Incidents of Travel in Yucatan

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those infallible indications of the growing state, have just become consolidated, and mark the completion of adult age.

The bones

of the hands and feet are remarkably

small and delicately proportioned,

which observa-

tion applies also to the entire skeleton.

was crushed

into

many

pieces, but,

The

skull

by a cautious

manipulation, Doctor Morton succeeded in reconstructing the posterior

occiput

is

remarkably

eral or parietal

and

flat

lateral portions.

and

vertical,

diameter measures no

The

while the less

than

lat-

five

inches and eight tenths. i

A chemical examination of some fragments of the bones proves them to be almost destitute of animal

Vol.

I—N n

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

282

matter, which, in the perfect osseous structure, con-

about thirty-three parts in the hundred.

stitutes

On

the upper part of the

left tibia

there

is

a swell-

ing of the bone, called, in surgical language, a node,

an inch and a half in length, and more than half an inch above the natural surface.

may have

dition

This morbid con-

resulted from a variety of causes,

but possesses greater interest on account of

ex-

its

treme infrequency among the primitive Indian population of the country.

On

a late

Boston I had the

visit to

satisfaction

of examining a small and extremely interesting collection of

mummied

John H. Blake, of

bodies in the possession of Mr.

that

dug up by himself from

city,,

an ancient cemetery in Peru. the shore of the

Bay

The

lies

on

of Chacota, near Arica, in lat-

itude 18° 20' south.

ground.

This cemetery

graves

a large tract of

covers

It

are

all

circular form>

of a

from two to four feet in diameter, and from four to five feet deep.

the

mummies

In one of them Mr. Blake found

of a man, a

woman,

fourteen years old, and an infant. closely

wrapped

a child twelve or

They were

all

in woollen garments of various col-

ours and degrees of fineness, secured by needles of

thorn thrust through the cloth. saturated with all

The

skeletons are

some bituminous substance, and

in a remarkable

state

of preservation.

woollen

cloths, too, are well preserved,

doubt

accounted

is

for,

treme dryness of the part of Peru.

in a great degree, soil

are

The

which no by the ex-

and atmosphere of that

MUMMIES FROM PERU. Mr. Blake visited

many

283

other cemeteries between

Andes and the Pacific Ocean as far south as which possess the same general features

the

Chili, all of

with those found in the elevated valleys of the Peruvian Andes.

No

record or tradition exists in re-

gard to these cemeteries, but woollen cloths similar to those found by Mr. Blake are

woven

at this day,

and probably in the same manner, by the Indians of Peru

;

and in the eastern part of

Bolivia, to the

southward of the place where these mummies were discovered, he found,

on the most barren portion of

the Desert of Atacama, a few Indians, who, probably from the difficulty of access to their place of

abode, have been less influenced by the Spaniards,

and

for this reason retain

more of

their primitive

customs, and their dress at this day resembles closely that

which envelops the bodies

in his possession,

both in the texture and the form.

Doctor Morton says that these mummies from

Peru have the same

peculiarities in the

form of the

same delicacy of the bones, and the same remarkable smallness of the hands and feet, with skull,

the

that found in the sepulchre at says, too,

San Francisco.

He

from an examination of nearly four hun-

dred skulls of individuals belonging to older nations of Mexico and Peru, and of skulls dug from the mounds of our western country, that he finds them all

formed on the same model, and conforming in a

remarkable manner to that brought from San Francisco

;

and that

this

cranium has the same type of

—

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

284

which has been bestowed with amazing uniformity upon all the tribes on our continent, from Canada to Patagonia, and from the physical conformation

He

Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

adds, that

that,

notwithstanding some

and others

slight variation in physical conformation,

much more remarkable

of a

attainments,

character in intellectual

aboriginal

the

all

known epochs belong

af-

which he

fords additional support to the opinion

has always entertained,

it

to the

Americans of

same great and

all

dis-

tinctive race.

If this opinion is correct,

all

I believe

—

it

if this

same type of physical

skeleton does present the

conformation with

and

the tribes of our continent

then, indeed, do these crumbling bones declare, as

with a voice from the grave, that to

we cannot go back

any ancient nation of the Old World

ers of these cities

ple

who have

lost,

;

for the build-

they are not the works of peo-

passed away, and whose history

is

but of the same great race which, changed,

miserable,

and degraded,

still

clings

around their

ruins.

To

return to the ruins of

San Francisco.

We

devoted two days more to excavating, but did not

make any

farther discoveries.

Among ground

the

ruins

like those at

was broken and

were

circular holes

Uxmal.

enlarged,

and

The mouth I

in

the

of one

descended by a

ladder into a dome-shaped chamber, precisely the

same

as at

Uxmal, but a

little larger.

At Uxmal

THE SEYBO TREE. the character of these ture

285

was mere matter

of conjec-

but at this short distance, the Indians had

;

specific notions in regard to their objects

and

and called them chultunes, or

all

wells.

In

uses,

direc-

were seen the oblong stones hollowed troughs, which at Uxmal were called pi las,

tions, too,

out like

or fountains, but here the Indians called them hol-

which mash corn

cas or piedras de molir, stones for grinding,

they said were used by the ancients to

upon

and the proprietor showed us a round stone

;

which they called kabtum, hrazo de piedra, or arm of stone, used, as they said, for mashing the corn. The different names they assigned in different places to the same thing, and the

like a

bread

roller,

different uses ascribed to facts,

it,

the utter absence of

edge among the Indians greatest difficulty

;

we have

show, with all

and

many

other

traditionary knowlthis is

perhaps the

to encounter in ascribing

to their ancestors the building of these cities.

The

last

day

we

returned from the ruins earlier

than usual, and stopped at the campo santo. front stood a noble seybo tree.

I

In

had been anxious

to learn something of the growth of this tree, but

had never had an opportunity of doing it before. The cura told me that it was then twenty-three years old. this point.

There could be no doubt or mistake on Its age was as well known as his own,

or that of any other person in the village.

following woodcut represents this at the distance of five feet

tree.

The

The trunk

from the ground measured

Seybo Tree.

17£

feet in circumference,

forded on

all

sides a magnificent shade.

We

af-

had

growing on the tops of the ruined Copan and Palenque, and many had

found trees like structures at

and its great branches

it

for that reason ascribed to the buildings a very great

antiquity.

which

I

This

tree completely

removed

all

doubts

might have entertained, and confirmed

me

in the opinion I had before expressed, that no cor-

judgment could be formed of the antiquity of these buildings from the size of the trees growing

rect

THE CAMPO SANTO. Remarkable

upon them.

at that time, I afterward

287

as I considered this tree

saw

larger ones, in

more

favourable situations, not so old.

The campo santo was enclosed by a high stone The interior had some degree of plan and wall. arrangement, and in some places were tombs, built

above ground, belonging to families in the

hung with withered wreaths and votive The population tributary to it was about sand

dy

it

;

had been opened but

five years,

presented a ghastly spectacle.

it

many new-made were a

skull

graves,

village,

offerings. five

thou-

and

alrea-

There were

and on several of the vaults

and small collection of bones

in a

box

or tied up in a napkin, being the remains of one

buried within and taken out to

On

other corpse.

one of them were the

bones of a lady of the

village, in a

acquaintance of the cura,

Among

years.

make room

the bones

who had was a

for an-

skull

basket

;

and

an old

died within two

pair of white satin

which she had perhaps worn in the dance, and with which on her feet she had been buried.

shoes,

At one corner of the cemetery was a walled enclosure,

about twenty feet high and thirty square,

was

the charnel-house of the ceme-

flight of

stone steps led to the top of the

within which

A

tery.

wall,

and on the platform of the steps and along the

wall were skulls and bones, some in boxes and baskets, and some tied up in cotton cloths, soon to be thrown upon the common pile, but as yet having la-

bels

with the names written on them, to make

known

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

288 yet a

little

whom

while longer the individuals to

they

had once belonged. Within the enclosure the earth was covered several feet deep with the promiscuous and undistinguishable bones of rich and poor, high and low, men, women, and Mestizoes, and Indians,

happened

to

Of

which

beautiful in this world

is

so affectingly as this

woman,

ing charm of

and

taste

fragments of

women

and the long hair of

clinging to the skull.

declaring the end to

me

Spaniards,

children,

mingled together as they

Among them were

fall.

bright- coloured dresses, still

all

all

the sad that

all

mementoes and

bright

is

doomed, none ever touched

—the ornament and crownthe peculiar subject of her

daily care, loose, dishevelled,

and twining

among dry and mouldering bones. We left the campo santo, and walked up street of the village, the quiet,

the long

contented character

more strongly than The Indians were sitting in

of the people impressing itself

ever upon

my

mind.

the yards, shrouded by cocoanut and orange

trees,

weaving hammocks and platting palm leaves hats

;

for

the children were playing naked in the road,

women were The news of

and the Mestiza

ways sewing.

bones had created a sensation.

our digging up the All

wanted

to

know

work had produced, and all rose up cura passed the Indians came to kiss hi$

what the as the

sitting in the door-

day's

;

hand, and, as he remarked, except

maize was

short, all

when

were happy.

such bustle and confusion as our

the crop of

In a place of

own

city, it is

possible to imagine the quiet of this village.

im-

—

RUMOURS OF AN INSURRECTION.

289

CHAPTER XIV. —Nohcacab. —Ruins of NonDeparture from Ticul. — The pat.-— Return to Uxmal. — The Campo Santo. —Work of Mr. Waldeck. — General Description of the Ruins. —Two ruined —Great Stone Rings. — House of the Nuns. — Dimensions, &c. Edifice.— Complicated Orna— Courtyard. —Facades.— A ment. — Painted Facades. — Sculptured Doorways. — House of the Birds. —Remains of Painting. — An Arch. — House of the Dwarf. — Building loaded with Ornaments. — Long and narrow Sierra.

Edifices.

lofty

—Tasteful Arrangement of Ornaments. — Human Sac— House of the Pigeons. — Range of Terraces called the Campo Santo. — House of the Old Woman. — Circular Mound of Ruins. — Wall of the City. — Close of Description. —Title Papers of Uxmal. — Of the Antiquity of Uxmal. Structure.

rifices.

The next day was Sunday, which I passed in making preparations for returning to Uxmal. I had, however, some distraction. In the morning the quiet of the village

was a

disturbed by intelli-

little

gence of a revolution in Tekax, a town nine leagues distant.

Our sojourn

quiet that

it

make me

had deposed the

authorities, tants,

and

three hundred

The insurappointed their own

feel at

alcalde,

home.

laid contributions

and the news was

men

march, but as

upon the inhabi-

that they intended marching

against Merida, to extort an ac-

knowledgment of independence. line of

it

Ticul lay in their

was considered very uncertain

whether they would carry

this

doughty purpose into

execution, I determined not to change

Vol.

had been so

seemed unnatural, and a small revolution

was necessary to gents

in the country

L— 0

o

25

my

plan.

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

290

Doctor Cabot's presence in the course, generally

village was, of

known, and though

was

it

ill

he did not

himself,

fame

fail

biscos

as a curer of

have

to

rather

man

to be

patients.

His

prejudicial to his reputation as a medical

had reached

this place,

was only one though his was vio-

but, fortunately for his quiet, there

among

squinter lent

enough

this

man

him

the inhabitants,

for a

whole

applied for

village.

In the afternoon

Doctor Cabot told

relief.

hand was not yet steady enough to perI was going away the but this by no means satisfied him. It

that his

form the operation, and that next day

;

happened, however, that a gentleman present,

was

consulting the doctor on

who

some ailment of

his

own, mentioned incidentally that one of the doctor's

Merida had

patients at

ed that the

loss

lost the eye,

was not

but to subsequent bad treatment. afterward learned,

but

it

had

though he add-

ascribed to the operation,

This

story, as

we

was entirely without foundation, upon the bisco, who rolled his

its effect

eye toward the door so violently that the rest of

him

followed,

again.

and he never came near the doctor

His only operation that day was upon the

wife of the proprietor of San Francisco, whose head

he

laid open, I

and took out a hideous wen.

have mentioned the extraordinary

this place. this stillness

stillness

of

Every night, however, since my arrival, had been broken by the canting, sing-

ing tones of a boy calling out the numbers of the loteria.

Preparations were making for a village fete

THE LOTERIA. in February

;

the ground

291

was already marked out

in front of the convent for the Plaza de Toros,

was adopted

the loteria

money ed,

as

pay the expenses.

to

and on the

night of

last

and

the means of raising I

had not yet attend-

my

stay in Ticul I de-

was held in the corridor of the hung branches of palm It was Sunday evenleaves to protect the lights. ing, and, consequently, the attendance was more numerous than usual. At the entrance sat the boy, whose voice is even now ringing in my ears, rattling a bag of balls, drawing them out, and calling off the numbers. Along the corridor was a rough table with a row of candles in the centre, and termined to go. audiencia,

It

along which

benches on each side were occupied by the without

distinction

grains of corn before them, the

The One

villagers,

of persons, with papers

same

and

as at Merida.

sum called off was twenty-nine reals. was deducted from every dollar for the particular object of the lottery, and the fund which the boy had obtained by such a potent use of his voice then amounted to sixty-three dollars. There were several performers giving out somewhat equivocal music, without which nothing in that country could go on long, and occasionally two reals were drawn from the purse for them. All entered who pleased. There was no regulation of dress or etiquette, but much quiet courtesy of manner, and it was largest real

regarded a mere converzatione, or place for passing the

evening.

I

remained about an hour.

As

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

292

we

crossed the plaza, the

moon

erable front of the convent,

and

lighted

up the ventime I

for the last

slept within its walls.

The

next morning I bade farewell to the cura,

with an understanding, that as soon as Doctor Cabot was able to return, the good padre would ac-

company him

to finish his interrupted visit to us at

My time at Ticul had

Uxmal.

not been

Be-

lost.

San Francisco, I had refrom the cura, which prom-

sides exploring the ruins of

ceived accounts of others

ised to add greatly to the interest of our expedition.

That

might take a passing view of one of these

I

my

places on

back by a

return to Uxmal, I determined to go

different road, across the sierra,

rises a short distance

ascent

was

which

from the village of Ticul.

steep, broken,

and stony.

The

The whole

range was a mass of limestone rock, with a few stunted trees, but not enough to afford shade, and

white under the reflection of the sun. I reached the top of the sierra. last

else,

the church and convent

was an hour

side

Looking back,

my

view of the plain presented, high above every-

thing I

In an hour

my

first

which

I

had

left.

crossing the sierra, and on the other

view of the great plain took in the

church of Nohcacab, standing

like a colossus in the

wilderness, the only token to indicate the presence

of man.

but

Descending

trees, until,

when

to the plain, I

close

upon the

saw nothing village,

the

great church again rose before me, towering above

the houses, and the only object visible.

RETURN TO UXMAL.293

RUINS OF NOHPAT.

The

village

was under

the pastoral charge of the

cura of Ticul, and in the suburbs I met his ministro waiting, according to the directions

on horseback,

me to the ruins of Nohpat. we turned off from the main

of the former, to escort

At a

league's distance

road, and, following a

narrow path leading

milpas, in fifteen minutes

we saw

to

some

towering before

us lofty but shattered buildings, the relics of another ruined

city.

saw

I

at a glance that

indispensable for Mr.

Catherwood

Nevertheless, I passed three hours toiling in the

it

to

would be

visit

them.

on the ground,

hot sun, and at four o'clock, with

strong apprehensions of another attack of fever, I

mounted

A

to continue

little

my journey.

before dark I emerged from the woods,

and saw Mr. Catherwood standing on the platform of the Casa del Gobernador, the sole tenant of the ruins of

Uxmal.

His Indians had finished

day's work, Bernaldo and

their

Chaipa Chi had gone,

and since Doctor Cabot left he had slept alone in He had a feeling of security from the our quarters. tranquil state of the country, the harmless character

of the Indians, their superstitions in regard to the ruins,

door,

and a spring

pistol

which could not

fail

with a cord across the to bring

who

might attempt to enter at night.

It

had happened most fortunately

tions that Mr.

Catherwood had held

down any one for out.

our opera-

Without

any resources or anything to occupy him except work, he had accomplished an enormous deal, and

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

294

from being so much better provided with the comforts of living

than at any former time while explo-

ring ruins, he

had continued

in

good health and

spirits.

At dark

the Indian

arrived with

sweating at every pore, having carried

my it

luggage,

twenty-one

which I paid him three shillings and sixAs he was going away we gave him a roll of bread, and he asked by signs if he was to carry Being made to comprehend that he it to the cura. he sat down and commenced himself, was to eat it immediately, having probably never eaten so much miles, for

pence.

bread before in his

life.

We

then gave him half

a cup of Habanero, some plantains and a cigar, and, as the

dew was

When

he had finished these

heavy, told him to

tion,

and he seemed hardly

tune

real,

and

either

we

by the

fire.

repeated the por-

to believe his

good

but he had an idea that he was well

foroff,

from being a stranger, and free from the

apprehensions

felt

by the Indians of Uxmal, or

from a fancy he had taken to tal,

sit

a piece of

hemp

us,

he asked

for

bagging, to sleep upon.

gave him one, and he lay

down by

the

fire

;

else

a cos-

We for a

while he endeavoured to protect his naked body against the moschetoes, and kept up a continued slapping, lighter or heavier according to the aggravation, ridor,

changed

but

it

his position,

was

all

in vain

;

and

tried the

back cor-

and, finally, with a sad

attempt at a smile, he asked for another drink of

Habanero and a

cigar,

and went away.

CHRISTMAS On

the twenty-fourth of

DAY.

295

December Doctor Cabot

returned from Ticul, bringing back with him Albino,

who was

still

Unfortunately, the

in a rueful plight.

cura Carillo was unwell, and unable to accompany him, but had promised to follow in a few days.

Christmas eve

we were

all

On

once more together, and

Christmas Day, in spite of ourselves, was a holyday.

No Indians came out to work. moved

Chaipa Chi, who had

regularly as the sun, for the

We had,

however, as

visiters,

a

first

time

failed.

number of women

Moona. From the top of the from House of the Dwarf we saw them moving toward that of the Nuns, and went down to receive them. The only males who accompanied them were a lad the village of

about fourteen attending his newly-married wife,

and the husband of the woman I had seen buried, who either had not the spirit for joining in the festivities at

the

way

the hacienda, or

of repairing his

Unable

to

do anything

to the hacienda to see

The

a sore back.

sound of

in

loss.

at the ruins, I

walked down

one of our horses which had

hacienda was deserted, but the

violins led

dians were

was putting himself

me

to the place

congregated.

king on a large scale

where the In-

Preparations were ma-

for the

evening

feast.

The

place looked like a butcher's shambles, for they had

what had once composed eight hogs, and I do not know how many

cut up

women were ess,

and up

all

busy

to her

;

turkeys, fowls.

two

The

Chaipa Chi was lady-patron-

elbows in

tortillas.

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

296

walked on

I

of carrying

and

campo

to the

away two

skulls

santo, for the purpose

which

I

had selected

on the charnelpile at the time of the had taken some precautions, for the news

laid aside

funeral.

I

of the carrying off the bones from San Francisco

had created some excitement among the Indians over the country; and as huts,

I

I

had

to pass a long

all

row

had procured two calabazas, or gourds,

of

for

drinking cups, which I carried in a pocket-handkerchief,

yard,

and intended

and

to

throw away in the grave-

On reaching the pile,

substitute the skulls.

however,

I

found that other hands had been upon

The skulls I had selected had been displaced and

it.

mingled with the others, so that I could not identhem.

tify

that of the

was

examined the whole heap, but could

I

only the huge skull of an African and

recognise

woman

I

had seen dug

The

the skull of a full-blooded Indian, but

been damaged by the crowbar all

up.

besides, I

;

latter it

her bones and her very flesh taken piecemeal

out of the grave

;

I

had heard so much of her that

she seemed an acquaintance, and

had some qualms

I

of conscience about carrying her skull away. fact,

In

alone in the stillness and silence of the place,

something

me

had

had seen

of

a

superstitious

feeling

came over

about disturbing the bones of the dead and

robbing a graveyard. haps, have taken up

increase

women

my

I

two

wavering

peeping at

me

should nevertheless, perskulls at

feeling, I

random,

but, to

saw two Indian

through the

trees, and,

not

WORK

OF MR. WALDECK.

297

wishing to run the risk of creating a disturbance on the hacienda, I

The I

the graveyard with empty hands.

left

me

majoral afterward told

had done

so, for

that

if I

that

The drawing

fortunate

had carried any away,

would have caused an excitement

and perhaps led

was

it

among the

it

Indians,

to mischief.

account of our residence at Uxmal to a close,

and

is

now

time to bring before the

it is

reader the remainder of the ruins

but before doing

;

make one remark in regard to the work of Mr. Waldeck, which was published in folio at so I shall

my own

Paris in 1835, and, except is

hurried notice,

the only account that has ever been published of

had

work with me on

the ruins at Uxmal.

I

our

be found that our plans and

It will

last visit.

drawings

this

from

differ materially

his,

but Mr.

Wal-

deck was not an architectural draughtsman, and he complains that his drawings were taken from him

by the Mexican government. I differ from him, too, in the statement of some facts, and almost enbut these things tirely in opinions and conclusions ;

occur of course, and the next person these ruins will perhaps differ in

both of

us.

It is

many

who

respects from

proper to say, moreover, that Mr.

Waldeck had much

greater difficulties to encounter

than we, for at the time of his

visit

the ground had

not been cleared for a milpa, and the whole

was overgrown with

trees

titled to the full credit

Vol.

I.

—P

p

visits

;

besides,

he

of being the

is

field

justly en-

first

stranger

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

298

who

visited these ruins,

and brought them

to the

notice of the public.

