JOURNEY TO GUATEMALA. 



143 



A variety of causes combined to produce this revolu- 

 tionary movement, the principal of which are believed to 

 be the encroachments of the Government on the rights 

 and property of the church, the concession of abusive 

 privileges, the malversation of the public revenue, the ex- 

 tortions practised on the agricultural and labouring 

 classes, and the political excesses of the two contending 

 parties headed by Galvez and Barrundia. 



The occurrence of the cholera, and the establishment 

 of sanitary cordons, with their attendant vexations, at a 

 moment when the excitements of the mal-contents was 

 highest, precipitated the catastrophe. The ignorant In- 

 dians were made to believe by the enemies of public order, 

 that the springs and sources of the land had been poi- 

 soned by the agents of the Government, or by the foreign- 

 ers, and that the object in view was the extermination of 

 their race.* At this critical juncture the standard of re- 

 volt is raised by Carrera, who appears in the field with a 

 handful of men as desperate as himself. 



This man, whose name is now in the mouth of every 

 one in Central America, and whose acts have been pro- 

 ductive of so much trouble in that country, is a half- 

 Indian, and was a soldier in the Federal army, where he 

 never rose higher than a corporal. On the disbanding of 

 the troops, he was discharged ; and being left to his own 

 resources, he was fain to procure a precarious subsistence 



* An English gentleman, having strolled into the country, was set 

 upon while resting near the banks of a stream by some Indians of a neigh- 

 bouring village, who, perceiving him to be a foreigner, took it for granted 

 that he had been poisoning the water, and determined to put him to death. 

 The Englishman expostulated, representing to them the folly of their sus- 

 picions, and offering to drink of the water they supposed to be poisoned. 

 This was agreed to by the Indians ; but not satisfied with a copious draught 

 taken by their victim, they forced him to drink again and again, till they 

 nearly killed him. Soon after, these Indians having been arrested in con- 

 sequence, it was left to the English gentleman to designate the punishment 

 that should be inflicted on them. It is pleasing to be able to Bay that htf 

 generously pardoned them. 



