Part 8

_Antepeque_ or Tecoantepeque, the seaport of Guaxaca. Thomas Gage, who visited it in 1625, wrote of it: "This Port of Tecoantepeque is the chief for fishing in all that country; we met here in the ways, sometimes with fifty, sometimes with a hundred mules together, laden with nothing but salt fish for Guaxaca, the City of Angels, and Mexico."--_A new Survey of the West Indies_, p. 195. (London, 1699.)

_Dulces_ are sweetmeats of various kinds, eaten usually between meals. Squier remarks: "The Spanish taste for 'dulces' long ago passed into a proverb, but it rather surpasses itself in Nicaragua. The venders of 'dulces', generally bright Indian girls, gaily dressed, and bearing a tray, covered with the purest white napkins, and temptingly spread upon their heads, pass daily from house to house; and it is sometimes difficult, and always ungallant, to refuse purchasing something from their stock."--_Nicaragua_, Vol. I, p. 275.

The punctuation toward the foot of the page should probably be, "_no seremos guancos; no; seremos amigos_," etc. The _guipil de pecho_ is the short upper jacket worn by the women. A _guipil de pluma_ is a skirt woven of feathers. In ancient times, these garments, skillfully constructed of the beautiful plumes of tropical birds, were esteemed as the most valued articles in the treasures of kings, and the most magnificent of royal costumes. The art of feather-weaving continued for some generations after the Conquest. Indeed, as late as 1840 one family in Mechoacan preserved it. The reference to it in the text, however, is a sign of antiquity, as it has long since disappeared in Central America. See an interesting monograph on the subject by the eminent French antiquary, Ferdinand Denis.--_Arte Plumaria; Les Plumes, leur Valeur et leur Emploi dans les Arts au Mexique, au Perou, etc._ Paris, 1875.

_Page 32._ Much of this page is rendered with doubtful accuracy, as the text is very obscure.

_Page 34._ _Hay me sagua_, the same as _hoy melague_, p. 36; hoy, Spanish, now, to-day, _melaua_, Nah., to speak out, or openly.

_Page 40._ The reference to the star would seem to be that when the tent is opened a star is visible through it, which Güegüence offers to the Governor.

_Para tu cuerpo_, "an extremely filthy expression." (Dr. Valentine.)

_Page 42._ _Seran de arena._ "They may be of sand," _i. e._, they are of no value or importance.

_Yugos de papayo_, yokes of papaw wood, a soft wood, worthless for the purpose, as is also the wood of the tecomajoche, the _Plumeria_, for plows. The intimation is that Don Forcico was smart enough to cheat his customers.

The Nicaraguan plow is a wooden instrument of the most primitive construction. The following cut from Mr. Squier's work represents one.

_Page 48._ The tunes mentioned, the St. Martin, the Valona, the Porto rico and others, are still preserved in Nicaragua.

_Page 50._ _Sin tuno, sin tunal._ An obscure phrase which none of my advisers can explain. _Tuna_ is the prickly pear, _tunal_, the plant that bears it, various species of _Opuntia_. _Tuna_, in the university slang, means beggarly, reckless; "estudiantes de la tuna," mendicant or vagabond students. (See Don J. Arias Giron, _Costumbres Salamanquinas_.)

_Page 54._ When the Governor uses the Nahuatl word _mocemati_, presumptuously, Güegüence feigns to understand him to say _desmonte_, which means, in Nicaraguan Spanish, a clearing, and also the worthless waste products thrown out of a mine.

_Page 56._ Güegüence leads in several girls, and presents them to Don Forcico, which gives the pair an opportunity for some coarse jokes. _Pachaca_, stuffed up, here meant in the sense of being with child. _Iguana ô garroba_, the latter the male of the iguana, a thick tree lizard of the tropics. _Aventada_, puffed up, taken in the same sense as _pachaca_.

_Page 58._ The _machete_, which I have translated "axe," is a long, heavy knife or cutlass, in extensive use in Spanish America, for domestic and agricultural purposes. It is shown in the following cut.

_Una yunta de botijas de vino_, a yoke or brace of wine jars, probably so called from having been carried by a neck yoke, one suspended on each side.

