James-Champion.com

My dear Mother,

In his last letter, Mr. Godman said Consignment No.5 had reached them and was giving satisfaction, he says he should like me to finish the two years in Guatemala, then on my way home, to go to Chiriquí and spend six months there; if this programme is carried out, I should not arrive until the autumn of next year.

I now write to him to say that unless anything transpired to prevent it, I at present see no objection to doing as he wishes. I greatly fear you will all be disappointed when you hear this, but as regards myself, a few months more or less in these countries, is all the same but I am afraid you will not think so; of course, my reply leaves the matter in open question for the present. I wrote to you last from San Ysidro, at which place I remained a fortnight, the guest of Mr. Nelson (who was very kind to me). Unfortunately, I was unwell all the time with diarrhoea etc. I suppose the change from the cold to the hot country brought it on.

On September 30th, I started for Mercedes arriving the first day at at Retalhuleu (5 leagues); the next day came on here (10 leagues more) travelling once more over roads in horrible condition from mud, floundering about with mud up to the animals’ bellies almost in places and in a broiling sun from 6 in the morning till 3 in the afternoon… Las Mercedes is the largest coffee estate in this country (they export about 15,000 cwts annually); it belongs to the principal firm of German merchants in Guatemala, they have a very fine house, the best I have seen here, and keep a very good table; the resident partner made me very welcome, so am now in good quarters at the moment, but as usual when there is a good place to stop at, there is little to be found, so leave again on Wednesday for the hot coast region – Reposa, Caballo Blanco etc, but return again in a few weeks.

Retaluleu, Muybridge, 1875

This house of wood with its two balconies and little tower on top with the German flag flying looks like a castle in the distance. Being on a hill, there is a splendid view of the country around – the great range of mountains with the Volcanoes Almolonga, Santa Maria, Chumba and Zunil, the coast region with the line of sea for perhaps 50 miles and the innumerable coffee plantations all round, we are on the slope of the mountains 3200 feet above the sea, about 45 miles from Quetzaltenango and from the port of Champerico and in the centre of the most valuable coffee districts of the Costa Cuca. Today, Sunday, is a busy day as in many parts of Guatemala, the people working on the estate are paid on this day which is market day also. The market is held in an open space close to the house, large numbers of the Indians coming to buy and sell, you get almost all the productions of the country here on Sundays, some of the Indians coming very long distances. Coffee picking has already begun on the estate and they are very busy; they ship in December. Very fine mornings, but still wet afternoons (there is a good time coming though); by the end of this month, the rains will probably get less and less till December when they will probably be over till May. The evenings and early mornings quite cool and pleasant and it gets hotter and hotter till perhaps two or three in the afternoon; then comes the rain often with fearful thunderstorms such as I have never witnessed in England, by five or six it is all over, then comes a very fine evening; we see the sun set on the Pacific Ocean – a splendid sight indeed on a clear evening.

A view of the volcanoes from off Champerico, Muybridge, 1875

The afternoon rain makes it very difficult for me to work out of doors, constantly changing my clothes sometimes almost envy the nearly naked Indians who have so few clothes to get wet, and no bother about boots, going barefoot. My belongings are now scattered all over the country, some here and some there, want to send off another box to Mr. Godman, but it is impossible at present, can scarcely carry enough with me to rub on. In Retalhuleu, I passed the night in a hotel kept by 3 Chinamen, I must say they know how to cook; this is a very hot place (less than 1000 feet elevation, and tropical in appearance, coconuts and palm trees all over the place, I never saw so many in one place here before. Amongst the queer things one eats in this country is lizard (iguana); it is not bad, like a mixture of fish and fowl; here for the first time in Guatemala, have eaten supper, elsewhere never anything but coffee (rarely tea or chocolate), and bread if any in the morning and evening, but a good breakfast and good dinner, about 5 o’clock, though mutton is not scarce in these parts, seldom if ever get any, it is always beef; mutton is looked on as food only fit for Indians. I know not why, it is very tough, it is true. Never fruit pies or puddings, it is usually in these better houses, dulce – that is fruit, peaches, apples, bananas etc., boiled in syrup and served up cold, sometimes custards or rice puddings. I tell you these things, as I know you are interested in cookery matters, eat rice too a good deal with meat. It must be six months or more since I drank beer.

