Appleton's Guide to Mexico/Chapters 5to15
V.
Ruins.
Excepting the teocallis, or pyramids, all of the important ruins in Mexico are situated in the States of Yucatan, Chiapas, and Oaxaca.
A discussion of the comparative ages of these ancient remains, together with the most plausible theories as to their origin, would be foreign to the purpose of this volume. Suffice it to say, that the Mexican antiquarians of the present day consider the ruins of Uxmal, in Northern Yucatan, to be the oldest; those of Palenque, in Chiapas, next in rank; and Mitla, in Oaxaca, third in point of age.
It is worthy of remark that neither Palenque nor Mitla (the former being buried in a dense forest), was known to the outside world until a comparatively recent period—i. e., about 1750; but the remains in Yucatan were familiar to Europeans long before.
These ruins were built of hewn stone, and all writers have referred to the skill in architecture and workmanship exhibited in them. The ordinary dwelling-houses must have been made chiefly of wood, or of some other material that perished long ago, for at the present time no traces of them are visible.
Great cities and temples are to-day concealed by thick forests, and the traveler cannot form a correct idea of their original size. It is to be regretted that, with the present limited facilities for traveling, many of the ruins of Southern Mexico are difficult of access. The principal remains lie remote from the sea-coast and also from the lines of railroad.
Let us begin with the ruined edifices of Yucatan, and describe the places in their geographical and supposed historical order.
Baldwin, in Ancient America, p. 101, says: "Near the ruins, . . . in Yucatan, are frequently found the remains of many finely-constructed aguadas, or artificial lakes. The bottoms of these lakes were made of flat stones laid in cement, several layers deep. In Yucatan traces of a very ancient paved road have been found. This road ran north and south, and probably led to cities in the region now covered by the great wilderness. It was raised above the graded level of the ground, and made very smooth."
The same author, on pp. 125, 126, states: "The remains of ancient cities are abundant in the settled portion of Yucatan which lies north of the great forest. Charnay found 'the country covered with them from north to south.' Stephens states, in the preface to his work on Yucatan, that he visited 'forty-four ruined cities or places,' in which such remains are still found, most of which were unknown to white men, even to those inhabiting the country . . .
“Previous to the Spanish Conquest, the region known to us as Yucatan was called Maya. It is still called Maya by the natives among themselves.[1] . . .
"At that time the country was occupied by the people still known as Mayas. . . . Yucatan was then more populous than at present. The people had more civilization, more regular industry, and more wealth. They were much more highly skilled in the arts of civilized life. They had cities and large towns. . . . This peninsula had been the seat of an important feudal monarchy, which arose probably after the Toltecs overthrew the very ancient kingdom of Xibalba. It was broken up by a rebellion of the feudal lords about a hundred years previous to the arrival of the Spaniards. According to the Maya chronicles, its down-fall occurred in the year 1420. Mayapan, the capital of this kingdom, was destroyed at that time, and never afterward inhabited."
The most important ruins are found at Mayapan, Uxmal, and Chichen-Itza, in the northern part of the peninsula. We will describe them in the following order:
MAYAPAN.
The remains of this ancient capital lie about thirty miles south of Merida. They are scattered over a broad plain. The principal edifices are the great mound and a circular stone structure. The former is sixty feet in height, and has a base that is one hundred feet square. Four stairways, twenty-five feet in width, lead to the summit, which consists of a simple stone platform fifteen feet square. The latter building is twenty-five feet in diameter, and stands on a sloping foundation thirty-five feet in height. Two rows of columns, without capitals, and lying eight feet apart, are seen on the southwestern side of it. Brasseur de Bourbourg ranks several of the foundations of the Mayapan edifices with the oldest seen at Palenque.
About forty miles south of Mayapan are found the far-famed ruins of
UXMAL.
Stephens says that the Uxmal remains are worthy to stand side by side with those of Egyptian and Roman art.[2] Baldwin, in Ancient America, pp. 131-136, describes Uxmal as follows: "The ruins in Uxmal have been regarded as the most important in Yucatan, partly on account of the edifices which remain standing, but chiefly because they have been visited and explored more than the others. . . . The area covered by its remains is extensive. Charnay makes it a league or more in diameter, but most of the structures have fallen, and exist only in fragments scattered over the ground. . . . "The most important of those remaining was named 'Casa del Gobernador' by the Spaniards. It is 320 feet long, and was built of hewn stone laid in mortar or cement. The faces of the wall are smooth up to the cornice. Then follows, on all four sides, 'one solid mass of rich, complicated, and elaborately sculptured ornaments, forming a sort of arabesque.' . . . This building has eleven doorways in front, and one at each end, all having wooden lintels which have fallen. The two principal rooms are 60 feet long, and from 11 to 13 feet wide. This structure is long and narrow. . . . It stands on the summit of one of the grandest of the terraced foundations. This foundation, like the others, is pyramidal. It has three terraces. The lowest is 3 feet high, 15 wide, and 575 long; the second is 20 feet high, 275 wide, and 545 long; the third, 19 feet high, 30 wide, and 360 long. Structures formerly existed on the second terrace, remains of which are visible. . . .