To del

return.

I

have already mentioned the Casa

Gobernador and the Casa de

House

of the Turtles, the latter of

las

Tortugas, or

which stands on

the grand platform of the second terrace of the Casa del Gobernador, at the northwest corner.

Descending from

this building,

and on a

line

with

doorway of the Casa de las Monjas, going north, at the distance of two hundred and forty feet are two ruined edifices facing each other, and seventy the

feet apart, as laid

Each

ruins.

long,

made

and out,

is

down on

the general plan of the

one hundred and twenty-eight

thirty feet deep, and, so far as they

feet

can be

they appear to have been exactly alike in

The

plan and ornament.

were embellished with

sides facing

each other

and there remain

sculpture,

on both the fragments of entwined colossal which ran the whole length of the walls.

serpents,

In the centre of each facade, at points directly opposite each other, are the fragments of a great

stone ring.

Each

of these rings

was

four feet in

diameter, and secured in the wall by a stone tenon

of corresponding dimensions. : een broken wilfully

em lace

still

is

;

They

appear to have

of each, the part nearest the

projects from the wall,

and the outer

covered with sculptured characters.

made excavations

among

sur-

We

the ruins along the base of

the walls, in hope of discovering the missing parts

of these rings, but without success.

These

structures have

no doorways or openings

HOUSE OF THE NUNS. ot

any kind,

on the

either

nictes

299

or at the ends.

In

the belief that they must have interior chambers,

made a breach

on the

in the wall of the one

the depth of eight or ten

feet,

but

we

found only

rough stones, hanging so loosely together as it

we

east to

to

make

dangerous for the Indians to work in the holes,

and they were obliged

to discontinue.

This excavation, however, carried us through nearly one third of the structure, and satisfied us that these great parallel edifices did not contain interior apartments, but that

of four great walls, stones.

filled

each consisted merely

up with a

was our opinion

It

any

that they

expressly with reference to the

solid

mass of

had been

two great

built

rings fa-

cing each other in the facades, and that the space

between was intended public games, in

for the celebration of

some

which opinion we were afterward

confirmed.

Passing between these buildings, and continuing in the

same

Casa de

direction,

This building the centre.

feet

It

The

races.

wide

five feet

;

reach the front of the

is

quadrangular, with a courtyard in

stands on the highest of three ter-

lowest

is

three feet high and twenty

the second, twelve feet high and forty-

wide

feet wide,

we

Monjas, or House of the Nuns.

las

;

and the

third, four feet

high and

five

extending the whole length of the front

of the building.

The long,

front is two hundred and seventy-nine feet and above the cornice, from one end to the

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

300 other,

it is

ornamented with sculpture.

a gateway ten feet eight inches wide, spanned

tre is

by the triangular

On

In the cen-

arch,

each side of

with wooden

this

lintels,

and leading

to the courtyard.

gateway are four doorways

opening to apartments avera-

ging twenty-four feet long, ten feet wide, and seventeen feet high to the top of the arch, but having no

communication with each

The

of the quadrangle long

that

;

other.

building that forms the right or eastern side is

on the

one hundred and

left is

fifty-eight feet

one hundred and seventy-

three feet long, and the range opposite or at the end

of the quadrangle measures two hundred and sixtyfour

feet.

These three ranges of buildings have no doorways outside, but the exterior of each is a dead wall,

and above the cornice

all

are ornamented

with the same rich and elaborate sculpture.

On

the exterior of the range last mentioned, the designs

among them are two rude, naked which have been considered as indicating the existence of that same Eastern worship before are simple, and

figures,

referred to

Such

is

among

the people of Uxmal.

the exterior of this building.

through the arched gateway,

we enter

yard, with four great facades looking

Passing

a noble court-

down upon

it,

each ornamented from one end to the other with the richest and most intricate carving art of the builders

of

Uxmal

;

known

in the

presenting a scene

of strange magnificence, surpassing any that

is

now

THE COURTYARD.

301

N

Plan of the Courtyard. to

be seen among

its

hundred and fourteen

and

This courtyard

ruins.

two

and two hundred At the time of our first was overgrown with bushes and grass, feet wide,

fifty-eight feet deep.

entrance

it

quails started

whirring ings.

up from under our

flight,

feet,

to

it,

we

of these birds, and throughout the

its

silence

and, with a

passed over the tops of the build-

Whenever we went

residence at of

is

Uxmal they were and desolation. 26

started flocks

whole of our

the only disturbers

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

302

Among my many causes of scale on which I am obliged to ings,

none

present these draw-

stronger than the consequent inability

is

with

to present,

regret for the small

all

their

ornament, the

detail of

There

four great facades fronting this courtyard. is

but one alleviating circumstance

the side most richly ornamented

under any circumstances,

it

which

;

is,

that

so ruined that,

is

could not be presented

entire.

This facade the courtyard. feet long,

and

on the

is

It is

left

of the visiter entering

one hundred and seventy-three

distinguished

is

by two

colossal ser-

pents entwined, running through and encompassing nearly

all

the ornaments throughout

The two

its whole length. which follow represent the only

plates

parts remaining.

The ward

exhibits that portion of the facade to-

first

one serpent other,

The

the north end of the building. is

tail

of

held up nearly over the head of the

and has an ornament upon

like a turban,

it

The marks on

with a plume of

feathers.

tremity of the

are probably intended to indicate a

tail

rattlesnake, with try abounds.

which species of serpent the coun-

The

lower serpent has

jaws wide open, and within them the face of

which

and appears to

which

all

is

is

a

distinctly visible

faintly in the drawing.

was

the ex-

hurrying,

its

human on the

From

Don Simon

to preserve this serpent's head.

He

monstrous head, stone,

the ruin

cared only

said that

we

might tear and out carry away every other ornament,

RICH FACADE.

A

303

but this he intended to build into the wall of a house in

Merida

The

as a

memorial of Uxmal.

second engraving represents the two entwi-

ned serpents enclosing and running through the

The

naments over a doorway. the ornament enclosed

is

much

ing, standing, but

or-

principal feature in

human

the figure of a

mutilated.

The

be-

bodies of

the serpents, according to the representations of the

same design

in other

of the sculpture, are

parts

covered with feathers.

The two

engravings represent about one

the whole facade

;

the other four

fifths

fifth

of

were en-

riched with the same mass of sculptured ornaments,

and toward the south end the head and

tail

of the

serpents corresponded in design and position with

the portion

still

existing at the other.

Had

it

been

our fortune to reach this place a few years sooner,

we

might have seen the whole

told us that in

entire.

1835 the whole

two serpents were seen in the building.

In

its

Don Simon

front stood,

encircling every

ruins

it

and the

ornament

presents a lively idea

of the " large and very well constructed buildings of lime and stone" which Bernal Dias

saw on land-

ing at Campeachy, " with figures of serpents and of idols painted

on the

walls."

At the end of the

courtyard, and fronting the

the facade of a lofty building,

gate of entrance,

is

two hundred and

sixty-four feet long, standing

terrace twenty feet high.

The

ascent

is

on a

by a grand

but ruined staircase, ninety-five feet wide, flanked

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

304 on each

side

by a building with sculptured

and having three doorways, each leading ments within.

The is

front,

to apart-

height of this building to the upper cornice

twenty-five

feet.

It

has thirteen doorways, over

each of which rose a perpendicular wall ten

wide and seventeen

feet

feet

high above the cornice,

making the whole height forty-two feet from the ground. These lofty structures were no doubt erected to give grandeur and effect to the building, and at a distance they appear to be turrets, but only four of them now remain. The whole great facade, crowded with complicated and elaborate sculpture, among which are human including the turrets,

is

rudely executed

figures

two

:

are

represented as

playing on musical instruments, one being not un-

and the other

like a small harp,

guitar

;

a third

hands across

is

his breast,

and

tied

of which pass over his shoulders. is

in the nature of a

in a sitting posture, with his

by

cords, the ends

Of

the rest there

nothing which stands out distinct and

like the serpent,

intelligible

and the whole, loaded as

with

it is

ornament, conveys the idea of vastness and magnifi-

cence rather than that of taste and refinement.

This building has one

curious feature.

It

is

erected over, and completely encloses, a smaller one

of older date. lintels

The

of the latter are

building

inner one

is

fallen,

is visible.

doorways, walls, and wooden all

seen,

and where the outer

the ornamented cornice of the

GRAND VIEW.

A

From

305

the platform of the steps of this building,

looking across the courtyard, a grand view presents itself,

embracing

all

tower above the

The

Dwarf. view.

the principal buildings that

plain,

now

except the House of the

engraving opposite represents this

In the foreground

is

the inner facade of the

front range of the Monjas, with a portion of the

range on each side of the courtyard. in the distance, appears the

the Old

Woman,

Casa de

To

the

left,

la Vieja, or of

and, rising grandly above the front

of the Monjas, are the House of the Turtles, that of the Governor, and the Casa de Palomos, or the

House of

The

the Pigeons.

last

of the four sides of the courtyard, stand-

ing on the right of the entrance,

Vol.

L— Q

a

is

represented in the

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

306

most

It is the

plate opposite.

entire of any, and,

more than its wooden lintels, and some stones which have been picked out of the facade below the cornice, to make it perfect. It is, too, the most chaste and simple in design and in fact,

wants but

ornament, and

it

little

was always

refreshing to turn from

the gorgeous and elaborate masses on the other fa-

cades to this curious and pleasing combination.

The ornament

over the centre doorway

is

the

most important, the most complicated and elaborate,

and of that marked and peculiar

style

which char-

acterizes the highest efforts of these ancient build-

The ornaments

ers.

less striking, all

of

more

them there

over the other doorways are

simple,

with the tongue hanging elaborate headdress

;

and more

in the centre

is

out,

pleasing.

In

a masked face

surmounted by an

between the horizontal bars

is

a range of diamond-shaped ornaments, in which the

remains of red paint are

still

at each end of these bars

is

the

mouth wide open.

distinctly visible,

and

a serpent's head, with

j

SOUTH EAST ANGLE OF MONJA.S UXMAL ,

Vol.1. Page,

PAINTED FACADES. The

307

engraving opposite represents the southeast

The

corner of this building.

angle exhibits the

great face before presented, with the stone curving

upward

On

at the projecting end.

each side

is

a

succession of compartments, alternately plain, and presenting the form of diamond lattice-work.

both there

is

In

an agreeable succession of plain and

ornamented, and, in

fact,

would be

it

difficult,

in

arranging four sides facing a courtyard, to have

more

variety,

and

at the

traces of the colour are

may imagine what this building

all

Maya

visible,

still

and according

entire, its

now

;

the

and the reader

the effect must have been

was

supposed design, in stood noble

same time more harmony

All these facades were painted

of ornament.

desolate

when to

its

doorways

maidens, like the vestal virgins

of the Romans, to cherish and keep alive the sa-

cred I

fire

burning in the temples.

omit a description of the apartments opening

upon

We made plans of

this courtyard.

but they are generally

mensions.

The number

In the range suite different this suite is

much in

alike, all is

last presented,

from

all

the

all

of them,

except in the dieighty-eight.

however, there

rest.

The

is

one

entrance to

by the centre and principal doorway,

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

308

and the engraving opposite represents the interior. It consists of two parallel chambers, each thirtythree feet long and thirteen wide and at each end of both chambers is a doorway communicating with ;

other chambers nine feet long and thirteen wide.

The doorways

of

all

these are ornamented with

and they are the only ornaments found in the interior of any buildings in Uxmal. The whole sculpture,

suite consists of six

rooms

and there

;

is

a conve-

nience in the arragements not unsuited to the habits

what we call upon this noble of

civilized

life

;

opening as they do

courtyard, in the dry season, with

nothing to apprehend from vegetation and damp, they would be by far the most comfortable residence for

any future explorer of the ruins of Uxmal

every time

I

went

to

them

not avail ourselves of the

With de

las

I regretted that

facilities

we

and

;

could

they offered.

these few words I take leave of the

Casa

Monjas, remarking only that in the centre

is

the fragment of a large stone like that on the terrace

of the Casa del Gobernador, called the Picote, and also that,

induced by the account of Waldeck that

the whole

was once paved with

I passed a

morning digging

below the

slight

all

sculptured turtles,

over the courtyard

accumulation of earth, and found

nothing of the kind.

The

substratum

consisted

of rude stones, no doubt once serving as a foundation for a floor of cement, which, from long expo-

sure to the rainy seasons, has

peared.

now

entirely disap-

HOUSE OF THE BIRDS.

311

At the back of the last-mentioned range of the Monjas is another, or rather there are several ranges of buildings, standing lower than the House of the Nuns, in irregular order, and

To the

the

first

House

much ruined. we gave the name

portion of these

of the Birds, from the circumstance of

of its

mix

WmM

IF:

I: JL

J

being ornamented on the exterior with representations of feathers

and birds rudely sculptured.

The

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

312

preceding engraving represents a part of these ornaments.

The remaining portion among which

rooms,

some very

consists of

are

two

large

fifty-three feet long,

fourteen wide, and about twenty high, being

widest in Uxmal.

largest, or at least the

them

the

In one of

and which approaches is an arch, nearer to the principle of the keystone than any we had yet met with in our whole exploration of ruins. It is are the remains of painting well preserved,

in the other

very similar to the earliest arches, called, of the

if

they

so

Etruscans and Greeks, as seen at Arpino

kingdom of Naples, and Tiryns

in the

may be

in Greece.

(See engravings in the Appendix.)

From

this

House of the Dwarf, Casa del Adivino, or its

we

range of buildings also

overlooking the whole

pant to be cognizant of

known by House

the

descend to the

city,

all

the

name

and enabling

that

of la

of the Diviner, from its

occu-

was passing around

him.

The and

courtyard of this building

thirty-five feet

ranges of thick,

now

by

eighty-five.

mounds from

is

one hundred

It is

bounded by

twenty-five to thirty feet

covered with a rank growth of herbage,

but which, perhaps, once formed ranges of buildings.

In the centre

is

a large circular stone, like those seen

in the other courtyards, called the Picote.

The

plate opposite represents the west front of

this building,

The

base

is

with the so ruined

mound on which

it

stands.

and encumbered with

fallen

HOUSE OF THE DWARF. stones that

ascertain

to

it is difficult

313

its

precise di-

mensions, but, according to our measurement,

two hundred and dred and

thirty-five feet long,

wide.

fifty- five

height

Its

feet, and to the top of the building

and

five feet.

shape

It is

is

is

eighty-eight

it is

one hundred

diminishing as

not exactly pyramidal, but

is

rounded. solid

Though

it

and one hun-

rises, its

it

its

ends are

encased with stone, and apparently

from the plain.

A great ving has

part of the front presented in the engra-

fallen,

and now

twenty ed by a

feet

lies

a mass of ruins at the

Along the

foot of the mound.

base, or rather about

up the mound, and probably once reach-

now

staircase,

ruined,

is

a range of curious

apartments, nearly choked up with rubbish, and w ith r

the sapote beams

At

still

the height of sixty feet

platform,

on which

ornaments more

any other

still

a solid projecting

and

carefully exe-

edifice in

doorway opens upon the

pote beams are is

is

stands a building loaded with

rich, elaborate,

cuted, than those of

great

in their places over the door.

A

The

sa-

platform.

in their places,

divided into tw o apartments

Uxmal.

T

;

and the

interior

the outer one

fif-

teen feet wide, seven feet deep, and nineteen feet high,

and the inner one twelve

deep, and eleven feet high.

feet wide, four feet

Both are

entirely plain,

without ornament of any kind, and have no com-

munication with any part of the mound.

The

steps or other

means of communication with

this building are all gone,

Vol.

L—R r

27

and

at the time of our

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

314 visit

we were

reached

but,

;

know how it had been we saw afterward, we are

at a loss to

from what

induced to believe that a grand staircase upon a

dif-

ferent plan from any yet met with, and supported arch, led from the

by a triangular

of the building, which,

ground

to the

in existence,

if still

door

would

give extraordinary grandeur to this great mound.

The crowning

structure

a long and narrow

is

building, measuring seventy-two feet in front,

but twelve

The

and

feet deep.

front

much

is

ruined, but even in

its

decay

presents the most elegant and tasteful arrangement

of ornaments to be seen in Uxmal, of which no idea

could be given in any but a large engraving.

emblems of

life

and death appear on the wall in

close juxta-position, confirming

the belief in the

existence of that worship practised by the tians

and

all

interior

is

among

the people of Uxmal.

divided into three apartments, that

in the centre being twenty-four feet

by seven, and

those on each side nineteen feet by seven.

have no communication with each other their doors

Egyp-

other Eastern nations, and before re-

ferred to as prevalent

The

The

;

They

two have

opening to the east and one to the west.

A narrow platform

five feet

the four sides of the building.

wide projects from

The

all

northern end

is

decayed, and part of the eastern front, and to this front ascends a grand staircase

two

feet

one hundred and

high, seventy feet wide,

ninety steps.

and containing

r

HUMAN SACRIFICES.

317

The engraving opposite represents this front The steps are very narrow, and the staircase steep; and after we had cleared away the trees, and there were no branches

to assist us in climbing, the as-

cent

and descent were

The

padre Cogolludo, the historian referred

and dangerous.

difficult

says that he once ascended these steps, and

when he

attempted to descend he repented

sight failed

him, and he was in some danger."

adds, that in the apartments of the building, calls " small chapels,"

he

"

were the

" idols,"

;

to,

that his

He

which

and that

made sacrifices of men, women, and chilBeyond doubt this lofty building was a great Teocalis, "El grande de los Kues," the great tem-

there they dren.

ple of idols worshipped

by the people of Uxmal,

consecrated by their most mysterious est of their holy places.

Hand

his

Flint.

The High

the holi-

Priest

had in

made of wooden collar

a large, broad, and sharp Knife

Another Priest

wrought

"

rites,

carried

The

like a snake.

a

persons to be sacrificed

were conducted one by one up the Steps, stark naked, and as soon as laid on the Stone, had the Collar

put upon their Necks, and the four priests took

hold of the hands and

feet.

Then

the high Priest

with wonderful Dexterity ripped up the Breast, tore out the Heart, reeking, with his Hands, and showed it

him the Heart and Steam

to the Sun, offering

that

came from

and threw

it

it.

Thdi he

body down the

steps,

turned to the Idol,

which done, he kicked the and it never stopped till it

in his face,

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

318

came

because they were very up-

to the bottom,

right ;" and

"

who had been a Priest, and had said that when they tore out the

one

been converted,

Heart of the wretched Person so strongly that he took

or four times

till it

threw the Body,

it

sacrificed,

it

did beat

up from the Ground three

cooled by Degrees, and then he

still

moving,

down

In

the Steps."

the long catalogue of superstitious rites that dar-

all

kens the page of man's

more

picture

dian

priest,

cannot imagine a

history, I

horribly exciting than that of the In-

with his white dress and long hair clotted

with gore, performing lofty height, in full

murderous

his

sacrifices at this

view of the people throughout

the whole extent of the city.

From del

mound we pass over the Casa

the top of this

Gobernador

to the

grand structure marked on the

general plan as the Casa de Palomos, or the

of the Pigeons, the front of which the engraving opposite. forty feet long

ments are

;

filled,

It is

the front

is

is

represented in

two hundred and

much

ruined, the apart-

and along the centre of the

running longitudinally,

is

Dutch houses

that

roof,

a range of structures built

in a pyramidal form, like the fronts of

old

House

still

some of the

remain among

us,

but

grander and more massive.

number,

built of stone,

These are nine in about three feet thick, and

have small oblong openings through them.

These

openings give them soitewhat the appearance of pigeon-houses, and from this the

ing

is

derived.

All

name

of the build-

had once been covered with

HOUSE OF THE PIGEONS.

319

hgures and ornaments in stucco, portions of which

the

The view

remain.

still

full

presented

on

front could not be exhibited

In the centre of this building

is

in profile, as

is

this scale.

an archway ten

feet

wide, which leads into a courtyard one hundred and eighty feet long and one hundred and

fifty feet

deep.

In the centre of the courtyard, and thrown down, is the

same is

On the

large stone so often mentioned.

a range of ruined buildings, on the

range, and rising behind

sented in the frontispiece

of the courtyard,

is

it ;

the high

and in

left

mound

courtyard,

On

repre-

end

a range of ruined buildings, with

another archway in the centre.

deep.

a similar

front, at the

Crossing the court-

yard, and passing through this archway,

a flight of steps,

right

now

ruined,

one hundred each side of

feet

we

ascend

and reach another long by eighty-five

this courtyard, too, is a

range of ruined buildings, and at the other end great Teocalis,

two hundred

in

feet

hundred and twenty deep, and about

A

broad staircase leads to the

top,

length,

fifty feet

is

a

one high.

on which stands

a long narrow building, one hundred

feet

by twenty,

divided into three apartments.

There was a mournful pile of ruins.

crossing

on each

interest about this great

Entering under the great archway,

two noble courtyards, with ruined buildings side, and ascending the great staircase to

the building on the top, gave a stronger impression

of departed greatness than anything else in this desolate city.

It

commanded a view

of every other

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

320

and stood apart in lonely grandeur, seldom

building,

by human

disturbed

On

footsteps.

going up to

once Mr. Catherwood started a deer, and

it

at another

time a wild hog.

At the northeast angle of

this building is a vast

range of high, ruined terraces, facing east and west, nearly eight hundred feet long at the base, and call-

Campo

ed the

On

Santo.

one of these

is

a build-

ing of two stories, with some remains of sculpture,

and

Indians say, city

and overgrown valley

in a deep

but,

;

was

though searching

reward

fering a

found in

the burial-place

it

to

them

for

at the foot, the

of this ourselves,

it

for the discovery,

House of

Once,

when

the Old

the

Woman,

wind was

or five hundred feet from the

woman

its

of-

never

name from

lying before

la Vieja,

or

standing in ruins.

high, I

of the front wall bending before

and has

and

we

a sepulchre.

