part her from the man she loved, suddenly,at the foot of the terrace, she saw the face of Canek, whocame forth for a moment from the thick copse to tell herthat on the morrow he would come and save her. Andsure enough in the midst of the festival, while the garlands were twined around the stone pillars of the templeand music resounded and the tables were spread for thebanquet, a great cry arose and Canek and his warriorsentered and seized the maiden to bear her away. Greatwas the tumult, for Chanbel and his friends fought desperately, but Canek had his will and Lila became his


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History 53and warlike, who had often led wild foraysagainst the men of the north and returnedwith fat spoils from many a battle. Twicehad he wedded, but each time his wife haddied without offspring, and there was noheir to his dominions. Then it was that hesought the hand of the daughter of the TutulXius. As the husband of Maya he wouldbecome the father of a royal line as well asruler for life upon the death of the presentsovereign. Such a prospect made it wellworth his while to acknowledge Ahpula ashis lord. So the marriage of Maya to Canekwas deemed by all except the princess herself a most desirable event.

But the choice of a husband which the kinghad made for her was little to the liking ofhis daughter. The lord of Peten-Itza, it wassaid, was old and ugly, and among the people of Mani, with whom he had often been atwar, he had the reputation of great cruelty.

" How much better would it be,"thought Maya, "to become the bride ofthe fair stranger ! "wife. Then Chanbel collected the warriors of his tribeand there was a long strife between the rivals until Canekretreated and journeyed southward till he came to a greatlake and established Tayasal, anew city on the island ofPeten-Itza, where he dwelt in safety with his bride.


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CHAPTER XMAYA S SCHEME

SINCE the royal line was to descendthrough her, Maya had been taughtmany things which were commonly withheld from the women of her race. Moreover she had filled the office of " IxnacanKatun," or chief of the vestals of the Sun,whose duty it was to keep alive the sacredfire in the temple of that deity, as well asto take part in other religious ceremoniesto make sacrifices of fruits and flowers toIxchel, the goddess of healing, to Ixche-belyax, the goddess of painting and embroidery, and even to the great Ixazalvoh,mother of the gods, who had taughtwomankind the art of weaving.

This sacred sisterhood had been established in early days by a princess of Uxmal,and no one who was not of royal blood

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Maya s Scheme 59could be its chief. The honour was a verygreat one, and the rank was considered equalto the higher orders of priesthood. IndeedZahuy Kak, the first chief of the vestals, hadbecome so eminent for her virtues that afterher death her name was written amongthose of the gods.Maya had been carefully trained for her

sacred dignity by the high-priest, her uncle, and she had been taught the use of thehieratic characters, the symbolic writing introduced by Zamna, in which were writtenthe ancient manuscripts that recorded thehistory of her race.The princess was deeply beloved, not

only by her kindred and the vestals andmaidens of her train, but by the people ofMani, who called her " The Morning Sunbeam," and invoked the blessings of thegods upon her beautiful face as she passedamong them. For she resolutely refusedto dwell in the seclusion of the palace, andoften when she learned of sickness or sorrowin the city, she went forth with her maidens(despite the remonstrances of the queen-mother and once even against the command of the king himself) to bring to thesufferers what relief she could, together


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60 Mayawith words of kindness such as might havefallen from paradise. Even the birds in thepalace gardens seemed to love her, for theyfluttered around her as she walked, perching upon her shoulders while they werefed from her hand.Such was the girl of sixteen summerswhom her father had named after the race

which his ancestors ruled during many generations, "for in her," he said, "is thehope of my people." And this was themaiden who for the first time in her life wasnow secretly nursing a scheme of guile sodaring that it might well wreck the future ofthe kingdom, all for the sake of one forlornwanderer whom she pitied and loved.To Maya s eager fancy, the plan whichshe had devised for the rescue of the fair-haired stranger did not seem difficult. Having been taught the history and mythologyof her race, she knew that the gods hadoften appeared among her people. Thegreat Zamna had given them their laws andtaught them the arts of medicine, writing,and astronomy. Kukulkan had comeamong them, changing his serpent form tothat of a man, while he reigned over themas a mighty king. Moreover, had not the


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Maya s Scheme 61books of Chilan-Balam,* containing theprophecies of their greatest seers, alreadyforetold that a god should come from theEast, across the waters ? For many yearsthey had been waiting for him. She remembered the very words of the prophecyas she had learned them by heart.