"Another important edifice at Uxmal has been named ‘Casa de las Monjas'—House of the Nuns. It stands on a terraced foundation, and is arranged around a quadrangular courtyard 258 feet one way and 214 the other. The front structure is 279 feet long, and has a gateway in the center, 10 feet 8 inches wide, leading into the court, and four doors on each side of it. The outer face of the wall, above the cornice, is ornamented with sculptures. . . . All the doorways, save those in front, open on the court.[3] . . .
“Other less important edifices in the ruins at Uxmal have been described by explorers, some of which stand on high pyramidal mounds; and inscriptions are found here, but they are not so abundant as at Palenque and Copan."
The remains at Chichen-Itza are similar to those at Uxmal. They are situated a few leagues east of Mayapan, in northern Yucatan. The principal buildings are the "church," the palace of the monks, the red house or casa colorada, and the "gymnasium," or tennis-court. In one of the edifices are found rooms whose walls are covered with picture-writing. Some of them are ornamented with figures of serpents.
There are other ruins of importance at Izamal, Labna, Zayi, and Xcoch, in the northern and central portions of Yucatan, but they are of the same general character as those above mentioned.
One remarkable ruin is found at Ake, in the southern part of the State. It was once a massive structure, but at the present day only thirty-six columns in three parallel rows remain. They are about fifteen feet high and four feet square. Ruins may also be seen on the island of Cozumel. (Vide Section I in Part second for description of routes.)
PALENQUE.
Baldwin, in Ancient America, pp. 104-106, thus describes the ruins at this place: "No one can tell the true name of the ancient city now called Palenque. It is known to us by this name because the ruins are situated a few miles distant from the town of Palenque, now a village, but formerly a place of some importance. . . . More than two hundred years passed after the arrival of the Spaniards before their existence became known to Europeans. They were discovered about the year 1750.
"Since that year decay has made some progress in them. Captain del Rio, who visited and described them m 1787, examined 'fourteen edifices' admirably built of hewn stone, and estimated the extent of the ruins to be 'seven or eight leagues one way (along the River Chacamas), and half a league the other.' He mentions 'a subterranean aqueduct of great solidity and durability, which passes under the largest buildings.' . . . "The largest known building at Palenque is called the 'Palace.' It stands near the river, on a terraced pyramidal foundation, 40 feet high and 310 feet long, by 260 feet broad at the base. The edifice itself is 238 feet long, 180 wide, and 25 feet high. It faces the east, and has 14 door-ways on each side, with 11 at the ends. It was built entirely of hewn stone, laid with admirable precision in mortar, which seems to have been of the best quality. A corridor 9 feet wide, and roofed by a pointed arch, went round the building on the outside; and this was separated from another within of equal width.
"The 'Palace' has four interior courts, the largest being 70 by 80 feet in extent. These are surrounded by corridors, and the architectural work facing them is richly decorated. Within the building were many rooms. From the north side of one of the smaller courts rises a high tower, or pagoda-like structure, 30 feet square at the base, which goes up far above the highest elevation of the building, and seems to have been still higher when the whole structure was in perfect condition. The great rectangular mound used for the foundation was cased with hewn stone, the workmanship here, and everywhere else throughout the structure, being very superior. The piers around the courts are 'covered with figures in stucco, or plaster, which, where broken, reveals six or more coats or layers, each revealing traces of painting.' This indicates that the building had been used so long before it was deserted that the plastering needed to be many times renewed. There is some evidence that painting was used as a means of decoration; but that which most engages attention is the artistic management of the stone-work, and, above all, the beautifully executed sculptures for ornamentation.
"Two other buildings at Palenque, marked by Mr. Stephens, in his plan of the ruins, as 'Casa No. 1' and ‘Casa No. 2,' . . . . are smaller, but in some respects still more remarkable. The first of these, 75 feet long by 25 wide, stands on the summit of a high truncated pyramid, and has solid walls on all sides save the north, where there are five doorways. Within are a corridor and three rooms. Between the doorways leading from the corridor to these rooms are great tablets, each 13 feet long and 8 feet high, and all covered with elegantly-carved inscriptions. A similar but smaller tablet, covered with an inscription, appears on the wall of the central room.
“'Casa No. 2' consists of a steep and lofty truncated pyramid, which stands on a terraced foundation, and has its level summit crowned with a building 50 feet long by 31 wide, which has three doorways at the south, and within a corridor and three rooms. This edifice, sometimes called 'La Cruz,' has, above the height required for the rooms, what is described as 'two stories of interlaced stucco-work, resembling a high, fanciful lattice.' Here, too, inscribed tablets appear on the walls; but the inscriptions, which are abundant at Palenque, are by no means confined to tablets. As to the ornamentation, the walls, piers, and cornices are covered by it. Everywhere the masterly workmanship and artistic skill of the old constructors compel admiration; Mr. Stephens going so far as to say of sculptured human figures found in fragments: 'In justness of proportion and symmetry they must have approached the Greek models.'"