San Isidro, Muybridge, 1875

This letter will not leave the capital till the 15th but am obliged to write now to be sure of catching it. If Mr.Godman sends out another box there is nothing I want at present except a waterproof coat.

September 9th, 1880

My dear Mother,

I wrote to you last from the town of Quetzaltenango, which place I left on August 19th for Las Nubes (The Clouds) and aptly so called on the slopes of the Volcan de Zunil and five leagues from this place; have spent about three weeks in Las Nubes, coming on here this morning, once more in hot country. Was fortunate enough to meet the manager of the Las Nubes coffee estate in Quetzaltenango and travelled down with him. Las Nubes is about 30 miles from Quetzaltenango and is 4000 feet above the sea, and a very nice place, not too hot, nice house and nice people, quite a treat after roughing it so much; from the house on one side we see the coast region for an immense distance and beyond in clear weather, the Pacific Ocean, about 50 miles away. On the other side, we look up to the Volcano of Zunil, with the Volcano Santa Maria to the north and the Volcanoes Atitlán and San Pedro to the south. Spent a very pleasant three weeks in Las Nubes, thanks to the kind hospitality of Mr. Cuthbert, and am now the guest of a Mr. Nelson (the owner of Las Nubes) and stopping on a coffee and cacao estate, one league from the town of Mazatenango.

Volcan Atitlan as seen from Las Nubes

Coffee picking has already commenced here, large numbers of Indians (especially women) are at work picking, who as usual in hot country wear very little clothing; we are only 1600 feet above the sea in San Ysidro and very hot in consequence. The house is of wood and very comfortable, in place of glass windows, Venetian blinds for the heat, and as usual an open corridor or verandah all round. Many coconuts planted in this place and the country looks very tropical.

Coffee harvesting at San Isidro, Muybridge, 1875

I remain a week or two in San Ysidro, then go to Retalhuleu, Las Mercedes, Reposa, and possibly on to the Department of San Marcos on the Mexican frontier. We get beautifully fine mornings, but in this rainy season, wet afternoons. Often in Las Nubes the clouds descended on the Volcano and we were surrounded by mist for a time, then it would clear off, and we would have a fine evening. Have tried to get my letters sent on from San Gerónimo but have received none since I left, am getting anxious to receive news from Mr. Godman or Salvin; my last letter from them arrived about the middle of June, nearly three months ago. Shall probably get on much better for accommodation in this part of the country – there are many English, Americans and other foreigners hereabouts who have coffee, sugar and other estates. San Ysidro is in about the centre of the chief coffee estates of Guatemala. From Las Nubes alone, the coffee crop is about 4000 quintals (a quintal is about a cwt); most of this goes to London. Mr. Nelson has three estates in Guatemala and is very wealthy, he also has been very kind to me.

Original coffee bags at Las Nubes, marked William Nelson

My dear Mother,

I arrived here this afternoon, a day too late for the mail but take the opportunity of writing now (though the letter will not leave for a week or more), my future movements being so very uncertain at present; leave the day after tomorrow for the Volcanoes Santa Maria and Zunil, Costa Grande etc. Left San Gerónimo on July 26th en route for this place, 130 miles distant, should have arrived in about 5 days, but on the way had occasion to visit a place about 25 miles out of the way. This made an additional 50 miles, and with other shorter trips, in all about 200 miles since I started; my mule is now in good condition after 3 months’ rest.

Started with my servant Leopoldo and two Indians to carry my luggage (these Indians renewed every day), travelling by way of Rabinal, Cubulco, Joyabaj, Quiché etc. and Chimente, where I spent 6 days on the slope of the mountains, then on to Totonicapan; from here I visited many places high up on the mountain range, all the time from 8000-11000 feet above the sea, had to rough it a great deal in these places: from the hottest place in the country, Panzós, found the change to the coldest, Desconsuelo at 10300 feet, very trying, still no more fever, only fierce catarrhs; principal food in the mountains, maize and potatoes (have certainly eaten more of the latter in the past fortnight than during the year previous), sometimes a little mutton.