_Page 60._ The Alguacil speaks to Güegüence of toasting, _brindar_, the Court, and Güegüence feigns to hear him speak of the _provincial_ or ecclesiastical officer in charge of the province. It is an example of assonance which is lost in the translation. Managua and Nindiri are towns in the Mangue district of Nicaragua. See the map on page xii.

The next affected misunderstanding of the old man is to take _una yunta de botijas_, a yoke of bottles, for _una yunta de bueyes_, a yoke of oxen.

_Page 62._ _Hacer amigo_, to make a friend. This is the phrase which is used by courtezans with reference to securing a male patron to pay their expenses, and for that reason Güegüence affects to be shocked by the employment of it by Don Forcico.

_Page 64._ The words of the Alguacil, "What a reputation, etc.," are with reference to the charge of Don Ambrosio, that Güegüence had taught his son evil ways.

The introduction of the mules, _i. e._, the actors dressed as mules, as described on page xlviii, is the occasion of several extremely obscene puns and allusions.

_Page 68._ _Potrero_, colt-yard, or pasture-lot, a play on the similarity of the word to _puteria_, a brothel. The estaca referred to is, of course, an obscene allusion, as is also the _fluccion por debajo de las piernas_, _i. e._, the scrotum.

_Page 70._ _El tiempo del hilo azul._ This idiom has foiled all whom I have consulted. Dr. Valentine thinks it refers to the season of the year when the verdure reappears after the drouth. F. Diego Duran states that the village conjurors were accustomed to suspend charms to the necks of boys by blue and green threads. (_Historia de las Indias de la Nueva España._ Tom. II, p. 275.) Thus understood, the time of the blue thread would be equivalent to boyhood.

_Campos de los Diriomos._ The Mangue word _Diriomo_ means the hill of abundance, or of great fertility. The locality so named is shown on the map, page xii.

_Guayaba._ This is the fruit of the guayabo tree, the _Psidium pyriferum_. It is red in color, and about the size of a small apple.

_Page 72._ _A la gorra_, literally "for the cap," an idiom meaning that one receives something merely for taking off the cap; a gratuity. Dr. Valentine, however, writes me: "I understand _nosotros á la gorra_ to mean 'then we shall have to do without.'"

VOCABULARY

OF

_Nahuatl and Provincial, Unusual or Antiquated Spanish Words_.

A

Apupujado, Sp. Worn out, played out.

Arra! "Get up! Get along!" A cry of the muleteers to their animals.

Asa--. The various words beginning thus are compounds commencing with the Nah. _aço_, which expresses a doubt, or implies a question, == perhaps, maybe. Olmos says: "Quiere decir _por ventura_, respondiendo ô dudando."--_Gram. Nahuatl_, p. 179.

Asama--. This prefix to various words is the Nah. _açoma_, which is a strengthened form of _aço_.--Carochi, _Gram. Mex._, p. 181. The syllable _ma_ is also the sign of the imperative.

Asamaquimate, Nah. A compound of _açamo_, as above, and _mati_, to know. The _qui_ is the objective pronoun of the third singular, him, her, it, that; but its employment in this connection is incorrect.

Asamatimaguas, _or_ --timagas, Nah. Probably from _açoma_ (see above), and either _temachtico_, to come to teach, or tell; or _temaca_, to give something to a person.

Asanecaneme, _see_ Asaneganeme.

Asanegaguala, _see_ Asanegualigua.

Asaneganeme, Nah. Probably _aço ni ca nemactia_, the last word meaning to give or offer something to another, "perhaps I may offer something," == "May I offer you some?"

Asanegualigua, Nah. Probably _aço_ and _necuilhuia_, to deal, bargain, treat for.

Asanese, Nah. p. 42. A compound of _aço_ and some unknown word. Probably == _asones_, q.v.

Asetato, Sp. ant. and prov. for _sientate_, sit down.

Asiguala, Nah. From _aço_ and perhaps _qualani_, to grow angry (?).

Asones, Nah. From _aço_, and probably _nechca_ or _nepa_, adverbs of place and time, "these," "then," "once," "formerly." Sometimes it is written _à sones_, and _asonesepa_.

Asuyungua, Nah. Compound of _aço_ and _noyuhqui_, thus, in this manner (? Cf. Carochi, _Gram. Mex._ p. 190).

