Identifier: ancientcitiesofn00char (find matches)
Title: The ancient cities of the New World : being travels and explorations in Mexico and Central America from 1857-1882
Year: 1887 (1880s)
Authors: Charnay, Désiré, 1828-1915
Subjects: Indians of Mexico Indians of Central America
Publisher: London : Chapman and Hall
Contributing Library: Getty Research Institute
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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own hands. They havethe characteristics of a race in its manhood, enduring, self-possessed, patient, and industrious. The only falling offnoticeable (due to the climate) is a diminution in their stature,and a disproportionately large female element. Never weretheir qualities better tested than during their social war,when they stood single - handed and succeeded, after yearsof hard fighting and sore distress, in recovering their municipalrights.* Their soil may be poor, they may not have mineral wealthlike their neighbours, but their thrift and industrious habitsbring their own reward. It would be interesting to tell the * See note at end. Yucatan, Merida, and the Maya Race. 28 long struggle of this gallant people to regain their inde-pendence ; suffice it to say that the risings of the nativesbegan in 1761, to break forth into a formidable insurrectionin 1846, which has continued with hardly any interruption tothe present day. The Indian, whether his spirit is broken by long oppres-
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A STREET IN MERIDA. sion, or from some other cause, seems to shrink and melt awayat the approach of the white man, and to retire more andmore from the beaten paths of civilisation. The environs of Merida are interspersed with numeroushaciendas; amongst these Ascorra is certainly one of the mostpicturesque. Three norias, or deep wells, give ample water 286 The Ancient Cities of the New World. for the requirements of the household, the irrigation of thegarden, and the plantation. The house, with its verandah festooned with creepers, itsflower-beds, shrubs, and palms, is a charming picture ofbeauty and comfort; multitudes of ducks, mandarins, swans,and flamingoes people the ponds, while rills of water cool theair and add to the enjoyment of this lovely spot. Here Inoticed for the first time a liana bearing a curious largeflower of ih feet long by 9 inches wide, with a filament ofmore than i foot 9 inches, making over 3 feet altogether.The colour is bluish green outside, while the inside

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