U A NATURALIST IN MEXICO, 



was a great platform of solid stone, seventy-five feet square; 

 fifteen feet from the top was a narrow terrace running 

 around on the four sides. The corners once bore sculptured 

 ornaments, but the remains were now all that was visible. 

 In one side of the mound, at the narrow terrace before 

 spoken of, was a small chamber about four feet square, but 

 aside from this not a hole was to be seen. From the sum- 

 mit a grand view could be had, showing a well wooded 

 plain in the distance, and the ruined city lying at its base. 



In a line directly north of this mound was another large 

 building — the Cas.i dc las Monjas, or House of the Nuns. 

 This building was quadrangular, with a courtyard in the 

 center. It stood on the higher of three terraces; it was two 

 hundred and seventy- nine feet long, and above the cornice, 

 from one end to the other, was ornamented with sculpture. 

 In the center was a gateway ten feet wide, leading to the 

 courtyard. On each side of this gateway were four door- 

 ways, opening to apartments twenty-four feet wide and 

 seventeen feet high; these rooms had no communication with 

 each o.her. The building that formed the right or eastern 

 side of the quadrangle was one hundred and fifty-eight feet 

 long; that on the left was one hundred and seventy-three 

 feet long, and the range of buildings opposite, or at the end 

 of the quadrangle, measured two hundred and sixty-four 

 feet. These three ranges of buildings had no doorways on 

 the outside, but the interior of each was a blank wall, and 

 above the cornice all were ornamented with rich sculpture. 

 The courtyard upon which these four buildings faced was 

 two hundred and fourteen feet wide, and two hundred and 

 fifty-eight feet deep. The first building spoken of contained 

 sixteen rooms, in two rows of eight, the outside not opening 

 upon the courtyard. The face of this building was covered 

 with the most elaborately sculptured ornaments, most con 

 spicuous among which were two colossal serpents entwined. 



