History of Central America

Preface

During the year 1875 I published under title of The Native Races of the Pacific States what purports to be an exhaustive research into the character and customs of the aboriginal inhabitants of the western portion of North America at the time they were first seen by their subduers. The present work is a history of the same territory from the coming of the Europeans.

The plan is extensive and can be here but briefly explained. The territory covered embraces the whole of Central. America and Mexico, and all Anglo-American domains west of the Rocky Mountains. First given is a glance at European society, particularly Spanish civilization at about the close of the fifteenth century. This is followed by a summary of maritime exploration from the fourth century to the year 1540, with some notices of the earliest American books, Then, beginning with the discoveries of Columbus, the men from Europe are closely followed as one after another they find and take possession of the country in its several parts, and the doings of their successors are chronicled. The result is a History of the Pacific States of North America, under the following general divisions: — History of Central America; History of Mexico; History of tJw North Mexican States; History of New Mexico and Arizona;

vi PREFACE.

History of California; History of Nevada; History of Utah; History of the Northwest Coast; History of Oregon; History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana; History of British Columbia, and History of Alaska.

Broadly stated, my plan as to order of publication proceeds geographically from, south to north, as indicated in the list above given, which for the most part is likewise the chronological order of conquest and occupation. In respect of detail, to some extent I reverse this order, proceeding from the more general to the more minute as I advance northward.

The difference, though considerable, is however less in reality than in appearance. And the reason I hold sufficient. To give to each of the Spanish- American provinces, and later to each of the federal and independent states, covering as they do with dead monotony centuries of unchanging action and ideas, time and space equal to that which may be well employed in narrating north-western occupation and empirebuilding would be no less impracticable than profitless. It is my aim to present complete and accurate histories of all the countries whose events I attempt to chronicle, but the annals of the several Central American and Mexican provinces and states, both before and after the Revolution, run in grooves too nearly parallel long to command the attention of the general reader.

In all the territorial subdivisions, southern as well as northern, I treat the beginnings and earliest development more exhaustively than later events. A fter the Conquest, the histories of Central America and Mexico are presented on a scale sufficiently comprehensive, but national rather than local. The northern

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vii

Mexican states, having had a more varied experience, arising from nearer contact with professional events, receive somewhat more attention in regard to detail than other parts of the republic. To the Pacific United States is devoted more space comparatively than to southern regions, California bein" regarded as the centre and culminating point of this historical field.

For the History of Central America, to which this must serve as special as well as general introduction, I would say that, besides the standard chroniclers and the many documents of late printed in Spain and elsewhere, I have been able to secure a number of valuable manuscripts nowhere else existing; some from the Maximilian, Ramirez, and other collections, and all of Mr E. G. Squier's manuscripts relating to the subject fell into my hands. Much of the material used by me in writing of this very interesting part of fche world has been drawn from obscure sources, from local and unknown Spanish works, and from the somewhat confused archives of Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Salvador, and Guatemala.

Material for the history of western North America has greatly increased of late. Ancient manuscripts of whose existence historians have never known, or which were supposed to be forever lost, have been brought to light and printed by patriotic men and intelligent governments. These fragments supply many missing links in the chain of early events, and illuminate a multitude of otherwise obscure parts.

My efforts in gathering material have been continued, and since the publication of The Native Races fifteen thousand volumes have been added to my colviii . PREFACE.

lection. Among these additions are bound volumes of original documents, copies from public and private archives, and about eight hundred manuscript dictations by men who played their part in creating the history. Most of those who thus gave me their testimony in person are now dead; and the narratives of their observations and experiences, as they stand recorded in these manuscript volumes, constitute no unimportant element in the foundation upon which the structure of this western history in its several parts must forever rest.

To the experienced writer, who might otherwise regard the completion of so vast an undertaking within so apparently limited a period as indicative of work superficially done, I would say that this History was begun in 1869, six years before the publication of The Native Races; and although the earlier volumes of the several divisions I was obliged for the most part not only to plan and write, but to extract and arrange my own material, later I was able to utilize the labors of others. Among these as the most faithful and efficient I take pleasure in mentioning Mr Henry L. Oak, Mr William Nemos, Mr Thomas Savage, Mrs Frances Fuller Victor, and Mr Ivan Petroff, of whom, and of others, I speak at length elsewhere.