Besides these there was the Casa de the

ancient

its

Casa

saw

the remains

force.

It is four

del Gobernador,

a mutilated statue of an old

it.

Near by are other monuments lying on the ground, overgrown and half buried (referred to in the Appendix),

the

Indians

there

is

which were pointed out to us by first visit. North of this

on our

a circular

mound

circular building like that

which was

said to

on the plan so this,

for

of ruins, probably of a of Mayapan.

encompass the

far as it

A

city is laid

can be traced

;

wall

down

and beyond

a great distance in every direction, the

CLOSE OF DESCRIPTION. ground

is

strewed with ruins

description I close.

but

I

have compressed

We

ble limits.

;

but with this brief

might extend

I

made

it

321

indefinitely,

it

within the smallest possi-

plans of every building and

drawings of every sculptured stone, and

place

this

alone might furnish materials for larger volumes

than these

but

;

I

as

much

satisfy the

what

I

am

to present

it is

my

hope

some

at

with a minuteness that shall

most craving antiquary, but

I trust that

have done will give the reader some definite

idea of the ruins of Uxmal. will

vast re-

obliged to avoid details

These

as possible.

day

future

many and such

have so

mains to present that I

Perhaps, as

we

did,

he

imagine the scene that must have been pre-

when

sented

all

these buildings were entire, occu-

pied by people in costumes strange and fanciful as the ornaments on their buildings, and possessing

all

those minor arts which must have been coexistent

with architecture and sculpture, and which the imperishable stone has survived.

The

historic light

ida and

which beamed upon us

Mayapan does not reach

this place

not mentioned in any record of the conquest. cloud again gathers, but even through

it

Mer-

at ;

it is

The

a star ap-

pears.

The

padre Cogolludo says, that on the memora-

ble occasion

down

when

his sight failed as

he was going

the steps of the great Teocalis, he found in

one of the apartments,

chapels, offerings of cacao

Vol.

L— S

s

it,

one of the

and marks of

copal, used

or, as

he

calls

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

322

by the Indians

as incense, burned there but

a short

an evidence, he says, of some superstition or idolatry recently committed by the Indians time before

;

of that place. He piously adds, " God help those poor Indians, for the devil deceives them very easily."

While Peon the

in

Merida

title

procured from

I

papers to this estate.

truly a formidable pile,

Don Simon They were

compared with which the

papers in a protracted chancery or ejectment suit

would seem a billet-doux, and, unfortunately, a great portion of them was in the Maya language; but there was one folio volume in Spanish, and in this was the first formal conveyance ever made of these lands by the Spanish government. It bears date the twelfth day of May, 1673, and is entitled a testimonial of royal favour

made

to the

Regidor

Don Lo-

renzo de Evia, of four leagues of land (desde edificios

los

de Uxmal) from the buildings of tJxmal to

the south, one to the east, another to the west, and

another to the north, for his distinguished merits

and services therein expressed. forth that the Regidor

The preamble

Don Lorenzo

sets

de Evia, by a

writing that he presented to his majesty,

made a nar-

rative showing that at sixteen leagues from Merida,

and three from the

sierra of the village of Ticul,

were certain meadows and places named Uxmalchecaxek, Tzemchan-Cemin-Curea-Kusultzac, Ex-

muue-Hixmon-nec, uncultivated and belonging

to

the crown, which the Indians could not profit by

TITLE PAPERS OP UXMAL.

323

and sowing, and which could only serve

for tillage for horned

cattle

and children

;

had a wife

that the said regidor

whom

was necessary

it

maintain for the service of the king in

conforming

to his office,

the said places and

and that he wished

any

to stock

meadows with horned

and praying a grant of them

name

him to a manner

for

for that

cattle,

purpose in the

of his majesty, since no injury could result to

third person, but, " on the contrary, very great

God

service to

ment

it

our Lord, because ivith that establish-

would prevent the Indians in those places

from worshipping

the devil in the ancient buildings

tvhich are there, having in

them their

idols, to ivhich

they burn copal, and performing other detestable sacas they are doing every

rifices,

day notoriously and

publicly!'

Following third of

this

is

a later instrument, dated the

December, 1687, the preamble of which Captain Lorenzo deEvia,

recites the petition of the

setting forth the grant above referred to,

Indian

and that an

named Juan Can bad importuned him with

a claim of right to the said lands on account of his being a descendant of the ancient Indians, to they belonged

;

that the Indian

whom

had exhibited some

confused papers and maps, and that, although

it

was

not possible for him to justify the right that he claimed, to

avoid

litigation, he,

the said

Don Lorenzo

de

Evia, agreed to give him seventy-four dollars for the price

and value of the said

land.

The

petition in-

troduces the deed of consent, or quit-claim, of Juan

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

324

Can, executed with

all

the formalities required in

the case of Indians (the original of which appears

among

the other

title

papers),

and prays a confirma-

tion of his former grant, and to be put in real and

corporeal possession.

The

instrument confirms the

former grant, and prescribes the formal

mo^e

n?f

ob-

taining possession.

Under the deed

of confirmation appears the aeed

of livery of seisin, beginning, the edifices of

Uxmal and

"

its

In the place called lands, the third

day

month of January, 1688," &c, &c, and con" In virtue of the power cluding with these words and authority which by the same title is given to me by the said governor, complying with its terms, I took by the hand the said Lorenzo de Evia, and he walked with me all over Uxmal and its buildings, opened and shut some doors that had several rooms, cut within the space some trees, picked up fallen stones and threw them down, drew water from one of the

:

of the aguadas of the said place of Uxmal, and per-

formed other acts of possession."

The distinct,

reader will perceive that

we have

independent witnesses testifying

hundred and forty years

after

here two that,

the foundation

one of

Merida, the buildings of Uxmal were regarded with reverence by the Indians cleus of a dispersed

were resorted at a distance

golludo

saw

;

that they formed the nu-

and scattered population, and

to for the observance of religious rites

from the eyes of the Spaniards. in the

House of

the

Dwarf the

"

Comarks

OF THE ANTIQUITY OF UXMAL. 325 of copal recently burned," " the evidence of some idolatry recently

papers of

Don

any point in that

ing

it

committed

and the private

Simon, never intended to

history, besides

was the policy of

God

;"

illustrate

showing incidentally

the government, and " do-

break up the Indian customs,

service," to

and drive the natives away from buildings, are proofs,

title

their consecrated

which would be good evidence

in a court of law, that the Indians were, at the time referred to, openly

and notoriously worshipping El

Demonio, and performing other detestable

Can

in these ancient buildings.

it

sacrifices

be supposed that

which they were thus worshipping, and which they were clinging with such tenacity as require to be driven away, were the buildings of

edifices in

to to

another race, or did they cling to them because they were adapted to the forms and ceremonies received from their fathers, and because they were the

In

in

which

my mind

there

same

their fathers

fair interpretation to

may add

that,

but

is

little

had worshipped

?

question as to the

be put upon these

acts,

and

I

according to the deed of the notary,

but one hundred and fifty-four years ago the ruined buildings of "

Uxmal had

opened" and

"

" shut."

28

doors" which could be

—

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

326

CHAPTER XV. Attacks from Fever and Ague. — Final Departure from Uxmal. Newyear's Day. — Fate of Chaipa Chi. — Painful Journey. — Chetulish. — Arrival Nohcacab. — Concourse of Indians. — A Casa Real. — Plaza. — Improvements. — The Church. — A Noria, at

— Municipal

— The Democratic Principle. — Illness of the Cura of Ticul. — Set out for Ticul.— Intoxicated Carriers. — Accident. — Arrival at Ticul. —A wandering Physician.— Changed Appearance of the Cura. —Return to Nohcacab. — Take up Quarters in the Convent. — Ancient Town of Nohcacab. — Ruined Mounds. — Ruins of Xcoch. —A Mysterious Well. —Fine Grove.— Circular Cavity. —Mouth Passages. — Uses of the Well. of the Well. — Exploration of — Return to the Village. —Fatal Accident. — A House of Mourning. — Ceremony of El Velorio. or Well.

Elections.

Installation of Alcaldes.

its

The

reader, perhaps,

is

now

anxious to hurry

away from Uxmal, but he cannot be more anxious to

do so than

had resolved

we

We had finished our work,

were.

on the day

for our departure,

and had

determined to devote the intermediate time to getting out of the wall and collecting together some orna-

ments

for

fairly at

and, having got the

removal,

work,

we

set

Daguerreotype views.

Indians

about making some farewell

While working

the camera

under a blazing sun in the courtyard of the Monjas, I received a note

me

that his time

from Mr. Catherwood advising

had come,

and was then in bed.

down, from which

I

he had a

chill,

Presently a heavy rain

came

that

took refuge in a

damp

apart-

ment, where I was obliged to remain so long that

became

perfectly chilled.

On my

return, I

I

had a

FINAL DEPARTURE FROM UXMAL.

327

severe relapse, and in the evening Dr. Cabot, de-

pressed by the state of things, and out of pure sym-

Our

pathy, joined us.

were

all

went away, we our beds together, and deservants

three pinned to

termined forthwith to leave Uxmal.

The

next day

rained again, and

it

we

passed the

hours in packing up, always a disagreeable operation,

and then painfully

so.

The

parted, perhaps forever, from the

next day

Casa

we

de-

del Gober-

nador.

As we descended the steps, Mr. It was that it was Newy ear's day. this fact

had presented

itself

;

it

C. suggested the

time

first

up scenes

called

own miserable conmoment we would have been

strikingly contrasted with our dition,

and

the

for

Our coches were

glad to be at home.

at the foot of the terrace,

and

we

in readiness

crawled in

;

the

we were There was no danger of

Indians raised us upon their shoulders, and in motion from Uxmal.

our incurring the penalty of Lot's wife

looked back; place

all

the interest

we had

was gone, and we only wanted

Silent

and desolate as

we

;

we

in the

felt

to get

found them,

we

never

away.

left

the

ruins of Uxmal, again to be overgrown with trees, to crumble ations,

to

and

fall,

become,

and perhaps, in a few gener-

like

others scattered over

the

country, mere shapeless and nameless mounds.

Our housekeeping and household were again broken up. as

we

Albino and Bernaldo followed

us,

and

passed along the edge of the milpa, half hid-

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

328

den among the cornstalks was the

She seemed

Chaipa Chi.

Alas

a mournful gaze.

white man's friend

poor Chaipa Chi, the

!

ward she was borne

The

cienda.

to

Uxmal the campo

charnel

A

!

santo of the ha-

sun and rain are beating upon her

Her bones

grave.

make tormonth after-

never again will she

!

for the Ingleses in

tillas

stately figure of

to be regarding us with

soon bleach on the rude

will

skull may perhaps one day, by some unscrupulous traveller, be conDoctor S. G. Morton of Philadelphia.

pile,

and her

the hands of

veyed

to

Our departure from Uxmal was such rout, that

it

crous, but

we were

really

had

in

it

a complete

something of the

not in condition to enjoy

ludiit

at

the time.

Notwithstanding the comparatively easy

movement

of the coche, both Mr. C. and I suffered

excessively, for, being

made

of poles hastily tied to-

gether, the vehicle yielded under the irregular steps

At the distance of two leagues they

of the carriers.

down under

laid us

a large seybo tree, opposite the

hacienda of Chetulish, part of the domain of Uxmal.

As

if

in

mockery of

us, the

Indians were

all

out of

doors in holyday dresses, celebrating the opening of the

new

year.

our carriers to

We

rest,

remained a short time

and in two hours

the village of Nohcacab, and were laid

When we

door of the casa

real.

miserable Indians

who had

ders

we reached down at the

crawled

out, the

borne us on their shoul-

were happy compared with

The

for

arrival of three Ingleses

us.

was an event with-

VILLAGE OF NOHCACAB.

329

There increased by

out precedent in the history of the village.

was a general

curiosity to

see us,

knowledge of the extraordinary and unaccountable purpose for which

The

we were

circumstance of

its

together into the plaza

visiting the

country.

being a fete day had drawn

all

the people of the village,

and an unusual concourse of Indians from the suburbs, most of whom gathered round our door, and those

who

dared came inside to gaze upon us as

we

hammocks.

These adventurous persons were only such as were particularly intoxicated, which number, however, included on that day a large portion of the respectable community of NohThey seemed to have just enough of reacacab. lay in our

son

left,

or rather of instinct, to

know

that they

might offend by intruding upon white men, and

made up

for

it

by exceeding submissiveness of man-

ner and good nature.

We

were

at

excessively

first

annoyed by the

number of visiters and the noise of the Indians without, who kept up a continued beating on the tunbut by degrees our pains left kul, or Indian drum ;

us, and,

with the comfortable reflection that

we had

escaped from the pernicious atmosphere of Uxmal,

toward evening

The lage,

we were

casa real

is

again on our

feet.

the public building in every

vil-

provided by the royal government for the au-

dienzia and other public

do of Central America, ments

for travellers.

Vol. I.— T t

is

offices,

and, like the cabil-

intended to contain apart-

In the village of Nohcacab,

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

330

however, the arrival of strangers was so rare an occurrence that no apartment was assigned expressly for their

That given

accommodation.

the principal

room of the

occasions of the

and during the week

village,

occupied as a public schoolroom for us,

was

to us

building, used for the great

;

was

it

but, fortunately

being Newyear's Day, the boys had holy-

day. It

was about

The

forty feet long

and twenty-five wide.

some very low

chairs,

and

in

honour of the day the

doors were trimmed with branches of cocoanut

The

tree.

walls were whitewashed, and at one end

an eagle holding in ing

and

furniture consisted of a very high table

his

beak a coiled serpent,

also with his claws.

it

Under

this

was tear-

were some

indescribable figures, and a sword, gun, and can-

non, altogether warlike emblems for the peaceful

which had never heard the sound of

lage

On

trumpet.

one side of the

with the words

scroll

Ano

cana,

words

"

1828."

eagle's

it

Sala Consistorial Republi-

The

other had contained the

El Systema Central," but on the triumph

and nothing was substituted

was

beak was a

"

of the Federal party the brush had been it,

vil-

hostile

all

in

its

drawn over

place, so that

ready to be restored in case the Central

party returned to power. On the wall hung a paper containing a " notice to the public" in Spanish

and the Maya language, that his Excellency the Governor of the State had allowed to this village the

establishment of a school of

first

letters for

IMPROVEMENT.

331

teaching children to read, write, count, and the doctrines of the

holy Catholic religion

and other heads of dren to funds, It

it

and

it,

that fathers

;

families should send their chil-

being endowed by the public

that,

should not cost a medio real to any one.

was addressed

white people, indi-

to vecinos, or

genos, or Indians, and other classes,

meaning Mes-

tizoes.

On

one side of

room was the quar-

this principal

with the garrison, which consisted of seven

tel,

diers, militia, three or four

On

and ague.

fever

of

sol-

whom were down with

the other

was the prison with

grated door, and one gentleman in misfortune

its

looking through the grating.

This building occupied

The

was

village

had not seen any

improvement

that needed

it

;"

and certainly

The

more.

usual.

It

had been

laid out

I

plaza

on a

was hill-

and the improvement then going on was ma-

king

it

level.

thrown up

had

"

the poorest in appearance, and at that time

worse than side,

one side of the plaza.

the only one I had seen that gave

any indications of

was

all

There was a great

in the centre,

pile

of earth

and the houses on one side

their foundations laid bare, so that they could

only be entered by means of ladders satisfactory to learn that the alcaldes

;

and

was

who had plan-

ned the improvement had got themselves

much

it

into as

trouble as our aldermen sometimes do in lay-

new From the

ing out

streets.

door of the casa real two striking ob-

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

332 jects

were

tions

and

in sight,

one of which, grand in propor-

was the

loftily situated,

great church I had

seen from the top of the sierra in coming from Ticul

the other

;

was the

This was an

noria, or well.

oblong enclosure with high stone walls, and a roof of palm leaves at one end, under

which a mule was

going round continually with a beam, drawing water into a large oblong basin cemented,

women

of the village were

In our pied

us,

stroll

from which the

filling their water-jars.

out of doors our Indian carriers es-

and came staggering toward us in a body,

giving us to understand that they were overjoyed at

seeing us, and congratulating us upon our recovery.

They had

not had a

fair

start

with the Indians

of the village, but they had been expeditious, and,

by making good use of their time and the money we paid them, were as thoroughly intoxicated as the best in Nohcacab.

Still

they were good-natured as

children, and, as usual, each

one concluded

his

lit-

speech with begging a medio.

tle

The North American Indian insolent, ferocious, his

hand he

is

and

brutal,

docile

by drinking made in

always a dangerous character; but

the Indians of Yucatan

more

is

and with a knife

when

and submissive.

intoxicated are onlv All

wear machetes,

but they never use them to do harm.

We

endeavoured to persuade our bearers to

re-

hacienda before their money was

all

turn to the spent,

was

and

in

at length, giving us to

obedience to

us,

understand that

they went away.

it

We

CONTESTED ELECTION. watched them

down

as they reeled

333

the road,

which

they seemed to find hardly wide enough for one abreast, turning to look

back and make us another

when out of our reach, down in the road, and again

reverence, and at length,

they

all

stopped, sat

took to their

We

bottles.

had arrived

at

Nohcacab

The

and exciting moment.

an interesting

at

had

village

just

through the agony of a contested election.

gone

During

the administration of the last alcalde, various important causes,

among which were

the improvements in

the plaza, had roused the feelings

whole

of the

community, and a strong notion prevailed, particularly

among

was

in danger unless the alcaldes

This

the aspirants to

feeling

extended

that the republic

office,

through

were changed. and,

classes,

all

through the interposition of Providence, as

it

was

considered by the successful party, the alcaldes were

changed, and the republic saved.

The haps,

municipal elections of Nohcacab

are, per-

more important than those of any other

The

in the state.

reader

scarcity of water in rivers,

streams,

or

is

Yucatan

fountains,

village

aware of the great ;

that there are

and,

except in

neighbourhood of aguadas, no water but what obtained from wells. wells,

and

entirely

it

Nohcacab has

the is

public

has a population of about six thousand

dependant upon them.

Two

structures, in

of these wells

more considerawhich the water is drawn by

are called norias, being larger and ble

three

no

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

331

mules, and the third

is

simply a poso, or well, hav-

ing merely a cross-beam over the mouth, at which

each comer draws with his

For leagues around there furnished by these wells.

is

own

bucket and rope.

no water except that have

All the Indians

their huts or places of residence in the village, with-

in reach of the wells

on

their milpas,

;

which

and when they go

work

to

are sometimes several miles

distant,

they are obliged to carry a supply with

them.

Every

woman who

goes to the noria for a

cantaro of water carries a handful of corn, which she

drops in a place provided for that purpose tribute

and

is

we

:

this

intended for the maintenance of the mules,

paid two cents for the drinking of each of

our horses.

THE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLE. The

335

custody and preservation of these wells are

an important part of the administration of the vilThirty Indians are elected every lage government.

who

year,

are

of the

alcaldes

called

and

wells,

whose business it is to keep them in good order, and the tanks constantly supplied with water. They receive no pay, but are exempted from certain obligations and services, which makes the office desirable and no small object of the political struggle through which the village had passed, was ;

to

change the alcaldes of the

the ruins of Uxmal, the tion

had not reached

Though

Buried among

wells.

news of

this

important elec-

us.

practically enduring, in

some

respects, the

appendages of an aristocratic government, the In-

who

dians

carried us

on

their shoulders,

and our

loads on their backs, have as good votes as their

masters

;

and

it

was

painful to have lost the oppor-

tunity of seeing the democratic principle in operation

among

party

;

the only true and real native

the spectacle being, as

we were

American the

told, in

case of the hacienda Indians, one of exceeding impressiveness, not to say sublimity.

These, being

ados, or servants, in debt to their masters

and

cri-

their

bodies mortgaged, go up to the village unanimous in opinion

and purpose, without

partiality or preju-

dice, either in favour of or against particular

or measures

;

men

they have no bank questions, nor

questions of internal improvement, to consider

angry discussions about the

talents, private

;

no

charac-

\

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

336 ters,

or public services of candidates

and, above

;

they are free from the degrading imputation of

all,

man

worship, for in general they have not the least idea for

whom

All they have to do

they are voting.

box a

to put into a

piece of paper given to

little

them by the master or major domo, are to have a holy day. in the

may

is

The

which they

for

only danger

is that,

confusion of greeting acquaintances, they

get their papers

changed

;

and when

this

hap-

pens, they are almost invariably found soon after

committing some offence against hacienda pline,

for

which these independent

pretty sure to get flogged

disci-

are

electors

by the major domo.

In the villages the indifference to political distinctions,

and the discrimination of the public

rewarding unobtrusive merit, are no

less

in

worthy of

admiration, for Indian alcaldes are frequently elect-

ed without being aware that they have been held up for the suffrages of their fellow- citizens

;

they pass

the day of election on the ground, and go

without knowing anything about fore their

term

is

to

commence

the retiring function-

scious favourites of the people, put bildo,

and keep them

These

into the ca-

together all night, that they

little

office.

peculiarities

and of such a population true.

them

be at hand in the morning to receive the staves

and take the oath of

'

night be-

go round the village and catch these uncon-

aries

may

The

it.

home

At

all

I

were told

to us as facts,

can believe them to be

events, the terui of the

incumbent

offi-

INSTALLATION OF ALCALDES.