"The signal of God will appear on theheights and the cross with which the worldwas enlightened will be shown. . . . Receive your bearded guests from the East,who bring the signal of the God that comesto us in mercy and pity."These words seemed to her to fit thecase. It is true she could produce onlyone bearded stranger from the East, andthat one was to be the god himself, yet thiswas near enough. When men are lookingfor the accomplishment of a prophecy there

* Chilan-Balam was for a long time considered to bethe name of a particular prophet. Dr. Brinton hasshown, however, that it is a generic name, that the booksof Chilan-Balam are books of prophecy containing alsodissertations on astrology, chronology, and medicine.These books are specially distinguished by the name ofthe village or city in which they were composed. Theword Chilan in the Maya tongue means mouth-piece,and the word Balam, originally " tiger," is applied toa certain class of priests.


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62 Mayais no need of a very literal fulfilment to satisfy them. The god was here, the maidenwho had seen him behind the rock wouldknow him, and Maya herself would bringhim forth from his hiding-place.A Thou wilt ask, reader, why she did not

/ - fear the other gods, who, knowing the de-/ ceit, would surely avenge their outraged/ dignity and inflict some terrible punishment, on the maid who thus imposed a counter-|

feit upon their worshippers. But need I explain to one who knows that love is blind,that she fancied they would look with pityon such a charitable fraud nay it might bethey would not even learn of her wickedness ? The gods know very much butsurely not all things unless men tell them !Besides, she was the king s daughter andwhat would they do to her? Moreover, sheheld forth a handful of maize to Zahuy Kak" The Fire Maiden " and asked whether tosave a life she might not tell this little harmless lie ? And when she counted the grainsof maize lo, the number was even ! Thegoddess had consented ! She was safe !So she dreamed, poor child, and foresawnot the dark plots that gods and men wouldsoon be weaving for her ruin.


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CHAPTER XIMAYA AND HER MAIDENS

WHEN we last saw our heroine shewas still upon the pathway between the senote and the king s palace.She now entered the enclosure of the royalgardens which were on the slope of a hillat some distance from the town. Therewere birds of brilliant plumage in the trees,and deer sprang up at her approach andgathered about her, seeking food at herhands.

In the midst of the garden was an artificial lake or aguada, paved with stones securely cemented at the bottom and filledduring the rainy season by means of sluicesdug around the sides of the hill. Thisreservoir supplied the animals on the royaldomain and provided irrigation during thetime of drouth. Its water was unwhole-

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64 Mayasome and unfit to drink, however, andhence the senote from which Maya hadjust come had been set apart for the useof the king s household. It was to fetchthe day s supply that the maidens (who,although of noble blood, were proud to callthemselves servants of the king s daughter)had gone forth in the morning with theirjars. In terror and amazement they hadreturned and were waiting in tremblinganxiety near the aguada. They dared notenter the palace with the news that theyhad fled and left their mistress in the cavealone, and it was with unspeakable delightthat they saw her emerging from the wood.

" Thanks be to Ixchel, thou art safe andwell. How didst thou escape ? "

"Was he indeed a god? Didst thouspeak with him ? "

" Did he harm thee ? What did he say ? ""Yes," she answered, "he is a god, and

though he harmed me not, it was well thatyou fled, for you are so timid that his lookmight have stricken you with blindness.But he promised me that if I would comeagain to worship him he would grant usmany blessings plentiful rain, crops,bees, and game, nay, children too, when


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Maya and her Maidens 65husbands claim our hands. He was the fairestof the gods, and kind and gentle. And whenI said that I would come to him again withflowers and birds for sacrifice, he smiledon me, and then before my eyes he rosefrom the deep pool and floated away in thethin air through the cave s mouth up to theclouds of heaven. When next I meet himyou must go with me and we will bringhim all a god may need food and flowers and bright raiment. But you must stayoutside the cavern and I must meet himalways alone, until he shall bid me bringyou. Tell no one what you have seen, forbitter will be your punishment should myfather know that you forsook me."So she spoke, and they willingly con

sented, for they loved her and theyfeared the punishment.Then Maya bade them return with her atonce to the senote for the water jars which

they had left in their flight. Since she hadassured them that the god was no longerthere, they ventured to enter the cavern,though they besought her to stay close beside them for their fear was very great.Reaching the pool, they refilled the vessels with fresh water.