Of my methods of working I need say but little here, since I describe them more fully in another place. Their peculiarity, if they have any, consists in the employment of assistants, as before mentioned, to bring together by indices, references, and other devices, all existing testimony on each topic to be treated. I thus obtain important information, which otherwise, with but one lifetime at my disposal, would have been

PREFACE. ix

beyond ^ control. Completeness of evidence by no means insures a wise decision from an incompetent judge; yet the wise judge gladly avails himself of all attainable testimony. It has been my purpose to give in every instance due credit to sources of information, and cite freely such conclusions of other writers as differ from my own. I am more and more convinced of the wisdom and necessity of such a course, by which, moreover, I aim to impart a certain bibliographic value to my work. The detail to be encompassed appeared absolutely unlimited, and more than once I despaired, of ever completing my task. Preparatory investigation occupied tenfold more time than the writing.

I deem it proper to express briefly my idea of what history should be, and to indicate the general line of thought that has guided me in this task. From the mere chronicle of happenings, petty and momentous, to the historico-philosophical essay, illustrated with here and there a fact supporting the writer's theories, ' the range is* wide. Neither extreme meets the requirements of history, however accurate the one or brilliant the other. Not to a million minute photographs do we look for practical information respecting a mountain range, nor yet to an artistic painting of some one striking feature for a correct description. Prom the two extremes, equally to be avoided, the true historian will, whatever his inclination, be impelled by prudence, judgment,' and duty from theory toward fact, from vivid coloring toward photographic exactness. Not that there is too much brilliancy in current history, but too little fact. An accurate record of events must form the foundation, and largely the

VOL.* 2 x PREFACE.

superstructure. Yet events pure and simple are by no means more important than the institutionary development which they cause or accompany. Men, institutions, industries, must be studied equally. A man's character and influence no less than his actions demand attention. Cause and effect are more essential than mere occurrence; achievements of peace should take precedence of warlike conquest; the condition of the people is a more profitable and interesting subject of investigation than the acts of governors, the valor of generals, or the doctrines of priests. The historian must classify, and digest, and teach as well as record; he should not, however, confound his conclusions with the facts on which they rest. Symmetry of plan and execution as well as rigid condensation, always desirable, become an absolute necessity in a work like that which I have undertaken. In respect to time and territory my field is immense. The matter to be presented is an intricate complication of annals, national and sectional, local and personal. That my plan is in every respect the best possible, I do not say; but it is the best that my judgment suggests after long deliberation. The extent of this work is chargeable to the magnitude of the subject and the immense mass of information gathered rather than to any tendency to verbosity. There is scarcely a page but has been twice or thrice rewritten with a view to condensation; and instead of faithfully discharging this irksome duty, it would have been far easier and cheaper to have sent a hundred volumes through the press. The plan once formed, I sought to make the treatment exhaustive and sj'mmetrical. Not all regions nor all periods are portrayed on the same scale: but though the camera

PREFACE. xi

of investigation is set up before each successive topic at varying distances, the picture, large or small, is finished with equal care. I may add that I have attached more than ordinary importance to the matter of mechanical arrangement, by which through titlepages, chapter-headings, and indices the reader may expeditiously refer to any desired topic, and find all that the work contains about any event, period, place, institution, man, or book; and above all I have aimed at exactness.

We hear much of the philosophy of history, of the science and signification of history; but there is only one way to write anything, which is to tell the truth, plainly and concisely. As for the writer, I will only say that while he should lay aside for the time his own religion and patriotism, he should be always ready to recognize the influence and weigh the value of the religion and patriotism of others. The exact historian will lend himself neither to idolatry nor to detraction, and will positively decline to act either as the champion or assailant of any party or power. Friendships and ' enmities, loves and hates, he will throw into the crucible of evidence to be refined and cast into forms of unalloyed truth. He must be just and humble. To clear judgment he must add strict integrity and catholicity of opinion. Ever in mind should be the occult forces that move mankind, and, the laws by which are formulated belief, conscience, and character. The actions of men are governed by proximate states of mind, and these are generated both from antecedent states of mind and antecedent states of body, influenced by social and natural environment. The right of every generation should be xii

PREFACE.

determined, not by the ethics of any society, sect, or age, but by the broad, inexorable teachings of nature ; nor should he forget that standards of morality are a freak of fashion, and that from wrongs begotten of necessity in the womb of progress has been brought forth right, and likewise right has engendered wrongs. He should remember that in the worst men there is much that is good, and in the best much that is bad; that constructed upon the present skeleton of human nature a perfect man would be a monster; nor should he forget how much the world owes its bad men. But alas! who of us are wholly free from the effects of early training and later social atmospheres ! Who of us has not in some degree faith, hope, and charity ! Who of us does not not hug some ancestral tradition, or rock some pet theory !

