Brinton.] ^^^ [Nov. 4, 



eminent antiquary, Don Crescendo Carrillo, Don Jose Maria Lopez, and 

 the Licenciate Zetina of Tabasco. 



"The Sbalamob are certain very ancient men Avho take charge of and 

 "guard the towns. One of them is constantly on the watch on the 

 "north side of the town, another on the south, a third on the east, and 

 "a fourth on the west. During the day they are invisible, although 

 "they are occasionally seen ; but those who have this privilege are very 

 "sure to meet soon afterwards with some serious misfortune, as to be 

 "stricken dumb for a while, or to be attacked with a dangerous malady. 

 ' ' As soon as night arrives the Hbalam becomes more alert and vigilant, 

 "without which the town would soon suffer great misfortune. A violent 

 "rain, a hurricane or a plague would promptly visit it. Although rarely 

 "seen even at night, one may often hear the shrill whistle with which 

 "they call to each other for assistance in repelling the malignant in- 

 "fluences which would assail the town. These the native represents to 

 ' ' himself as personified in individuals, as did the ancient Romans and 

 "Greeks. 

 "The whistle which is their signal to each other is so loud and shrill that 

 "it can be heard from one end of the town to the other, no matter how 

 ' ' far that may be. United, they oppose with all their might the malig- 

 "nant powers which would attack the town. Such is their gigantic 

 "strength that the day after a conflict of this kind one will find the 

 "arena of the contest strewn with large trees broken down, torn up by 

 "the roots and split into fragments, and the earth is beaten and up- 

 " heaved in a manner that could not proceed from any human agency ; 

 "even large stones have been broken into pieces in such battles. 

 "Although the Hbalam has no wings, he has the power of flying through 



' ' the air. 

 "Not only the natives but the whites of the interior have implicit faith in 

 "these mysterious beings. There is not an Indian who has a corn-field 

 "who omits to propitiate on the proper day the Hbalamob by a sujta- 

 "ble offering. This is a very ceremonious act which is presided over by 

 "the Jtkm (native priest), and were it neglected, the corn would wither 

 "for want of rain or for some cause be ruined. 

 "When an Indian is reproached with the error of believing in the exist- 

 " ence of these Hbalamob, which he has never seen, he contents him- 

 "self with the reply; 'Ah! bix-maheb hah!' 'Ah! How can it be 

 "otherwise than true ! ' 

 "They are, however, seen on various occasions. Thus they say that an In- 

 "dian and his wife once went to their cornfield to gather ears. While 

 "at work the Indian left the field to get some water, and his wife threw 

 "off the gown she wore lest it should be torn, and was naked. Sud- 

 ' ' denly she heard some one call to her in a loud voice : * Pixe auito 

 " xnoJi cizin' : (Tapa taciclo, gran diattlo); at the same time she received 

 "two smart blows with a cane. She turned and saw a tall man with 

 "a long beard and a gown which reached to the earth at his feet. 