337

was just expiring the next morning the grand ceremony of the inauguration was to take place, and the Iudians going out of office were actively engacers

ged

;

in

hunting up their successors and bringing them

Before retiring

together in the cabildo.

with the padrecito to look

at

in,

They were

round a large

sitting

in

Most of them

them.

but some were

had been brought

we went

still

table,

wanting.

on which lay

the record of their election; and, to beguile the tediousness of their honourable imprisonment, they had

instruments by them, called musical, which kept up a

Whatever were

terrible noise all night.

the circum-

stances of their election, their confinement for the

night was, no doubt, a wise precaution, to ensure their being sober in the morning.

When we

opened our door the next day, the

was in commotion, preparatory to the august ceremony of installing the new alcaldes. The Indians had slept off the debauch of the New-

whole

year,

village

and in clean dresses thronged the plaza

great steps ascending to the church

and the

form in front were

women

ed in white, dies,

filled

veils,

and

la-

air

was

fresh

were no threatening clouds and the sun was pouring its early beams

invigorating

;

upon the scene of of principle,

there

rejoicing.

It

was

a great triumph

and the humble mules which trod their

daily circle with the

Vol

dress-

and the costume of the

The morning

senoras in the capital.

the

plat-

and near the door was a group of

with mantas and

in the sky,

with Indian

;

L—Uu

beam 29

of the noria, had red rib-

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

338

ands round their necks, hung with half dollar and

two

shilling pieces, in

token of rejoicing

change of the alcaldes of the

at

the

wells.

At seven o'clock the old alcaldes took their seats for the last time, and administered the oath of office to their successors, after which a procession formed

The padrecito led the way, accompanied by the new alcaldes. They were dressed in black body-coats and black hats, which, as we had not seen such things since we left Merida,

for the

church.

among

the white dresses and straw hats around

seemed a strange costume. dian

officials,

rest of the said, after

each with his

followed the In-

staff of office,

and the

crowd in the plaza. Grand mass was which the padrecito sprinkled the new

alcaldes with holy water,

room

Then

and withdrew

in the convent to take chocolate.

into his

We

fol-

lowed him, and about the same time the whole

body of new

officers entered.

The

white alcaldes

came up and shook hands with us, and while the padrecito was raising his chocolate to his lips, all

the Indians went one by one and kissed his hand

without disturbing his use of

he asked us what girls

we

During

it.

time

of the village, whether they would compare

with those of our country, and, chocolate,

them

this

thought of the muchachas, or

that,

made an

still

sipping his

address to the Indians, telling

although they were great in respect to

the other Indians, yet in respect to the principal alcaldes they

were but small men

;

and, after

much

ILLNESS OF THE CURA OF TICUL. 339 other good advice, he concluded by telling them that they were to execute the laws

and obey

their

superiors.

At nine o'clock we returned

our quarters,

to

where, either by reason of our exertion, or from the regular course of the disease,

rence of

fever,

and were obliged

While

hammocks.

to our

drecito

came

we

all

had a recur-

to betake ourselves

in this condition the pa-

in with a letter

he had just received

from Ticul, bringing intelligence that the cura had passed a istro

fatal night,

had written

and was then dying.

His min-

to us at the ruins, advising us of

his continued indisposition

and

inability to join us,

we had no

but, until our arrival at

Nohcacab,

mation that

was considered dangerous.

his illness

inti-

was sudden and most afflicting. The It was so short a time since we had parted with him to meet again at Uxmal, his kindness was so fresh in intelligence

we would have gone to him we were fastened to our ham-

our recollection, that immediately, but

mocks.

had created a great sensation among They said that he was going the Indians of Ticul. to die, and that it was a visitation of God for digHis

illness

ging up the bones in San Francisco

became wilder to the Indians.

as

it

An

ing to the village

spread,

lay

on

his

his

rumour

Mestizo lad belong-

came over with the

back with

this

and was not confined

intelligent

he repeated to gaping

;

report,

which

listeners, that the

poor cura

hands clasped on

his breast,

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

340

crying out, in a deep, sepulchral voice, every ten "

minutes by the watch, "

Devuelve

esos

huesos."

Restore those bones."

We

heard that he had with him accidentally an

we

English physician, though

English of the name.

Our

could not

make any

fever might leave us in

we

a few hours, and with the desperate hope that

might arrive in time of some use to him, well,

we

for

Doctor Cabot's

or, if not, to

much

fete

for the Indians of

hour one of the

new

in the afternoon.

Nohcacab.

In about an

came

to tell us that,

alcaldes

independent electors had

men

competent

was

all

new

become

officers,

the

so tipsy that

could be found for only one co-

would have been difficult for the know whether their immediate condi-

Perhaps

alcaldes to tion

be

last fare-

days in succession were rather too

in celebrating the choice of their

che.

skill to

him a

requested the padrecito to procure coches

and Indians by two o'clock

Two

bid

it

really the fruit of that day's celebration or

a holding over from Newyear's Day, but the effect

was the same

The .

alcaldes

so far as

we were

concerned.

and the padrecito, however, appre-

ciated our motives,

and knew

it

was

utterly

impos-

go on horseback, so that, with great by two o'clock the requisite number

sible for us to

exertions,

came reeling and staggering into the room. We were still in our hammocks, uncertain whether it would be possible to go at all, and their appearance

ROUGH TRAVELLING.

341

did not encourage us, for they seemed unable to carry themselves on their their shoulders.

feet,

much

us on

less

However, we got them out of the

At

room, and told them to get the coches ready.

we

three o'clock

crawled into the vehicles, and in

mean time our

the

seemed foolhardy to we had

It

had taken another

carriers

particularly as

trust ourselves to

such men,

most

to cross the sierra, the

dangerous road in the country they were hombres de bien,

;

but the alcaldes said

men

of good character

would be sober before the and with this encourageleague was passed

and conduct first

drink.

;

that they

;

ment we started. The sun was still scorching hot, and came in directly upon the back of my head. My carriers set off on a full run, which they continued for

when

perhaps a mile,

they moderated their pace,

and, talking and laughing

ing they set

me down on

out of the coche

was

reviving,

He

up.

all

the time, toward even-

the ground.

I

scrambled

the freshness of the evening air

;

and we waited

till

Doctor Cabot came

had had a much worse time than

happening to be more intoxicated. was nearly dark when we reached the

I,

his

carriers It

the sierra, and, as

we

ed

it

rain.

Before,

ascended, the clouds threaten-

had been an object

coche as open and airy as

now

foot of

possible,

to leave the

on account of

was a greater object to avoid getting wet, and I had everything fastened down on On the top of the sierra the rain came the sides.

the heat, but

on,

it

and the Indians hurried down as

fast

as

the

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL

342

darkness and the ruggedness of the road would per-

This road required care on horseback and by daylight but as the Indians were now sober, and I mit.

;

had great confidence

in their sureness of foot, I

no apprehensions, when

all at

once

I felt the

had

coche

going over, and, pinned in as I was, unable to help myself, with a frightful crash

My

was

fear

that

it

it

came down on its

side.

would go over a precipice

;

but the Indians on the upper side held on, and I got

The

out with considerable celerity. ing,

and

it

was

rain

was pour-

so dark that I could see nothing.

My

shoulder and side were bruised, but, fortunately, none of the Indians were missing, and they

all

was

hurt.

I could not

have

round, apparently more frightened than I If the accident

blamed them it

all.

We we

had been worse,

for in

such darkness, and on such a

was a wonder how they could

road,

as

;

gathered

get along at

righted the coche, arranged things as well

could,

and

in

due season

the door of the convent.

I

I

was

set

down

at

stumbled up the steps

at the door, but the good cura was not welcome me. Perhaps we had arrived too late, and all was over. At the extreme end of the long corridor I saw a ray of light, and, groping my way toward it, entered a cloister, in which a number of Indians were busily employed making fireworks. The cura had been taken to the house of his sister-in-law, and we sent one of them over to give notice of our arrival. Very soon we saw a

and knocked

there to

lantern crossing the plaza, and recognised the long

WANDERING PHYSICIAN.

A

gown

of the padre Brizeno,

drecito

whose

343

letter to the

pa-

had been the occasion of our coming.

It

had been written early in the morning, when there was no hope but within the last six hours a fa;

vourable change had taken place, and the

Perhaps no two

passed.

men were

crisis

had

ever more glad

than the doctor and myself at finding their journey bootless.

than

I

;

Doctor Cabot was even more relieved for,

we might

besides the apprehension that

arrive too late, or barely in time to be present at the

had that of finding him un-

cura's death, the doctor

der the hands of one from

whom

cessary to extricate him, and

might not be

still

it

would be ne-

his interference

effectual.

As a matter

Ca-

of professional etiquette, Doctor

bot proposed to call upon the English physician.

His house was shut

up,

and he was already in

his

hammock, being himself suffering from calentura, but befor which he had just taken a warm bath fore the door was opened we were satisfied that he was really an Ingles. It seemed a strange thing to ;

meet, in this

little

one speaking our

village in the interior of

own

Yucatan,

language, but the circuitous

road by which he had reached

it

was not

less

strange.

Doctor Fasnet, or Fasnach as he was

was a

small

called,

man, considerably upward of

fifty.

Thirty years before he had emigrated to Jamaica, and, after wandering ands,

had gone over

among

the

West

to the continent;

India

Isl-

and there

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

344

was hardly a country

America

in Spanish

he had not practised the healing

had been

it

his lot to pass the greater part of his

life

tries

most

them

in Colombia, Peru, Chili,

rife

the latter

he

unluckily

driver,

when

was pursuing

in coun-

After running before

where he had prescribed

ica,

which

With an un-

art.

controllable antipathy to revolutions,

with them.

in

and Central Amerfor

when

Carrera

his honest calling as a pig-

found

Carrera came upon

it

himself

Salama

in

with twelve hundred

With

Indians, and the cry of death to the whites.

a garrison of but thirty soldiers and sixty citizens capable of bearing arms, Doctor Fasnach was fain to undertake the defence

drew in

and Doctor Fasnet drew

off his Indians,

came

himself,

into Yucatan,

Tekax, the only town

way

to

Merida,

The

cura's illness. ical

his

off

to settle

in the state that could flying

when he was

it,

and on

arrested

by the

from

doctor's long residence in trop-

had made him

countries

diseases, but

and happened

He was

get up a revolution. his

Carrera

but, fortunately,

;

course

familiar with their

of treatment

would not

be considered legitimate by regular practitioners.

The

cura's

illness

was cholera morbus, attended

with excessive swelling and inflammation of the

stomach and

intestines.

F. had a sheep

To

reduce these, Doctor

killed at the door, and the stomach

of the patient covered with flesh animal,

which

in a very

ed and was taken

off,

warm from

few minutes became

and a new layer applied

the

taint;

and

CHANGED APPEARANCE OF THE CUR A. this

was continued

and

applied,

From

eight sheep

till

had been

345

killed

and the inflammation subsided.

we went to The change which two weeks had made

the house of Doctor Fasnet

the cura.

his agonizing pains

was had

as he lay extended

on a cot with a sheet over him,

in his appearance

appalling.

Naturally thin,

frightfully

reduced him, and

he seemed more dead than able,

by the

show

He was

living.

feeble pressure of his

that he appreciated our

visit,

and

faces of those around

words.

It

was

;

but the

him spoke more than

rejoicing

actually

to

to say that

he had never expected to see us again

happy

barely

shrunken hand,

as

one

over

snatched from the grave.

The

next morning

sunken eye lighted up

we as

visited

him

His

again.

he inquired about our ex-

cavations at Uxmal, and a smile played upon his

he alluded to the superstition of the Indians

lips as

about digging up the bones in San Francisco. visit

seemed

though

we

to give

so

much

satisfaction, that,

could not talk with him,

house nearly

at the

him all

day,

Our

we remained we

and the next day

returned to Nohcacab on horseback.

Our

visit to

Ticul had recruited us greatly, and we found Mr. Catherwood equally improved. A few days' rest had done wonders for us all, and we determined immediately to resume our occupations.

On

leaving

Uxmal we had

directed our steps to-

ward Nohcacab, not from any attractions in the place itself, but on account of the ruins which Vol.

I.

—Xx

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

346

we had hood

;

heard of as existing in that neighbourand, after

ascertaining their

position,

we

considered that they could be visited to the best

advantage by making this place our head-quarters.

We

had the prospect of being detained there some

time, and, as

the

casa real

was low, damp, and was wanted for

noisy, and, moreover, our apartment

by the advice of the padrecito we abandon it, and take up our abode in

the schoolroom,

determined to the convent.

This was a long stone building

in the rear of

the church, standing on the same high table-land,

overlooking the

village,

ances and bustle.

and removed from

its

annoy-

In the part immediately adjoin-

ing the church were two large and convenient apart-

ments, except that, quick in detecting

all

which

could bring on a recurrence of fever and ague,

we

noticed on one side puddles of water and green

mould, from the constant shade of the great wall of the church, and on the door of one of the rooms

was

written,

"Here died Don Jose Trufique: may

his soul rest in peace."

we established ourselves. On one we had the padrecito, who was always

In these rooms side of us

gay and

lively,

and on the other

six or eight

Indian

who were always drunk. Bewas a broad high platform, running round the church, and a little beyond it was a

sacristans, or sextons,

fore the door all

walled enclosure for our horses. of the sacristia

was a thatched

Opposite the door cocina, or kitchen, in

RUINS OF NOHCACAB.

347

which these Indian church ministers cooked and Albino and Bernaldo slept. It is

ascertained by historical accounts, that at

town

the time of the conquest an Indian this

existed in

immediate neighbourhood, bearing the name of

This name

Nohcacab.

Maya

words, signifying

good land

;

compounded of

is

literally the

and from the numerous and extraordi-

nary ruins scattered around, there lieve that

it

three

great place of

was

is

reason to be-

the heart of a rich, and

once an immensely populous country.

what was

In the sub-

urbs are numerous and large mounds, grand enough to

excite astonishment, but even

more

fallen

and

overgrown than those of San Francisco, and, in fact,

almost inaccessible.

The

same

village stands in the

to these ruins that

relative position

Ticul does to the ruins of San

Francisco, and, like that, in

my

opinion

it

stands

on

the offskirts of the old Indian town, or rather

it

cupies part of the very

itself,

site,

for in the village

oc-

within the enclosures of some of the Indians, are

mounds exactly like those in the subIn making excavations in the plaza, vases

the remains of urbs.

and vessels of pottery are continually brought to light,

and

in the street wall of the

padrecito's mother lived fifteen

of

all

a sculptured head dug up

years ago.

The whole atively

is

house where the

of this region

unknown.

The

is

retired

village is

the present main roads

;

it

and compar-

without the line

does not

lie

on the

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

348

way to any place stopping at on

of general resort, and

own

its

commencement

the

account.

is

not worth

Notwithstanding

of improvements,

it

was the

most backward and thoroughly Indian of any lage

we had visited.

Merida was too

vil-

far off for the

Indians to think of; but few of the vecinos ever

reached

thing that

was

to

and Ticul was

it,

was

Every-

deficient in the village they told us

who went was always

be had at Ticul, and the sexton,

over once a

week

for the holy wafer,

charged with some errand

The

their capital.

first

place which

for us.

we proposed

visiting

was

the ruins of Xcoch, and in the very beginning of

our researches in

we were upon

neighbourhood

this

entirely

new ground.

we found that The attention

of the people had never been turned to the subject

of the ruins in the neighbourhood.

Xcoch was but

a league distant, and, besides the ruins of buildings, it

contained an ancient poso, or well, of mysterious

and marvellous reputation, the fame of which was

This well was

in everybody's mouth.

said to be a

vast subterraneous structure, adorned with sculptur-

ed

figures,

an immense table of polished stone, and

a plaza with columns supporting a vaulted roof, and it

was

said to

have a subterraneous road, which led

to the village of

Mani, twenty-seven miles distant.

Notwithstanding the publicity of the

this

wondrous reputation and

details,

and although within

three miles of Nohcacab, the intelligence

ceived

was

so vague and uncertain that

we

re-

we were

at

MYSTERIOUS WELL.

A a loss

how

the well.

entered

who

it,

349

to make our arrangements for exploring Not a white man in the place had ever

though several had looked in

said that the

wind had taken away

and they had not ventured

to

go

their breath,

Its

in.

mouth,

at the

fame

rest-

ed entirely upon the accounts of the Indians, which,

coming sed.

through interpreters, were very confu-

to us

By

the active kindness of the padrecito and

his brother, the

brought to us

new alcalde Segunda, two men were who were considered most familiar

with the place, and they said that possible to enter

it

it

would be im-

except by employing several

one or two days in making ladders, and, they said after the all

it

would be

men

at all events,

useless to attempt the descent

sun had crossed the meridian

our friends and counsellors,

;

and

who knew

to this

nothing

it, assented. Knowing, however, their dilamanner of doing business, we engaged them to be on the ground at daylight. In the mean time we

about

tory

got together

all

the spare ropes in the village, inclu-

ding one from the noria, and at eight o'clock the

next morning

we

set out.

For a league we followed the camino real, at which distance we saw a little opening on the left, where one of our Indians was waiting for us. Following him by a narrow path just opened, we again found ourselves among

ruins,

and soon reached the

mound which towered above conspicuous from the House of

foot of the high

the

plain,

the

Dwarf

itself

at

Uxmal, and which 30

is

represented in the

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

350

engraving above.

The ground

in this neighbour-

hood was open, and there were the remains of several buildings, but all prostrate and in utter ruin.

The great cerro now rises above the

stands alone, the only one that plain.

The

sides are

all fallen,

though in some places the remains of steps are

On

ble.

the south side, about half

a large tree,

The

height

which is

is

level

is all

that

is left

and overgrown with

commanded an immense wooded above

it,

visi-

up, there is

facilitates the ascent to the top.

about eighty or ninety

corner of a building top

way

;

feet.

One

the rest of the

grass.

The view

plain, and, rising

toward the southeast the great church of

ENTRANCE TO THE WELL.

351

Nohcacab, and on the west the ruined buildings of Uxmal.

we

Returning in the same direction,

which we dismounted and

thick grove, in horses.

was

It

the finest grove

country, and within

opening in the

entered a

it

was

we had

seen in the

a great circular cavity or

twenty or thirty

earth,

tied our

feet deep,

with

trees

and bushes growing out of the bottom and

sides,

and

above the level of the

rising

was a wild-looking and almost

terious,

place, fearful

and had a

plain.

fanciful,

appearance

;

for

It

mys-

while in

was close and sultry, and without a and every leaf was still, within this cavity the branches and leaves were violently agi-

the grove

all

breath of

air,

shaken by an invisible hand. This cavity was the entrance to the poso, or

tated, as if

and

well,

appearance was wild enough to bear out the

its

wildest accounts

we had

heard of

it.

We descend-

At one corner was a rude natural opening in a great mass of limestone rock, low and narrow, through which rushed constantly a ed to the bottom.

powerful current of wind, agitating the branches

and leaves

in

area without.

the

mouth

of the well, and on our

enter

the rush of

us

it

fall

counts

had

wind was

back gasping

we had

for torches

first

This was the attempting to

so strong that

for breath,

it

made

confirming the ac-

heard in Nohcacab.

Our Indians

long strips of the castor-oil plant,

which the wind only with these they led

more thoroughly, and It was one of the the way. ignited

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

352

marvels told us of this place, that to

enter

twelve o'clock.

after

already past;

was impossible This hour was

it

we had

not

made

the preparations

which were said to be necessary, and, without knowing how far we should be able to continue, we followed our guides, other Indians coming after us

with

coils of rope.

The

entrance was about three feet high and four

or five wide.

was

It

so

low

on our hands and

to crawl

an angle of about

The

rection.

that feet,

we were

obliged

and descended

at

fifteen degrees in a northerly di-

wind, collecting in the recesses of the

cave, rushed through this passage with such force that

we

could scarcely breathe

;

and as we

and ague,

in us the seeds of fever

we

all

had

much

very

doubted the propriety of going on, but curiosity was stronger than discretion, and floor of the passage

was a

we proceeded.

single track,

In the

worn two

or

three inches deep by long-continued treading of feet,

and the roof was incrusted with a coat of smoke

from the flaring torches. through

this

and, probably,

we

labour of crawling

passage with the body bent, and against

the rush of cold

alone

The

made

a rather severe beginning,

we had

undertaken the enterprise

air,

if

should have turned back.

At the distance of a hundred and hundred

feet the

cavern, forty or high.

We no

fifty feet

longer

the temperature

fifty

or

two

passage enlarged to an irregular

was

felt

wide and ten or

fifteen

the rush of cold wind, and

sensibly warmer.

The

sides

INTERIOR OF THE WELL. and roof were of rough, broken the centre ran the same

worn

stone,

and through

From

path.

353

this pas-

sage others branched off to the right and in passing along

We

at

it,

down

their torches

and

left,

one place the Indians held

to a block of sculptured stone.

had, of course, already satisfied ourselves that

the cave or passage, whatever

it

might lead

the work of nature, and had given up

monuments of

of seeing the great

been described

to us

;

to,

was

all

expectation

art

which had

but the sight of this block en-

couraged us with the hope that the accounts might

have some foundation.

Very soon, however, our

head were materially abated,

hopes on

this

destroyed,

by reaching what the Indians had deThis had been a great

not

if

scribed as a mesa, or table.

item in

all

the accounts, and

by hand and highly polished.

was described It

w as r

as

made

simply a huge

block of rude stone, the top of which happened to

be smooth, but entirely in a state of nature.

yond

this

we

Be-

passed into a large opening of an

ir-

what had been described to us as a plaza. Here the Indians stopped and flared their torches. It was a great vaulted chamber of stone, with a high roof supported by enormous stalactite pillars, which were what the Indians had called the columns, and though entirely different from what we had expected, the regular circular form, being

effect

under the torchlight, and heightened by the

wild figures of the Indians, was grand, and almost repaid us for

Vol.

all

L— Yy

our trouble.

