American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1915-11-13

rugged old warrior who, during the Dfa
regime, administered all that part of Mexico, MAR
land and Island. which lies to the east OF Yucatar
The foreign port nearest to Cozumel is Belize, Bril-
ish Honduras. distant about 1865 miles southwest
ON to the northeast, some 210 miles away. lie
Cuba. From extreme points north to south tn
island. which is rhomboidal In form. measures
little under 80 miles. and from east to west about l
miles.
Cozumel occupies a very prominent place in Me,
lean history. II was the first land sighted by HeI
nando Cortez when, In 1919. he sailed westwar
from Cuba on that famous voyage which had for Il
object the quest of gold and for its result the
conquest Of an smpire. Cortez. however. was not
the first Spaniard TO set foot on Cozumel's shores.
The year before he landed II was visited by
Grijalva. the discoverer Of Tabasco: and Ban
croft. the historian. mentions others who touched
there during the earlier cruises Of the Castilians
among the Antilles.
1t is a matter Of record that from the deck
OF his ''fiagship"-a little vessel OF less than 100
tons burthen-Cortez counted II towers on the
north and northwest coasts OF the island. These
he found. when he landed. surmounted as many
temples, erected for id~olatrous worship. When
he disembarked with half OF his followers tall
told the expedition numbered only GIT mem.
leaving the others on board his small feet to
repel possible attack. Cortez' first act was to dis.
mantle these temples. Fired with religious zeal.
he pushed his way through the crowd Of In
dams who had come down to the beach to re
ceive him. and. mounting the steps OF the prin'
Ciphi pluCc VI WOTbuip, WntEt IL ubu piicb ohu
his attendants we're grouped. he harangued the
natives on the sinfulness OF their idolatry. using
an Indian who had been captured on the coast
of Yucatan by Grijalva and who had acquired .
working knowledge OF Spanish In Cuba. as an
interpreter. After thus giving vent TO his re-
ligious fervor. and Cortez worst enemies could
never truthfully assert that he was not sincere
in his faith. he ordered his soldiers to tear down
the affairs dedicated to the false gods and In
their place set up a cross. No arguing. no rea'
aouipQ pr0mnt nggraaaiya action. without re-
gard to odds. and such action was Cortez main
characteristic at all times when dealing with the
natives wherever he went. Doubtless much OF
his remarkable success with them was due 10
Il, Although the Indians were obviously dociie,
the invaders were taking big chances In thus
Decorating the sacred groves. But nothing hap
pened. The audacity OF the proceeding was sub
lime. and so great that II simply dared the ma
tives and left them incapable OF protest
When Cortez was at Cozumel the island had
apparently several thousand inhabitants: but
when Stevens, a prominent American archeoio
gist and traveller, went there In the early forties
of the last century he found not n single soul.
The crowds seen by the Spaniards were PROB
ably transients, for, as a matter OF fact' Cozumei
never had a large resident population. II was a
sacred Mace TO the Mayas OF Yucatan and Cen
trel America, their Mecca. and a vast number OF
pilgrims went periodically TO worship at It's
shrines During the intervals between pill
grimages the priests, with their servants ana TO
| tanners, were uOuUtltbs ~ ohiy
When the spaniards became firmly established
in Yucatan they forbade the pilgrimage to Cozu'
mel. their reasons for this course being that thew
needed the uniI ~terruptec services OF the Indians
as laborers. The church also took q hand In
prohibiting festivals on the island. They carried
the mind away from the doctrine which the mis-
sion fathers were propagating, and although ths
Indian had without very great difficulty been In
duced TO accept the cross in place OF the craven
image. he would. when visiting the familiar
scenes, be sure TO associate with them the tenets
OF his old belief, still strong within him.
Notwithstanding that the religious p~ereg'ina'
lions ceased. Cozumel was not entirely deserted
until long after the invasion Or course u Is
more than likely that thoLe whose homes were
ON the island continued TO reside there after the
main body stopped coming, For the greater part
thew were spiritual councillors and medicine men,
and II ~ very ,robab.e nat they were forbidden
m leaya. Ii would be decidedly TO the interests
Il the con1uerorb. both lay and clerical. to Keep
nom away iron. the masses OF the people, That
hero was a Sc Element, and that So niards lived