Fine drawing (fig. 51).—The art of making invisible darns in cloth, though such a useful one, is all but unknown. It is a tedious process and one which, though easy enough to understand, requires great care in the execution.

Use as fine a needle as possible and thread it with hair, instead of silk, or any other kind of fibre. Red and white hair is the strongest, and stronger than the ravellings of the stuff. Of course the hair has first to be carefully cleansed from grease. Pare the edges of the rent, on the right sides, quite clean and even, with a razor, so that both rent and stitches may be lost in the hairy surface of the cloth. Scissors do not cut so closely, and are liable moreover, to disturb the nap, and render the darn more visible. When this is done, fit the edges exactly together, and overcast them. Then thread a needle with a hair by the root, and slip it in, 2 or 3 m/m. from the one edge and back again pointed towards you, through the other, so that, neither needle nor hair, are visible on either side. The stitches should be set slightly slanting and must be quite lost in the thickness of the cloth. The needle must always be put in, exactly at the place where it came out, and the hair not be too tightly drawn.

When the darn is finished, lay the article on a bare table, or ironing-board, cover it with a damp cloth, and iron it. The sharpest eye will fail to detect a rent, when carefully darned in this manner.Patching.—As we have already said, when the defective part is past darning, it must be cut out, and a new piece of stuff inserted in its place. If the garment be no longer new, it should be patched with a slighter material than that of which it was originally made. The patch should be of the same shape, and cut the same way of the stuff, as the piece it is to replace, it should also be, just so much larger, as to allow for the turnings in, and can either be top-sewn, or else, run and felled in.

Back-stitching and felling in a patch (fig. 52).—Tack in the new piece, so that its edges over-lap the edges of the hole. The back-stitching must be done on the article itself, as this renders it easier to do the corners neatly. The hem is turned down on to the patch. Make a little snip at the corners with your scissors to prevent puckering. The back-stitching should form a right angle at each corner.

Top-sewing in a patch (fig. 53).—To do this, the edges of the hole and of the patch, must first be turned in, and either overcast or hemmed, to prevent their fraying, after which, sew the two edges together. The raw edges may also be turned in with herring-boning as in fig. 39, putting the needle, only through one layer of stuff.

Drawing in a patch (fig. 54).—Take a square piece of the original stuff, 5 or 6 c/m. larger each way, than the hole it is to fill, draw out threads on all the four sides, till the piece exactly matches the hole, and tack it into its place. Thread a very fine needle with the two ends of a thread of silk or Fil d'Alsace D.M.C No. 700, run it in at the corner of the stuff, and draw it out, leaving a loop behind. Into this loop, slip the first of the threads, which as it were, form a fringe to the patch, and tighten the loop round it, and so on with each thread, alternately taking up and leaving threads in the stuff, as in ordinary darning.

To put a patch into a thin material, in this manner, you must darn in the threads, a good long way, into the material, in order that the double layer of threads may be less visible.

Next Chapter.

Return to Table of Contents

Stripe showing running, stitching, button-holing, and herring-boning.

vapal abah, “the lintel stone,” here used in the metaphorical sense of “the corner stone.”26. The description of the dance of the Pokomams, leads us to suppose that the author means it was a war dance. The Pokomams dwell at present in the southeastern part of the Republic of Guatemala.

chicop Çakbim; the savage or barbarian Zakbim. See Introduction, p. 39.27. Tzaktzuy. Brasseur translates “ChÂteau des Citrouilles,” mistaking tzak for dzak, as he does throughout the passage; tzuy means also cup or gourd, and the name may be rendered either “the ensnaring cup,” or “vine.” Possibly it refers to a scene of drunkenness.

ri retal; the sign or mark. Brasseur translates it “limit” or “landmark” of the Ahquehays. These were one of the noble families of the Quiche stock.28. Oronic Cakhay, “the Red House of the Nobles,” said by[202] Brasseur to be a hill, one league west of the modern village of Rabinal.

Tecpan, “the royal house.” See Introduction, p. 13.

dzumah chi qui cux; Brasseur translates these words, “cuirassÉs sur la poitrine,” and says this was the name of the Pokomams (Hist. Mex., II, p. 126). dzuum is leather or skin, and cux is heart; but dzumah, and later, xdzumax, is a verb, signifying to lower, to depress.