As to the relative importance of early history, here and elsewhere, it is premature for any now living to judge. Beside the bloody battles of antiquity, the sieges, crusades, and wild convulsions of unfolding civilization, this transplanting of ours may seem tame. Yet the great gathering of the enlightened from all nations upon these shores, the subjugation of the wilderness with its wild humanity, and the new empiremodelling that followed, may disclose as deep a significance in the world's future as any display of army movements, or dainty morsels of court scandal, or the idiosyncrasies of monarchs and ministers. It need not be recited to possessors of our latter-day liberties that the people are the state, and rulers the servants. It is historical barbarism, of which the Homeric poems and Carlovingian tales not alone are guilty, to throw the masses into the background, or wholly to ignore

PREFACE.

xiii them. "Heureux le peuple dont l'histoire ennuie," is an oft repeated aphorism; as if deeds diabolical were the only actions worthy of record. But we of this new western development are not disposed to exalt brute battling overmuch; as for rulers and generals, we discover in them the creatures, not the creators, of civilization. We would rather see how nations originate, organize, and unfold; we would rather examine the structure and operations of religions, society refinements and tyrannies, class affinities and antagonisms, wealth economies, the evolutions of arts and industries, intellectual and moral as well as a3sthetic culture, and all domestic phenomena with their homely joys and cares. For these last named, even down to dress, or the lack of it, are in part the man, and the man is the nation. With past history we may become tolerably familiar; but present developments are so strange, their anomalies are so startling to him who attempts to reduce them to form, that he is well content to leave for the moment the grosser extravagances of antiquity, howsoever much superior in interest they may be to the average mind. Yet in the old and the new we may alike from the abstract to the concrete note the genesis of history, and from the concrete to the abstract regard the analysis of history. The historian should be able to analyze and to generalize; yet his path leads not alone through the enticing fields of speculation, nor is it his only province to pluck the fruits and flowers of philosophy, or to blow brain bubbles and weave theorems. He must plod along the rough highways of time and development, and out of many entanglements bring the vital facts of history. And therein lies the richest reward. "Shakspere's capital discovery was this," says Edxiv PREFACE.

ward Dowden, "that the facts of the world are worthy to command our highest ardour, our most resolute action, our most solemn awe ; and that the more we penetrate into fact, the more will our nature be quickened, enriched, and exalted."

That the success of this work should be proportionate to the labor bestowed upon it is scarcely to be expected; but I do believe that in due time it will be generally recognized as a work worth doing, and let me dare to hope fairly well done. If I read life's lesson aright, truth alone is omnipotent and immortal. Therefore, of all I wrongfully offend I crave beforehand pardon; from those I rightfully offend I ask no mercy; their censure is dearer to me than would be their praise.

CONTENTS OF THIS VOLUME.

Chapter I. Introduction"

SPAIN" AND CIVILIZATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.

PAGE.

General View— Transition from the Old to the New Civilization— Historical Sketch of Spain— Spanish Character— Spanish Society- Prominent Features of the Age — Domestic Matters — The New World — Comparative Civilizations and Savagisms — Earliest Voyages of Discovery. 1

Chapter II. Columbus And His Discoveries

1492-1500.

Early Experiences— The Compact— Embarkation at Palos— The Voyage—Discovery of Land— Unfavorable Comparison with the Paradise of Marco Polo— Cruise among the Islands — One Nature Everywhere — Desertion of Pinzon— Wreck of the Santa Maria— The Fortress of La Navidad Erected— Return to Spain— Rights of Civilization— The Papal Bull of Partition — Fonseca Appointed Superintendent of the Indies— Second Voyage— Navidad in Ruins— Isabela Established- Discontent of the Colonists— Explorations of the Interior— Coasting Cub i, and Discovery of Jamaica — Failure of Columbus as Governor — Intercourse with Spain — Destruction of the Indians — Government of the Indies — Diego and Bartolome Colon — Charges against the Admiral — Commission of Inquiry Appointed — Second Return to Spain — Third Voyage — Trinidad Discovered* — Santo Domingo Founded — The Roldan Rebellion — Francisco de Bobadilla Appointed to Supersede Columbus — Arbitrary and Iniquitous Conduct of Bobadilla — Columbus Sent in Chains to Spain 155

CHAPTER m.

