Evening star., 1901-05-25
The Mysterious Nahuilas of the
Guatemalan Mountains.
THEY HOLD THEIR NATION INTACT
Of Great Physical Strength, Thrifty
and industrious.
PEACEFUL UNTIL PROVOKED



ancient custom and usages in almost pre-
ciseIy the same manner as before the dis
COVcry and conquest of America. The COun-
try which they occupy lies among the rug
ged mountains Of Guatemala. surrounded
by rocky heights and lofty volcanic cones
The people are known as the Nahuilas
They speak a language of their own. which
none of the surrounding tribes understands.
and they most persistently refuse to learn
Spanish. the language Of the country. On
the surface they appear morose, sullen
people. whose only desire is to be let alone.
Travellers are discouraged as much as pos
she. and the few tourists who make their
way thither are persistentIy misled by VOL
Eutser guides who try to set them off trail
and lose them upon a road leading away
from the country.
The heights about the ;Nahuila country
are known as Los Altos. and consist of ex-
tensive table lands thickly strewn with In
dian villages and cities. Crossing these
table lands and winding around these
mountain sides is a highway connecting
Guatemala city with Quezaltenango. the
second city of the republic At an altitude
of 1000 feet is the quaint old town of Pat
zun. and here the highway sweeps away
to the right. To the left is an Indian road
scarcely fit for mule travel which the tray-
eler Is Invariably cautioned not to take. If
he dIsregardS this advice he desCends into
deep ravine inwaIled by steep cliffs on
side and a dense black forest on the
other Thence by hard climbing a rugged
bit of table land IS reached. at ehe end of
which is a magnificent view over the ir-
regularly outlined lake of Atton. with its
majestic volcano piercing the sky above.
The Rugged Scenery.
Thence the road twists upward to an
other elevated plateau and then dives down
into a series of tedious depths. to crawl out
again among hills and along cliffs where
one is fairly bewildered with the wild rug
ged scenery on every hand, finally leading
90 the rim of a mountain cauldron. at the
bottom OF which lies the capital of the
strange NahUila community. 1t is a small
and widespread city. the houses scattered
over a vast. irregular space. They stand
out from labyrinth of gullies and ravines
- they occupy the sides of little hills and
crown their tops: white wall and red tiled
roofs on gray rock relieved by occasional
punches of green foliage venerable old
Church forms the center of the picture
The Christians call this city Santa Cata-
rina the Indians call it Nahua. Above
ii wherever there Is gentle slope or
more even plain on the mountain terraces
there may be disCerned. like oyerhanging
Erdens. fields of potatoes and wheat with
the Indian farmer perhaps toiling among
mis- plants or looking down from the dizzy
height upon the road below. Further on
they have two other cities, for they are
a pueblo dwelling people, caring to
live isolated as do some of the Indian
tribes Of northern Guatemala Their cities
are well located at the bottom of the rocky
basin all around which tower almost mac
upon the other, shutting out the horizon
and showing only blue sky overhead.
The number of these Indians is esti-
mated at about 3nppo and though they
might be easily defeated outside their ter
ritory. any attempt TO conquer them with
In II would undoubtedly be fraught with
severe consequences to the government os-
,ensibly ruling the country. They have
neither firearms nor military organization,
but from the high cliffs and precfpices
.overhanging the narrow trails into their
III,
foe by tumbIng masses of rock and stones
down upon him
Periis of the Traveller.
For many years no traveller. whether ma
tive or foreigner dared take the road
through the Nahuila country though by
so doing he would save a short cut to or
from Quezaltenango. The president of
Guatemala. many years ago undertook to
throw this country open, after the disap-
pearauce of a traveller passing through it,
by warning the Nahuilas that they would
be held responsible for the lives of future
tTavtlcrs, and enforcing the warning by
hanging three II their head men. In the
presidency Of J. Rufno Barrios German
cI-rk. on his way TO QueZaltenango with
his native servant. missed the road at Pat
I'm. taking the road To the left. Accus-
toned To treat the Indians with a super
eiii'uS-lcss only too common among for
"!Zners in the country, and finding he had
lost ais way after penetrating the Nahuila
country. he demanded Of some Indian shep-
herds whom he encountered to be shown
tAe way ont They regarded him with the
stpicism of their tribe refusing him the
least attention. whereUpon he cursed them
r'undly for their stupidity. and drawing his
revolver threatened them and again de-
nanded TO be shown the way out. The In
dianS then turned upon him letting out
y cullar yell. as they quickly unwound the
long laSheS tWined around the club-like
wh!p-stOcks which the Nahuila shepherds
carry, and others appearing on the scene.
as though springing from the ground, the
native servant. who was close behind his
master, concluded 1t was time to beat a re-
treat As he spurred his pony up the pre-
Hipitous sides of the bowl-lke mountain.
leaving his master behind he heard the
crack Of the Indian whips and the reports
OF the Germans revolver but he made good
ms escape and was able to report the de-
tails of the affair
The German minister being Informed of
the circumstances and the attending dis
appearance Of his cOuntrymen, called the
attention OF the Guatemalan government
10 the matter. 1t is said that the IndIJns
made no attempt to conceal the death of
the German whom they actually whipped
. to death with their long whips but on the
contrary sent some portions Of the VIC
tim 5 body 10 the president with a message
that ne was killed for his prssumptuousness
BdrrlDS. evidently Judging the cost OF in
yadiHg their domain with an armed force
sent for a number of their head men whom
he at once made prisoners Other mead
men were sent from Nahuila to secure the
release Of the first, and these were also i'm
pris0red- Thirty IL all were secured and
they would be set AT liberty and allowed
T. return to their homes upon payment
OF Si.'"n each They allowed to send
messages to their people. and in due time
troop OF Indians appeared trotting up to
the Presidents mansion loaded with $50 600
In silver coin.
Like the Chinese.
It IS very difficult for a traveller to learn
from these people anything about them
selves They exclusive and uncom-
nuntcative as though hemmed In by the
great wall of China and guard their rites
and customs as sacredly as the Chinese
themselves. whom they very much resern-
BILE Tney have their own priests and high
priests and elders. and keep themselves
separate from the Indians OF other COM
ruunitleS with the most Jealous care. Their
women are not allowed to marry outside
of their race. They are nearly all farm
ers and shepherds. Their mountain sheep
produce a wool from which they manu-
1actuTe wOOfens and blankets of exquisite
Workmanship. These products they carry