Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-03

ways received at the hands Of the
Spaniards. But they generally spare
the lives Of those who may be useful to
them, such as clever mechanics, and
especially musicians. Among the
prisoners that were taken in 1864 was
a beautiful young girl named Pastora
Leal. Having seen her defenders
fall dead around her, she was
bound to q gang Of prisoners aud
compelled to march for three days
through dense forests, her poor feet cut
and bleeding, for the thin slippers she
wore were soon in pieces, and her
hands, face, and clothing were torn by
thorn bushes. More dead than alive,
she reached the dreaded stronghold Of
her captors, expecting soon to be re.
leased from her misery by violent
death. The head chief, Crecencio Poot,
made her his wife, and she is yet
living, mother Of a family, and
ever grieving at being separated
from her own people, though her
husband is said to treat her kindly.
Crecencio Poot is more than sixty years
old. and Pastora is his third wife. She
would willingly abandon her children
il she could escape /; at least, so she is
reported as saying when countryman
of hers saw her in Bacalar two years
ago. She had walked to that place
sixty miles-with her husband, and
she had to return to the city carrying
twenty.iour pounds Of salt on her back
the load being suspended by strap
passed across her forehead. She was
dressed in unbleached cotton cloth and
shod with coarse sandals.
But those people do not live like
savages they have good houses, uten-
sils, clothes, and other necessaries and
commodities. Among them there are
clever mechanics, and musicians pro-
vided with instruments from British
Honduras, from which place they also
procure many small Injuries, such as
potted meats, wines, and perfumes,
which they delight in. Agriculture is
their chief employment, and they gen.
orally have enough corn stored to last
them for two or three years. They
are strictly just among themselves,
any shortcoming being promptly
and severely punished the MUIR
derer is executed in the same man
ner as he inflicted death on his victim.
They are monogamists in the fullest
sense Of the word, and generally very
moral and moderate in all things except
drinking, for they consume enormous
quantities Of rum, having distilleries of
their own.
Their religion is curious combina-
ton of pagsnism and Christianity. The
words of the mass are repeated By
one who learned them parrot-fashon
from a captive priest, and in the same
manner little girls and boys whom they
call "aDgels" chant the litanies.
But they also worship the cross, that
among them represented the god of rain
long before Europeans ever arrived in
America.
From time to time efforts have been
made to reconquer the Santa Cruz In
dians, but all in vain. In December,
1873, General Teodosio Canto. who
had made himself famous as leader
of revolutionary parties, went to Brit
ish Honduras of his own accord, I'M
der the assumed name Of Pinto, and
as trader. His object was to
approach the chiefs Of Chan Santa
Cruz without exposing himself to
danger and find out how they
felt about again recognizing Mexican
authority. His idea was to offer him
self as a mediator between them and
his Government. The Indians OWNED
his plans, and he failed. But in conse-
quence of foolish threat that he had
made of returning in the following
April and going on to Bacalar at the
head of five thousand men the Indians
in March made an incurSion among the
whites, killed large number, and took
forty prisoners.
In 1884 General Canto, being then
WI uCdtdus WSht
to British Honduras with the same OBJ
ect as before, but experience and the
advice of friends had taught him that
he must 60 to work in different man
ner, and he succeeded in having a meet
ing with some Of the Chan Santa Cruz
chiefs in Balize, at the Government
house, and in the presence of Hon.
Henry Fowler, then, as now, Gov
ernor pro tempore. He took no part
in the matter, his presence merely
being desired to make the trans
action Of Jona-fde character.
A preliminary agreement was drawn
up providing for the recognition Of the
Mexican Government by the Chan
Santa Cruz people, for the mutual sur
render of criminals, and for the APP
pointment OF officials of the Mexican
Government, subject to the approval Of
the Indians, Crecencio Poot to remain
chief of Chan Santa Cruz till his death.
General Canto went to the capital of
Mexico and laid his proposals before
the Government, but they were re-
iected, and he returned to Yucatan.
Among the various prisoners at the
Indian city was the wife of one Fran
cisco Avila. In 1880 Avila went to
British Honduras and induced the In
dams to allow him to 60 with them to
see his wife. His real object was to
induce her to give him some document
that would enable him to enjoy certain
property belonging to her in her old
home; but he pretended that affection
alone led him to visit her. The In
dams, however, when they arrived told
Avila that he must remain there, and
they gave him house to live with
his wife. After some time Avila said
he wanted to 60 back to his old home
to settle. up his business and come
again with his money. The fact is he
saw that he could make more money
with the Indians. He went and re-
turned, and was so well treated that
when Chable, the third in command,
died they gave Avila his position. But
all this time Avila was miserable spy
and hypocrite, and was trying to
gradually win the Indians back to
Mexican control. For this end some
other Youcatecans of Corozal were also
striving, pretending mean while to be
sincere friends of the Indians. Promi-
nent among these was one Andrade,