The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1897-10-23
GUATEMALA.
CUATEMALA'S ANCIENT ClTYOE
ST. JAMES, THE GENTLEMAN.
Untouched for Three Centuries-An In
teresting Dinner-Founded by Cortez's
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT by EartAquake-
Buried Treasure OF Untold Value.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT by EartAquake-
Buried Treasure or Untold Value.
ANTIGUA, Guatemala, "a x-Speciaj
Correspondence We havv bee.i making a
horseback pilgrimage to Guatemala's Oldest
city, the same which Pedro de Alvarado found
S73 years ago, and named "St. James, the Gen.
tleman." 1t lies only three or four miles
from Antigua, close to the foot of Aqua or
rather, up on the slOpi1g instep of that great,
green volcano, the site Of a much older
aboriginal city, which the Spaniards de-
stroyed. The road thereto winds under beau
tiful Trees, t fine coffee estates and plan
tations of cactus, covered with cochineal in
sects; past gardens and cottages, and melan-
cnoly ruins draped with Towering creepers.
a Well-known Chicagoan who recently trav-
ersed this region pronounced it the lowell
est ON Gods fOOtstOol." 1t is indeed as near
perfection as likely to find; a region
or surprising beauty and fertility, Of eternal
suIn1G II, tempered by cooling breezes from
Two Lie ar-by oceans, the air laden with frag
rance from ever blooming gardens, fountains
of crystal water flowing continually, and ap-
parently .pervaded by the very spirit of re-
pose. making life a tranquil dream Of dolce
Lar niente. 1t seems a pity that Guatemala:s
capital could not have remained in this we'll
watered valley, instead Of being removed to
IS,
thirty miles distant from the destructive VOL
canoes, and more than thousand feet nearer
the level OF the sea. But this Arcadia Is not
quite paradise, for changes Of temperature
are liable to occur with startling rapidity.
While the mornings and evenings are delight
tul beyond compare, the afternoons are un-
bearably hot, and may be almost freezing By
midnight. Foreigners feel these freaks OF
temperature greatly at first, and generally
suffer with colds and rheumatism, until they
mad Fnr tlo
of changes between ,frigid and torrid within
twenty -four hours.
Untouched for Three .Centurfes,
We rode directly Through, or, to speak more
correctly, the fallen city, whose ruins
have remained untouched for three centuries.
to the cafetal of Senior Don Jose Sandoval.
further up on the slope of Aqua; where break
fast awaited us long avenue of palms leads
10 the casa, which is so near to the volcanoes
mouth that from it's doorway one can seq
where portion Of the Zip" was blown off
IN the last eruption; yet with a ruined city
before them. boiling lake beneath, and
yawning crater above, the wealthy, fair-haired
Bpaniard and his family live in peace and COM
fort, undisturbed by thoughts ,of danger
Gathering under stately ,portico of carved
stone, into tile stone paved patio surrounded
by pillared corridors, we dismounted amid a
cordial chorus CT "BuenOs dias, .SenOritas
SenOras." And then our host ,clapped his
hands smartly together to summon mu-
chacho to the care of our horses. Just so was
1t done in the days of Don Quixote in
deed, it requires mo stretch of imagination
to fancy ourselves in the land of la Mancha
Breakfast was eaten in the pillared corridor,
facing the patio. with Its setting OF. palms. the
central fountain splashing softly In Its old
stone basin. The long table was laden with
a surprising array Of plates and platters, but
nothing else, and the host and hostess sat
together at one end issuing orders to the
hare-footed servants. In front of each guest
was "a pile Of plates reaching almost to his
chin, for among t he well-to-do in these cOun-
tries each article of food forms separate
course to be served on a separate plate, If
it is only a spoonful of peas. Caldo (broth)
came first, served steaming hot in cups set
upon plates; and after those were whisked
away. came huge ,platters OF the medley
known as Eel OLA Che poD, the very same
that has so puzzled many readers of Ger
vantes quaint story. In Quixote's adven-
lures 1 believe it Is called 1.-The rotton pot,
though why 80 stigmatized / am unable to
say for the ola is merely the collection of
vegetables, seeds, green fruits, and what not,
which have already wasted their sweetness
In the soup kettle, regathered after the
"'caldo' has been dipped off, to serve as
second course.
An Interesting Dinner.
have observed that the natives seldom
eat much of it, but poke over the heaped-up
platter with their forks to pick out here and
there favorite seeds or morceaux Next came
four or five courses of meats, but no vegeta-
bles at all If one may except "a salad. sand
WICKED between the fry and the stew, and to-
mato sauce, red hot with peppers, which was
continually handed around in small dishes
and in great demand as a garnish to every
thing There was AN abundance of bread,
of the kind known as 'Franceces,' in crLsty
loaves the size of a fist; water was nspicu-
Gus by it's absence, but Spanish claret flowed
freely; and frejoles (stewed beans) put the
finishing touch to the solid portion of the re-
nnc{c rod NJ c. INV
"dulcie," which we .afterward learned was
pumpkin stewed in cane juice; and then
came the crowring glory. an immense tray of
fruit. "a gorgeous display of crimson and gold,
green, russet. and purple, gathered In the
different zones of Central America from the
tropical coast to the temperate regions Of the
mountains. Lastly came coffee. in the form
of black fluid called Essence" contained
in glass bottles. Each person poured few
spoonfuls IN his cup, and the servant, stand
ing at his elbow witha steaming pot in each
b hand, inquired whether he would have" leche
caliente," or "agua caliente," hot milk, or
hot water, and If the first named is chosen, a
delicious beverage results.
Senior $SendOval himself acted as our guide
over the ruined city. This is the very spot
where Akyacado fought the battles which made
him conqleror and Governor OF Guatemala:
It happened in this way: The Indian kings OF
the South, having heard of the exploits OF
Cortez in Mexico sent an embassy to him,
offering their allegiance to the Spanish crown.
Cortez received the embassy with distinction
and sent his favorite lieutenant, Pedro de
Alvarado, back with the Indians to take
possession Of their country It took Alvarado
nearly year, with his 300 Spanish soldiers
and a large body of natives. to Journey
through the painless forests fnont the CITY
of Mexico to this place, which he reached
late in the year 1923. Here ha found q
popnlous city, named, like the ~solcano, AL
nolonga meaning in the aboriginal Language
Spring of Pure Water." 1t Is said that
232 900 mell7armed Indians came out to mee'
the invaders and offered vigorous resistance.
but the superior arms Of the Spaniards, ant
above all the terror inspired by their cavalry
were too much tor the Indians. who hat
never seen horses before and believed horse
and rider to BE- one frightfW supernatural
being. "-. .s.'
Founded by CorteE's Lieutenant.
At the end OF six days hand fighting thu
Indian king was slain and the subjugation O.
his followers was accomplished. Alvarad'
completely destroyed their capital, razed tn
temple Of their idols to the ground, and bull
on its site Catholic church. On July rs
1924 the festival Of St. James. the patrol
saint of Spain. Alvarado assembled his horse
men, the Mexican Indians who had accom-
panied him, and as many Guatemalans a.
could crowd around, under a tree which Il
still standing, when the chaplaiS, Fra
Juan Godinez, said mass invoking the pro
tec+ion NJ the anostle and christening thu