The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-08-21
A Gautemalan Village.

The bulk of Central America is vet
unsurveyed, and as the Spanish have
never developed the faculty of location
to great extent, and are absolutely
incapable of Judging of distances, an
explorer is dependent upon his own
resources for data to define his position
from day to day.
The village of Chahal numbers but
six years. 1t had its origin in desire
of some of the inhabitants of Caiabon
and San Pedro In the department of
Vera Paz to escape from labor upon
the coffee estates; SO they fled to the
wilds upon the northern foothills of the
Santa Cruz mountains and made homes
for themselves and their children. The
Santa Cruz range of mountains bor-
ders the lake of Yzabal upon the north.
In direct line the village is about
thirty-five miles little south of west
from the mouth of the river Sarstoun.
and nearly fifty miles due west from
Livingston.
The town is built on six spurs of
hills, all pointing toward "a low green
valley" and the houses are scattered,
with delightful want of uniformity.
They are matched cottages, with stock
ade sides and ends; windows would be
useless, and therefore they have none;
doors they have, but they are unhung-
some of them in sections and some en-
tire: to open them they are taken away
entirely. Their floors are the trodden
face Of good mother earth, and chairs
ditto. Yet the village and surround
ing valley have population of at least
fifteen hundred. The men Of Cajabon
are easily distinguished from those
who come from San Pedro, for their
neither garments are such as were
worn by our grandfathers, ending at
or above the knee, but those from San
Pedro wear pantaloons to the ankles.
The women ordinarily wear the sin
gle robe common to the race far and
near; that is two or three yards of
homemade cotton cloth wound about
the waist, with the end tucked in to
hold it in place. Their dressmaking is
not expensive after the cloth. is woven.
For extra occasions they use square
piece of cloth with hole cut out of
the center to put the head through;
this whole is embroidered with colored
yarns. so that when it is on it extends
tut t10Cb VI luO COlOTCu UcstUS, WHICH
are almost universally worn on the
neck. The men use square blanket
of homemade cotton, but theirs is
only thrown over their shoulders; some
use short jackets neatly bound and
embroidered. The people are more
than ordinary in their looks; they are
muscular and healthy, evidently not
working more than enough to keep
them robust.
Four years ago the government found
out that the village had assumed con-
siderable proportions. and they sent
here Secretary with title of com
mandment, and ne has since governed
with the aid of an Indian alcalde and a
few assistants.
The Secretary Is the only person
speaking Spanish in the whole settle
ment. The Indians use the cachicael,
q language in which the consonants
appear to be the more emphatic and
numerous.
The tortilla of Indian corn is the
principal food of ! all the people,
beans are grown and eaten to some ex-
tent. They have plenty of hogs and
chickens, but no other domestic ami
mails, except dogs, which are numerous.
Cor. NeaD Orleans Times Democrat.