CHAPTER XXVIII.
QUEZALTENANGO—ACCOUNT OF IT—CONVERSION OF THE INHABITANTS TO CHRISTIANITY—APPEARANCE OF THE CITY—THE CONVENT—INSURRECTION—CARRERA'S MARCH UPON QUEZALTENANGO—HIS TREATMENT OF THE INHABITANTS—PREPARATION FOR HOLY WEEK—THE CHURCH—A PROCESSION—GOOD FRIDAY—CELEBRATION OF THE RESURRECTION—OPENING CEREMONY—THE CRUCIFIXION—A SERMON—DESCENT FROM THE CROSS—GRAND PROCESSION—CHURCH OF CALVARIO—THE CASE OF THE CURA—WARM SPRING OF ALMOLONGA.
We were again on classic soil. The reader perhaps requires to be reminded that the city stands on the site of the ancient Xelahuh, next to Utatlan the largest city in Quiché, the word Xelahuh meaning "under the government of ten;" that is, it was governed by ten principal captains, each captain presiding over 8,000 dwellings, in all 80,000, and containing according to Fuentes more than 300,000 inhabitants; that on the defeat of Tecum Umam by Alvarado, the inhabitants abandoned the city, and fled to their ancient fortresses, Excansel, the volcano, and Cekxak, another mountain adjoining; that the Spaniards entered the deserted city, and according to a manuscript found in the village of San Andres Xecul, their videttes captured the four celebrated caciques, whose names, the reader doubtless remembers, were Calel Kalek, Ahpopgueham, Calelahan, and Calelaboy; the Spanish records say that they fell on their knees before Pedro Alvarado, while a priest explained to them the nature of the Christian faith, and they declared themselves ready to embrace it. Two of them were retained as hostages, and the others sent back to the fortresses, who returned with such multitudes of Indians ready to be baptized, that the priests, from sheer fatigue, could no longer lift their arms to perform the ceremony.
As we approached, seven towering churches showed that the religion so hastily adopted had not died away. In a few minutes we entered the city. The streets were handsomely paved, and the houses picturesque in architecture; the cabildo had two stories and a corridor. The Cathedral, with its façade richly decorated, was grand and imposing. The plaza was paved with stone, having a fine fountain in the centre, and commanding a magnificent view of the volcano and mountains around. It was the day before Good Friday; the streets and plaza were crowded with people in their best attire, the Indians wearing large black cloaks, with broad-brimmed felt sombreros, and the women a white frock, covering the head, except an oblong