Ayugama, Nah. == _ayoccampa_, nowhere, not at all, never.

Azetagago, Nah. Apparently a corrupt form from _acicacaqui_, to understand.

B

Batuchito, Sp. prov. A small box, in which money, etc., is kept.

C

Cabildo, Sp. A chapter; a council. In Central America, the municipal court. See p. 76.

Cabriolé, Sp. A kind of riding coat; "a narrow riding coat without sleeves." (Delpino, _Span. Dict._)

Campaneme, ?. p. 28. Probably for _campamento_.

Cana, Nah. A particle, expressing doubt, "any time," "anywhere." _Cuix cana otimoyolcuiti_, Have you confessed anywhere? It cannot begin a sentence, but must always follow some other word (Carochi, _Gram. Mex._, p. 158).

Cele, Sp. prov. A form of _zelar_, to be zealous for, to be anxious for; _no me cele_, I do not very strongly desire; used ironically.

Chiguigua, Nah. Perhaps _ti calaquia_, you will enter in.

Chiquimate, Nah. From _mati_, to know, _qui_, objective.

Chopaquimate, Nah. _Quimati_, see above. _Chopa_ and _chi_ seem to be personal forms.

Chocola, Nah. _Chocolatl_, a drink made from cacao. It has been doubted whether there was a Nahuatl word in this form. Don Jesus Sanchez denies it in his _Glosario de Voces Castellanas derivadas del Idioma Nahuatl_, sub voce (Mexico, 1883). But its pure Nahuatl origin seems to be established by another writer (_An. del Museo Nacional de Mexico_, Tom. iii, p. 86). From the text, its meaning was in a wider sense a refection in general, just as the English word "tea" means a meal.

Cinchera, Sp. The portion of the body of a horse or mule where the saddle girth is fastened.

Cobijones, Sp. Large leather coverings to protect goods, etc.

Cojudo, Sp. Not castrated. Applied to the entire horse, etc.

Columbrar, Sp. To descry, to discern at a distance. "Lo que veo y columbro, respondió Sancho," etc.--Don Quixote, Pt. I, cap. xxi.

Congon, Nah. p. 24. Perhaps _conetontli_, a boy, or young person.

Consentidor, Sp. A conniver, procurer, pimp.

Corcobios, Sp. Curvetings, gambolings. Applied to the steps in certain dances.

Corridos, Sp. Running steps, or motions, in certain dances.

Cuascuane, Nah. From _cuicani_, to sing, chant.

D

Desmonte, Sp. A clearing; the refuse from a clearing, or from a mine. See note, page 80.

E

Eguan, Nah. A form of _ihuan_, and, as well as.

Escataci, p. 28 (?).

G

Galagua, Nah., _calaquia_, to enter, to come into.

Ganzo, Sp. prov. a goose; a fool; also a glutton.

Garrobo. A large species of tree lizard; the male of the iguana (Berendt, _Lengua Castellana de Nicaragua_, MSS).

Guajaqueño, Nah. From _quauhuaqui_, to appear thin and dry, like a stick.

Guancos, Sp. prov. for _guanacos_, foolish, silly persons.

Güil, Sp. prov. Probably for _que es el_, or _quel_, who is the, or which?

Guipil, Nah. A form of _gueipil_, or _huipilli_. The short skirt, without sleeves, used by the Indian women. "Camisa de algodon sin mangas."--Jesus Sanchez, _Glosario de Voces Castellanas derivadas del Náhuatl_, s.v.

Guiso, _see_ Tomaguiso.

L

Lichua, Nah. Probably an abbreviated form from _tla achiua_, to do, or make something; _lichua obedecer_, to make to obey.

Linar, Sp. prov. To please, amuse, == _consolar_, for which it is used in some districts. (Berendt.)

M

Machete, Sp. prov. A heavy knife, or sort of cutlass (a Biscayan word). See page 81.

Macho, Sp. A male of any animal, especially of a mule; used generally for mule in the Güegüence.

Macho-raton, Sp. Literally, "the male mouse," but in Nicaragua applied to a fantastic costume, and hence to the play, or _baile_, in which it is worn. See page xlvii. It may also mean a mouse-colored jack.