It is quite another country in Los Altos; instead of the tropics, it is quite cool, this place 7600 feet above the sea, much of the ground is under cultivation with wheat, potatoes, broad beans, maize etc, only maize you see in the hot country, potatoes grow quite well in the coldest places. We are two days from the port of Champerico, and only one day to the hotter country of the coast region; here so close to the hot and cold country, you see great variety amongst the Indians – in dress, language, habits etc, and you can easily get the productions of both climates. Quetzaltenango is a large town, next in importance to the capital, quite different to any other I have visited, as usual, shut in on all sides by mountains, an old volcano very close on one side. Many shops, chemists especially, lots of tailors, shoemakers, linendrapers, a few watchmakers (Swiss or French) and as in the capital, all the goods are inside, no window business. Totonicapan is also a large place, but not to compare with Quetzaltenango.

Volcan Santa Maria from the route to Quetzaltenango

Shall be glad to settle down for a few weeks in one place, as I hope to do on some of the coffee plantations on Pacific Slope. So much travelling, though one sees a great deal, is wearisome, moreover, the rainy season has set in in earnest; we only get a few hours fine early in the morning, the afternoons being wretchedly wet and this will be the case for the next six weeks, not a very lively prospect. As you may guess, expenses have mounted up very high, to about double the average, but I hope only for a time; the people on the road think a stranger travelling with servant and luggage must be very rich, consequently a good chance for spoil; they have given me a lot of trouble, not content with charging about double what they expect to get, they make all sorts of objections to your money, saying it is not good, constant hagglings from this cause alone; in one place, they helped themselves to some of my things, including money, fortunately they were content with a little, they might have taken a good deal more, all these things one must needs put up with, they are unavoidable in travelling.

Have just written to San Gerónimo to get my letters forwarded to this place, but when I shall get them, I know not. There may be a chance of sending to Quetzaltenango for them, that is all; you had better address San Gerónimo for the present.

Self in the main square of Quetzaltenango, close to where GCC must have stayed

Have put up at a French hotel, but start the day after tomorrow. Shall leave my luggage in the hotel and send for it afterwards, cannot constantly carry it with me; fancy an Indian carrying a heavy trunk on his back 30 miles in one day, it is wonderful the amount of endurance they possess … often they travel quicker than one goes on horseback. There is a slight difference in the cost of travelling in this country to England; the coach fare to the capital (about 120 miles journey) is from £4 – £5; in England by rail, it would be 10/; instead of about 3.5 hours, it takes as many days! From one point in the mountains near Totonicapan at an elevation of about 10800 feet (the main road to the capital passes as high as this), about equal I think to the height of Mont Blanc, or Etna, I obtained a splendid view of the Lake of Atitlán and the innumerable ranges of mountains forming the great “Cordillera” and five or six volcanoes, including the Fuego, which is now quiet again, only smoking more than before. Thousands of sheep (nearly all black) in these mountains and the only people you meet are Indian shepherds. I slept three nights in shepherd’s huts for want of better lodging. Obtained a few things for Mr Godman in these places, but very few however. Would get double as many and certainly finer species in Scotland or Switzerland, though of course different – I hope Mr. G. will be pleased with them that is all. No snow on these tropical mountains, wood or forest to the top, excepting one or two volcanoes.

A view of Lake Atitlan

People in out of the way places never tire of asking me about my country – am put down as German by most, the Indians also, for a black man is a rare sight in this part of the country, and a white and a black travelling together puzzles them, they certainly ask me where I come from. I like the Indians better than the whites (or half breeds), they are not such liars and are far more willing to work; it is only when they are drunk that they are troublesome. Would like to get a peep into the letters now probably lying idle at San Gerónimo and hope they contain good news.