HISTORY. 15 



We next hear of the attempt to conquer the country by 

 converting the natives to Christianity. The Franciscan 

 Friar, Jacob de Festera, with four companions, set out to 

 convert the country. This project, after a trial, failed. 



In 1537, the Adelantado again landed in Yucatan, at 

 Champoton, where another terrific battle took place. For 

 several years the Spaniards remained at this place. In 

 1539, the Adelantado put in the hands of his son the pacifi- 

 cation of Yucatan. Again setting out, the Spaniards 

 marched from Champoton to Campeachy, their line of 

 march being marked by numerous battles with the natives. 

 Don Francisco now sent his cousin, Captain Francisco de 

 Montejo, into Quepech, to found a city in the native town 

 of Tihoo. In the year 1540 he arrived at Tihoo. Here 

 occurred one of the most sanguinary battles of the conquest, 

 70,000 natives against 200 Spaniards, in which the natives 

 were defeated with great slaughter. The caciques, finding 

 it impossible to drive the Spaniards from the country, came 

 to Don Francisco with offers of peace. On the 6th of Jan- 

 uary, 1542, on the site of the native town of Tihoo, the 

 very ''loyal and noble" city of Merida was founded. Five 

 years later the curious house was built of which we before 

 spoke. From that time to the present the Spanish speak- 

 ing people have held undisputed sway in Yucatan. 



We spent the following day in looking about the city. 

 Under the guidance of a gentleman whom we had met at 

 the hotel, we traversed the city in every direction. Of 

 especial interest to us were the cenoteSy or natural wells. 

 One which we visited was situated in the rear of a grocery 

 in the northern part of the city. It was thirty-five feet in 

 depth from the surface of the earth to that of the water, 

 and the latter, in its deepest part, measured about five feet. 

 Leading from the surface to the floor of the cenote was a 

 stone stair-case, well worn as though it had been much used 



