EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 43 



to those who could aid him in the prosecution of liis studies. While not thus 

 engaged at the capital his time was profitably employed in studying the col- 

 lections in the Museo Nacional and one or two private collections, and in 

 making several excursions to places of archeological intei-est in the neighbor- 

 hood of the city, including several of the ruins near Lake Tezcoco, as well as 

 those at Iztai>alapa and at San Juan Teotihuacan. While awaiting letters of 

 introtluction from the President to the governors of Veracruz and Tamaulipas, 

 Doctor Fewkes visited Cuernavaca, where he made photographs of the so-called 

 " Victory stone," or chimalli, the pictograph of the eagle, and the famous stone 

 lizard, and made a trip also to the ruins of Xochicalco and Tepotzlan. From 

 the ruin known as Casa del Tepozteco he obtained copies of inscriptions on 

 the raised seat in the inner room. 



After receiving the necessary letters through the coiu'tesy of President Diaz, 

 Doctor Fewkes proceeded to Xalapa, in the State of Vera Cruz, which he made 

 the base of operations during February, March, and a part of April. While in 

 that city considerable time was devoted to an examination of the magnificent 

 collection of Governor Dehesa, as well as the collection of Senora Estafania and 

 others. The vicinity of Xalapa was found to be particularly rich in ruins and 

 mounds, among which are those at Coatepec, Bandarllla, and Xalapa Viejo. 

 An excursion was made also to Texolo. where thei'e are thirteen or more large 

 mounds, some of which are evidently the remains of temples of an old Totonac 

 city. Xico "S'iejo, an imdescribed ruin of a Nahuatl garrison town mentioned 

 by Bernal Diaz and Gomara, was also visited in the mountains near the trail 

 taken by Cortis from the coast to the City of Mexico in l.">19. Instructive 

 pliotographs of this ruin were taken, and notes made on the idols and pottery 

 found in the neighborhood. 



Doctor Fewkes made two visits to the ruins of Cempoala, about 20 miles 

 from the city of Vera Cruz. On the first visit he was accompanied by an 

 ofiicial representative of Governor Dehesa, by the alcalde of San Cijrlos, a 

 neigliboring town, and by the inspector and owner of the ruins. On the second 

 trip, when he spent a week at the ruins. Governor Dehesa kindly permitted him 

 to employ the services of the State photographer, Seiior Ximines. 



At the close of March Doctor Fewkes visited the old city of Villa Rica de la 

 Vera Cruz, now called Antigua, founded by Cortes. In the neighborhood of this 

 city but on the opposite side of the river he found many mounds indicating the 

 site of a large prehistoric cit.v. Other ruins were observed at Santa Fe. 



Doctor Fewkes examined some of the antiquities about Cordova and Orizaba ; 

 he also visited the pyramid of Cholula near Puebla, and about the middle of 

 April proceeded to the State of Tamaulipas, spending about three weeks at 

 Tampico in a study of the numerous ruins along the Panuco and Tamise 

 rivers and on the adjacent lagoons, and in visiting the extensive shell heaps 

 and temple mounds a mile east of Tampico and others not far from thie 

 site of the old town, Tampico Viejo. Doctor Fewkes found numerous antiquities 

 at Altamira and mounds on the banks of the Champayan lagoon. Many other 

 evidences of former occupancy, as idols, pottery, stone weapons, and ornaments, 

 were seen In this region. The old city of Chila, destroyed by Cortes, situated 

 about 10 miles west of Tampico, was found to be hidden in a forest. Evidences 

 of temples and burial mounds also occur abundantly in this locality. About 50 

 I'hotographs of bowls, jars, and idols found in the neighborhood of Panuco, 

 Tampico, and the lagoons along the l^anks of the Tamise River, were made. Of 

 more than usual interest are those of large stone idols at Altamira and in the 

 courtyard of a house in Tampico. 



On his return to Washington Doctor Fewkes continued the study from his 

 notes and photographs, and prepared a general account of his visit to Cempoala 