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66 MayaWhen they had come forth once more

into the grove, they observed that theirmistress remained behind, so they set downtheir jars and waited for her.

It was some time before she appeared.She had paused at the entrance of the caveto speak again to the stranger and tell himof her plan. She found him hidden in thedark recess where she had left him.

" My maidens," she said, "took thee fora god, and indeed a god with bright locksand blue eyes like thine has long beenlooked for by my people. So I will bringthee fresh apparel, bright plumes, andbroidered robes. My maidens shall prepare them for thee, for they are skilled infashioning garments. They will not betraythee, for they fear that my father will punish them for leaving me by the pool alone.Nor do they know thy hiding-place. I toldthem thou hadst risen to the clouds andwouldst not return until this evening whenI would come and offer thee food and flowers for sacrifice. This evening, therefore,I will visit thee again and they shall stayoutside, and I will bring thee cakes andwine and deer s meat. And when thywounds are healed and thou art fair again,


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Maya and her Maidens 67then will I clothe thee in a beautiful robe,and lead thee to the palace of my father(for he is king of Mani) and thou shalt beour god."So she told him all all but one thing,and how could she tell him that ? Surely

he ought to guess it.Yet he spoke not. He kneeled and

kissed the hem of her robe and thus sheleft him.Why had he not spoken ? Did he love

her ? She had seen the tears in his imploring eyes when they met under the domeof the senote, but these might be tears ofdespair and suffering. She could not telland the doubt troubled her. So her browwas clouded and her face was sad whenshe rejoined her companions.

Although they yearned to know whyshe had lingered behind, yet they sawfrom her countenance that it was not bestto ask, and they walked on in silence tothe palace. Here they found that therehad been great wonderment at their longabsence and that some were about to goin quest of them. They explained theirdelay by saying that they had not noticed,while they talked together in the depths


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68 Mayaof the senote, how high the sun had risenin the sky. They were met with a reproofby the queen-mother at the foolishness ofgirls who spent the hours in chatter andidleness, and when they were put totheir daily tasks of spinning, weaving, andembroidery they were admonished to makeup for lost time by greater diligence.


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CHAPTER XIIDREAMS AND DEVICES.

THE princess attended her mother aloneto the queen s chamber, where shewas told that on the night before, the high-priest had gone to the divining house onthe summit of the teocallis and had therecounted from the signs of heaven the dayof the approaching festival to Chaac, thegiant god of the cornfield, and to Zamna,the founder of the race. Upon the occasionof this festival, the lord of Peten-Itza wasto come and claim her for his wife. Thatwas still three months away, but the Mayamonth was only twenty days, and thetime was short enough for the needfulpreparation. The queen spoke with herdaughter of the wedding of the newrobes and jewels and the damsels whoshould attend the bride of all the things

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yo Mayathat at such a time are most precious towoman s heart. and the mother noticedthat she had never before seen her childso compliant. Maya appeared to have fewopinions of her own upon these weightymatters, but yielded without comment toevery suggestion. Often indeed her mindseemed far away. She was thinking perhapsof the lord to whom she was betrothed,and of the new power and splendour whichthis union was to bring to her father shouse. For ever since her childhood shehad been devoted to the memory of thegreat line of kings from whom she wasdescended. How small was her father sdignity to-day beside the glory of the past !He was the ruler of only a single province,and though the city of Mani was of considerable size, how pitiful it seemed by theside of the great Mayapan, and how smallhis palace of a score of chambers whencompared with the stately dwellings ofUxmal ! There a whole city had stoodwithin the sacred enclosure in the midst ofthe larger town and was devoted to theservice of the king and his vassal lords andpriests !Mani had always been considered little