It is probable that more buildings will be found at Palenque when the ruins have been fully explored. Mr. Stephens, referring to the dense vegetation, says: "Without a guide, we might have gone within a hundred feet of the buildings without discovering one of them." On account of the great abundance of inscriptions at Palenque, which have not thus far been deciphered, these ruins are considered to be very important by archæologists. (For routes to Palenque, see pp. 150-156.)
MITLA.
Baldwin, in Ancient America, pp. 117-122, describes these ruins as follows:
"The ruins called Mitla are in the Mexican State of Oaxaca, about twelve leagues east from the city of Oaxaca. They are situated in the upper part of a great valley, and surrounded by a waste, uncultivated region. At the time of the Spanish Conquest they were old and much worn by time and the elements, but a very large area was then covered by remains of ancient buildings. At present only six decaying edifices and three ruined pyramids, which were very finely terraced, remain for examination, the other structures being now reduced to the last stage of decay. . . .
“Four of the standing edifices are described by Dupaix as 'palaces,' and these, he says, 'were erected with lavish magnificence; . . . they combine the solidity of the works of Egypt with the elegance of those of Greece.' And he adds: 'But what is most remarkable, interesting, and striking in these monuments, and which alone would be sufficient to give them the first rank among all known orders of architecture, is the execution of their mosaic relievos—very different from plain mosaic, and consequently requiring more ingenious combination, and greater art and labor. They are inlaid on the surface of the wall, and their duration is owing to the method of fixing the prepared stones into the stone surface, which made their union with it perfect.' . . .
"The general character of the architecture and masonry is much like that seen in the structures at Palenque, but the finish of the workmanship appears to have been more artistic and admirable. These ruins are remarkable among those of the country where they are found. All who have seen them speak much as Dupaix speaks of the perfection of the masonry, the admirable design and finish of the work, and the beauty of the decorations. Their beauty, says M. Charnay, can be matched only by the monuments of Greece and Rome in their best days. One fact presented by some of the edifices at Mitla has a certain degree of historical significance. There appears to be evidence that they were occupied at some period by people less advanced in civilization than their builders. . . .
"Two miles or more away from the great edifices here mentioned, toward the west, is the 'Castle of Mitla.' It was built on the summit of an isolated and precipitous hill of rock, which is accessible only on the east side. The whole leveled summit of this hill is inclosed by a solid wall of hewn stone, 21 feet thick and 18 feet high. This wall has salient and retiring angles, with curtains interposed. On the east side it is flanked by double walls. Within the inclosure are the remains of several small buildings. The field of these ruins was very large three hundred years ago. At that time it may have included this castle."
Humboldt, in his Political Essay on New Spain, vol. ii, pp. 239, 240, has described these remains as follows:
"The village of Mitla was formerly called Miguitlan, a word that means, in the Mexican language, a place of sadness. The Tzapotec Indians call it Leoba, which signifies tomb. . . . The palace, or rather the tombs of Mitla, form three edifices symmetrically placed in an extremely romantic situation. The principal edifice is in the best preservation, and is nearly 130 feet in length. A stair formed in a pit leads to a subterraneous apartment of 88 feet in length and 26 feet in breadth. This gloomy apartment is covered with the same grecques which ornament the exterior walls of the edifice. But what distinguishes the ruins of Mitla from all the other remains of Mexican architecture is six porphyry columns, which are placed in the midst of a vast hall, and support the ceiling. These columns, almost the only ones found in the new continent, bear strong marks of the infancy of the art. They have neither base nor capitals. . . . Their total height is 1613 feet, but their shaft is of one piece of amphibole porphyry. Broken-down fragments, for ages heaped together, conceal more than one third of the height of these columns. . . The distribution of the apartments in the interior of this singular edifice bears a striking analogy to what has been remarked in the monuments of Upper Egypt drawn by M. Denon and the savans, who compose the institute of Cairo. M. de Laguna found in the ruins of Mitla curious paintings representing warlike trophies and sacrifices.". . .
Jeffreys states that the buildings at Mitla were probably erected by either the Mixtec or Tzapotec Indians.—( Vide p. 169.)
THE PYRAMIDS.
The teocallis may now be mentioned. They are to be found principally at Cholula, San Juan Teotihuacan, and Papantla. They may be described in the following order:
Cholula.