Maneca, Nah. From _mana_, to make maize cakes, or tortillas; _manacan_, one who likes to make such (cf. Carochi, _Gram. Mex._, p. 136).

Maneta, Nah. Probably the imperative form of _nextia_ (_mâ xi nextia_), to show, to disclose or inform.

Mascamayagua. Nah. A compound of _maxca_ (== _mo, axca_) thine, it is thine (literally, thy thing), and _mayacuele_, the optative particle, or else _ma ayc caui_, thine always. It is evidently equivalent to "yours to command," "at your service," etc.

Matamagueso, _see_ Tumaguiso.

Matateco, Nah. Slightly altered form of _matataca_, to beg, to pray, possibly by the addition of the Spanish personal pronoun, I, "yo."

Mayagua, _or_ Mayague, Nah. Apparently the sign of the optative, _mayacuele_, and expressive of a wish; _yecuel_, in Nah., also conveys the idea of promptness and earliness (Carochi, _Gram. Mex._, p. 175).

Melague, _or_ Melagua, Nah. A form of _melaua_, to say clearly, to speak openly. The termination _que_, in Nah., marks the plural of certain nouns and tenses.

Miscuales, Nah. From _miequilia_, to prosper, augment, increase.

Mispiales, Nah. From _miecpialia_, to watch over, guard, protect. In both the above words, the prefix is _miec_, much, used as an intensive particle.

Mo, Nah. Second person, sing., of the inseparable possessive pronoun, _no_, my, _mo_, thy, _y_, his, _to_, our, _amo_, your, _yn_, their. _Mo_ is also the reflexive pronoun of the third person singular, and appears to be occasionally used in the Güegüence as the possessive of the third person, probably from analogy with the Spanish _su_.

Mocegua, _or_ Mosegua, Nah. Apparently from _mocenchiua_, to unite in doing something. The _n_ is euphonic, the composition being _ce_, one, and _achiua_, to do.

Mohino, Sp. Applied to a mule proceeding from a stud and a jenny; also, peevish, cross.

Mollule, _or_ Muyule, Nah. Apparently from _molotl_, smart, clever, crafty; itself a derivative from _yollo_, able, ingenious, talented.

Monistilco, Nah. Apparently from _monetli_, son-in-law, with the postposition _co_, for, by, etc.

Mosamonte, Nah. _mocemati_, presumptuously, too boldly.

Motales, _or_ Motalce, Nah. Derivatives, apparently, from _motlaloa_, to run, to carry messages, with the signification messengers.

Motel, Nah. p. 38. An interrogative negative particle, properly _monel_.

Moto, Sp. prov. Noisy, rowdyish; a noisy, blustering person. "El muchacho mal criado que motea." (Berendt, _La Lengua Castellana de Nicaragua_, MSS.)

Muchintes, The Sp. _mucho_, much, with the Nah. augmentative termination _tzin_, == very much, very extensive. Or else, the pure Nah. _muchintin_, all, plural of _muchi_.--Olmos, _Gram. Nahuatl_, p. 48.

Mudanzas, Sp. prov. The motions in a dance.

Muyule, _see_ Mollule.

N

Necana, Nah. From _nequanaliztli_, dancing motions, as are used in _bailes_.

Neganeme, _see_ Asaniganeme.

Negua, Nah. If a separate word, this is probably from _neci_, to disclose oneself, to show oneself; it is, however, a doubtful expression.

Negualigua, Nah. From _necuilhuia_, to bargain, to deal for.

Neme, Nah. From _nemi_, to live, to be (Sp. _estar_), to dwell.

Nemo, _see_ Niqui.

Niqui, Nah. Found in the construction _nemo niqui_, which should probably read _ni monequi_, it is proper for me, becoming or necessary. Sp. _me conviene_.

Nistipampa, Nah. The postposition _pampa_, _ixtli_, the face, and the first possessive pronoun _no_. The compound means "I, present," or "in my presence." Carochi, _Gram. Mex._, p. 45.

No, Nah. First person, singular, of the inseparable possessive pronoun. See _mo_. It is also used for the Spanish negative, _no_, not, throughout the play.

