The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1897-11-20
GUATEMALA.
A'FEW MORE GIFTS SIGHTS AND
SCENES OF INTEREST.
About the PlaLa-BarriOs q Friend of the
feople-The Indian you Find him at
Home--The Plaza de Forros, or Bull Ring
the FavOrlte AttrabtiOn.

GUATEMALA LA NUEVA -Spe-
;lal OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES one wants
20 go In Guatemala's capital, the start is
generally made from the Plaza d'Armas, The
dig square, with its fountain and flower
garden and broad stone promenades, ir-
closed within a barbed-wir fence and sur
rounded by the principal edlfces of church,
state, and commerce, Is not only the central
'eature or the city, but its Alpha and Omega
Ine beginning and ths end of everything
FROM this point the street numbers COM
Hence anu the t7sncars start on their va
Flous ways to the suburbs; the diligencias
set out on dusty Journeys to the interior, and
orop their passengers here on returning:
around It's edges stand the few hacks to he
nlred IN the city, and the saddle horses and
mules, and the Indian cargadores. waiting
Tor any sort Of porterage. The last-named
patient beasts Of burden merit more than a
passing glance; not for their beauty how
ever, Tor uglter creatures do not exist. unless
II may be among the Diggers Of Lower Cali
iornla, or the dwarfs Of TERRA del Fueeo.
me Guatemala Indian is short, tough. and
toEKy, with skin the color and texture Of
"ell-tanned leather and .splay feet In rude
sandals made by himself, is the great com.
peo'eor OF the cargo mule, the ox-cart, and
Inc 'steamcar; and, by the way is tnsanelv
Jealous OF the latter, which lis slowly but
surely spelling his occupation. He carries
everything Imaginable upon his back and
saoulders, from q Saratoga trunk to a cabi-
net organ, bales of merchandise and bags of
eonee, loads OF hay and sugar cane, fruit
coal, lime, and to bis rapid jog trot a hundred
leagues Is but a pleasant excursion. The
implements of his trade are few and rude.
on1y Dag net OF ropes, cowhide mecapal,
Anu q mat OF hand-WoVen grass which IN
rainy weather serves the double purpose Of
tarpaulln and umbrella. The rope net an
'Wers for the pack" of "a mule and incloses
IN oDlong frame in which the smaller pack
yes are put; while heavier loaGs rest SQUARE
mecapal
The latter is,a sort Of harness, with a broad
teathern band encircling the forehead, which
upholds the load and divides the strain of
US weight. Theenormous burdens these In
1lans carry, the speed with which they CO.
ana the small amount charged for the serv-
Ice, are eVer-ending sources of astonish-
ment to the stranger. The practice, contin-
rea from infancy, of sustaining heavy loads
oy the mecapal, produces marked depression
IN the upper part Of the forehead and maybe
mas mad something to do with the lack of
brain development and the dwarfed intelli-
gence'of these singular people:
About the Plaza.
But to return to the Plaza dArmas. One
whole Side OF tits lined by the great cathedral
and the archiepiscopal palace the latter
an odd structure, its ponderous gates COW
.red with formidable array Of brass locks,
knockers, hinges, and big-headed nails the
stone above 1t carved with the inter, keys,
and crook: The western side of the plaza is
occupied by the Palacio Nacional and two
barra cks-all swarming with soldiers; the
north side by the Municipalidad, or city hall,
and a long line of shops; the south by more
shops and the Presidents palace In one
corner, the latter backed by barrack ex-
tending down side street. All these build
lngs are loW-walled and rooted with red tiles,
their facades ornamented in stucco in low re-
lief and painted pale-green, sky blue pink
lavender, white, or gray, with stripes Of
contracting color; and most Of them are faced
with 'portales," whose Recovered arches
extend over the sidewalk. The Presidents
casa, though Of stucco adobe, and only one
storied. is quite as imposing, exteriorly. a.
cur old White House. A company Of guards
is posted at the entrance, and innumerable
officers in blue coats and scarlet trousers are
'lounging about the neighborhood.
Any sojourner In Guatemala's capita, what.
ever his business or nar1onanry, may ray an
Informal visit to the chief executive with no
other Introduction than visiting card. Presi
dent Regina Barrios is a very handsome man
for understood one, apparently about 10
years old, whose proud and naughty bearing
is belied by extreme; affability in conversation
AuQ the kluuly eApTSSSAOu VI d pair VI UTOWu
eyes behind the gold-bowed nose glasses.
Calling upon him the other day, without
previous appointment we were confronted by
the usual array of officers and soldiers; and,
on presenting our cards to one Of the former,
were ushered into small reception-room in
side the courtyard to await the close Of a
Cabinet meeting. The audience chamber of
the so-called "palace" is plain and scantily
Furnished, and we were, surprised to see heaps
If fruit and vegetables scattered around on
The floor among piles of books and stacks Of
documents, two or three guitars and violins,
some boots, saddle. and G her unofficial par"
aphernalia adding to the general disorder.
The President, in citizens clothes, sat half
reclining on sofa, his head thrown back in
close proximity to;two bell knobs in the wall,
the use of which we afterward learned. One
DELL summons his secretary from an inner
office, and the other calls sharpshooter, who,
before you could say "Jack Robinson" would
stand beside his chief with cooked revolver
ponted at the head Of a suspected visitor.
These precautions, with others of similar
nature, were instituted by the elder Barrios,
lncle Of the present executive whose assas-
sination was seven times attempted Seeing
our look of inquiry at the heaps Of vegetables
On the floor, the President explained that they
we're tributes from the Indians, brought in
hat morning as proofs of theirindustry and
allegiance. In the courtyard scores Of In
Hans were sQuatted on the hard stones or
stretched out asleep in shady corners, many
VI them with the dus tot the farthest province
IN their sandaled feet, waiting patiently for
an audience with the President. He went
Town with ,us ito show us some sample bags
If coffee that had just been sent him from
his ""peral plantations, and the moment he
came in sight every Indian arose and took
Dff his hat. ....t
H:,rriOs Friend of the People.
Most of them were satisfied with;a kindly
word from the President, but others crowded
around him with persistent appeals or COM
plants to >utfer. 9.- ~
!AIluougn the complaints We're trivial aud
romeImes amusing, Barrios listened atten-
lively TO every one and endeavored to adjust
it TO the Indians satisfaction. This is
probably the secret of his popularity anon z
them, and it is said that they would fight
for him to the death if occasion required.
T. was Reyna Barrios who abolished the bar.
.tarcus Law of mandamientos, established
by MS uncle, Wnicn made the Indians virtual
~ slaves. BY that law, which was in force
Us lale as 1893, the municipal and other
authorities, assisted by the general govern
1l.clt made a list Of all the Indians in the
slightest degree capable Of labor, from the
child of years to the septuagenarian, and
whether willing or not, they were sent to
work on the coffee plantations. There was
teason for it. in the fact that the Indians will
NOT work for the white man unless CON-
,pelled-to do SO, and the coffee crops, the hope
sf the country, were spelling for lack Of la
borens. No advantage accrued from it to the
government, beyond the increase of genera
public wealth resulting from individual prog
pcrity. Regina Barrios' decree, promulgatei!
late in The autumn OF 1893. while abrogatinl
the Jaw Of mandamientos, substituted for i
RI Isl icndc IAN