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Dreams and Devices 71more than a temporary sojourn for theroyal exile. But Mayapan was whollydestroyed, and though Uxmal, the earliercapital, which had been abandoned longbefore, was still in a tolerable state ofpreservation, yet there were few whodwelt there, and the country round abouthad become a wilderness.Many there were who thought, however,that when the kingdom was re-establishedthe people should betake themselves toUxmal, where the great palaces and templesremained, and, restoring these edifices totheir early splendour, rebuild around themthe city which had fallen into decay.So the queen - mother, after she hadspoken of the preparations for the wedding, and had given certain instructions toher attendants, fell to talking with herdaughter of the re-establishment of theempire. If Peten-Itza joined their cause,the other chiefs would soon be broughtinto subjection, and the Tutal Xius wouldreign again in all their ancient power.She was surprised that her daughter, whohad always shown great zeal upon this

subject, now listened without a word andgave not even an answering smile while


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72 Mayathe mother held before her eyes thesedreams of glory.When she was alone, Maya began torealise that her plan would be harder toaccomplish than she had at first supposed.The lord of Peten-Itza would soon come,and his rage and disappointment at the rejection of his suit would surely be very great.Her father was a reverent worshipper ofthe gods, but could she persuade himthat this strange being was indeed a deityfor whom he must forsake the mostcherished project of his life ?

Moreover, the stranger had not asked herto become his bride had not even spokento her of love. How then could she unfold to him this most necessary part of herplan ? For she well knew that unless hebecame her husband he could not long keephis position as a deity. He knew nothingof the supernatural duties that would berequired of him. She must be his spokesman and priestess, and he would be safeonly while she was at his side.She would tell him this when next shesaw him. Then he would surely under

stand and ask her hand.That evening she and her maidens went


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Dreams and Devices 73again to the senote, for she had craftilyemptied some of the water jars, and no onecould understand why the day s supplyhad fallen so short of the day s needs. Yetmore water was necessary, and she andher maidens offered to fetch it.They took with them fruit and game for

a repast, and gathered flowers upon theirway to the cavern, but when they reachedthe entrance, Maya, leaving the others outside, said to them :

"Rest here ; I will bring my offerings tothe god alone, and when he has departed Iwill come back to you, and then we willgo together and fill the jars."So she entered the cave.

"I have bi ought thee food," she said,when the Spaniard stood before her, "andin a few days I will bring thee raiment, andsoon thou shalt come with me to the palace. I will tell thee all thou must do, butbe sure and stay always at my side, for Imust speak for thee, otherwise they willask thee things thou canst not answer.

"When they question thee, speak always to me in thine own tongue, forthough I do not understand it, 1 will saythat it is the language of the gods, which


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74 Mayathou hast taught me, and I will interpretfor thee in such a way that all shall be content. I will be thy priestess and seer, for 1am skilled in the learning of my people andknow all the secrets of our religion. It willnot be safe for thee to be alone ; we mustalways be together, lest they discover whothou art."

"Now," thought the maiden, "he willsurely speak."

But he merely answered, "Whateverthou bid st me I will do" ; and althoughthey talked long together and he spokemuch of gratitude, he uttered not one wordof love; so with a heavy heart she returnedto her companions and they all went to thepool and filled their jars.And why indeed had he not spoken ?Her face had seemed to him the fairest hehad ever seen, and the pity in her greatdark eyes had filled his heart with unutterable love. But had she not told him shewas the daughter of the king ? How shoulda forlorn wanderer dare aspire to such apinnacle of glory ?Reader, no doubt if thou or 1 were in hisplace and were to behold such eyes andworship them, we should not hesitate to


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Dreams and Devices 75speak ; for we would know from what wehave seen in this strange world that the aspirations of unspoken love, though neversafe, are never hopeless ; that none maydescend to the lowliest station and feelsure that his passion will awaken a responsive throb, nor need he deem that theloftiest heights are inaccessible. Be shemilkmaid or be she queen, the lover cannotknow his fate until her lips or eyes havespoken it. For love is like a bird, whosewings will dip sometimes into the lowliestvalleys, though they may soar unwaveringto the sun.

But the poor exile was young and inexperienced. He did not understand thecaprices of the goddess.

Moreover, Maya had told him that shewas the chief of a sacred sisterhood, andthough she seemed very young to be anabbess, yet this would forever bar the pathway to love. For Sandoval did not knowthat by the Maya laws marriage was permitted to the sisters of the temple.So his heart was filled with despair, andhe was silent.


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CHAPTER XIIIPREPARATIONS

ON their way homeward Maya told hermaidens a beautiful fairy-story of thenew god, weaving together fact and fancyin a strange bright chaos. He had floated,she said, down through the dome of th

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Maya a story of Yucatan