march to the cakchiquel capital—with a brilliant retinue king sinacam comes forth to meet the spaniards—description of patinamit—occupation of the cakchiquel capital—expedition against tepepul, king of the zutugils—the cliff city of atitlan—a warm battle—entry into the stronghold—reconciliation and return to patinamit—love episode of alvarado.
sinacam greets the spaniards.
the lieutenant-general was now ready to advance, and on the 11th of april, 1524, he left utatlan for patinamit, the capital of the cakchiquels.[xxv-1] the weak and yielding sinacam,[xxv-2] king of the cakchiquels, had already sent with his troops a present of gold to alvarado, and renewed his assurances of allegiance. he now prepared to meet him with such stately pomp as would be sure to gratify his future master. by this means he hoped his tottering throne might be secured to him. servility and profuse hospitality would surely win their hearts, he thought; and then, with the powerful strangers on his side, he might laugh at his enemies. 653 as the spanish army approached his capital he issued forth with native pageantry to meet it. he was borne aloft by his nobles on a litter, beneath a canopy which dazzled the eye with blazing ornaments of gold and changing hues of quetzal feathers, and round him were the members of the royal family in litters scarcely less conspicuous than his own, while a large body of warriors, with their plumed head-dresses and warlike apparel, marched in the rear and on either side. alvarado's greeting was not of that unalloyed cordiality which sinacam had hoped. the spaniard was suspicious. he had but just escaped destruction, and the late danger had taught him discretion. what he had observed on the march had not tended to inspire confidence or promote peace of mind. all along the route despoiled corpses of slain indians had met his sight, and the ground was discolored with human blood. large bands of armed warriors were everywhere seen, and it was evident that the whole country was in arms. but fear was no part of alvarado's character; therefore, when the king came near, he calmly dismounted, approached him with courteous mien, and with expressions of esteem placed in his hands a rare and curious piece of silver jewelry; then he asked with sombre brow, "why dost thou seek to do me harm, when i come to do thee good?" informed of the meaning of the words so seriously addressed to him, and conscious of his own faithful intentions, sinacam, with calm yet somewhat severe dignity thanked him first for the present, replying, "quiet thy heart, great captain, scion of the sun, and trust in my love." it was then explained to alvarado that the warlike demonstrations he had discovered were directed against a rebellious vassal, who, with the aid of the kings of the quichés and the zutugils, had revolted and attempted to make himself a ruler.[xxv-3] 654
patinamit.
alvarado professed to be satisfied, and permitted himself to be escorted by the monarch to the capital.[xxv-4] patinamit,[xxv-5] like utatlan, was situated in a naturally 655 impregnable position. it occupied an elevated plain, surrounded by ravines, the side of which nearest the city was perpendicular to a depth of five or six hundred feet. across this chasm, at one point only, could entrance into the capital be gained, by means of a narrow causeway, which was closed by two gateways of stone,[xxv-6] one on each side of the city wall. this isolated plateau was about three miles long and two broad. the chronicler fuentes describes the remains of this city with much minuteness, leaving vivid impressions of its former grandeur. on one edge of the natural platform, according to that writer, were the ruins of a magnificent building one hundred paces square, of extremely well hewn stone. in front of this edifice extended a plaza, on one side of which were the remains of a splendid palace, and in close proximity the foundations of many residences. 656 the city was divided by a ditch running north and south, more than eight feet deep, and surmounted by concrete breastworks three feet high. this was the dividing line between the dwellings of the nobles and those of the commoners. the streets were straight and wide, and extended in the direction of the four cardinal points. to the west was a mound dominating the city, on the summit of which stood a round building five to six feet high, resembling the breastwork of a well. around this the judges held courts; but before their sentences could be executed they had to be confirmed by the sacred oracular stone, which was preserved in a shrine in a deep gulch. it is described as of a black diaphanous material, more precious than the ordinary building material. in its gloomy transparency the demon made visible the judgments that were to be passed. if no manifestation occurred, the accused was released; otherwise the sentence was carried into effect on the same mound where the judges sat in deliberation. this oracle was consulted also in matters of war.[xxv-7]
atitlan.
king sinacam's reception of the guests in this his capital and court fully equalled his promises. sumptuously lodged, and bountifully supplied with all the luxuries the land could produce, alvarado himself admits that they could not have met kinder treatment in their own land.[xxv-8] for eight days the spaniards feasted,[xxv-9] and in return sinacam succeeded in obtaining the aid of his powerful friends against his hostile neighbors. frequent conversations were held relative to the subjugation of the zutugils, and to 657 insure this happy consummation sinacam expatiated on the contemptuous pride of tepepul, king of atitlan,[xxv-10] and his further wickedness in not tendering allegiance to the teules.[xxv-11] it seems that the zutugil ruler had incurred the hatred of sinacam by giving assistance to his rebellious vassal, acpocaquil,[xxv-12] and making nocturnal incursions into the cakchiquel territory by means of canoes. these outrages were prompted partly by his reliance on the impregnable position of his city, situated on the hanging cliffs above lake atitlan, seven leagues from patinamit. alvarado required little persuasion to engage in his favorite pastime of gold-hunting and blood-letting. he was well aware of the supercilious nature of tepepul, and had already determined to visit him in person. while at utatlan he had sent four messengers to the court of atitlan, bearing the usual requirement; but the haughty monarch, instead of paying the respect due to so important a demand, put the messengers to death. this ruffled alvarado, though it did not dishearten him. "i think," he writes to cortés respecting this city, "that with the help of our lord we shall soon bring it to the service of his majesty."[xxv-13]
alvarado would help king sinacam, but first he would like some money for travelling expenses. this reasonable request could not be refused; not only was the treasure house of patinamit emptied, but the entire district, so far as possible, was stripped of its gold, jewels, and whatever the spaniards regarded as 658 desirable.[xxv-14] after this the spaniards were ready to pass into the next district and levy like tribute, with or without bloodshed.