Ñonguan, page 28. An unknown word which, from its initial nasal, has the appearance of being from the Mangue tongue, in which this sound is very common.

O

Opa, Nah., _oppa_, twice.

P

Pachaca, Nah. A derivative from _pachiui_, to stuff with food, to satisfy the appetite, etc. The verbal nouns ending in _ca_ or _can_ usually signify place where, but this is to be considered a verbal adjective, from the pluperfect _pachiuhca_.

Pachigue, _or_ Pachiguete, Nah. From _pachiuitia_, to satisfy a person. The frequent expression, _pachigue no pachiguete_, should probably be punctuated _pachigue_? _No pachigutee_, == Satisfied? No, you do not satisfy me.

Paguala, p. 36, Nah. A truncated word. Compare _a sones sepaguala_, p. 34, and _a sonesepa negualigua_, p. 28.

Palegue, _see_ Panegue.

Palparesia, Nah. From _papal_, or _papallotl_, talk, conversation. Sp. _parleria_. No doubt an onomatopoietic word, like the English babble, Hebrew, Babel, which it resembles, both in pronunciation and meaning.

Paltechua, Nah. From _paleuhqui_, favorable, advantageous or appropriate things. See page 76.

Paneguia, _or_ Panegue, _or_ Palegue, Nah. From _panauia_, to get the better of another, to overcome, conquer. The termination, _gue_, or _guia_, in this and other verbal forms, is one of past time in the Nahuatl. See Carochi, _Gram. Mex._, p. 54.

Peinador, p. 70. Perhaps the Spanish word so spelled, which means a hairdresser, and hence an effeminate person. But it may be a Spanish form from the Nah. _pinauhtia_, to put another to the blush, or out of countenance, the compulsive form of _pinaua_, to be ashamed.

Perico ligero, Sp. prov. In Nicaragua, the night-monkey, _Cercoleptes caudivolvulus_, which has sharp claws. It is elsewhere applied to a species of parrot, and to the bee bear, _Myrmecophaga_, (Berendt, _Lengua Castellana de Nicaragua_, MSS).

Petaca, Nah. From _petlacalli_, a box, trunk or chest; especially a square basket, with a lid; "cajon quadrangular con tapa, hecho de palma" (Berendt, _id_).

Petate, Nah., _petlatli_, the native rug or mat, woven of palm leaves or rushes.

Pilse, Nah., _piltzin_, son, vocative, _piltze_. See page 75.

Polluse, _or_ Poyuse, Nah. Apparently a form of poa, to tell, relate, give an account, preterit, _pouh_, _pouhca_.

Q

Qui, Sp., who; also at times for Sp. _aqui_, here.

Quichuas, Nah. Probably a derivative from _achiua_, to do or make. Compare _Lichua_.

Quilis, Nah., _qualli_, good, well.

Quinimente, Nah., _quin_, he, those, _aquin_, who. It would seem to be a demonstrative form, but its analysis is obscure.

Quinquimagua, Nah. A compound of _macua_, to give, to concede, with the pronouns _quin_ or _aquin_.

R

Rebiatar, Sp. prov. To tie behind, as the muleteers tie one mule in the line to the mule in front of it.

Recua, Sp. prov. A team, or line, of mules.

Remates, Sp. prov. The finishing steps, or closing figures of a dance.

Riñonada. The hinder portion of a horse or mule, over which passes one of the harness straps.

Rujeros, Sp. prov. for _rugidos_, bellowings or shoutings. The name of a tune.

S

Sagua, p. 34. A mutilated word; see _Melague_.

Sapatetas, Sp. prov. for _zapatetas_, from _zapato_, a shoe. Shoe-slappings, the name of the figures in a rough, noisy dance.

Samo, Nah., p. 8. Probably some compound of _amo_, no, not.

Semula, Sp. prov. for _similar_, like, similar to.

Seno, Sp. prov. for _sin_, without.

Sepaguala, Nah. See _Paguala_.

Sepanegaligua, Nah. A compound of _calaquia_, to enter, with some prefix, as _cepan_, together, or _ixpan_, in the presence of some one.

Sesule, Nah. A compound of _tçulli_, good for nothing, worthless, perhaps with _ce_, one, or _te_, some one. It is an adjective, applied in a depreciatory manner to the Güegüence.