Rodrigo de Bastidas — Extension of New World Privileges — The Royal Share — Juan de la Cosa — Ships of the Early Discoverers — Coasting

[xv]

Contents

PAGE.

Darien — The Terrible Teredo — Wrecked on Espailola — Spanish Money — Treatment of Bastidas by Ovando — Accused, and Sent to Spain for Trial — He is Immediately Acquitted — Future Career and Character of Bastidas — The Archives of the Indies — The Several Collections of Public Documents in Spain — The Labors of Muiioz and Navarrete — Bibliographical Notices of the Printed Collections of Navarrete, Ternaux-Compans, Salva and Baranda, and Pacheco and Cardenas 183

Chapter IV. Columbus On The Coasts Of Honduras, Nicaragua, And Costa Rica

1502-1506.

The Sovereigns Decline either to Restore to the Admiral his Government, or to Capture for him the Holy Sepulchre — So he Sails on a Fourth Voyage of Discovery — Fernando Colon and his History — Ovando Denies the Expedition Entrance to Santo Domingo Harbor — Columbus Sails Westward — Strikes the Shore of Honduras near Guanaja Island — Early American Cartography — Columbus Coasts Southward to the Darien Isthmus — Then Returns and Attempts Settlement at Veragua — Driven thence, his Vessels are Wrecked at Jamaica — There midst Starvation and Mutiny he Remains a Year — Then he Reaches Espauola, and finally Spain, where he shortly afterward' Dies — Character of Columbus — His Biographers 202

Chapter V. Administration Of The Indies

1492-1526.

Columbus the Rightful Ruler — Juan Aguado — Francisco de Bobadilla — Nicolas de Ovando — Santo Domingo the Capital of the Indies — Extension of Organized Government to Adjacent Islands and Mainland— Residencias — Gold Mining at Espanola — Race and Caste in Government — Indian and Negro Slavery — Cruelty to the Natives — Spanish Sentimentalism — Pacification, not Conquest — The Spanish Monarchs always the Indian's Friends — Bad Treatment due to Distance and Evil-minded Agents — Infamous Doings of Ovando — Repartimientos and Encomiendas — The Sovereigns Intend them as . Protection to the Natives — Settlers Make them the Means of Indian Enslavement — Las Casas Appears and Protests against Inhumanities— The Defaulting Treasurer — Diego Colon Supersedes Ovando as Governor— And Makes Matters Worse — The Jeronimite Fathers Sent Out — Audiencias — A Sovereign Tribunal is Established at Santo Domingo which Gradually Assumes all the Functions of an _ Audiencia, and as such Finally Governs the Indies — Las Casas in Spain — The Consejo de Indias, and Casa de Contratacion — Legislation for the Indies 247

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xvii

CHAPTEK VI.

THE GOVERNMENTS OF NUEVA ANDALUCIA AND CASTILLA DEL ORO.

1506-1510. PA0B.

Tierra Firme Thrown Open to Colonization— Rival Applications— Alonso de Ojeda Appointed Governor of Nueva Andalucia, and Diego de Nicuesa of Castilla del Oro— Hostile Attitudes of the Rivals at Santo Domingo— Ojeda Embarks for Cartagena— Builds the Fortress of San Sebastian— Failure and Death— Nicuesa Sails from Veragua— Parts Company with his Fleet— His Vessel is Wrecked— Passes Veragua— Confined with his Starving Crew on an Island— Succor— Failure at Veragua— Attempts Settlement at Nombre de Dios— Loss of Ship Sent to Espanola for Relief— Horrible Sufferings— Bibliographical Notices of Las Casas, Oviedo, Peter Martyr, Gomara, and Herrera— Character of the Early Chroniclers for Veracity 289

Chapter VII. Settlement Of Santa Maria De La Antigua Del Darien

1510- 1511.