“The venison and honey.” This sentence is apparently a gibe or jeer, addressed by the defenders of Cakhay to Gagavitz after his attack on their city had been repulsed.29. Ah queh hay, “those of the deer (skin) houses.”

xakoticen a titil a qana abah. Brasseur translates, “il ne nous est restÉ que les vieilles femmes et les pierres dejÀ hautes.” This illustrates how far he is from the correct meaning at times. For these words, see notes to Sec. 41.30. Xhachatah qui vach. Brasseur gives this literally, “leurs faces ensuite se divisÈrent;” but vach means also “fruit, results, possessions,” and so I render it.31. qaq xanul, “the uncoverer of fire.” This is supposed by Brasseur to be the name of a volcano, and the whole episode to refer to a pretended miracle. See his Hist. Mexique, Vol. II, pp. 166-7. He calls the passage “fort difficile,” which it certainly is.32. Çakchoq. “BrulÉ À blanc,” is Brasseur’s translation, but I cannot verify it. No such stone is mentioned in Guzman’s list of Cakchiquel names of stones. It would seem that there were fourteen chief performers in the dance of qaq xanul, and that they took the name of certain stones.34. Chi qalibal, “at the seat;” but the author chooses to derive it from qa, hand, which is a doubtful etymology.35. The episode of Tolgom, his capture and death, is explained by Brasseur, suo more, as the destruction of the ruler of an independent tribe on the shores of Lake Atitlan.

chabak Nicnic, the quivering mud, perhaps the quicksand. This strange name adds to the obscurity of the legend.

cakbatzulu. The punning explanation of this name refers to its similarity to cak, to place in front of another; also to shoot with arrows, or to stone. Its real derivation seems to be cakba, from cakaba, to reveal, disclose, and tzulu, to embrace, sleep together. (Compare chee tzulu, later on.)37. His song, i. e., his death song.

[203]Chee tzulu, “the interlaced trees.”

Uchum, the fifth month of the Cakchiquel calendar. See Introduction, p. 29.38. Ri tzam tzakbal Tolcom, “throwing the extremities of Tolgom.” The reference to this festival is too slight to enable us to understand it.

Chi tulul, “at the zapote trees.”

Qabouil Abah, “the Stone God,” possibly the Chay Abah before referred to.

Çudzu cumatz; the latter is the generic term for snake, but the meaning of the prefix is uncertain. Perhaps it should read ÇuxÇu, to move in spiral lines, as is described in the text. This miraculous form was one of Gagavitz’s metamorphoses.

Nak ruma tiqui cam, etc. These words of the hero Gagavitz are not easy to translate. They seem to chide the Cakchiquels for their weakness in seeking women, and to announce his intention to remain among the Tzutuhils.

ru chac pe ri necāh coon; perhaps this should be translated, “the organs of the women have conquered.”39. Çakeribal, civilization, their becoming civilized. On the meaning of this word see note to Sec. 20.

abah cuval; the precious stone offered by Bacahol as the price of royalty, indicates that such carved gems were in high esteem. cuval is translated by Guzman and others, “diamond;” but it was probably native jade.

Chuluc balam, literally “tiger piss,” the name of a common medicinal plant, used in Guatemala as a diuretic (Guzman). In this connection it either means the totem of a gens, or refers to a magic rite. The former seems to be indicated by the term chicop (see Introd. p. 39).

xahun chi raxon ru halebal, a punning allusion to the name of the hill Paraxone. Brasseur translates it “qui possÉdent l’un et l’autre ces oiseaux bleus enchanteurs.”40. The sun had risen, etc. All these expressions are to be understood metaphorically, with reference to the growing civilization of the tribes.41. The description of the installation of Bacahol as head chief, is an interesting passage. Unfortunately, several of the terms used are not found in the dictionaries, at least with any appropriate meaning. Thus, paz is now applied to the swathing bands of infants; cuÇul is the cradle or bundle in which infants[204] are fastened; while tach I have not found at all. Guzman gives the expression, titil qana abah, caka uleuh xak, with the explanation, “Colores con que ungian los seÑores,” and Ah titil, etc., “SeÑores ungidos de estos colores quando eran puestos en seÑorios.” (Compendio de Nombres en Lengua Cakchiquel, MS., 170-4.)

ququ cot; cot, eagle; quq, the general term for various species of quetzals, birds with brilliant green plumage. The reference seems to be to one of the magical metamorphoses of qaqavitz.42. The difficulties experienced in their first endeavors to adopt a sedentary and agricultural life are described.

chicop cuch, the “zopilote,” or carrion vulture. Possibly this refers to a gens so designated.43. In this paragraph the writer expresses himself with great directness.

ca chimin, etc. As my translation differs considerably from Brasseur’s, I add his: “En se mariant ils firent l’euvre de la chair vraiment trop grande. Etant entrÉs pour se baigner, ils y rompirent leur nature et gaspillÈrent leur semence. Beaucoup y entrÈrent dit-on, pour complÉter l’euvre charnelle, on la commit une seconde fois, le jeu s’y Établit absolument, et l’on forniqua par devant et par derriÈre.”44. This section offers an important description of the ancient methods of worship.

caxtoc. See the Introduction, p. 40.

mez, the house cat, but as this animal was not known to the natives before the Conquest, some other animal must be intended.

holom ocox, “head fungus.” I follow Brasseur in translating this the maguey thorns, without being able to justify it.