This plaza lay

at

one

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

354

and

side of the regular path,

we remained

in

it

some

minutes to refresh ourselves, for the closeness of the passage and the heat and smoke were becoming

most

al-

intolerable.

Farther on

we

climbed up a high, broken piece

of rock, and descended

opening, through which

and which, from

smoke of through

it,

its

own

again by a low, narrow

we were

obliged to crawl,

closeness,

and the heat and

the torches, and the labour of crawling

was

so hot that

exhaustion and

we were

panting with

This brought us

thirst.

to a rug-

ged, perpendicular hole, three or four feet in diameter,

with steps barely large enough

worn

We

in the rock.

for a foothold,

descended with some

diffi-

and at the foot came out upon a ledge of which ran up on the right to a great height, while on the left was a deep, yawning chasm. A few rude logs were laid along the edge of this culty,

rock,

chasm, which, with a pole for a bridge, and, with

abyss below,

made

railing,

served as a

the torchlight thrown into the

a wild crossing-place

;

the pas-

sage then turned to the right, contracting to about three feet in height and the

scending rapidly.

We

same

in width,

and de-

were again obliged to betake

became insufferable. Indeed, we went on with some apprehensions. To faint in one of those narrow passages, so far removed from a breath of air, would be ourselves to crawling, and again the heat

almost to die there.

was impossible

As

to carrying a

for either of us to

man

out,

it

do more than drag

THE BASIN.

355

himself along, and I believe that there could have

been no help from the Indians.

This passage continued it

doubled on

still

itself,

rapidly descending.

fifty

or sixty

feet,

when

contracted as before, and

still

It

then enlarged to a rather

spacious cavern, and took a southwest direction,

which there was another perpendicular hole, leading, by means of a rude and rickety ladder, to a steep, low, crooked, and crawling passage, descending until it opened into a large broken chamber, at one end of which was a deep hole or basin after

of water.

This account may not be perfectly accurate in the details, but

is

it

not exaggerated.

all

Probably

some of the turnings and windings, ascents and deand the truest and most faithscents, are omitted ;

ful description that

really the

The

could be given of

it

would be

most extraordinary.

water was in a deep, stony basin, running

under a shelf of overhanging rock, with a pole laid

which the Indians leaned to dip it up with their calabashes; and this alone, if we had wanted other proof, was confirmation that the place had been used as a well. But at the moment it was a matter of very little across on one side, over

consequence to us whether any living being had ever drunk from

welcome

it

before

;

the sight of

to us than gold or rubies.

it

was more

We were drip-

ping with sweat, black with smoke, and perishing

with

thirst.

It lay

before us in

its

stony basin,

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

356 clear

and

reach

;

inviting, but

was

the basin

was completely out of

it

reach the water with our hands, vessel of

any kind

we could not and we had no

so deep that

to dip

it

In our entire

out with.

ignorance of the character of the place,

we had

not

made any provision, and the Indians had only brought what they were told to bring. I crawled

down on one hand; but

it

was

water before us our

and dipped up a

side,

little

with one

a scanty supply, and with this

we were

compelled to go away with Fortunately, however, after

thirst unsatisfied.

crawling back through the

first

narrow passage,

we

found some fragments of a broken water-jar, with

which the Indians returned and brought us enough to cool our tongues.

down we had

In going

scarcely noticed anything

except the wild path before us

;

but,

having

now

some knowledge of the place, the labour was not so great, and we inquired for the passage which the Indians had told us led to Mani. On reaching it,

we

turned

off,

tance, found

it

and, after following

sing of the rock.

could

get,

we were

it

a short dis-

completely stopped by a natural clo-

although

From all

the best information

said the passage led to

satisfied that the

tempted to explore

it.

It

we

Mani,

Indians had never at-

did not lead to the water,

nor out of the cave, and our guides had never entered

omit

it

We

before.

this

advised them for the future to

and some other

about the well

;

particulars in their stories

but probably, except from the pa-

USES OF THIS WELL. drecito,

we

and others

to

whom we

357

communicated what

saw, the next travellers will hear the same ac-

counts that

we

did.

As we advanced, we remained

a

little

while in

the cooler atmosphere before exposing ourselves to

the rush of cold air toward the mouth, and in an

we

hour and a half from the time of entering,

emerged

As

into the outer

air.

was extraordinary

a mere cave, this

well or watering-place for an ancient

;

but as a

city, it

past belief, except for the proofs under our

Around

eyes.

it

were the ruins of a

was

own

city without

what rarely was matter of traditionary knowledge. They say that it was not disthem it was used by their fathers they covered by any other

means of

visible

supply, and,

happened, with the Indians

it

;

did not cribe

it

know when to that

;

it

began

remote people

to

be used.

whom

They

as-

they refer to as

the antiguos.

And that

it

a strong circumstance to induce the belief

was once used by

lous city,

is

the inhabitants of a popu-

the deep track

worn

in the rock.

For

ages the region around has been desolate, or occu-

pied only by a few Indians during the time of work-, ing in the milpas.

Their straggling footsteps would

made that deep track. It could only have been made by the constant and long-continued tread of thousands. It must have been made

never have

by the population of a

city.

In the grove surrounding the entrance

we

found

;

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

358

some water collected in the hollow of a stone, with which we slaked our thirst and made a partial ablution and it was somewhat extraordinary that, though we were barely recovered from illness, had exerted ourselves greatly, and been exposed to rapid alternations of heat and cold, we never experienced ;

any bad

On

from

effects

it.

our return to the village

fortunate accident

and

killed.

found that an un-

had occurred during our absence

away with by

a child had been run off,

we

a horse, thrown

In the evening, in company with

we went was an extremely

the alcalde, the brother of the padrecito, to the velorio, or watching.

It

we stumbled along a stony and browe reached the house of mourning.

dark night, and

ken

street

till

Before the door were a crowd of people, and a large card-table, at

which

all

who

could find a place were

At the moment of our arricompany was convulsed with laughsome good thing which one of them had utand which was repeated for our benefit a

seated playing cards. val,

the whole

ter at

tered,

;

strange scene at the threshold of a house of mourning.

We

entered the house, which

was crowded

with women, and hammocks were vacated use,

The

these being in

for our

cases the seat of honour.

house, like most of those in the village, con-

sisted of a single floor

all

was of

room rounded

earth,

at

each end.

The

and the roof thatched with

long leaves of the guano.

From

hung a few small hammocks, and

the cross-poles

in the middle of

«

FATAL ACCIDENT.

A

359

room stood a table, on which lay the body of the It had on the same clothes which it wore child.

the

when

the accident happened, torn and stained with

At one

blood.

side of the face the skin

was

ed off from being dragged on the ground

scratch-

the skull

;

was cracked and there was a deep gash under the ear, from which the blood was still oozing. On a lighted candle. each side of the head was It was ;

a white child, three years

old,

and that morning had

The mother, a wombeen playing about the house. tall and muscular frame, was apan of uncommonly She had

plying rags to stanch the flow of blood.

morning with

set out that

peachy, with place.

An

the

all

woman

Indian

her family for

Cam-

of removing to

intention

back, carrying this child and another.

that

on horse-

went, before

In the sub-

urbs of the village the horse took fright and ran

away, throwing them

all

off;

the servant and one

child escaped

unhurt; but this one was dragged

some

and

distance,

The women were was a continual

in

two hours died of

its

wounds.

quiet and grave, but outside there

laughing, jesting, and uproar, which,

with the dead child before our eyes, seemed rude

and

heartless.

While

this

was going

on,

we

heard

the gay voice of the padrecito, just arrived, contrib-

uting largely to the

went up lifted

jest,

and presently he came

in,

to the child, and, addressing himself to us,

up the head, showed us the wounds, told what

he had done been there

it

for

it,

and said that

if

the doctor had

might have been saved, or

if it

had

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

360

been a man,

but,

being so young,

its

;

into a

hammock,

and, looking around, asked us, in

was intended

a tone of voice that

company, what we thought of the

This ceremony of

when

bones were very

then he lighted a straw cigar, threw himself

tender

there

is

el

velorio

whole

always observed

is

death in a family.

for the

girls.

It is

intended, as

the padrecito told us, para divertirse, or to amuse and distract the family,

and keep them from going

At twelve o'clock chocolate

sleep.

and again

emony is

at

daybreak

is

In the

without

sin,

is

they believe that

and that God takes is

it

imme-

a subject of rejoicing,

passed in card-playing, jesting, and

But

story-telling.

served round,

grown persons and

latter, as

diately to himself, the death

and the night

is

but in some respects the cer-

different in the case of

that of children.

a child

;

to

grown persons, as what becomes of the spirit, they

in the case of

they are not so sure

have no jesting or story- telling, and only play

cards.

may seem unfeeling, but we must not judge by rules known only to ourselves. Whatever

All this others

the

ways of hiding

or expressing

it,

the stream of

natural affection runs deep in every bosom.

The mother stood by

its

of the child shed no tears, but as she

head, stanching

to time, she did not

death.

The

seem

to

its

wounds from time

be rejoicing over

padrecito told us that she

but a very respectable woman.

We

was

its

poor,

inquired about

the other members of her family, and especially her

husband.

The

padrecito said she had none, nor

A

QUESTION ANSWERED.

was she a widow

;

of respectability,

when we asked who was

and, unfortunately for his standard

of the child, he answered laughingly,

"Who

knows?"

361

At

"

the father

Ciuien sabe ?"

ten o'clock he lighted a long

bundle of sticks at one of the candles burning at the

head of the

child,

Vol. I.— Z z

and

we went 31

away.

—

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

362

CHAPTER

XVI.

—A lofty Mound. — Grand View. — Sculptured — Terraces. —Huge sculptured Figure. — Other Figures. — Skull and Cross-bones. — Situation of Ruins. — Journey to Kabah. — Thatched Huts. — Arrival at the Ruins. — Return to the Village. — Astonishment of the Indians. —Valuable Servant. — Festival of Corpus Alma. — A plurality of Saints. — How to put a Saint under Patronage. — A Procession. — Fireworks. — Excess of Female Population. —A Dance. A

Ruins of Nohpat.

Human

Figure.

Ball.

The

next day

we

It lay

on the road

which

I

had

Uxmal, and was the same

on

visited

known by the name a league we turned left,

set out for another ruined city.

to

my

first

of Nohpat. off

and, following a

return from Ticul,

At the distance of

from the main road to the

narrow milpa path,

in fifteen

One mound

minutes reached the

field

of ruins.

above the

rest,

holding aloft a ruined

rose high building, as

shown

in the preceding engraving.

At

RUINS OF NOHPAT.

we

the foot of this

dismounted and

363

tied our horses*

was one hundred and fifty feet high on the slope, and about two hundred and fifty feet long at the base. At the top, the mound, with the building upon it, had separated and fallen apart, and while one side It

still

supported part of the

edifice, the

ed the appearance of a mountain

other present-

slide.

Cocome,

our guide, told us that the separation had happened only with the floods of the

ascended on the fallen

last

side,

We

rainy season.

and, reaching the top,

found, descending on the south side, a gigantic staircase,

overgrown, but with the great stone steps

in their

and almost

places,

The

entire.

still

ruined

building on the top consisted of a single corridor,

but three feet

five

of Nohpat at our

inches wide, and, with the ruins feet,

we

looked out upon a great

desolate plain, studded with overgrown mounds, of

which we took the bearings and names as known toward the west by north, startling to the Indians ;

by the grandeur of the buildings and their height above the plain, with no decay visible, and at this distance seeming perfect as a living city, were the ruins of Uxmal.

Fronting us was the great Casa

del Gobernador, apparently so near that

looked into guished a the

first

did not

its

man moving on

the terrace

two weeks of our residence

know

we

open doors, and could have ;

at

and

almost distinyet, for

Uxmal,

we

of the existence of this place, and,

wanting the clearings that had been made

at

Ux-

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

364 mal,

no part of

it

was

visible

from the terraces or

we

passed around by the

buildings there.

Descending the mound, side of the staircase,

and rose upon an elevated

form, in the centre of

round

which was a huge and rude

stone, like that called the picote in the court-

At

yards at Uxmal.

the base of the steps

large flat stone, having sculptured

human

figure in bas-relief,

the following engraving.

en

feet four

middle.

on

Probably

it

the steps, but, thrown

ages with

which

upon is

it

was a

a colossal

represented in

The stone measures

elev-

inches in length, and three feet ten in

breadth, and lies

its

back, broken in two in the

its

once stood erect

down and

at the base of

broken, has lain for

face to the sky, exposed to the floods

of the rainy season.

The

worn, and the lines were

The

plat-

Indians said that

it

sculpture difficult

was

is

to

rude and

make

out.

the figure of a king of

TERRACES AND RUINED BUILDINGS. 365 the antiguos, and no doubt portrait of

some

was intended

it

as a

lord or cacique.

At a short distance to the southeast of the courtyard was another platform or terrace, about twenty feet high and two hundred feet square, on two sides of which were ranges of buildings standing at right

One

angles to each other.

and

trees

of them had

stories,

growing out of the walls and on the

forming the most picturesque ruins

As we approached

the country.

was climbing up a

we had

it

a gigantic

lizard,

top,

seen in

Doctor Cabot

tree at the corner to get

roof in pursuit of a bird, and, in doing

trees

two

on the

so, started

which went bounding among the

and along the cornice

till

he buried himself in

a large fissure in the front.

Beyond

was another

this

terrace,

ruined buildings overgrown with

erwood was tempted

to sketch

count of their picturesque

trees.

having on

Mr, Cath-

them merely on

effect,

it

ac-

and while we were

on the ground they seemed to us the most touching and interesting of any we had seen but as they con;

tribute nothing to illustrate the architecture

of these

unknown

Leaving

this

people,

we do

and

art

not present them.

neighbourhood, and passing by

many

ruined buildings and mounds, at the distance of six or seven hundred feet

we

reached an open place,

forming the most curious and interesting part of

this

was in the vicinity of three mounds, lines drawn from which to each other would form a right angle, and in the open space were some sculpfield of ruins.

It

*

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

366

tured monuments, shattered, fallen, and some of them

Strange heads and bodies lay broken

half buried.

and

scattered, so that at first

we

did not discover

connexion; but, by examining carefully,

their

we

found two fragments, which, from the shape of the

broken

surfaces,

seemed

to

be parts of one block, one

of them representing a huge head, and the other a

The

huger body. sition,

we

latter

and with some

set

difficulty,

up

in its proper po-

by means of

and ropes which the Indians took from dals, its

we

poles,

their san-

got the other part on the top, and fitted in

place, as

it

had once

The

stood.

graving represents this monument.

following enIt

was a

solid

block of stone, measuring four feet three inches high,

and one foot

man

six inches thick,

figure in a

and represents a hu-

crouching posture, with the face,

having a hideous expression, turned over the shoulder, almost behind.

tion of the

The

head of a wild

headdress

rude,

a representa-

beast, the ears, eyes, teeth,

and j a ws being easily distinguishable. is

is

The sculpture

and the whole appearance uncouth and

Probably

it

was one of the

people of this ancient

idols

ugly.

worshipped by the

city.

There were others of the same general charac-

^

i

SKULL AND CROSS-BONES. ter,

of which the sculpture

worn

367

was more defaced and were monuments of

and, besides these, there

;

and dispersed

a different character, half buried,

without apparent order, but which evidently had

an adaptation to each other tion,

in

after

some examina-

what we considered the arrangewhich they had stood, and had them set up

we made

ment

;

out

The following enThey vary from

according to our combination. graving represents these stones.

one foot four inches to one foot ten inches in length.

f

^—

1

'

MM

is < subject is

ill

rS® Li'"

OK)

1

is

two

mini.

The

and the carving good, and Probably this was

distinct.

The

feet three inches high.

the skull and cross-bones.

in bas-relief,

and

4

|

stone

is

—

Ay]

w^il

si

Each

r

sculpture still

clear

the holy place of

the city, where the idols or deities were presented to the people

with the emblems of death around

them.

The

ruins

lie

on the common lands of the

village

of Nohcacab, at least so say the alcaldes of that place, but

Don Simon Peon

claims that they are

within the old boundaries of the hacienda of Uxmal,

and the

settling of the

expense of a survey.

question

is

not worth the

The name Nohpat

pounded of two Maya words, which

is

com-

signify a great

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

368

and

lord or senor,

able to collect about this ancient city.

met with

on our former journey

it

planted ourselves, and given

The mounds and

tion.

it

was we had

information I

this is all the

we

If

should have

a thorough explora-

vestiges of buildings

were

perhaps as numerous as those of Uxmal, but they

were

ruined.

all

The day was like the finest of Oc-

tober at home, and, as a relief from the heat of the

was a constant and

sun, there

The

enough

to

adorn the landscape, and give picturesque

was

cut up by numerous

and covered with grass

like a fine piece of

beauty to the paths,

ruins.

It

upland at home, and the country

over

refreshing breeze.

country was open, or studded with trees barely

we

for the first

Bernaldo came out from the village

fields.

with a loaded Indian

we wanted

dinner,

most agreeable and

among

The

at the precise

and altogether

it

moment when was one of

satisfactory days that

we

the

passed

the relics of the antiguos.

next day, being the eighth of January,

out for the ruins of Kabah. south,

and only time in

found pleasure in a mere ramble

on the camino

real to

Our

direction

Bolonchen.

scent from the great rocky table on

we

set

was

The

de-

which the con-

vent stands was on this side rough, broken, and precipitous.

on each Indians.

We passed

through a long street having

side thatched huts, occupied exclusively

by

Some had

the engraving

a picturesque appearance, and which follows represents one of them.

At the end of the

street, as

well as at the ends of

JOURNEY TO KABAH.

the three other principal streets,

369

which run toward

the cardinal points, were a small chapel and

altar,

which the inhabitants of the village might offer up prayers on leaving it, and thanks for their safe return. Beyond, the road was stony, bordered on both sides by scrubby trees and bushes but as we advanced we passed through an open country, adorned with large forest trees. At the distance of two leagues we turned off by a milpa path on the left, at

;

and very soon found ourselves among

trees,

and a

after the fine

open

thick, field

overgrown

of Nohpat,

foliage,

we

cissitudes of our fortunes.

an opening a

upon

it

lofty

which,

bushes,

among the viBeyond we saw through

regarded as

mound, overgrown, and having

the ruins of a building like the

House of the

Dwarf, towering above every other object, and pro-

Vol.

I.

—A A A

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

370

claiming the

site

of another lost and deserted city.

Moving on, again, through openings in the trees, we had a glimpse of a great stone edifice, with its front

We

apparently entire.

admiration before

had hardly expressed our

we saw

another, and at a few

Three great

horses' length a third.

buildings at

once, with facades which, at that distance, and by

we had

showed no We were taken imperfection, and seemed entire. astonishment and wonder were by surprise. Our again roused and we were almost as much excited as if this was the first ruined city we had seen. Our guides cut a path for us, and with great difficulty we went on till we found ourselves at the the imperfect glimpses

of them,

;

foot of an

overgrown terrace in front of the nearest

building.

Here we stopped

place for our horses,

we

;

the Indians cleared a

secured them, and, climbing

which

up a

fallen wall of the terrace, out of

trees

were growing, came out upon the platform, and

before us front

was a building with

more

fallen,

steps,

We

richly decorated than

its

it

at

open doors, ranged through

Then we descended

every apartment.

the back

and rose upon a high mound, having a great

stone staircase different from anything and, groping our

the next entire,

any

its

crossed the terrace, walked up the

and entering

terrace,

walls entire,

but the remains showing that

had once been more Uxmal.

its

large

;

way among

and the

we had

seen,

the trees, passed on to

third presented a facade almost

with trees growing before

it

and on the

top,

RUINS OF KABAH. and ruin had combined

as if nature

most picturesque

On

effect.

the

ses of other buildings, separated

growth of underwood

and

;

interesting morning's work,

to

produce their

way we had

glimp-

from us by a thick

after a

we

371

hard but most

returned to the

first

building.

Since

we

first set

we had

out in search of ruins

much by surprise. During the whole time of our residence at Uxmal, and until my forced visit to Ticul, and fortunate intimacy with not been taken so

the cura Carillo, I had not even heard of the ex-

of such

istence

known

;

a place.

was

It

and the Indians who guided us having con-

ducted us to these buildings, of

They

as ignorant as ourselves.

were

these felt

absolutely un-

all

;

but

we

all

the rest seemed

told us, in fact, that

could not believe them

we

confident that more lay buried in the woods, and,

tempted by the variety and novelty of what

we

;

determined not to go away until

we

we had

saw,

discov-

we began at Nohcacab, we we had now a great field of labour before us, and we saw at once that it was to be attended with many difficulties. ered

had

all.

"

So

far,

done up" a

since

city a day, but

There was no rancho, and no habitation of any kind nearer than the selves

offered

good

village.

The

shelter;

with

buildings them-

the

necessary

made extremely agreeable, and on many considerations it was advisable again but this arto take up our abode among the ruins rangement was not without its dangers. The sea-

clearings they could be

;

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

372

son of El Norte seemed to have no end there

was

rain

the foliage

;

was

;

every day

so thick that the hot

sun could not dry the moisture before another rain

came, and the whole country was enveloped in a

damp, unwholesome atmosphere. ily for us, it

village

was a season of

Besides, unluck-

great abundance in the

the corn crop had been good

;

;

the Indians

had plenty to eat, and did not care to work. Already we had found difficulty in hiring them it ;

would require constant urging and our continual presence to secure them from day to day. As to getting

them

to

We

question.

remain with

us,

it

was out of the

determined, therefore, to continue

our residence at the convent, and go out to the ruins every day.