This town lies seven miles west of the city of Puebla. Its pyramid is by far the largest, oldest, and most important in Mexico. The original dimensions were as follows: Height, 177 feet; horizontal width of the base, 1,423 feet; and area, 45 acres. It is built of alternate strata of brick and clay, and the sides correspond to the direction of the meridians and parallels. At present three terraces can be distinctly seen, and the outlines of two others may be traced. A winding road, which is paved with stone, leads up to the summit. The latter is about 200 feet square. It affords a fine view of the valley of Puebla. A chapel has been erected by the Mexicans on the platform of this great mound. It is built of brick and stone, with a dome and two towers; and the interior contains ornamental frescoes and decorations. It is called San Tuariol de los Remedios. Some vegetation is seen on the pyramid. It consists of the cactus, pito, and a few pirù trees. Several writers have suggested that the founders of the mound at Cholula may have had some design in building it near the lofty volcano of Popocatepetl,
or "the smoking mountain." This primitive race may have been fire as well as serpent worshipers.
Unfortunately the great temple of Cholula has been partially destroyed. A few years ago a cut was made in the western side of it for a railroad track!—(Vide p. 173.)
San Juan Teotihuacan.
The teocallis at this town rank next to Cholula in point of age. The word "Teotihuacan" means the habitation of the gods. It is now a small village, though it was once a flourishing city, and the rival of Tula, the great Toltec capital. The two principal pyramids were dedicated to Tonatiuh, the Sun, and to Meztli, the Moon.[4] The former is the larger, its height being 180 feet, and the length of the base 682 feet. Its platform is to-day about 75 feet square, and the middle point is marked by a modern cylindrical monument of stone, about 5 feet high and 6 feet in diameter. The summit of this pyramid is said to have been crowned with a temple, in which was a gigantic statue of its presiding deity, the Sun, made of one entire block of stone, and having a breastplate of gold and silver. Three terraces are now visible on this larger mound. It is constructed of blocks of basalt and trachyte rock.
About half a mile to the northward of the pyramid of the Sun is that dedicated to the Moon. The observer may distinguish two terraces on the latter. The summit is about 20 by 40 feet. Traces of an ancient tomb were formerly visible on it. A cross, standing on a pedestal about 12 feet high, has been erected recently[5] at the center of the platform. It is reached by a winding pathway on the south side. The building materials of this mound resemble those of the larger one. M. Charnay, a recent explorer, is said to have found an idol buried in the interior. The same traveler made a cut into this pyramid to settle the question whether the teocallis were hollow.[6] He dug a gallery half way through, and found the interior to be solid. We submit, however, that this experiment has not solved the problem in general.
A great number of smaller pyramids are seen around the two principal ones. Few exceed twenty-five feet in height. According to tradition, they were dedicated to the stars, and served as sepulchres for the illustrious men of the nation. The plain on which they are built was called Micoatl, or "Path of the Dead." Arrow-heads and fragments of blades of itztli or obsidian are still abundant at these mounds. They attest the warlike character of the aborigines. (Vide p. 174.)
Papantla.
This village lies in the State of Vera Cruz, about fifty miles north of Jalapa. (Vide p. 155.) The pyramid is situated in a dense forest about two leagues from Papantla. It was unknown to the first conquerors, as the Indians for centuries concealed this monument from them. It possesses great antiquity, and was only discovered accidentally by some hunters in 1780. This pyramid was not built of bricks or clay mixed with whinstones, like those already described, but was made of immense stones of porphyry, in the seams of which mortar is distinguishable. Many of these stones are covered with hieroglyphics. Among other figures are carvings of serpents and crocodiles. This edifice is remarkable, not so much for its size, as for its symmetry, the polish of the stones, and the great regularity of their cut. The base of the pyramid is an exact square, each side being 83 feet long. The perpendicular height is about 60 feet. Like all Mexican teocallis, this mound is composed of several stages. A huge stairway of fifty-seven steps leads to the platform or top of the pyramid, where the human victims were sacrificed. (The manner of sacrifice is described on p. 186.)
Humboldt, in his great work on New Spain, refers to the analogy of the brick monuments of Anahuac to the temple of Belus at Babylon, and to the pyramids near Sakhara in Egypt. On page 195 of vol. ii he says: “There are in Mexico pyramids of several stages, in the forests of Papantla, at a small elevation above the level of the sea, and in the plains of Cholula and Teotihuacan, at elevations surpassing those of our passes in the Alps. We are astonished to see in regions most remote from one another, and under climates of the greatest diversity, man following the same model in his edifices, in his ornaments, in his habits, and even in the form of his political institutions."
The same author gives the following comparative table of the great pyramids of the world. It will be seen that in the mound of Cholula the length of the base to the perpendicular height is as 8 to 1, while in that of Ghizeh this proportion is nearly 8 to 5:
Stone Pyramids.
| French feet.[7] | Cheops. | Cephren. | Mycerinus. |
| Height | 448 | 398 | 162 |
| Length of base | 728 | 655 | 280 |
Brick Pyramids.
| French feet. | Of five stages in Egypt, near Sakhara. |
Of four stages in Mexico | |
| Teotihuacan. | Cholula. | ||
| Height | 150 | 171 | 172 |
| Length of base | 210 | 645 | 1,355 |
There are also teocallis at Misantla, Tusapan, Mapilca, and Caxones in the northern part of the State of Vera Cruz.