Chay Abah. See Introduction, p. 43.46. Whitewashing the interior of hollow trees with lime from the excrements of birds and tigers, sounds so extraordinary that we may suspect a mythical sense in the paragraph.

chi cohom, from coh, to dance the sacred dances in their religious rites, “the place of the sacred ceremonies.”

Cay Noh, Two Noh, Cay Batz, Two Batz, named after the days of their birth. See Introduction, p. 33.47. The same who came from Tulan. Therefore, from the beginning of the narrative to the present passage, merely the adult life of one man has elapsed.

[205]48. On the positions of the qalel and ahuchan, see Introduction, p. 37.

ret ri Çactecauh, “the sign of Zactecauh.” The precise meaning of this expression escapes me.

chopiytzel. See Sec. 30 for the occurrence alluded to.49. Tepeuh is identified by Brasseur with the king Itztayul, of the Quiches (Hist. Mexique, II, p. 485). He considers it a Nahuatl word, but I have elsewhere maintained that it is from the Maya-Cakchiquel root tep, filled up, abundantly supplied. See The Names of the Gods in the Kiche Myths, pp. 11, 12. It is a term often applied to their Supreme Being.52. Cakbrakan, the god of the earthquake. The myths concerning him are given in the Popol Vuh.

Quite to the far East, literally, “and even to the sunrise.”

badzbal, anything drawn out in threads, gold thread, cotton thread, etc. If the word is to be construed adjectively, puak badzpal would mean “worked metal.”56. Ahpop Xahil, etc.; on the meaning of these titles, see the Introduction, p. 36-7.63. Ya cotox ul; cot, to chisel, engrave, originally to cut into; hence, applied to the deep valleys or caÑons which the rivers cut into the soil.

Ochal or Qabouil Çivan; the latter name means “the god of the ravine.” The location of this city is unknown, except that it was near the Pacific. The general position of the Akahals was to the east of the Cakchiquels. See Brasseur, Hist. Mexique, Tom. II, pp. 502, 530.64. Meqenalah huyu, a town in the warm district, the tierra caliente, near the southern or Pacific coast.

chuvi vi te, etc. The translation is doubtful. I follow Brasseur.66. The names of the four rulers here inserted seem to be of those who held the power after Citan Qatu. Why the author does not relate any incidents of their lives is uncertain. Perhaps they did not belong to his family, and as he was writing rather a family than a national history, he omitted them for this reason. Compare Sec. 75.67. The Quiche king, Qikab, is frequently mentioned in the Popol Vuh. His full name was qaq-ci-qab, The Many Hands of Fire.79. They wished that the roads should be free; rambey akan, “la franchise des chemins.” I do not find the expression in the dictionaries.83. Mixutzin malo, “the augury is finished.” The malol ixim[206] was the augur who divined the future by throwing up grains of corn, and forecasting from the relative positions they assumed on falling. See Introd., p. 47.

cunum cachak, a term of contempt; literally “their genitals, their dung.”

The Ratzamut. See Introd., p. 21.84. Burning many roads; destroying the houses and crops behind them.90. hu chuvy, ca chuvy; in the numeral system of the Cakchiquels a chuvy is 8000, but the expression is frequently, as here, to be taken figuratively, like our “myriads.”93. ah-xit, etc. On these titles see the Introduction, pp. 18, 19.94. Vicaq nu mam, “the leaves or branches of my ancestor,” referring to the fact that the Cakchiquels were of the same blood as the Akahals.96. Çaklicahol, etc. This rendering, which is Brasseur’s, I am unable to verify.

tok relic chic ahauh lahuh noh; perhaps this should read, “then came the chief Lahuh Noh.” So Brasseur translates it.102. There were four women, etc. This curious passage is so differently translated by Brasseur, that I add his rendering:—

“Quatre femmes alors s’Étant rÉvetues de cottes de mailles, ensanglantÈrent leurs arcs et prirent part À la bataille; elles s’Étaient accompagnÉs de quatres jeunes gens et leurs flÊches allÈrent frapper au milieu du tapis de Chucuybatzin, lancÉs qu’ elles Étaient par ces hÉros.... Le capitaine de bataille exposa ensuite les nuditÉs de ces femmes devant les murailles des Zotziles et des Xahiles d’ou ces femmes Étaient sorties.”

