THE INDIANS AS SOLDIERS. 331 



The city of Valladolid had some notoriety, as be- 

 ing the place at which the first blow was struck in 

 the revolution now in progress against the domin- 

 ion of Mexico, and also as being the residence of 

 General Iman, under whom that blow was struck. 

 The immediate consequence was the expulsion of 

 the Mexican garrison ; but there was another, more 

 remote and of more enduring importance. There, 

 for the first time, the Indians were brought out in 

 arms. Utterly ignorant of the political relations be- 

 tween Mexico and Yucatan, they came in from their 

 ranchos and milpas under a promise by General 

 Iman that their capitation tax should be remitted. 

 After the success of the first outbreak the govern- 

 ment endeavoured to avoid the fulfilment of this 

 promise, but was compelled to compromise by remit- 

 ting the tax upon women, and the Indians still look 

 forward to emancipation from the whole. What 

 the consequences may be of finding themselves, after 

 ages of servitude, once more in the possession of 

 arms, and in increasing knowledge of their physical 

 strength, is a question of momentous import to the 

 people of that country, the solution of which no 

 man can foretell. 



And Valladolid had been the theatre of stranger 

 scenes in ancient times. According to historical ac- 

 counts, it was once haunted by a demonio of the 

 worst kind, called a demonio parlero, a loquacious 

 or talking devil, who held discourse wdth all that 

 wished at night, speaking like a parrot, answering all 