Late in the afternoon

and

in the evening

sensation

on

we had

increasing,

posed to work

we

returned to the village,

had a levee of

The

visiters.

created in the village had gone

and the Indians were for us at

all.

ger even from Merida or

The

really indis-

arrival of a stran-

Campeachy was an

ex-

traordinary event, and no Ingleses had ever been

The

seen there before.

come

to

work among

comprehensible.

circumstance that

the ruins

we had

was wonderful,

Within the memory of the

in-

oldest

Indians these remains had never been disturbed.

The

account of the digging up of the bones in San

Francisco had reached them, and they had

much

conversation with each other and with the padrecito about us.

It

was a

strange thing, they said,

ASTONISHMENT OF THE INDIANS. that

men with

strange faces, and a language they

come among them

could not understand, had disinter their ruined

ancestors

when

the

them, they said that

was

It

for

late the

We

ruins.

373

cities

and, simple

;

as

to

their

came among the end of the world was nigh. Spaniards

first

when we reached

next day

the

could not set out before the Indians,

they might disappoint us altogether, and

we

could do nothing until they came, but, once on the ground,

we soon had them

we watched each

at

On both

work.

sides

other closely, though from some-

what different motives they from utter inability to comprehend our plans and purposes, and we from the fear that we should get no work out of them. :

If

one of us spoke, they

stopped to listen

all

moved, they stopped to gaze upon wood's drawing materials,

;

if

we

Mr. Cather-

us.

tripod, sextant,

and com-

pass were very suspicious, and occasionally Doctor

Cabot

filled

up the measure of

by bringing down a bird

By

as

it

their astonishment

flew through the

the time they were fairly broken in to

what they had

to do,

it

was necessary

air.

know

to return to

the village.

The same labour was repeated the next day with a new set of men but, by continual supervision and urging, we managed to get considerable work done. ;

Albino was a valuable auxiliary

him

I could hardly

not

fairly

Uxmal.

have got on

;

indeed, without at

all.

We

discovered his intelligence until

There

all

had a beaten track 32

to

we

move

had left

in,

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

374

but on the road ring in

little

things were constantly occur-

which he showed an ingenuity and a

many annoy-

of resource that saved us from

ity

He

ances.

had been a

Campeachy had

and

at the siege of

received a sabre-cut in a fleshy

part of the body,

was

soldier,

fertil-

which rather intimated

moving in an opposite direction

when

that he

the sabre

Having received neither pay for his services nor pension for his wound, he was a little disgusted with patriotism and fighting for his counHe was by trade a blacksmith, which busitry. ness, on the recommendation of Dona Joaquina overtook him.

Peon, he had given up to enter our

were

usefulness and capacity

Knowing

out at Kabah.

His

service.

clearly brought

first

the character of the In-

and being but a few degrees removed from them by blood, he could get

dians, speaking their language,

out of them twice as

much work

too, they could ask questions

as I could.

about

us,

Him,

and lighten

labour by the indulgence of social humour, and very

soon

I

had only

work was ment of it as

we

to give instructions

to be done,

This doubled our

to him.

could

work with two

ferent places at the

much

He

same

habit,

the fever and ague.

ing into, and, with

break him of

it,

to

what

effective force,

sets of Indians in dif-

time,

and gave Albino a

greater value than that of a

had one bad

as

and leave the whole manage-

common

which was

servant.

that of getting

This he was constantly all

our

efforts,

but, unluckily,

we

we

fall-

could never

never set him a

;

FESTIVAL OF CORPUS ALMA. good example.

In the

mean time Bernaldo

tained his culinary reputation

bad

;

were lank

rest of us

sus-

and, avoiding the

of Albino and his masters, while

habit,

375

as the village

all

the

dogs of that

country, his cheeks seemed always ready to burst

open.

While we were working were losing no

in the village

began the days'

fiesta

at the ruins, the

On

time.

people

the eleventh

of Corpus Alma, a festival of nine

observance in honour of Santo Cristo del

Amor.

Its

opening was announced by the ringing

of church bells and firing of rockets, which, fortu-

we were away

nately, as

we

at the ruins,

avoided

hearing; but in the evening came the procession

and the

to

baile,

by a committee, calde,

which we were formally

invited

consisting of the padrecito, the al-

and a much more important person than

either, styled

El Patron

del Santo, or the Patron of

the Saint. I have mentioned that Nohcacab was the most backward and thoroughly Indian of any village we had visited. With this strongly-marked Indian

character, culiar,

church government

its

and

differs, I believe,

er villages.

Besides smaller

of individuals,

it

is

somewhat pe-

from that of saints,

all

the oth-

the favourites

has nine principal ones,

who have

been selected as special objects of veneration

:

San

Mateo, the patron, and Santa Barbara, the patroness of the village

;

Nuestra Senora de

Nuestra Senora del Rosario

;

la

Concepcion

El Senor del Trans-

;

376

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

figiiracion;

El Senor de Misericordia

the patron of souls,

Each

San Antonio, and El Santo Cristo del Amor. ;

of these saints, while acting as patron in gen-

eral, is

under the special care of a patron in

also

particular.

The

process of putting a saint under patronage

Among the

peculiar.

is

images distributed around the

walls of the church, whenever one

observed to

is

attract particular attention, as, for instance, if In-

dians are found frequently kneeling before

making

offerings, the

it,

twelve Indians to serve and take care of the

who

and

padre requires of the cacique

These

are called mayoles.

saint,

are furnished ac-

cording to the requisition, and they elect a head, but not from their patron,

and

to

them

The

of the saint.

own

ministers an oath,

is

number,

who

intrusted the

is

called the

guardianship

padre, in his robes of office, ad-

which

by sprinkling The patron is sworn to

is

sanctified

them with holy water. watch over the interests of the saint, to take care of all the candles and other offerings presented to him, and to see that his fete is properly observed and the mayoles are sworn patron in

all

to

obey the orders of the

things touching the custody and ser-

vice of the saint.

One

of these saints, to

whom

a patron had been assigned, was called El Santo Cristo del

Amor, the addition having reference

the love of the Saviour in laying

man.

The

down

his

life

to for

circumstance of the Saviour being rev-

erenced as a saint was as

new

to us as that of a saint

THE PROCESSION. having a patron.

whieh was now

was the

It

and

celebrated,

We

formally invited.

when the

which we were

we were

tell

saint

was only waiting

taking sup-

patron came in a hur-

for us.

was ready, and the Not wishing to put

we

hurried through our

us that the procession

ry to

him

to

of this saint

accepted the invitation, but,

having had a hard day's work, per rather leisurely,

fiesta

377

to this inconvenience,

meal, and proceeded to the church.

The

procession had formed in the body of the

church, and at the head of

Indians bearing the cross.

gan

to

move with

it,

in the doorway,

Upon

our arrival

were it

be-

a loud chant, and under the di-

Next to the cross were four Indians, bearing on a barrow the figure of the saint,

rection of the patron.

being that of the Saviour on the cross, about a foot high,

and fastened against a broad wooden back

with a canopy overhead, and a small looking-glass

on each side. This was followed by the patron and his mayoles, the padrecito and ourselves, the vecinos, or white people of the village, and a long train of Indian

men and women,

white dresses, and

Moving down

all

bareheaded, in

bearing long lighted candles.

the great steps of the church with a

loud chant, and the cross and the figure of the saint

conspicuous under the light of hundreds of candles, the coup

d'ceil

imposing. patron, and,

we

Its

of the procession

was solemn and

march was toward the house of the

on turning up the

street that led to

noticed a rope stretched along

Vol.

L—B

b b

it

for

it,

perhaps a

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

37&

hundred yards, and presently a piece of fireworks

was

set

called

off,

by them the

idas, or goers,

and

known by pyrotechnists among us as flying pigeons. The flaming ball whizzed along the rope backward and forward, scattering fire on the heads of the people underneath, and threw the whole procession into confusion

and

The

laughter.

ried into a place of security,

saint

was hur-

and the people

filed off

on each side of the rope, out of reach of the sparks.

The

went

idas

showed

off

with universal applause, and

that the custody of the saint

placed in unworthy hands.

was resumed, and

This

the procession

had not been

over, the chant

moved on

till

it

reached the house of the patron, at the door of

which the padrecito chanted a salve, and then the The house consisted of a saint was borne within. single long room, having at one end a temporary altar, adorned with flowers, and at the other a table, on which were spread various

and

dulces, bread, cheese,

compound mixtures both

and

for eating

drinking.

The

saint

was

set

up on the

altar,

and in a few

minutes the patron led the way, through a door opposite that

by which we had

entered, into an oblong

enclosure about one hundred feet long and forty wide,

having an arbour of palm leaves overhead. floor

was of hard

around the

sides.

as strangers family,

earth,

The

and seats were arranged

All the vecinos followed, and we,

and attendants of the padrecito and

were conducted

his

to the principal places, being

THE BALL. a row of large

wooden

379 two of which mother and sister.

arm-chairs,

were occupied by the padrecito's

Very soon all the seats were occupied by whites and Mestiza women, and the whole enclosure, with the exception of a small space for dancing, was

with Indian servants and children

up on the

filled

sitting

ground.

made for dancing, was opened by the patron of the saint. This patron was not very saintly in his appearance, Preparations were immediately

and the

ball

but really a most respectable

and character, and

in his

bull-fighter the village

He

man

in his deportment

youth had been the best

had ever produced.

began with the dance called the

toros.

The

brother of the padrecito acted as master of the cer-

emonies, and with a pocket-handkerchief called out the ladies one after the other, until every dancing

lady present had had her turn.

He

then took the patron's place, the patron act-

ing as Bastonero in his stead, and called out again

every lady

who

chose to dance.

It

was a

bat chant-

which no costume was required, and the brother of the padrecito, who had opened upon us,

petre, in

as alcalde elect, with a black dress- coat, white pantaloons, hat,

and

and

his feet,

fur hat,

danced

in shirt, drawers, straw

sandals, pieces of leather

with cords

wound round

on the

soles of

nearly up to the

calf of the leg.

When

he had finished

we were

solicited to take

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

380

his place, which, however, culty, I

we

though with some

diffi-

avoided.

have not yet mentioned, what

is

a subject of re-

mark throughout Yucatan, and was particularly manifest at this ball,

the great apparent excess of female

This excess was said

population. at the rate of

two

interesting subject,

to

and

one; but although I

was seeking

information which was said to tain

be estimated

to

exist, I

it

for statistical

could not ob-

any authentic information in regard

have no doubt, however, that there are than one

woman

makes Yucatan a this is

to

why

in

it.

I

many more men say

in.

Perhaps

the standard of morality

not very high, and without wishing to our friends

to

one man, which the

great country to live

one reason

was an

Nohcacab, as

this

was a

reflect

public

is

upon ball, I

cannot help mentioning that one of the most personally attractive and lady-like looking

women

at

was the amiga of a married man, whose the best dressed and most distinleft him guished young lady was the daughter of the padre who died in one of our rooms, and who, strictly speaking, ought never to have had any daughters; and in instances so numerous as not to be noticed by the people, husbands without wives and wives

the ball

wife had

;

without husbands were mingling unrestrainedly together.

Many

of the white people could not speak

Spanish, and the conversation ly in the It

was

Maya the

was almost

exclusive-

language.

first

time

we had

appeared in society,

A

and we were

DANCE.

really great lions

—

381 in fact, equal to

Whenever we moved, were turned upon us when we spoke, silent; and when we spoke with each entire menagerie.

;

English,

all

laughed.

eat,

ed was to see us dance.

and

The

all

were

other in

that they want-

padrecito told us

A

should be obliged to come out.

introduced called Saca

own," which brought us

dance was

el suyo, or " take out all

out.

The

your

patron then

mother of the padrecito, a heavy old

called out the

whose dancing days were long

lady,

all

eyes

In the interlude for refresh-

ments, they had seen us

we

all

an

since over, but

she went through her part convulsed with laughter,

and then

called out her son, the padrecito,

who,

to

the great merriment of the whole company, tried to

avoid the challenge, but, once started, showed himself decidedly the best

en o'clock the

mour

home

ball

dancer at the

ball.

elev-

broke up with great good hu-

the vecinos lighted their torches, and

;

At all

in a body, filing off at different streets.

went

The

Indians remained to take their places, and pass the night in the ball-room, dancing in honour of the saint.

Every evening, besides numerous the

baile

Albino

did.

for recreation.

visiters,

When we

we had

did not go,

His intelligence and position as our

head man gave him a degree of consequence, and admitted him within the arbour, where he completely eclipsed his masters,

and was considered the best

dancer in the place except the padrecito.

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

382

CHAPTER Ruins of Kabah.

— General

XVII.

Description.

— Plan of the

Ruins.-—

— Ruined Apartments. — Grand View. — Terrace and Buildings. — Ranges of Buildings. — Hieroglyphics. — A rich Fagade. — Wooden Lintels.— Singular Structures.— Apartments, &c. — Rankness of Tropical Vegetation. — Edifice called the CoGreat Teocalis.

cina.

— Majestic

pile of Buildings.

— Apartments, &c. —A

soli-

— A Succession of ruined Buildings. — Apartments,

tary Arch.

— —

—

—

Prints of the Red Hand. &c. Sculptured Lintel. Instruments used by the Aboriginals for Carving Wood. Ruined Ornament in Stucco. Great ruined Building. CuStructure. Sculptured Jambs. Another Witness for rious Chamber, &c. Last Visit to Kabah. Its recent Discovthese ruined Cities.

—

—

—

—

— —

—

— A great Charnel House.— Funeral Procession. —A Ball by Daylight. — The Procession of the Candles. — Closing Scene. ery.

mean

In the

time

bah, and, during dians,

we were

padrecito

;

continued our work at Ka-

our intercourse with the In-

constantly inquiring for other places

In this

of ruins.

all

we

we were

greatly assisted

by the

indeed, but for him, and the channels

of information opened to us through him, some places

which

are presented in these pages

perhaps never have been discovered.

He

would had

al-

ways eight Indian sextons, selected from the most respectable

of the

the church, who,

inhabitants,

when

to

take

care of

not wanted to assist at

masses, salves, or funerals, were constantly lounging

about our door, always tipsy, and glad to be called

These sextons knew every Indian in the viland the region in which he had his milpa, or cornfield and through them we were continually

in.

lage,

;

!

IGNORANCE OF THE INDIANS. making al

All the ruins scattered about the

inquiries.

country are

name

known

to the Indians

of "Xlap-pahk,"

" paredes viejas,"

and

under the gener-

which means

in Spanish

The

" old walls."

in English

we obtained was we were unable to form any

idea of the extent

We

could establish no

in general so confused

information that

383

or character of the ruins.

standard of comparison, as those

who told

us of one

place were, perhaps, not familiar with any other, so that

it

was necessary

to see all

;

we had one

and

magnitude of which can hardly be

perplexity, the

conceived, in the extraordinary ignorance of people, whites

and Indians, in regard

raphy of their

own immediate

all

to the geog-

neighbourhood.

place they had never visited, though but leagues distant, they

knew nothing

the

A

a few

about, and, from

the extreme difficulty of ascertaining the juxtaposition of places,

was hard

it

to arrange the plan of

a route so as to embrace several. preliminary

visits

To some

those from which I

;

I

made

expected

most turned out not worth the trouble of going while others, from which extremely interesting. returning

to

the

I

expected but

little,

to,

proved

Almost every evening, on

convent, the padrecito

hurried

into our room, with the greeting, " buenas noticias otras ruinas

!"

"

good news

!

one time these noticias came

more

ing

my

visits,

who

!"

and

at

in so fast that I sent

Albino on a two days' excursion to liminary

ruins

"

do" some pre-

returned with a report justify-

opinion of his judgment, and a bruised leg

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

384

from climbing over a mound, which disabled him for

some

As

days.

these pages will be sufficiently burdened, I

omit

shall

all

the preliminary

and present

visits,

the long line of ruined cities in the order in which

we

visited

them

for the

purposes of exploration.

Chichen was the only place we heard of

we knew

ida, and the only place

certainty before

we embarked

found that a vast

and

it,

field

for

in

Mer-

of with absolute

Yucatan

but

;

we

of research lay between us

and, not to delay the reader, I proceed at

once to the ruins of Kabah.

The engraving

opposite represents the plan of the

buildings of this city.

It is

not

made from

actual

measurements, for this would have required clearings which, from the difficulty of procuring Indians,

would have been impossible

it

to

make

;

but the

bearings were taken with the compass from the top

of the great teocalis, and the distances are laid

down "

according to our best judgment with the eye.

On this plan the reader will see a road marked C amino Real to Bolonchen," and on the left a path "

Path

to Milpa."

ward the

field

of ruins, the teocalis

marked

Following

this

is

the

path tofirst

ob-

ject that meets his eye, grand, picturesque, ruined,

and covered with at

trees, like

the

House

of the

Dwarf

Uxmal, towering above every other object on the

plain.

It

is

about one hundred and eighty feet

square at the base, and rises in a pyramidal form to the height of eighty

feet.

At

the foot

is

a range of

GENERAL PLAN OF THE

RUINS OF KABAH.

\3d Casa.

1 |

Milpa.

Note.

n

Woody

eV e

land.

This Plan was sketched

from

the top

of the prin-

cipal Teocalis.

\

2d Co

\

{Teocalis with a building p

on the summit.

Thick woods.

1

Principal Teocalis.

g Mound.

I

Rancho.

Milpa. \ Arch.

OWno

JW

from

Nckc^i^J^^

Ruined Casa,

i

Casa.

Woods.

G'rand

Casa from which Sculptured

the

Terraces.

m

Casa

-

Beams (Three Buildings

were taken.

«6 0w * 60

To face page

384.

;

RUINED BUILDINGS.

MOUND.

A

The

ruined apartments.

steps are

387

the sides present a surface of loose stones,

on one

to climb, except

side,

time toward evening,

I

trees.

ascended

when

difficult

where the ascent

rendered practicable by the aid of presents a grand view.

and

fallen,

all

it

the sun

The

is

top

for the first

was about

set-

and the ruined buildings were casting lengthened shadows over the plain. At the north, south,

ting,

and

view was bounded by a range of

east the

In part of the

field

of ruins

was a

clearing, in

hills.

which

stood a deserted rancho, and the only indication that

we were

in the vicinity of

church in the

Leaving

village of

and following it

ascending feet in

deep,

to the distance of three or four

we

feet high, the

we

overgrown with

trees

stand on a platform two hundred

and facing us

approach

tures,

is

width by one hundred and forty-two

the plate opposite.

we

hun-

reach the foot of a terrace twenty

edge of which

this,

the distant

mound, again taking the milpa path,

this

dred yards,

man was

Nohcacab.

is

the building represented in

On

the right of the platform, as

this building, is a

high range of struc-

ruined and overgrown with

mense back wall

feet

built

trees,

on the outer

with an im-

line of the plat-

form, perpendicular to the bottom of the terrace.

On

the

left is

another range of ruined buildings, not

so grand as those

the platform

is

on the

right,

and

in the centre of

a stone enclosure twenty-seven feet

square and seven feet high, like that surrounding the picote at

Uxmal

;

but the layer of stones around the

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

388

we

base was sculptured, and, on examination,

Mr. Cather-

a continuous line of hieroglyphics.

wood made drawings

of these as they lay scattered

about, but, as I cannot present

which they

them

in the order in

stood, they are omitted altogether.

In the centre of the platform steps forty feet to

an upper

is

wide and twenty

terrace,

This building

is

a range of stone

in

number, leading

on which stands the

one hundred and

we saw

and the moment

we were

it

all

struck with the its

facade.

the buildings of Uxmal, without a single ex-

up

ception,

way

building.

fifty-one feet front,

extraordinary richness and ornament of

In

found

to the cornice

which runs over the door-

the facades are of plain stone

;

but this was

ornamented from the very foundation, two layers under the lower cornice, to the top.

The

reader will observe that a great part of this

facade has fallen

toward the north end, however,

;

a portion of about twenty-five feet remains, which,

though not

itself

entire,

adorned.

The

exactly as

it

shows the gorgeousness

which

of decoration with

this

facade was once

plate opposite represents this part,

stands,

with the cornice over the top

fallen.

The ornaments

are of the

same character with

those at Uxmal, alike complicated and incomprehensible,

and from the

fact that every part of the

facade was ornamented with sculpture, even to the portion

now

buried under the lower cornice, the

whole must have presented a greater appearance of

Vol.1.

Page 3S8.

SINGULAR STRUCTURE.

LINTELS.

The

richness than any building at Uxmal.

running over the doorways (which

389

cornice

stamped on

is

the cover of this work), tried by the severest rules

among us, would embellish the any known era, and, amid a mass

of art recognised architecture of

of barbarism, of rude and uncouth conceptions,

it

stands as an offering by American builders worthy

of the acceptance of a polished people.

The are

lintels

all fallen,

rated

of the doorways were of

and of

all

wood

;

these

the ornaments which deco-

No

them not one now remains.

doubt they

corresponded in beauty of sculpture with the rest

The whole now

of the facade.

lies

a mass of rub-

bish and ruin at the foot of the wall.

On

the top

is

a structure which, at a distance, as

seen indistinctly through the

ance of a second

trees,

story, and, as

had the appear-

we

approached,

it

reminded us of the towering structures on the top of some of the ruined buildings at Palenque.

The

access to this structure

There was no

easy.

was by no means

staircase

means of communication,

or other visible

either within or without

the building, but in the rear the wall and roof had

and made in some places high mounds reaching nearly to the top. Climbing up these tottering

fallen,

fabrics

was not

free

from danger.

