Page:Travels in Mexico and life among the Mexicans.djvu/49

Rh commander the site of the present city of Vera Cruz. In 1519 this intrepid soul again set sail for Yucatan, in the service of Hernando Cortes, whom he followed through all his wanderings; and in this manner unconsciously collected the material for the best and most truthful history of the conquest of Mexico that has been given to the world.

The richer country of Mexico attracted all the captains and soldiers thither, and Yucatan remained comparatively unnoticed for a decade of years after its discovery. In the year 1527 the gallant Don Francisco de Montejo obtained a grant from the king of Spain for its conquest and colonization. Landing first at the island of Cozumel, off the east coast of Yucatan, he attempted to march into the interior from the shore of the peninsula opposite, but everywhere met with determined opposition from the Indians. It was not until the year 1537 that, Don Francisco having been driven from the territory, his son again effected a landing near Campeche. From that date to the great battle at T'ho (Merida), in 1540, the Spaniards were constantly fighting; but they finally triumphed—only to find that this country, which they had so desperately battled for and which its native inhabitants had so bravely defended, contained not a single mine of gold or silver, nor anything to reward them for their conquest.

Since this period, the history of Yucatan has been mainly uneventful to the world at large. The people, the first shedders of European blood in New Spain, and apparently ferocious and sanguinary, readily yielded to the Spaniards, quickly embraced the religion of the usurpers, and settled down to the cultivation of the arts of peace. In the year 1761 occurred a great uprising of the raza indigena, or aborigines; and again in 1847 a numerous body revolted and fled to the southeastern portion of the peninsula, which they still occupy. For thirty years and more there have been Indians with their war-paint on, rebels against the authority of the government. Though living in the eastern portion of the country, they now and then make raids in the direction of Merida, causing great excitement; they have depopulated a large extent of country, and caused towns and