Sicana, Nah. See _Cana_.

Silguerio, Sp. prov. for _xilguero_, a linnet, or thrush.

Simocague, Nah. Imperative form of _mocaua_, to pause, suspend, cease. See page 75.

Sobornal, Sp. The excess or addition to a load.

Sones, Sp. Tunes, music.

T

Tatita, Sp. Little papa. A diminutive of endearment. It could also be derived from the Nah. _tatli_, father.

Tecetales, _or_ Tesetales, Nah. From _tetzauia_, to be a shame, to be scandalous.

Tecomajoche, Nah., _tecomatl_, vase, _xochitl_, flower; a tree bearing small white flowers, a species of _Plumiera_, allied to the East Indian "temple tree."

Teguane, Nah. Form of _tehuantin_, pronoun, first person plural, we, us.

Ticino, Nah., _ticitl_, a native doctor, a charlatan; one who casts lots for divination; a personal form, from _ticiti_, might be _ticitoni_.

Tiguala, Nah. A compound of _ti_, thou, and _qualli_, good or well. See note, page 75.

Tiguita, Nah. A word of uncertain meaning, pages 46, 48, in the phrase _mollule tiguita_. It may be a first person plural, from _quixtia_, _tic quixtia_, we do our duty, we do our best.

Timaguas, Nah. Either from _temaca_, to give something to another; or from _temachti_, a teacher, an instructor.

Tin, Sp. A form for _tener_, to have. It stands in different passages for _tiene_, _tenemos_, and _tienen_, and is a good illustration of the wearing away of forms in this mixed dialect.

Tinderia, Sp. for _tenderia_, a shop, booth or tent, in which wares are displayed for sale.

Totolatera, Nah. From _tototl_, a bird or fowl; _petaca totolatera_, a basket for carrying fowls.

Tumaguiso, Nah. A compound of _tuma_, to untie, open, and _quiça_, a verbal termination, which signifies a performance of the action of the verb to which it is added.--Olmos, _Gram. Nah._, p. 157.

Tumiles, Nah. An adjective from the same root as _tomanaliztli_, fatness, corpulence, and signifies abounding, abundant.

Tunal, Sp. prov., from a Haytian (Arawack) word. It means a plantation of the native American cactus figs, or prickly pears. See page 80.

Tupile, Nah. An officer of justice, an alcalde or alguacil. From _topilê_, he who carries a staff; _topilli_, staff, this being the badge of the office.

V

Vaticola, Sp. prov. The posterior of an animal; the crupper region. Possibly from _veta di cola_, vein of the tail.

Velancicos, Sp. prov. for _villancicos_, rustic songs sung at the doors of the brotherhoods (_cofradias_) at certain festivals (Berendt, _Leng. Castel. de Nicaragua_, MSS).

Y

Ya. Interjection. You there! Yes, there!

INDEX.

Alva, B. de, xlv.

Anahuac, v, vi, vii.

Antepeque, 79

Arawack language, xx.

Ayacachtli, the, xxxvi.

Aymaras, xv.

Aztecs, v, xvi. migrations of, vi.

Baker, Theodore, xxxviii.

Bancroft, H. H., ix.

Baptista, J., xlviii.

Balsam Coast, the, xxxvi.

Barber, E. A., xxxiii, xxxviii.

Benzoni, G., xi, xvi, xxii, xliv.

Berendt, C. H., v, vi, xi, xxv, xxxi, xli.

Bertonio, L., xv.

Bobadilla, F. de, vii.

Brantford, Dr. J. F., x, xxxv.

Brasseur de Bourbourg, xliii.

Buschmann, vii, xi.

Cacho, the, xxxvii.

Canahuate, dance, xxvi.

Carimba, the, xxxvi.

Carochi, H., xvi, 75, 77.

Chapanecs, H., viii, ix, xxii, xxxix.

Chiapanec, see Chapanecs.

Chiapas, ix.

Chilchil, the, xxxvi.

Chinegritos, Los, xxvi.

Chirimoya, the, xxxviii.

Cholotecans, vi, n, viii.

Cholula, derivation, viii.

Chorotegans, _see_ Cholotecans.

Cofradias, the, xxxix.