Parts which ap-

peared substantial had not the security of buildings constructed according to true principles of art times

it

was impossible

;

at

to discover the supporting

power, and the disorderly masses seemed held up by

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

390 an

trees

as

While we were clearing off the came up suddenly, and,

invisible hand.

upon the

we were

a shower

roof,

hurrying to descend and take refuge in

one of the apartments below, a stone on the edge of the cornice gave

By

way and

me down

carried

with

it.

was a mound of which reached nearly to the roof, and saved me from a fall that would have been most serious, great good fortune, underneath

ruins

if

not

fatal,

in

The

consequences.

its

on the face of an Indian attendant

as

expression

he saw

going was probably a faint reflection of

The

structure

fifteen feet

on the top of

my

me

own.

this building is

about

high and four feet thick, and extends

over the back wall of the front range of apartments, the whole length of the edifice.

has

fallen,

but

at a distance

In

we were now more with

its

many

places

struck than

it

when

general resemblance to the

ruined structures on the top of some of the build-

The

ings at Palenque.

was of cut

stone,

latter

were stuccoed

this

;

and more chaste and simple.

It

could not have been intended for any use as part of the edifice to

was

it

;

the only purpose

that of ornament, as

it

we

could ascribe

improved the ap-

pearance of the building seen from a distance, and set I

the

it

off with great effect

have said that first

on near approach.

we were somewhat

view of the facade of

excited by

this building.

As-

cending the steps and standing in the doorway of the centre apartment,

we

broke out into an excla-

mation of surprise and admiration.

At Uxmal

there

KA B AH, sL Interior of Centre FLoornl

ft

Casa

Toll.Page, 391.

APARTMENTS. was no

variety

the interiors of

;

all

391 the apartments

Here we were presented with a

were the same.

scene entirely new.

The

plate opposite represents

the interior of this apartment. parallel chambers, the

two

It consists of

one in front being twenty-

seven feet long and ten feet six inches wide, and

same

the other of the

length, but a

few inches nar-

rower, communicating by a door in the centre.

The

inner

room

is

raised

two

feet

eight

higher than the front, and the ascent

is

inches

by two

stone steps carved out of a single block of stone, the

lower one being in the form of a

The

scroll.

sides

of the steps are ornamented with sculpture, as also the wall

sign

is

under the doorway.

graceful

and

of taste, the effect first

day of our

and

ate to the

is

The whole

is

de-

pretty, and, as a

mere matter

extremely good.

Here, on the

we spread out our provisions, memory of the former tenant. His arrival,

own domains could not furnish us with water, and we were supplied from the wells of Nohcacab. In the engraving but one doorway appears on

each side of the centre, the front wall at the two ends having

fallen.

On

both sides of

this centre

doorway were two other doorways opening into apartments. Each apartment contains two chambers, with the back one raised, but there are no steps, and the only ornament is a row of small pilasters about two feet high under the door, and running the whole length of the room.

Such

is

a brief description of the facade

and

front

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

392

apartments, and these formed not more than one

At the rear and under the same roof were two ranges of apartments of the same dimensions with those just described, and having a rectangular area in front. The whole edifice formed nearly a square, and though having third of the building.

less front,

with a great solid mass, nearly as thick as

one of the nearly as dor,

corridors, for the centre wall,

many square

feet as the

and probably, from

its

Casa

was

in a

The

the roof, and the ruins that

it

was extremely

rest of the

At both ends the wall

and the whole of the other

fallen,

covered

Goberna-

much more ruinous con-

dition than that presented.

had

del

lavishness of ornament,

contained more sculptured stone. building, however,

it

filled

front,

with

up the apartments so

difficult to

The whole of the terrace on

make

out the plan.

this latter side is over-

grown with trees, some of which have taken root among the fragments, and are growing out of the interior of the chambers.

The manner is

sketch opposite will give some idea of the in

which the rankness of

tropical vegetation

hurrying to destruction these interesting remains.

The

tree

is

called the alamo, or elm, the leaves of

which, with those of the ramon, form in that country the principal fodder for horses.

beside the front wall,

its fibres

Springing up

crept into cracks

and

crevices, and became shoots and branches, which, as

the trunk rose, in struggling to rise with tled

and overturned the

wall,

and

still

it,

unset-

grew, carry-

To

face page 392, vol.

I.,

RUINED BUILDING CALLED THE

COCIN

395

A.

ing up large stones fast locked in their embraces,

which they now hold time,

its

At the same

aloft in the air.

roots have girded the foundation wall,

form the only support of what

The

is left.

and

great,

branches overshadowing the whole cannot be exhibited in the plate,

and no sketch can convey a true

idea of the ruthless gripe in which these gnarled and twisted roots encircle sculptured stones.

Such Kabah.

a brief description of the

is

To many

have given names having no

one they

first

building at

of these structures the Indians

and unmeaning,

stupid, senseless,

This

reference to history or tradition.

call

Xcoopoop, which means in Spanish

petato doblade, or a straw hat doubled up

the

;

name

having reference to the crushed and flattened condition of the facade

and the prostration of the rear

wall of the building.

Descending the corner of the back

terrace, at the

distance of a few paces rises a broken and over-

grown mound, on which stands a ruined building, called by the Indians the cocina, or kitchen, because, as they said,

it

had chimneys

According to their accounts, something curious

;

and

it

it

for then

it

stood entire.

smoke.

must have contained

was

nate that we had not reached

to let out

peculiarly unfortuit

one year sooner,

During the

last

rainy sea-

son some muleteers from Merida, scouring the country in search of maize,

were overtaken by the

noon's rain, and took shelter under their

mules out to graze among the

its roof,

ruins.

after-

turning

During

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL

396

the night the building leteers

fell,

but, fortunately, the

mu-

escaped unhurt, and, leaving their mules be-

hind them, in the darkness and rain made the best of

way to Nohcacab, reporting that El Demonio was among the ruins of Kabah. On the left of this mound is a staircase leading down to the area of Casa No. 2, and on the right their

is

a grand and majestic pile of buildings, having no

name assigned to it, and which, perhaps, when tire, was the most imposing structure at Kabah. measured feet

at the base

and consisted of three

ranges, one

on the roof of the

smaller than the

first,

It

one hundred and forty-seven

on one side and one hundred and

other,

en-

and the

distinct

six

on the

stories

other, the

or

second

third smaller than the

second, having on each side a broad platform in front.

Along the base on

four of the sides

all

was

a continuous range of apartments, with the door-

ways supported by pillars, and on the side fronting the rear of Casa No. 1 was another new and interesting feature.

This was a gigantic stone

staircase, rising to the

on which stood the second range of apartments. This staircase was not a solid mass, resting against the wall of the mound, but was supported

roof,

by the half of a triangular arch springing from the ground, and resting against the wall so as to leave

a passage under the staircase. interesting not only for

novelty of

its

its

own

This

staircase

was

grandeur and the

construction, but as explaining

what

RANGES OF BUILDINGS. had before been

unintelligible in regard to the prin-

cipal staircase in the

The

397

House

of the

Dwarf

at

Uxmal.

steps of this staircase are nearly all fallen,

and the ascent buildings

is

on an inclined

as

The

plane.

on the top are ruined, and many of the

doorways so encumbered that there was barely room to crawl into them.

On

one occasion, while clear-

make

ing around this so as to

a plan, rain

came

on,

was obliged to crawl into one with all the Inand remain in the dark, breathing a damp and unwholesome atmosphere, pent up and almost stifled, for more than an hour. The doorways of the ranges on the north side of this mound opened upon the area of Casa No 2. and

I

dians,

.

The

platform of this area

feet long,

is

one hundred and seventy

one hundred and ten broad, and

ted ten feet from the ground.

with corn, and required

little

It

is

eleva-

had been planted

clearing.

The

plate

opposite represents the front of this building, and the picote, or great stone

found thrown

courtyards and areas,

is

engraving.

race

The

forming

;

down

in

all

the

exhibited on one side in the

edifice stands

upon an upper

ter-

a breastwork for which, and run-

ning the whole length, one hundred and sixty-four feet, is

a range of apartments, with their doors open-

ing upon the area. this

A

The

range have nearly

front wall

and the roof of

all fallen.

ruined staircase rises from the centre of the

platform to the roof of this range, which forms the platform in front of the principal building.

34

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

398 This

mentioned,

staircase, like that last

is

sup-

ported by the half of a triangular arch, precisely like the other already mentioned.

The whole

was ornamented with

and the ornaments

sculpture,

best preserved are over the

front

doorway of the centre

apartment, which, being underneath the staircase,

cannot be exhibited in the engraving.

The in

principal building,

two of

we met

will be seen, has pillars

At

doorways.

its

it

this place, for the first

with

pillars

used legitimately, accord-

ing to the rules of

known

architecture, as a support,

time,

and they added greatly other

here

novelties

These

pillars,

to the interest

which the

us

presented.

disclosed

to

however, were but six feet high,

rude and unpolished, with square blocks of stone

and

for capitals

styles is

They wanted

pedestals.

chitectural majesty

the ar-

and grandeur which in other

always connected with the presence of

pil-

lars,

but they were not out of proportion, and, in

fact,

were adapted

The

lintels

Leaving

over the doors are of stone. this building,

and wooded hundred and

Casa No.

to the lowness of the building.

3.

and crossing an overgrown

plain, at the distance of about three fifty

The

yards

we

reach the terrace of

platform of this terrace, too, had

been planted with corn, and was

easily cleared.

The plate opposite represents the front of the edifice, when we first came upon it, was so beauti-

which, fully

shrouded by trees that

obliged to disturb them, and

it

we

was

painful to be

spared every branch

SOLITARY ARCH.

A

399

While Mr. Catherdrawing, rain came on, and,

that did not obstruct the view.

wood was making

his

as he might not be able to get his

camera lucida in

position again, he continued his work, with the protection of an India-rubber cloak and an Indian hold-

ing an umbrella over the stand.

The

that sudden and violent character often

was of

met with in

and in a few minutes flooded the

tropical climates,

The washing

whole ground.

rain

of the water from the

upper terrace appears in the engraving.

This building la Justicia.

is

It is

called

by the Indians

Casa de

la

one hundred and thirteen

feet

There are five apartments, each twenty feet long and nine wide, and all perfectly plain. The the pillars in the wall between front is plain, except the doorways indicated in the engraving and above, in front, at the end, and on the back are long.

;

rows of small

pillars,

forming a simple and not in-

elegant ornament.

Besides these, there are on this side of the camino real the remains of other buildings, but

ruinous condition, and there

is

all

in a

one monument, per-

haps more curious and interesting than any that has

been presented. form with feet.

It

all

It is

the

a lonely arch, of the

same

having a span of fourteen

stands on a ruined mound, disconnected

from every other

Darkness

rest,

rests

structure,

upon

its

among

tion

and

like

the proud memorial

solitude,

in

solitary

grandeur.

history, but in that desola-

the ruins around,

of a

Roman

it

stood

triumph.

400

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

Perhaps, like the arch of Titus, which at this day

spans the Sacred

Way

at

Rome,

it

was erected

to

commemorate a victory over enemies. These were all the principal remains on this side of the camino real they were all to which our In dian guides conducted us, and, excepting two men ;

tioned hereafter, they were time,

any knowledge existed

of the camino

real,

all ;

of which, up to that but on the other side

shrouded by

trees,

were the

trembling and tottering skeletons of buildings which

had once been grander than

these.

AN EXPLOIT.

From first

401

the top of the great teocalis

we had

ino real to a point about in a range with the

umphal

two

arch, there

is

tri-

a narrow path which leads to

buildings enclosed by

They

our

Following the cam-

glimpses of these edifices.

are small, and but

a fence for a milpa.

little

They

ornamented.

stand at right angles to each other, and in front of

them

is

like the

mouth of a

the edge of

On

is

a large broken orifice,

cave, with a tree growing near

My

it.

marked by a horse.

which

a patio, in

first

this place

visit to

on the part of

brilliant exploit

dismounting, Mr. Catherwood

was

my

found

shade for his horse, Doctor Cabot got his into one of the buildings, and I tied mine to this

him

fifteen or

twenty

Here we

pasture.

the evening posed, stolen the halter

my ;

still

dian would be

tree,

feet of halter as a

left

range for

them, but on our return in

we

horse was missing, and, as

but before

we

attached to

much more

reached the tree

it,

into the

I

sup-

saw

and knew that an In-

likely to steal the halter

and leave the horse than vice

was drawn down

giving

The

versa.

mouth of

halter

the cave, and

looking over the edge, I saw the horse hanging at the other end, with just rope enough, by stretching his

head and neck,

of the cave.

grimed with

One dirt,

to

keep a foothold

of his sides

and

it

seemed

was

at

one side

scratched and

as if every

bone in

body must be broken, but on getting him out we found that, except some scarifications of the skin, he

his

was not

at all hurt

Vol. I.—E e e

;

in fact, he

was

quite the reverse,

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

402

and never moved

better than

on our return

to the

village.

Beyond

these buildings, none of the Indians

Striking directly from

of any ruins.

them

knew in

a

westerly direction through a thick piece of woods,

without being able to see anything, but from observation taken from the top of the teocalis, and

passing a small ruined building with a staircase leading to the roof,

we

haps eight hundred

feet

This

wide.

reached a great terrace, perlong and one hundred feet

overgrown with

terrace, besides being

was covered with thorn-bushes, and the maguey plant, or Agave Americana, with points as sharp as needles, which made it impossible to move withtrees,

out cutting the

way

at

every step.

Two buildings stood upon this The

first

overgrown

was two hundred and seventeen

having seven doorways in

front, all

terrace.

feet long,

opening to single

apartments except the centre one, which had two

In the rear were

apartments, each thirty feet long.

other apartments, with doorways opening

upon a

courtyard, and from the centre a range of buildings

ran at right angles, terminating in a large ruined

The

mound.

wall of the whole of this great pile

had been more ornamented than

either of the build-

ings before presented except the nately,

it

wooden

To

was more lintels,

dilapidated.

first,

The doorways had

most of which have

the north of this building

but, unfortu-

is

fallen.

another, one hun-

dred and forty-two feet in front and thirty-one feet

SCULPTURED LINTEL.

403

deep, with double corridors communicating, and a gigantic staircase in the centre leading to the roof,

on which are the ruins of another building. The doors of two centre apartments open under the arch In that on the right we of this great staircase. again found the prints of the red hand

;

not a single

print, or two, or three, as in other places, but the

whole wall was covered with them, bright and newly made.

dis-

tinct as if but

All the lintels over the all

are

still

doorways are of wood, and

in their places, mostly

sound and

solid.

The doorways were encumbered with rubbish and That nearest the staircase was filled up to ruins. within three feet of the der on

lintel

;

and, in crawling un-

measure the apartment, Mr.

his back, to

Catherwood's eye was arrested by a sculptured tel,

lin-

which, on examination, he considered the most

interesting

On my

we had

memorial

unknown

ruined cities entirely

this lintel as equal in interest

them

found in Yucatan.

return that day from a visit to three

together.

The

before,

more

he claimed

and value

to all of

next day I saw them, and de-

termined immediately, at any trouble or

cost,

to

home with me but this was no easy Our operations created much discussion in the village. The general belief was that we were carry them

;

matter.

searching for gold.

No

were expending money being sure of getting ing the fate of

my

it

one could believe that

we

in such a business without

back again; and remember-

castings at Palenque, I

was

afraid

;

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

404 have

to

known

it

that there

was anything worth

carrying away.

To

them out by our own

get

was impossible

we

drecito,

efforts,

however,

and, after conferring with the pa-

;

procured a good set of men, and went

down with crowbars them out of the

wall.

for the

purpose of working

Doctor Cabot,

who had been

confined to the village for several days by

illness,

turned out on this great occasion.

The

lintel

one was

consisted of

split in

two beams, and the outer

They lapped over

two lengthwise.

doorway about a foot at each end, and were as firmly secured as any stones in the building, having the

been

built in

tunately,

being

when

the wall

we had two

filled

men were

For-

constructed.

crowbars, and the doorway

up with earth both inside and

out, the

enabled to stand above the beam, and use

the crowbars to advantage. in about

was

They began

two hours cleared the

the doorway, but the ends were

The beams were

inside,

lintel directly still

and over

firmly secured.

about ten feet long, and to keep

the whole wall from falling and crushing them,

it

was necessary to knock away the stones over the centre, and make an arch in proportion to the base. The wall was four feet thick over the doorway, increasing in thickness with the receding of the inner arch,

and the whole was a

solid mass, the

being nearly as hard as the stone.

was enlarged

it

became dangerous

As

mortar

the breach

to stand near

the crowbar had to be thrown aside, and the

it

men

XABAH. Carved,

Beam, of

Sapote,

Wood. '

Voll. Page, 405.

A cut

down

TRYING TIME.

small trees,

stones used for larger stones

which they used

striking

battering-ram,

To

as a sort of

mortar and small

the

at

on loosening which the

filling up,

fell.

405

we con-

save the beams,

two or three feet above them, resting against the inner wall, which caught As the breach inthe stones and carried them off. creased it became really dangerous to work under structed an inclined plane

it,

and one of the men refused

The beams were

ragged mass above should

do so any longer*

to

almost within

my

fall, it

grasp, but if the

would

bury the beams and the

men

would be

Fortunately,

disagreeable.

best set of assistants that ever

Nohcacab, and

At

their pride

was

certainly

too, either of

we

came out

to us

got out uninjured. but,

Still

from

enlisted in the cause.

broken a

length, almost against hope, having

rude arch almost to the

which

had the

T

roof, the inner

beam was

the others were not safe,

with great labour, anxiety, and good fortune, the

whole three

at length lay before us,

tured faces uppermost.

day;

We did

we had hardly changed

the excitement and anxiety, trying times

The

we had

with their sculp-

no more work that

our positions, but, from it

was one of the most

in the country.

next day, knowing the

difficulty

that must attend their transportation,

beams

The

set

up

for

and

we had

risk

the

Mr. Catherwood to draw.

plate opposite represents this lintel, indica-

ted in the engraving as three pieces of wood, but originally consisting of only two, that

on which the

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

406

figure is carved being split through the middle

some unequal pressure of the

The

wall.

by

great superincumbent

top of the outer part

and decayed, probably from the

was worm-eaten

trickling of water,

which, following some channel in the ornaments,

touched only

this part

all

;

the rest

was sound and

solid.

The erated,

human figure standing upon a was scratched, worn, and oblitthe headdress was a plume of feathers, and subject

serpent.

The

is

a

face

the general character of the figure and ornaments

was

the

same with that of the

walls at Palenque.

It

figures

was the

first

found on the

subject

we had

discovered bearing such a striking resemblance in details,

and connecting so closely together the build-

ers of these distant cities.

But the great

The beam

ving.

cellent preservation ;

and the

;

This was

cutting,

under any

would be considered

and proficiency in the

The

still

at

in ex-

the lines were clear and dis-

any reference to the people by cuted,

car-

covered with hieroglyphics

Uxmal was faded and worn. tinct

was the

interest of this lintel

art

test,

whom

and without it

was exe-

as indicating great skill

of carving on wood.

consciousness that the only

way

idea of the character of this carving

to give a true

was

the pro-

duction of the beams themselves, determined

me

to

spare neither labour nor expense to have them trans-

ported to this city

whole

exploration,

;

and when we had finished our we were satisfied that these were

FATE OF THE LINTEL.

407

the most interesting specimens the country afforded. I

had the sculptured

covered with

hemp

them through the

sides

packed in dry grass and

bagging, and intended to pass

village

without stopping, but the

Indians engaged for that purpose

left

them two days

was obliged to have them brought to the convent, where The first mornthe grass was taken out and dried. ing one or two hundred Indians at work at the noIt was sevria came up in a body to look at them. them away, but, to my eral days before I could get great relief, they at length left the village on the shoulders of Indians, and I brought them with me on the ground exposed

The

safely to this city.

and

clusion,

if

to

heavy

rain,

and

reader anticipates

I

my

con-

he have but a shade of sympathy

with the writer, he mourns over the melancholy fate that overtook

them but a short time

after their ar-

rival.

The

accidental

discovery of these sculptured

beams, and in a position where

we had no

to look for such things, induced us to ful

than ever in our examination of every part of

the building.

The

lintel

doorway on the other in

place,

its

among

was

all

The

interest

still

and in good condition, but perfectly

Why

the ruins of Kabah.

doorway was

say.

over the corresponding

side of the staircase

and there was no other sculptured

plain,

lar

reason

be more care-

so distinguished

it is

lintel

this particu-

impossible to

character of this sculpture added to the

and wonder of

all

that

was connected with

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

408

the exploration of these American rains.

no account of the existence of iron well-grounded belief

is,

general and

that the inhabitants

knowledge whatever of these

is

among

or steel

The

the aborigines on this continent.

There

had no

How,

metals.

then,

could they carve wood, and that of the hardest kind

In that large canoe which

Columbus the existence of

among

first

this

made known great

other fabrics of the country from

1

to

continent,

which they

came, the Spaniards remarked hatchets of copper, as

it is

expressed, for "

in his account of the

hewing wood." first

Bernal Dias,

voyage of the Spaniards

Mexwas a Custom of the Indians of this Province invariably to carry small Hatchets of Copper, very bright, and the wooden Handles of which along the coast of Guacaulco, in the Empire of

ico, says, " It

were highly painted, as intended both for Defence and Ornament. These were supposed by us to be Gold, and were, of Course, eagerly purchased, inso-

much

we had amongst us prohundred, and were, while under the

that within three days

cured above six

Mistake, as well pleased with our Bargain as the

Indians with their green Beads." lection of interesting relics from to,

in the possession of Mr.

