JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 



139 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



Population of Central America,— -Trade. ^ — Form of Government. — Politi- 

 cal Events. — Insurrection of the Indians.— rAccount of Carrara. — 

 Deputies sent to him. — Capture of Guatemala.— Distracted State of the 

 Country. — Military Force of Central America. — Revenue. — Church 

 Establishment. — Public Debt. — Principal Men. 



The population of Central America is estimated at 

 one million nine hundred thousand souls, of all descrip- 

 tions, besides the Mosquito Indians, who live in a state of 

 independence.. This population is divided into four grand 

 castes, namely, Indians, whites, blacks, and ladinos — 

 a mixture of the other three. The relative number of 

 these classes is approximately as follows : 



Indians, . .• 685,000, ) 



Whites, . , , 475,000, } Total, 1,900,000. 



Ladinos,* , , , 740,000, ) 



The number of blacks is too inconsiderable to be taken 

 into account. It may also be remarked, that the ladinos 

 of this country cannot be assimilated to the West Indian 

 mulattoes, as their complexions are much fairer, and 

 many are scarcely distinguishable from the whites. 



The Indians of Central America, with the exception of 

 one or two small tribes, are domesticated, and subject 

 to the Government of the country ; many of them speak 

 the Castilian, and are blended in their manners with the 

 mass of the population. But, as I have heretofore had oc- 

 casion to observe, they preserve in a great degree their 



* Having neglected to ascertain why this class of people are denomi- 

 nated "ladinos," I may be allowed to conjecture that the name was 

 suggested by the character of this people, illustrated by the word ladino, 

 which, in Spanish, means shrewd, or cunning. 