The future student will decide between these very diverse explanations of the text.106. Stopped the messengers of the ruler. The translation is doubtful.109. The people of Mixco or Mixcu were Pokomams. (See Sec. 85.)110. The Yaquis of Xivico; the Yaquis were Aztecs. It is the Nahuatl yaqui, merchants, as it was in this capacity that they first became known to the tribes of Guatemala.117. This year, 1511 of our era, appears to have been the first of official relations between the Aztecs and the tribes of Guatemala.118. The author speaks of himself for the first time. It may be presumed that it was one of his earliest recollections.

[207]120. The doves; possibly flights of wild pigeons.124. Hu may; on the reckoning of time see the Introduction, p. 31.127. chac, the pestilence. Brasseur translates this “la maladie syphilitique.” The vowel is long, chaac. It is a word applied to any eruptive disease, to the whole class of exanthemata. From the symptoms, I am inclined to believe that it was an epidemic of malignant measles, a disease very fatal to the natives of Central America.128. Diego Juan. Why this Spanish name is given, I cannot explain. Brasseur gets over the difficulty by translating “le pÉre de Diego Juan,” but this is not the sense of the original. Of course, tata and mama are here used in their vague sense, as expressions of courtesy. See Introduction, p. 35.144. Pedro de Alvarado, called the Adelantado, a Spanish title formerly given to a governor of a province, and by his Mexican allies, Tonatiuh, the Sun or Sun-God, reached the city of Gumarcaah, or Utlatlan in the early spring of 1524.147. Were burned alive. “As I knew their evil intentions, and to keep the people quiet, I burned them, and ordered their city razed to its foundation,” writes Alvarado to Cortes. Relacion, etc.

400 men. Alvarado writes cuatro mil hombres, “four thousand men.”148. The palace of Tzupam. Perhaps the palace described by Fuentes. See Introduction, p. 24. Alvarado speaks of the friendly reception he met with: “I could not have been more warmly welcomed to the house of my father.” Otra Relacion, etc. His first visit was for eight days, April 11-19, 1524.

Pa hul, etc. This obscure passage is translated by Brasseur in his MS. as follows: “Vous avez vu la-bas leur tombeau qui est au milieu des autres;” whereas, in his Hist. du Mexique, Tom. IV, p. 651, he translates the whole of this reply of the Cakchiquel king by these words: “Eh quoi! aurais-je envoyÉ mes guerriers et mes braves mourir pour vous et chercher un tombeau À Gumarcaah, si j’avais eu des intentions si perfides!”

This comparison will illustrate how differently he construed the passage, and also what excessive license he took with his authorities.171. The order assigning the Oidor Alonso de Maldonado to take charge of Guatemala, is dated Oct. 27, 1535, and he arrived there in the following May.

[208]On his return from Spain, Alvarado landed at Puerto de Caballos, April 4, 1539, and reached the city of Guatemala Sept. 16th of the same year.

“On account of his lineage,” Ruma ru chinamital; the expression is not clear.173. “Prince of the city,” Ahauh pa tinamit; see Sec. 168. Cahi Imox and others had returned to settle in Iximche, and their actions had become suspicious.173. Francisco de Alvarado was either the uncle or cousin of Don Pedro.

The Adelantado died July 5, 1541, from an injury received while attacking the stronghold of Nochistlan.174. This disaster occurred on the night of Sept. 10-11th, 1541.

The mission referred to is mentioned by Torquemada, Monarquia Indiana, Lib. XIX, Cap. XIV. Pedro de Angulo and his companion reached Guatemala in 1539.175. “On account of ashes,” Ruma chah; Brasseur translates this expression, “Á cause de billevesÉes.”176. Juan Rogel was one of the “oidores.”177. Alonso Lopez Cerrato entered upon his duties in Guatemala May 26, 1548.179. Pedro Ramirez de QuiÑones. The actor in this attempt was one of the oidores. Bancroft, who refers to the quarrel between the Governor and Bishop Marroquin, does not satisfactorily explain it. See his Hist. of Central America, Vol. II, pp. 326-7. On Ramirez, see Juarros, Hist. Guatemala, Tom. I, pp. 235-6.181. Antonio Rodriguez de Quezada took possession of the Presidency of Guatemala Jan. 14, 1554, and retained it till his death in November, 1558; he was succeeded by Pedro Ramirez. (Comp. Juarros, I, p. 255, with Bancroft, Hist. Cent. Am., II, p. 358, who says 1555.)181. “There was but little between them,” Xa ca halal qui cohol ahauh; this expression is not clear. There appears to be considerable vagueness in the writer’s chronology in this passage.

“He did not condemn any one, because he had no time,” Mani xuban ru qatbaltzih, mani xyaloh; an ignorant statement, since he held the Presidency about four years.

The reading of the last sentence is doubtful.182. Vico was killed in the summer of 1555.184. The expedition against the Lacandons took place early in 1559.

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