And

in that col-

Peru before referred

Blake of Boston

—the ex-

istence of which, by-the-way, from the unobtrusive

owner,

hardly

character of

its

bours in his

own city—in

is

tin,

and

neigh-

that collection are several

copper knives, one of which portion of

known to his

is

sufficiently

alloyed with a small

hard to cut wood.

ORNAMENT

STUCCO.

IN

In other cemeteries in the same

district,

409

Mr. Blake

found several copper instruments resembling modern which,

chisels,

these

not improbable, were designed

is

it

wood.

for carving

In

my

opinion, the carving of

beams was done with the copper instruments

known

have existed among the aboriginal inhab-

to

and

itants,

not necessary to suppose, without

it is

some remote period of time the use of iron and steel was known on this continent, and that the knowledge had become lost among the later inhabitants. and even against

From

all

evidence, that at

through the

it

examine

it.

Descending among the

lost sight of

the Indian

it

entirely, but,

cutting a

about ninety feet in

we soon

trees,

way with

his machete,

came upon a building, which, however, was not the one we were in search front, the walls

we

I discoverof.

It

was

were cracked,

along the base the ground was strewed with

sculptured stones, the carving of to

and,

pursuing the direction,

ed,

all

seen

out to an Indian, I set out with him to

pointing

and

is

trees,

the great terrace a large structure

at a distance indistinctly

any we had

seen.

crawled through a

which was equal

Before reaching the door

fissure in the wall into

I

an apart-

ment, at one end of which, in the arch, I saw an

enormous hornet's nest hasty leave,

ment

vivid,

it,

and in turning to take a

at the opposite

in stucco, having

tached to

and

saw

;

also

end a large orna-

a hornet's nest at-

painted, the colours being

and surprising

Vol. I.— F f f

me 35

as

much

still

bright

as the sculp-

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

410

A

tured beams.

great part had fallen, and

it

had

the appearance of having been wantonly destroyed.

The

The

ornament,

engraving below represents this fragment.

when

entire,

appears to have been

intended to represent two large eagles facing each other

;

on each

The

feathers.

side are seen drooping

plumes of

opposite end of the arch, where

hung the hornet's nest, had marks of stucco in the same form, and probably once contained a corresponding ornament.

Beyond

this

was the

set out to find.

some

great building front

places, particularly

mented

;

was

which we had

still

standing, in

on the corner, richly orna-

but the back part was a heap of ruins.

In

was a gigantic staircase leading to the on which there was another building with two

the centre top,

The

SCULPTURED JAMBS. ranges of apartments, the outer one

one

411

fallen,

the inner

entire.

In descending on the other side over a mass of ruins, I

found at one corner a deep hole, which ap-

parently led into a cave, but, crawling down, that

it

conducted

to the

on a new and curious

I

found

buried door of a chamber

plan.

It

had a raised platform

about four feet high, and in each of the inner corners was a rounded vacant place, about large enough for a

man

to stand in

;

part of the back wall

covered with prints of the red hand.

ed so

fresh,

tinct, that I

to get

and the seams and creases were so dismade several attempts with the machete

one print

hard that every

its

off entire, but the plaster

was so

effort failed.

was another building, so unpretending appearance compared with the first, that, but

Beyond in

was

They seem-

this

for the uncertainty in regard to

what might be found

in every part of these ruins, I should hardly

have no-

This building had but one doorway, which it. was nearly choked up but on passing into it I no-

ticed

;

ticed sculptured

oq the jambs, nearly buried, a pro-

truding corner of a plume of feathers.

This

I

im-

mediately supposed to be a headdress, and that be-

low was a sculptured human figure. This, again, was entirely new. The jambs of all the doors we had hitherto seen were plain. By closer inspection I found on the opposite jamb a corresponding stone, but entirely buried. missing, but

I

The

top stone of both

was

found them near by, and determined

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

412

immediately to excavate the parts that were buried,

and carry the whole away

;

bat

it

was

more

a

beams.

cult business than that of getting out the

mound

solid

diffi-

A

of earth descended from the outside to

the back wall of the apartment, choking the door-

way

to within a

few

To

feet of the top.

whole doorway was out of the question,

clear the

for the In-

dians had only their hands with which to scoop out

The

the accumulated mass.

down

only

way was

beside each stone, then separate

wall with the crowbar, and pry

ged in

this

work two

hole refused to

out.

;

to

to the bottom,

work any and

from the

was enga-

and on the secabandon it. They had and one man in the

To

longer.

late in the

keep them

was obliged

together and not lose another day, I

labour myself

it

I

entire days,

ond the Indians wanted dug down nearly

it

to dig

afternoon

we

to

got out

the stones, with poles for levers, lifted them over the

mound, and

The

set

them up against the back

plates opposite represent these

wall.

two jambs

they stood facing each other in the doorway. consists of

engravings. five

Each

stones, as indicated in the

In each the upper stone

is

one foot

inches high, and the lower one four feet six

inches,

The

two separate

as

and both are two

subject consists of

feet three inches wide.

two

figures,

and the other kneeling before him. natural

and grotesque

faces,

some symbolical meaning. plume of

one standing,

Both have un-

probably containing

The

headdress

is

a lofty

feathers, falling to the heels of the stand-

ANOTHER WITNESS FOR THESE ing figure

and under

;

his feet

a

is

RUINS. 413

row of

hiero-

glyphics.

While I little

toiling to bring to light these buried stones,

thought that

I

was

up another wit-

raising

ness to speak for the builders of these ruined

The on

reader will notice in the

cities.

engraving a weap-

hands of the kneeling

in the

same

first

In that

figure.

large canoe before referred to, Herrera says,

the Indians had "

Gutter in the fore

Swords made of Wood, having a Part, in which were sharp-edged

Flints, strongly fixed

with a sort of Bitumen and

The same weapon

Thread."

is

described in every

account of the aboriginal weapons;

it

seen in

is

museum of Indian curiosities, and it is in use this day among the Indians of the South Sea Isl-

every at

The sword

ands.

in the engraving

by Herrera. enough

ing to do

I

precisely of the kind described for

so,

testimony to

There was

inter-

without attempt-

in exploring these ruins

and this witness rose unbidden.

lifting these

In ting

is

was not searching

any opinion or theory.

establish est

borne by the figure represented

stones out of the holes and set-

them up against the

walls, I

to assist myself, and almost the

had been obliged

moment

it

was

fin-

ished I found that the fatigue and excitement had

been too much

me down upon

crept over lie

and

rain

when

I

for

me.

My

bones ached

;

a chill

I looked around for a soft stone to

;

;

but the place

was

cold and damp,

was threatening. I saddled my horse, and mounted I could barely keep my seat. I

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

414

had no spurs tion,

my horse

;

seemed

know my

to

and went on a slow walk, nibbling

The

bush.

fever

dismount and

and

and

on,

down under me away. At

lie

rapatas drove village,

came

this

was my

I

was

a bush

;

obliged to

but the gar-

length I reached the

last visit to

Kabah

have already finished a description of Doubtless more

next

visiter,

we

left off, if

interest in this subject, will

much

investigations

wo came upon unknown.

We

farther.

at

push his

were groping

in

who first inno white man had wan-

Except the cura

Carillo,

dered through their silent chambers.

throw open the portals of

they are

he be

them, these buildings had remained

formed us of them, perhaps

to

ruins.

Since the hour of their desolation and

the dark.

first

its

but I

;

buried in the woods, and the

beginning where

imbued with

all

lie

condi-

at every

now

We

were the and

their grave,

for the first time presented to the

pub-

lic.

But

I

can do

little

of their existence. their history is

much

the ruins of Uxmal.

they

lie

cacab.

more than

The

state the

naked

fact

cloud which hangs over

darker than that resting over I

can only say of them that

on the common lands of the village of NohPerhaps they have been known to the In-

dians from time immemorial

;

but, as the padrecito

told us, until the opening of the

camino

real to

Bo-

lonchen they were utterly unknown to the white inhabitants. city,

This road passed through the ancient

and discovered the great buildings, overgrown,

RECENT DISCOVERY OF KABAH. and

in

415

some places towering above the tops of the

The

trees.

discovery, however,

slightest sensation

;

reached the capital

created not the

the intelligence of ;

had never

it

and though, ever since the

covery, the great edifices

were visible

ed along the road, not a white

man

to all

dis-

who pass-

in the village

had

ever turned aside to look at them, except the padre-

who, on the

cito,

day of our

first

without dismounting, in order to

The

us.

ruins, that

rode

visit,

make

Indians say of them, as of

in,

all

the other

they are the works of the antiguos

the traditionary character of the city

but

a report to

is

;

but

that of a

great place, superior to the other Xlap-pahk scatter-

ed over the country, coequal and coexistent with

Uxmal and there is a tradition of a great paved way, made of pure white stone, called in the Maya language Sacbe, leading from Kabah to Uxmal, on ;

which the lords of those places sent messengers to and fro, bearing letters written on the leaves and bark of

At

trees.

the time of

tor Cabot,

my

attack,

and Albino were

Mr. Catherwood, Docall

down with

fever.

had a recurrence the next day, but on the

was

able to

gloomy

move

for sick

about.

men.

I

third I

The spectacle around was From the long continuance

of the rainy season our rooms in the convent were

damp, and corn which

we

kept in one corner for

the horses had swelled and sprouted.

Death was try

was

all

around

so healthy that

us.

Anciently

Torquemada

this

says, "

coun-

Men die

416

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL,

of pure old age, for there are none of those infirmities that exist in

infirmities, the

no need of

much if

other lands

;

and

if

there are slight

heat destroys them, and so there

a physician there

better for physicians

;"

is

but the times are

now, and Doctor Cabot, it, might have en-

he had been able to attend to

tered into an

extensive

gratuitous practice.

Ad-

joining the

front of the church, and connecting with the convent, was a great charnel-house, along

the wall of

which was a row of

skulls,.

At the top

of a pillar forming the abutment of the wall of the

!

GREAT CHARNEL HOUSE.

A staircase

;

!

was a large vase

piled

full,

417

and the cross was

Within the enclosure was

surmounted with them.

a promiscuous assemblage of skulls and bones sev-

Along the

eral feet deep.

were the bones and and

baskets, or tied

wall,

hanging by cords,

skulls of individuals in

up

in cloths,

boxes

with names writ-

ten upon them, and, as at Ticul, there were the frag-

ments of

dresses, while

some of the

skulls

had

still

adhering to them the long black hair of women.

The

floor of the

church was interspersed with

long patches of cement, which covered graves, and

was a box with a glass case, within which were the bones of a woman, the wife near one of the

altars

of a lively old gentleman

whom we

They were

habit of seeing every day. bright as

polished, with the skull

if

and arms

in front, the legs

were

laid

in the

clean and

and cross-bones

on the bottom, and

the ribs disposed regularly in order, one above the other,

as in

having been so arranged by the

life,

husband himself

a strange attention, as

;

to a deceased wife.

At the

it

seemed,

side of the case

was a

black board, containing a poetical inscription (in

Spanish) written by him. " Stop, mortal

Look

And

at

yourself in this mirror,

in its pale reflection

Behold your end This eclipsed crystal

Had

splendour and brilliancy

But the dreadful blow

Vol.

Of a

fatal destiny

Fell

upon Manuela

L— G

g g

Carillo.

;

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

418 Born

in

Nohcacab in the year 1789, married at the same village to Machado in 1808, and died on the first of August, 1833,

Victoriano after a

union of 25 years, and in the forty-fourth of her age. He implores your pious prayers."

The widowed husband wrote

several

stanzas

more, but could not get them on the black board

and made copies

which

in

is

my

for private distribution,

one of

hands.

were the bones of a brother of our friend the cura of Ticul and those of a child, and in the choir of the church, in the embrazure of a large window, were rows of skulls, all labelled on

Near

this

the forehead, and containing startling inscriptions. I

took up one, and staring

me

words, " Soy Pedro Moreno

:

in the face

un Ave Maria y un

Padre nuestro por Dios, hermano."

Moreno

:

were the

" I

am

Peter

an Ave Maria and Paternoster for God's

sake, brother."

Another

said, " I

am Apolono

Bal-

ROWS OF HUMAN SKULLS.

419

che: a Paternoster and an Ave Maria for God's

This was an old schoolmaster of

sake, brother."

who had

the padrecito,

" I

died but two years before.

The padrecito handed me another, which said, am Bartola Arana a Paternoster," &c. This :

was the known, young and

whom

of a Spanish lady

skull

beautiful, but

it

he had

could not be dis-

tinguished from that of the oldest and ugliest Indian " I

woman.

am

young Indian

Anizetta Bib," was that of a pretty

girl

whom

he had married, and who

died but a year afterward.

by one

;

the padrecito

young, another old ugly, alike. all

;

one

and another beautiful

Every

I

took them

knew them rich,

all ;

up one

one was

another poor

;

one

but here they were

;

skull bore the

all

name

of

its

all

owner, and

begged a prayer.

One said, "I am Richard Joseph de la Merced Truxeque and Arana, who died the twenty-ninth of April of the year 1838, and I

kingdom of God child,

am

enjoying the

This was the

forever."

which, dying without

sin,

skull of a

had ascended

to

heaven, and needed not the prayers of man.

In one corner was a mourning box, painted black,

with a white border, containing the skull of an uncle of the padrecito. ish, "

In this box

On

was written

it

in

Span-

is

enclosed the skull of Friar Vi-

cente Ortigon,

who

died in the village of Cuhul in

the year 1820.

I

beseech thee, pious and charita-

ble reader, to intercede with

peating an

Ave Maria and

God

for his soul, re-

a Paternoster, that he

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

420

may

be released from purgatory,

there,

and may go

Whoever

26th of July,

charity.

the

may

name

he should be

kingdom of heaven.

to enjoy the

the reader

if

God will reward his 1837." The writing bore be,

of Juana Hernandez, the mother of the

deceased, an old lady then living in the house of the mother of the padrecito.

Accustomed

as

we were

to hold sacred the

bones

of the dead, the slightest memorial of a departed friend accidentally presented to

view bringing with

it

a shade of sadness, such an exhibition grated harshly

upon the skulls

feelings.

I

asked the padrecito

were not permitted

answered, what

is

to rest in peace,

perhaps but too

grave they are forgotten

why

;

but

these

and he

true, that in the

when dug up and

placed in sight with labels on them, they remind the living of their former existence, of their uncertain state

—

that their souls

may

be in purgatory

— and

appeal to their friends, as with voices from the grave, to

pray for them, and have masses said

souls.

It is for this reason,

ing of wantonness or

for their

and not from any

feel-

disrespect, that the skulls of

the dead are thus exposed

all

over the country.

On

November, at the celebration of the commemoration de los Jieles difuntos, all these skulls are. brought together and put into the tumulo, a sort of bier hung with black and lighted by blessed candles, and grand mass is said for their the second of fete

in

souls.

In the afternoon the padrecito passed our door in

;

A

FUNERAL PROCESSION.

421

he usually

his robes, and, looking in, as

did, said,

"Voyabuscarunmuerto," "I am going for a corpse." The platform of the church was the campo santo every day the grave-digger was at his work, and

soon

we

after the padrecito left us

heralding the funeral procession.

saw it

coming up the

it

ter,

The

and

corpse

we had

it

at

me

its

neck

with holy wa-

The

went away.

Indians

with an expression

They had

of face I could not understand. padrecito that

in with

fall

it

were so

sacristans

padrecito sprinkled

around the grave looked

In a

out,

The

service.

The

to the grave.

and, the chant over,

lage.

went

into the church, and, the service over,

intoxicated that they let twisted.

I

steps, the padrecito leading

and chanting the funeral

was brought it was borne

heard the chant

told the

brought death into the

spirit of conciliation I

vil-

wom-

smiled at a

an near me, and she answered with a laugh.

my

carried as

my

smile slowly around the

eyes met theirs,

all

whole

I

circle

burst into a laugh,

and

while the body lay uncovered and distorted in the grave

I

With

went away.

these people death

merely one of the accidents of sar,"

"I

dos," "

am

My

going to

rest,"

lies

down

in that country death

upon the to del

"Mis

"Voyadescan-

trabajos son acaba-

labours are ended," are the words of the

Indian as he

In the

life.

is

mean time

is

to die

still

but to the stranger

the king of terrors.

pleasure

The

heels of death.

Amor was

;

was treading fiesta of

going on, and

36

it

lightly

Santo

was

Cris->

to con-

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

422

elude the next day with a baile de dia, or ball by

where

daylight, at the place

We

of the patron.

it

were busy

began, in the house in

making prepara-

tions for our departure from Nohcacab, and, though

was the only one of our party

strongly solicited, I able to attend. in

its

Early in the morning the saint was

place at one end of the room, the altar

adorned with fresh flowers, and the arbour

for

was dan-

was covered with palm leaves to protect it from the sun. Under a shed in the yard was a crowd of Indian women making tortillas, and precing

paring dishes of various kinds for a general village

At twelve o'clock the ball began, a little before two the padrecito disappeared from my side, and soon after the ball broke up, and all moved toward the house. When I entered, the padrecito was in his robes before the image of the saint, singThe Indian sexton was perfuming it ing a salve. with incense, and the dancers were all on their

feast.

knees before hand.

This

it,

each with a lighted candle in her

over,

came the procession de las

The

or of the candles.

cross led the

way

velas, ;

then

the figure of the saint, a drunken Indian sexton

The padrecito, in taking his place behind it, took my arm and carried me along the patron of the saint supported me on the other side. We were the only men in the proAn irregular troop of women followed, all cession.

perfuming

it

with incense.

;

in their ball dresses, dles.

Moving on

and bearing long lighted can-

to the church,

we

restored the

STRANGE PROCESSION.

A

•

and

saint to his altar,

wooden

tripods, to

At

morning.

this

set

We

up the candles in rough

be ready for grand mass the next

was

time a discharge of rockets

saw another strange had all the women this was com-

heard without, and going procession.

423

out, I

;

posed entirely of men, and might have passed of temperance.

jubilee over the downfall

were more than half intoxicated

for a

Nearly

and I noticed some who had kept sober during the whole of The procession the fiesta were overtaken at last. was preceded by files of them in couples, each carrying two plates, for the purpose of receiving some all

;

that

of the dishes provided by the bounty of the patron.

Next came, borne on barrows on the shoulders of two long, ugly boxes, the emblems of the custody and property of the saint, one of them being

Indians,

filled

wax

with

fireworks,

received as offerings, ropes for the

and other property belonging

which were about being person

now entitled

had contained these its

to the saint,

carried to the house of the

to their custody

things,

and was

;

and the other

to

remain with

present keeper as a sort of holy heirloom.

Be-

hind these, also on the shoulders of Indians, were

two men,

sitting

side

by

side in large arm-chairs,

with scarfs around their necks, and holding on desperately to the arms of the chairs, with an expres-

sion of face that seemed to indicate a consciousness that their elevation above their fellow-citizens precarious,

and of uncertain duration,

was

for their In-

dian carriers were reeling and staggering under their

;

INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.

424

load and agua ardiente.

de

1

These were the hermanos

la misa, or brothers of the mass, the last

bent of the

keeper of the box and his

office of the

whom

successor, to

was

it

down under

be delivered over.

to

Moving on with uproarious they were set

incum-

and confusion,

noise

the corridor of the quartel.

women

In the mean time our procession of

from

the church had arrived, the musicians took their

and preparations were

places under the corridor,

Cocom, who had acted as our guide to Nohpat, and had repaired the locks and keys of our boxes, was master of cerimmediately made for another dance.

emonies girls

;

first

dance over, two Mestiza

a song.

The whole village seemed

and the

commenced

given up to the pleasure of the

pretty air

women

moment

and

features to offend the sight

prettily dressed

taste,

in

;

;

there

were

but there were

all

there

was an

of abandonment and freedom from care that en-

listed

sympathetic feelings

and myself returned

and

;

the

to

as

the padrecito

convent,

the chorus

reached us on the steps, soft and sweet from the blending of women's voices, and seeming to spring

from the bottom of every heart, "

Que

bonito es el

mundo

Lastima es que yo "

How It is

beautiful

is

a pity that

I

me

muera."

the world

must

die."

;

APPENDIX. VOL.

I.

THERM OMETRICAL OBSERVATIONS. Temperature of Merida, according

to

observations taken by the cura

Don

Eusebio Viilamil, for one year, beginning on the

1841,

and ending on the 31st of August, 1842.

The

1st

of September,

observations were

taken with a Fahrenheit thermometer at six in the morning, midday, and

The thermometer

six in the evening.

stood in the shade, in an apartment

well ventilated.

seftember, 1842. Cays.

Mom.

Noon.

Even

h

80° cU

84° OA 84

3,

80 80 80

84 84 84 85 84 86 85 85

84° QO oo 83 82 83 84 82 85 84 85 84 84 85 85 85 85 84 84 84 85 86 84 86

o »> 4, 5, 6, 7,

8, 9,

10, 11,

12, 13,

H 15, 16, 17, 18,

19,

20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30,

81 81 81 81

82 83 82

82 82 82 83 83 83 83 84

84 84 84 84 80 80 81

82 82 83

85 85 85 86 86 86 85 85 85 86 86 86 86 85

84 85 85 85 86 86

83

83 83 83 84 86 85

Morn.

Noon.

7,

81°

8,

81

9,

80 80 80 82 80 80

84° 84 84 84 85 85 84 84 84 84 83 83 84 83

Days

10, 11, 12, 13, 14,

16,

81 81

17,

80

18,

81 81

15,

19,

22

82 80 78

23, 24,

76 76

25, 26, 27,

7