Francisco Pizarro Abandons San Sebastian — Meets Enciso at Cartagena — He and his Crew Look like Pirates — They are Taken back to San Sebastian— Vasco Nuilez de Balboa— Boards Enciso's Ship in a Cask- Arrives at San Sebastian— The Spaniards Cross to Darien— The River and the Name — Cemaco, Cacique of Darien, Defeated — Founding of the Metropolitan City— Presto, Change ! The Hombre del Casco Up, the Bachiller Down— Vasco Nunez, Alcalde— Nature of the Office— Regidor — Colmenares, in Search of Nicuesa, Arrives at Antigua — He Finds Him in a Pitiable Plight — Antigua Makes Overtures to Nicuesa— Then Rejects Him— And Finally Drives Him Forth to Die— Sad End of Nicuesa 321

Chapter VIII. Factions And Foragings In Darien

1511- 1513.

The Garrison at Nombre de Dios — Subtle Diplomacies — Vasco Nufiez Assumes Command — Enciso, his Life and Writings — The Town and the Jail — Rights of Sanctuary — Valdivia's Voyage — Zamudio's Mission — Expedition to Coiba — Careta Gives Vasco Nunez his Daughter — Ponca Punished — Jura, the Savage Statesman — Visit of the Spaniards to Comagre — Panciaco Tells Them of a Southern Sea — The Story of Valdivia, Who is Shipwrecked and Eaten by Cannibals — Vasco Nunez Undertakes an Impious Pilgrimage to the Golden Temple of Dabaiba — Conspiracy Formed by the Natives to Destroy Antigua — Fulvia Divulges the Plot — Darien Quieted — Vasco Nunez Receives a Royal Commission — Serious Charges — Vasco Nunez Resolves to Discover the Southern Sea before He is Prevented by Arrest 337 xviii CONTENTS.

Chapter IX. Discovery Of The Pacific Ocean

Departure of Vasco Nuilez from Antigua— Careta's Welcome— Difficulties to be Encountered— Treacherous Character of the Country— Historical Bloodhounds— Ponca Reconciled— Capture of Quarequa — First View of the Pacific from the Heights of Quarequa— The Spaniards Descend to Chiapes — Take Formal Possession of the South Sea— Form of Taking Possession— The Names South Sea and Pacific Ocean — Further Discoveries — Perilous Canoe Voyage — Gold and Pearls in Profusion— Tumaco Pacified— The Pearl Islands— The Return— Teoca's Kindness — Ponca Murdered — Pocorosa Pacified — Tubanama Vanquished— Gold, Gold, Gold— Panciaco's Congratulations— Arrival at Antigua 358

Chapter X. Pedrarias Da Vila Assumes The Government Of Darien

1514- 1515.

How the Discovery of a South Sea was Regarded in Spain — The Enemies of Vasco Nunez at Court — Pedrarias Davila Appointed Governor— Departure from Spain and Arrival at Antigua — Arbolancha in Spain — Pedrarias Persecutes Balboa — The King's Requirement of the Indians — Juan de Ayora Sent to Plant a Line of Fortresses between the Two Seas— Which Work He Leaves for Wholesale Robbery— Bartolome Hurtado Sent to Bring in the Plunder— Disastrous Attempts to Violate the Sepulchres of Cenu — Expedition of Tello de Guzman to the South Sea— The Site of Panama Discovered— The Golden Temple of Dabaiba Once More — Gaspar de Morales and Francisco Pizarro Visit the South Sea. 386

Chapter XI. Darien Expeditions Under Pedrarias

1515- 1517.

Gonzalo de Badajoz Visits the South Sea-^What He Sees at Nombre de Dios — His Dealings with Totonagua — And with Tataracherubi — Arrives at Nata — The Spaniards Gather much Gold — They Encounter the Redoubtable Paris — A Desperate Fight — Badajoz Loses his Gold and Returns to Darien — Pedrarias on the War-path — He Strikes Cenu a Blow of Revenge — Acla Founded — The Governor Returns 111 to Antigua. — Expedition of Gaspar de Espinosa to the South Sea, — The Licentiate's Ass — Robbery by Law — Espinosa's Relation — A Bloody-handed Priest — Espinosa at Nata — He Courts the Acquaintance of Paris— Who Kills the Ambassadors — Hurtado Surveys the Southern Seaboard to Nicoya — Panama Founded — An Aboriginal Tartarus — Return of Espinosa's Expedition 412

CONTENTS.