These pyramids are scattered over Central and Eastern Mexico. Several writers on archaeology believe that they were built by the Toltecs, who are supposed to have been the authors of the mounds in Ohio.
NORTHERN MEXICO.
Ancient remains are rare north, as well as west, of the valley of Mexico. Toltec ruins are found at Tula, which lies about fifty miles north of the capital. The ruins on the northern part of the table-land consist of communal dwellings, similar to those of the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico. They were built of several stories, one being ranged above the other. There were no doors on the first floor, and the upper stories were reached by means of ladders. The roofs were commonly flat. These edifices were sometimes built of stone, but wood and adobe, or sun-dried brick, have been more frequently used.
This class of ruins is common in the State of Chihuahua, and also in the Territories of Arizona and New Mexico. The reports of the Pacific Railroad surveys describe many of these ancient towns. Some of them are still inhabited, as Taos, Zuni, and Moqui. If the traveler approaches Mexico by either of the railroads in Colorado or Arizona, he will pass within a few miles of some of the “Pueblo" dwellings. The Indians of the New Mexican pueblos resemble those of Mexico in stature, physiognomy, and habits. Apparently they are the same race of people, and it is not improbable, that their ancestors built some of the magnificent edifices that remain in the southern part of the country.
Tourists, who are not specially interested in Mexican archæology, are recommended to confine themselves to visiting the ruins of Mitla, Cholula, and San Juan Teotihuacan. The former will soon be within twenty miles of a line of railway, and the other places are within an hour's walk of it. For additional information on the ancient remains of Mexico, consult the following books:
Humboldt, Political Essay on New Spain.
Kingsborough, Mexican Antiquities.
Dupaix, Antiquités mexicaines.
Prescott, Conquest of Mexico.
Baldwin, Ancient America.
Stephens, Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan.
Also the works of Catherwood, Waldeck, Del Rio, Brasseur de Bourbourg, and Charnay.
VI.
Hotels and Restaurants.
Most of the hotels in Mexico are kept on the European plan; but those of Monterey and other towns near the northern frontier are conducted according to the American system. Two-storied buildings are generally used for hotel purposes; and in recent years a few convents have been altered for this kind of business. The inns are often called after ex-presidents or generals in the army. Many of them bear the name of the illustrious patriot Hidalgo.
In the large cities men are commonly employed to take care of bed-rooms, while in the smaller towns one meets with chambermaids.
Hotels are not so abundant in Mexico as in the United States, and the accommodations of the former are much inferior to those of the latter. The natives are not much given to traveling, owing to the difficulty and expense of making long journeys. When visiting a strange town they usually stay at the house of a friend. There are cities of 15,000 inhabitants, remote from the regular lines of travel, where no inn is to be found. The General Diligence Company controls a great many taverns throughout the central portions of the country. Mexican hotels are of two classes—those for tourists, and those for both persons and live-stock, such as horses or horned cattle. The latter are called mesones and posadas.
Bath-rooms are rarely found in hotels. There are, however, excellent bath-houses in the principal cities, which are often within two or three minutes' walk of the principal hotels.[8]
English is rarely spoken at the inns, but French is generally known at the larger hotels and restaurants. Many of the proprietors are Spaniards or Frenchmen; and there is a great opening for Americans in this branch of business.
The modern conveniences, such as hot-air furnaces, water-pipes and set bowls, electric bells, and gas, are almost unknown. It is said that there is not a single fireplace in any building in Mexico.[9] The natives believe that the artificial heating of rooms in the rarefied air of the table-land is prejudicial to health. Public parlors are very rarely found in the hotels.
The charge at first-class houses throughout the country is from $2 to $2.50 per day. In the capital the rates are a little higher. The best hotels and restaurants, generally named in the order of their merit, are given in Part Second. In Mexico City a good table d’hôte dinner can be had in the restaurants for $1. Elsewhere the usual price for dinner is four reales, or fifty cents; and in the villages the cost is as low as two reales for a meal. It is the custom to give waiters and servants a fee. A half real (medio) is sufficient. A cup of coffee or chocolate, with bread, is commonly served for one real. A glass of spirits, wine, or beer, costs the same sum.
The Mexicans use the word "fonda” as synonymous with restaurant, and "fondita” is similar to a cafe, the latter term being frequently employed. In the “provincial" fondas, it is customary to salute persons at the table, when entering or leaving the room, whether acquainted or not.
In the rural districts and in the mining towns, goat's milk is often used at the taverns.
Fresh vegetables, excepting potatoes, are rarely served at the restaurants. Oranges and bananas are generally the only kinds of fruit to be met with, although the country affords many varieties. Tea is not usually taken; and pies, tarts, cakes, and puddings, are almost unknown at the hotels and cafes. Dessert consists, as a rule, of dulce, which means something sweet, such as jams, preserved fruit, etc.
The natives usually eat tortillas, or corn-cakes, and frijoles, or brown beans. The former are found only in the country and small towns, but the latter are served at all hotels and restaurants.
