The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-08-21
A GautemaIan Village.

The bulk of Central America is yet
unsurveyed, and as the Spanish have
never developed the faculty of location
to a great extent, and are absolutely in
capable of judging of distances, an ex-
plorer is dependent upon his own re-
sources 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 Cajobon
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 foot hills of the
Santa Cruz mountains and made homes
for themselves and their children. The
Santa Cruz range of mountains borders
the lake of Yzabal upon the north. In
a 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 val
ley" and the houses are scattered, with
a delightful want of uniformity. They
are matched cottages, with stockade
sides and ends; windows would be use
less, and therefore they have none; doors
they have, but they are unhung-some
of them in sections and some entire; 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 surrounding valleys
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 single
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 ex-
pensive after the cloth Is woven. For
extra occasions they use a square piece
of cloth with hole cut out of the CEN
ter to put the head through; this hole is
embroidered with colored yarns, so that
when it is on it extends the effect of the
colored beads, which are almost uni
versally worn on the neck. The men
use square blanket of homemade cot
ton. 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 this village had assumed con-
siderable proportions, and they sent
here a Secretary with title of Com
mandant, and he 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 cachicaei, a
language in which the consonants APP
pear to be more emphatic and numerous.
The tortilla of Indian corn is the prin-
cipal food of all the people, though
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 numer-
ous.-COr. n o. Times Democrat.