the city taken.
in order to proceed with regularity, alvarado again sent envoys to atitlan, demanding that tepepul should cease hostilities against the cakchiquels, who were the allies of the teules, and again the ruler displayed his contempt by putting to death the messengers.[xxv-15] thereupon alvarado set out with sixty cavalry, one hundred and fifty infantry, and a large body of cakchiquels, commanded by their chiefs.[xxv-16] meeting no opposition he advanced with thirty horse to the height above the lake, and descended over difficult ground to a level plain that lay in front of a fortified rock in the water. this was approachable only by means of a narrow causeway, intersected at different points by wooden bridges. near by the enemy were now discovered drawn up in two bodies, each eight thousand strong. they advanced at once to the attack, armed with lances, bows and arrows, and other weapons, protected, moreover, by cotton corselets.[xxv-17] as the rest of his forces were not far behind, alvarado did not hesitate to charge, and when the infantry 659 soon came up the engagement became general. for some time it was most obstinately maintained, and numbers of the spanish soldiers were wounded. the cavalry, however, succeeded as ever in breaking the enemy's lines, relieving the hard-pressed foot-soldiers, who thereupon rallied and renewed their efforts so vigorously as soon to send the enemy rushing for the stronghold. the pursuing horsemen arrived at the causeway as soon as the fugitives; here they were obliged to dismount, as the place was impassable for horses; yet they followed the indians so closely that no time was given to destroy the bridges, and the spaniards entered the fort with them. the infantry soon came up, and though the zutugils struggled desperately to maintain their position, the volleys of the arquebusiers made such havoc in their ranks that at last they plunged into the lake and swam to a neighboring island, whence many of them escaped before the tardy arrival of three hundred cakchiquel canoes.
that evening, after sacking all the houses on the rock, alvarado pitched his camp in a field of maize. on the following morning he implored divine protection and marched against atitlan. he found the city abandoned, his capture of what they regarded as an impregnable stronghold in the lake having so discomfited the zutugils that they dared not contend with him for their city. at mid-day he took up position in the capital, and at once set about to overrun and devastate the country; but it was so rugged that the men could with difficulty move, and he was obliged to content himself with destroying some plantations of maize and cacao.[xxv-18] he succeeded in making a few captives, three of whom were despatched to king tepepul with the usual demand of submission, accompanied by threats in case of refusal. perceiving the necessity, the zutugil monarch gracefully yielded, 660 whereupon the conqueror became gracious. he complimented the zutugils for their bravery, pardoned their offences, and exhorted them to remain faithful, and to make no more war on such of their neighbors as were the recognized subjects of the king of spain. to give efficacy to his words he built a strong fort in a suitable position, and left in it four hundred and eighteen men, spaniards and mexican allies, under the command of héctor de chaves and alonso del pulgar. then he returned to patinamit.[xxv-19]
within three days the lords of the lake district presented themselves, with presents of gold and raiment. they expressed joy at becoming vassals of his majesty of spain, for wars and woes should thenceforth be unknown among them. the spanish commander was extremely affable as he presented his visitors with some glass trinkets, of great value in their eyes, and dismissed them with every demonstration of affection.[xxv-20]
perhaps one reason why the play of helen of troy was not oftener performed by the spanish conquerors in america was on account of the cheapness of women there. there might be lacking gold, or pearls, or provender, but seldom was a people found so poor that they could not furnish the army a liberal supply of 661 pretty slave girls. less is found in the chronicles of this kind of traffic than of the traffic in gold and the traffic in pearls. the merchandise of morality, or rather of immorality, was less portable than the other kinds. women were to use and throw away; gold would keep; while pearls were usually a staple article in the spanish nation.
alvarado in love.
now the pious alvarado, next to his delectable master cortés the most pious pirate in all the indies, had tasted every iniquity condemned in his most holy scriptures except that invented and acted by the sweet psalmist of israel. he had severally broken every commandment of the decalogue, then he had put them together and had broken them in every conceivable combination. but while maidens were so plump and plenty he had never felt the desire, like good king david, to go after the wife of any uriah the hittite. but while enjoying the luxurious hospitality of the cakchiquel capital, with a world to give for a new sensation, alvarado's eye fell on the beautiful suchil,[xxv-21] wife of king sinacam. in some respects it was the israelitish tale reversed, for sinacam was by no means a poor man in respect of women, nor was suchil his only ewe lamb. the susceptible heart of the dashing commander was smitten by the graces of this queen, and he resolved to possess her. being a conqueror, with a king for a slave, he might have obtained his desire by the simple demand; but in those days there was something sacred in royalty, even in heathen and captive royalty. sinacam was now an acknowledged subject of spain, and as such possessed rights; besides, that was not the way set forth by the bright exemplar of his faith.
upon some pretext, therefore, sinacam was arrested and put in irons. gold was then demanded, and yet 662 more gold. it was the old method of making the penalty supply the place of guilt and condemnation. then suchil was seized, i do not say unwillingly, for the spanish commander was fair and fascinating, and the cakchiquel queen was after all but a woman. above all things on earth, or beyond the earth, sinacam regarded her—and for her restoration he offered more jewels, and pretty maidens, ay, the daughters of chieftains, by the hundred. alvarado refused the prayer but not the offering. when love had cooled he released the king and went his way.