A great deal of pepper and grease is used in Mexican cookery. Even boiled rice is saturated with melted lard. Beef and mutton, as well as poultry, are generally to be had at breakfast and dinner in the fondas throughout the Republic. The sugar used comes in loaves directly from the mills, and is broken up by hand into small pieces. A small quantity of refined granulated sugar is imported.
The following list[10] of the most common dishes may be of service to the traveler:
Caldo, broth; sopa, soup.
Bacalao, codfish; bagre, a kind of fish.
Came, beef; carnero, mutton.
Ternera, veal.
Juajalote, turkey.
Pollo, chicken.
Arroz cocida, plain boiled rice.
Blanquillos, or huevos, eggs.
Huevos tibios, soft-boiled eggs.
Huevos pasados en agua, hard-boiled eggs.
Huevos fritos en agua, poached eggs.
Huevos fritos, fried eggs.
Tortilla de huevos, omelette.
Chile relleno is a fried green-pepper, stuffed with mince-meat and coated with eggs.
Many kinds of bread are made in Mexico, the principal of which are :
Pan de agua, "water" bread.
Pan de azúcar, "sugar" bread.
Pan de dulce, "sweet" bread.
Pan de huevos, "Egg" bread.
Pan de leche, "milk" bread.
Pan de manteca, "lard" bread.
VII.
Passport.
At present no passport is necessary for traveling in Mexico.
VIII.
Custom-Houses.
According to the laws of Mexico, the examination of baggage will be made "liberally and with prudence and moderation." In general the tourist will be treated politely by the customs officers. As regards wearing-apparel and jewelry for personal use, the amount of that which will not be subject to duty is left entirely to the discretion of the Government officials, taking into consideration, however, the character and social position of the traveler.
At present the following "extra" articles are admitted free of duty:
Two watches with their chains.
One hundred cigars.
Forty small boxes of cigarettes.
Half kilogramme of snuff.
Half kilogramme of smoking tobacco.
One pair of pistols with accessory and with two hundred charges.
A rifle, a gun or fowling-piece, with accessory and with two hundred charges.
One pair of musical instruments, excepting piano-fortes and organs.
Other objects not included in the foregoing list are, of course, subject to the duties fixed by the Mexican tariff. (See chapter on Duties.)
IX.
Commerce.
The chief exports of Mexico are: Gold, silver, copper ore, coffee, cochineal, vanilla, indigo, hides, hemp, mahogany and other woods. The staple imports are cotton, linen, and woolen manufactures, wrought iron, and machinery.
In 1875-'76 the imports amounted in value to 128,485,000, and the exports to $25,485,000, of which $15,000,000 was silver.
The foreign commerce in 1879-80 was as follows:
| To the United States | $13,416,600 |
| To Great Britain | 11,037,594 |
| To France | 5,194,741 |
| To Germany | 1,498,734 |
| To Spain | 1,009,368 |
| To South America | 506,488 |
| —————— | |
| $32,663,526 |
Of this sum the main exports were as follows:
| Silver | $19,823,397 |
| Gold | 1,180,815 |
| Copper | 48,692 |
| Minerals | 483,587 |
| Building woods | 1,597,599 |
| Other merchandise | 9,529,435 |
| —————— | |
| $32,663,525 |
The following table shows the trade of the United States with Mexico for the three fiscal years ending June 30, 1879, 1880, and 1881:
| 1879. | 1880. | 1881. | |
| Exports | $6,761,284 | $7,869,864 | $11,172,738 |
| Imports | 14,047,819 | 16,325,417 | 17,454,126 |
| —————— | —————— | —————— | |
| Total | $20,809,103 | $24,195,281 | $28,626,864 |
It will be seen that this table shows an increase of trade of $7,817,761 in two years. Smuggling is practiced extensively along the northern frontier of Mexico.
Competent judges estimate that the annual loss to the Government from this source amounts to $3,000,000. It is said that even some of the highest officials are implicated in schemes for smuggling.
According to the Official Journal, the total value of exports for the fiscal year of 1882-'83 was $29,083,000, of which about $14,000,000 were sent to the United States, and $10,000,000 to England. One half of the exports were shipped from Vera Cruz. The amount of sugar and tobacco exported was only $617,000 in value.
MOVEMENTS OF VESSELS IN MEXICAN PORTS IN 1879-'80.[11]
| Flag. | No. of vessels. |
| Mexican | 2,227 |
| United States | 332 |
| English | 162 |
| French | 115 |
| German | 112 |
| Spanish | 64 |
| Norwegian | 48 |
| Danish | 33 |
| Dutch | 12 |
| Other flags | 26 |
| ——— | |
| Total | 3,131 |
The total tonnage of vessels entered can be estimated at 1,000,000. The Mexican merchant marine consists of 421 vessels engaged in foreign trade, and 847 barks employed in coasting. A Mexican line of steamers to England and Italy is about to be established. (For description, see chapter on Traveling.)
X.
Army and Navy.
Army.—Estimated yearly cost of maintenance, 18,000,000.
