Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan - Book Review

Book Review - Five Stars 

Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan by John Lloyd Stephens

This 588 page two volume book is part of four volumes, the second two volumes are entitled Incidents of Travel in Yucatan. They are all remarkably still in print though out of copy right. I own all four paper volumes and have read them more than twice using them for reference, and their magnificent drawings and early photographs for our studies and explorations.

The splendidly impressive descriptions of people, places, topography, flora, fauna, living conditions, government or lack of it, and significant happenings make these books all-time classics. For ease of reading, I read Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan this time in digital edition on my Kindle reading device which greatly enhances the readability and pleasure. Though the digital edition is very inexpensive and delivered instantaneously to my Kindle worldwide there is one disadvantage, there are none of the drawings and early photographs included. For me that was no problem as I possess the printed editions.

EXCERPTS:

On Wednesday, the 3d of October, 1839, we embarked at New York on board the British brig Mary Ann, Hampton, master, for the Bay of Honduras. The brig was lying in the North River, with her anchor apeak and sails loose, and in a few minutes, in company with a large whaling-ship bound for the Pacific, we were under way. It was before seven o’clock in the morning: the streets and wharfs were still; the Battery was desolate, and, at the moment of leaving it on a voyage of uncertain duration, seemed more beautiful than I had ever known it before.

Being within the limits of the British authority. Though living apart, as a tribe of Caribs, not mingling their blood with that of their conquerors, they were completely civilized; retaining, however, the Indian passion for beads and ornaments.

In every house were a grass hammock, we were exceedingly struck with the great progress made in civilization by these descendants of cannibals, the fiercest of all the Indian tribes whom the Spaniards encountered.

They asked us about our wives, and we learned that our simple-minded host had two, one of whom lived at Hocotan, and that he passed a week alternately with each. We told him that in England he would be transported, and in the North imprisoned for life for such indulgences, to which he responded that they were barbarous countries; and the woman, although she thought a man ought to be content with one.

None can know the value of hospitality but those who have felt the want of it, and they can never forget the welcome of strangers in a strange land.

There was but one side to politics in Guatimala. Both parties have a beautiful way of producing unanimity of opinion, by driving out of the country all who do not agree with them.

The general government had not the least particle of power in the state, and I mention the circumstance to show the utter feebleness of the administration, and the wretched condition of the country generally. It troubled me on one account, as it showed the difficulty and danger of prosecuting the travels I had contemplated.

Review by John M. Grimsrud