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Excerpted from Incidents
of Travel in Yucatan by John L. Stephens, 1843;
The hacienda, or rather rancho, of San Joaquin, on which the ruins of Mayapan lie scattered... It forms part of the great hacienda of Xcanchakan…Xcanchakan; It was nearly dark when we reached the stately hacienda of Xcanchakan, one of the three finest in Yucatan, and containing nearly seven hundred souls. The house is perhaps one of the best in the country, and being within one day's ride of the capital, [Mérida] and accessible by calesa, it is a favorite residence of its venerable proprietor. The whole condition of the hacienda showed that it was often subject to the master's eye, and the character of that master may be judged of from the fact that his major domo, the same who was attendant upon us, had been with him twenty-six years. I have given the reader some idea of a hacienda in Yucatan, with its cattle-yard, its great tanks of water and other accessories. All these were upon a large and substantial scale, equal to any we had seen; and there was one little refinement in their arrangement, which, though not, perhaps, intended for that purpose, could not fail to strike the eye of a stranger. The passage to the well was across the corridor, and, sitting quietly in the shade, the proprietor could see every day, passing and re-passing, all the women and girls belonging to the estate…
This photo is from the book Yucatán’s Magic - Mérida Side Trips. It depicts the stately first
Spanish land grant or encomienda of
1542 as it can be seen today. Read the rest of this fascinating story in Yucatán’s Magic - Mérida Side Trips and
discover how you can visit this truly unique place with no tour buses or
trinket shops.
Yucatán’s Magic -Mérida Side Trips is available in paperback and digital editions worldwide.
Other recommended reading:
Incidents of Travel in
Yucatan 1840-42 by John L. Stephens
(two volumes). A well written must read documentary for anyone interested in
colonial Yucatan, Mayan ruins, Mexican history, and adventure travel. These
books are in print and also available for free from Project Gutenberg.
A short bio. of John Lloyd Stephens:
John Lloyd Stephens (1805–1852) was an American
explorer, writer, and diplomat.
At age of 13 he enrolled at Columbia College in New York
City, graduating at the top of his class. After working as a lawyer for 8
years, in 1834 he traveled through Europe, the Middle East, and Egypt. He wrote
several books about his travels and explorations.
In 1838 he was commissioned ambassador to Central America
and published the books, Incidents of
Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatán in 1839.
In 1840 he returned to Yucatan with draftsman Fredrick
Catherwood where they did extensive research and recorded many Mayan ruins
previously undiscovered.
In 1843 Stephens published Incidents of Travel in Yucatan in
two volumes. It was illustrated with 120 high detail engravings by Fredrick
Catherwood.
In 1849 he headed the Panama Railroad Company that was a key
component in the construction of the Panama Canal. He died in New York City at age 46 of complications from a tropical disease.
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