The personnel of the army is as follows:
| Officers. | Men. | Total. | |
| Infantry, 20 battalions | 740 | 12,200 | 12,940 |
| Cavalry, 14 regiments | 518 | 4,850 | 5,368 |
| Artillery, 6 brigades and 5 batteries | 180 | 1,645 | 1,825 |
| Coast-guard | 22 | 71 | 93 |
| Rurales— i. e., mounted patrols | 150 | 1,692 | 1,842 |
| Invalids | 19 | 280 | 299 |
| ———— | ———— | ———— | |
| Total | 1,629 | 20,738 | 22,367 |
Each State has also militia of its own, which takes the place of a police force to a considerable extent. All the prison-doors are guarded by soldiers, although the keepers are civilians.
The soldiers are armed with Remington rifles and carbines; and the sabres used are chiefly of American manufacture. The dress-uniform is of a dark blue.
Several of the officers of the Mexican army are reformed brigands. In some States, where powerful bands of banditti defied the authorities for years, the Government has finally dispersed them by giving the leader a military commission, and then sending him to fight against his old comrades.
A large number of the officers who were in the army before 1876 are now on the retired list, with pay. They retain their rank, without power. The present (Liberal) Government deems this policy advisable.
It may be remarked that Don Agustin Iturbide, the grandson of the Emperor Iturbide, and adopted heir of Maximilian, holds a commission in the republican army. He studied at Tacubaya, the seat of the National Military Academy.
Navy. —The navy consists of four gunboats.
XI.
Duties.
An elaborate description of the Mexican tariff would be out of place in this guide-book. Suffice it to say, that there is an import duty on almost everything, except agricultural and scientific instruments and books. Up to November 1, 1882, machinery was admitted free. It now bears a duty of fifty cents per hundred kilogrammes (220 pounds). Since November 1, 1881, there has been an additional “package" duty on merchandise imported into the Republic. Nearly all articles are taxed heavily, especially carriages, buggies, and wagons. The traveler, in entering the country by his own carriage (either via the Rio Grande or otherwise), is obliged to give a bond to secure the amount of duties on the vehicle, in case he intends to return to the United States. If the bond is not filed, the regular import duty must be paid.
It may be remarked that the Government pays the subsidies to the various railroads out of the customs duties. An amount varying from four to six per cent of the customs receipts is pledged, and revenue-bonds are issued bearing no interest (see chapter on railroads). At present negotiations for a reciprocity treaty are pending between the United States of America and Mexico. It is said that an extensive revision of the Mexican tariff is about to be made, by which the duties will be considerably reduced.
XII.
Taxes.
In ancient Mexico the public tax was often paid in agricultural produce. The taxes are now levied both by the National and State Governments. There are also special taxes for railways and other purposes. Every State has its own tax levy, which varies from year to year. The Federal tax is usually one quarter of the tax paid to the State. It is oftentimes very difficult to collect the former, as the Republic can not sue the State Government for any deficiency that may exist. A Federal treasurer, called the jefe de hacienda, resides in each of the several States, to gather the taxes due the General Government. Taxation is very heavy throughout the country, and especially in the districts adjoining the route of the American railroads.
XIII.
Finance. [12] (in Dollars.)
Receipts.— Budget, 1882-83.
| Custom-houses | 15,000,000 |
| Custom-house of Mexico and excise | 2,000,000 |
| Stamps | 4,000,000 |
| Direct tax | 900,000 |
| Mint | 690,000 |
| Receipts from former fund for public education | 60,000 |
| Post-offices and telegraphs | 650,000 |
| Lotteries | 800,000 |
| Other receipts | 3,000,000 |
| ————— | |
| Total | 27,100,000 |
| Receipts from the several States | 7,500,000 |
| ————— | |
| Grand total | 34,600,000 |
Expenditures.
| Legislative power | 1,071,712 | ||
| Executive power | 48,832 | ||
| Supreme Court | 389,554 | ||
| Foreign affairs | 336,280 | ||
| Interior | 3,235,118 | ||
| Justice and public education | 1,215,473 | ||
| Public works (Fomento) | 7,551,083 | ||
| Treasury | 4,648,377 | ||
| War and navy | 8,514,478 | ||
| ————— | |||
| Total | 27,011,507 | ||
| Expenditures of the several States | 7,500,000 | ||
| ————— | |||
| Grand total | 34,511,507 | ||
XIV.
Public Debt.
| 1. Foreign debts: | |||
| English debt of Oct. 14, 1850 | $89,252,360 | ||
| English convention of Dec. 4, 1851 . | 5,900,025 | ||
| Spanish convention of Dec. 6, 1851. | 1,231,775 | ||
| Spanish convention of Nov. 12, 1853. | 5,553,287 | ||
| Indebtedness to the United States of July 4, 1868 | 2,775,123 | ||
| —————— | $104,712,570 | ||
| 2. Internal debt | 40,241,215 | ||
| ————— | |||
| Total[13] | $144,953,785 | ||
The Mexican Government does not recognize the debts as stated by the English and Spanish conventions. All the foreign debts, except that due the United States, are about to be consolidated, and bonds bearing three per cent interest, to be receivable for Government lands, adjudicated property, and letters patent, will be issued by the Executive to pay off the indebtedness. The details of the settlement involving the amount recognized are left entirely to the Executive.
