RUINED STATE OF BUILDINGS. 41 



ing structure of this mound was a long and narrow build- 

 ing, measuring fully seventy feet in length by twelve in 

 depth. The front was much ruined, but enough was intact 

 to show that it must have been elaborately ornamented. 

 The interior was divided into three apartments of nearly 

 equal size. What was very curious was the fact that none 

 of these apartments had any communication with each 

 other. Two doors opened to the east and one to the west. 

 On the eastern front there was a grand stair-case over a 

 hundred feet high, half again as wide, and containing some 

 eighty or ninety steps, now very much in ruins. This 

 mound, and the building on its summit, was used by the 

 ancient Mayas as aTeocalli,or temple, and upon it they 

 offered up their human sacrifices. The view from this 

 height was grand, taking in the whole field of ruins. 



Looking from the House of the Dwarf, the first build- 

 ing to catch the eye was the Casa del Gobcrnadoi'^ or House 

 of the Governor, built upon several terraces. This was 

 the largest building among the ruins, and measured three 

 hundred and twenty feet in length. A portion of the right- 

 hand side of the face of the building had fallen, and now 

 lay in a mass of ruins. The left-hand side was more per- 

 fect, and we could see that the building must have been 

 elaborately ornamented, and must, indeed, have been a 

 grand sight when entire. The building was constructed 

 entirely of stone; up to the cornice, which ran entirely 

 around, the fagade presented a solid mass of ornamenta- 

 tion. One ornament which was very conspicuous, and 

 which attracted our eye at once, was over the center door- 

 way, and while very much in ruins, yet enough of it was 

 left for us to make out its general character. It represented 

 a figure seated upon a throne, which must have been sup- 

 ported by an ornament of some kind, but which had now 

 fallen. The head-dress "was lofty, and from it proceeded 