The sum of $300,000 is paid annually out of the National Treasury to the United States, on account of the debt of July 4, 1868.
A dispatch from the City of Mexico, dated July 28, 1883, reads as follows:
"It is understood that the President has sent to Carlos Rivas, in London, a power of attorney to settle with the British bondholders, with certain modifications. Bonds to the amount of only £15,000,000 are to be issued; the additional £4,700,000 in bonds, first agreed upon for the expenses of the bondholders' committee, will not be issued. The bonds will be signed in Mexico. The coupons will begin bearing interest on July 21, 1884."
XV.
Money—Coins.
In the Aztec empire, current money consisted of bits of tin, bags of cocoa with a specified number of grains, and quills filled with gold-dust.[14] These commodities were used by measure and number, rather than by weight. (See Prescott's Conquest of Mexico, vol. i, p. 145, and vol. ii, p. 140.)
The Spaniards introduced gold and silver coins soon after their arrival in the country. A few of these old coins may be found at the shops of the silversmiths, or platerías, at the present day.
The escutcheon of Mexico, i. e. , a royal eagle, with expanded wings, standing on a cactus, holding a serpent in its beak, is stamped on one side of all the silver coins, and a liberty-cap and rising sun are found on the reverse. During the French invasion the bust of Maximilian was substituted for the cap of liberty.
Mexico has followed the example of Spain in adopting the decimal system of coinage, of which the real is the basis.
The current coins are as follows:
SILVER.
One peso,[15] or dollar, containing 8 reales, or 100 cents.
Four reales, or one toston, 50 cents.
Two reales, or one peseta, 25 cents.
One real, 12½ cents.
One medio, 6¼ cents.
COPPER.
One cuartillo, 3 cents.
One tlaco, 1½ cent.
NICKEL.
Coins of five and two cents, and of one cent, have recently been issued for general circulation.
The standard gold coin is the onza, which equals $16; and there are $10 and $5 gold pieces. They do not circulate, however, so that the traveler will have nothing to do with them.
Paper currency has lately been issued by the Mexican National and the Mexican Mercantile Banks, and the London Bank of Mexico and South America.
The Monte de Piedad, a Governmental corporation, has bank-bills from one dollar upward in circulation, which are taken at par throughout the Republic. Outside of the City of Mexico the currency of the other banks is received at a discount. This fact should be remembered by tourists.
The London Bank of Mexico and South America will cash letters of credit on British and American bankers, and a few of the branches (sucursales) of the Banco Nacional Mexicano will do likewise.
Travelers may also provide themselves with drafts on the various diligence offices in the interior of the country, by depositing the amount in advance at one of the principal offices. In case of robbery by brigands, the diligence company will repay the value of the draft, if it be taken from the person of the tourist, upon furnishing satisfactory evidence to one of the agents.
Bankers will give a higher rate of premium on drafts on New York than can be had in exchanging money. In Vera Cruz, United States money may be exchanged for Mexican currency at 113 to 114 cents on the dollar; and in Monterey and near the American frontier, the rate is as high as 115 cents.[16]
In the City of Mexico the banking hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and in other cities from 9 to 12 a.m., and from 3 to 4 p.m.
Up to the year 1883 the Mexican Government has exacted an export duty of 5 per cent on coin. It is now remitted. For the Fiscal year ending June 30, 1882, the coin and bullion exported amounted to $6,631,938.
- ↑ The Maya language is spoken in Yucatan at the present day.—A. R. C.
- ↑ Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan, vol. ii, p. 430.
- ↑ Stephens has remarked that there are no idols, nor stuccoed figures, nor carved tablets at Uxmal.
- ↑ Vide Prescott, vol. ii, p. 388.
- ↑ On February 11, 1881.
- ↑ According to tradition these pyramids were hollow.
- ↑ A French foot equals 1 066 English feet.
- ↑ The finest bathing establishments in Mexico are in San Luis Potosi, Orizaba, and Puebla. Those of the national capital are not first class.
- ↑ The author did not see nor hear of any.
- ↑ This list is not intended to supplement the vocabulary at end of Part Second.
- ↑ Translated from the Almanach de Gotha.
- ↑ Translated from the Almanack de Gotha.
- ↑ Translated from the Almanack de Gotha.
- ↑ Gold-dust has been employed as currency on the Pacific coast of the United States for many years. This kind of money was evidently suggested to the Spaniards and Americans by the Aztecs.
- ↑ One peso is worth from 85 to 87 cents in United States money, so that a cent is only equivalent to about 8½ mills.
- ↑ Mexican coin can be purchased on better terms the farther the seller is from the country.