CHICKEN ITZA. 



The weather was delightful up to the middle of May. The woods were alive with 

 singing birds, and the beautiful Mot-Mots frequently flew in and out of our rooms ; 

 later on the heat became intense through the day and the showers not unfrequent. 

 The cloud effects were most beautiful, and we never tired of watching the storm-clouds, 

 three or four at a time in different directions, travelling across the country. 



The nights were fairly cool, and the clear horizon viewed from our terrace and the 

 sound of the breeze amongst the tree-tops gave one the feeling of being at sea. 

 Happily we were almost entirely free from mosquitos and ticks, and only suffered slightly 

 from coloradillas, the harvest-bugs of the country. 



In spite of the hard work, the worry about labourers, and the attack of fever, I cannot 

 help looking back on my stay at Chichen with considerable pleasure and satisfaction. 



Principal Notices and Descriptions op the Ruins. 



' Relacion de las Cosas de Yucatan, sacada de lo que escrivio el padre Fray Diego de 

 Landa de la orden de St. Francisco.' 



A Manuscript preserved in the Royal Academy of History at Madrid, dated 1566 ; 

 first published by the Abbe Brasseur de Bourbourg in 1860, and again in 1864 (Paris : 

 Arthur Bertrand, editeur). A more exact copy is given as an appendix to the ' Ensayo 

 sobre la interpretacion de la Escritura Hieratica de la America Central ' (a translation 

 from French into Spanish of M. Leon de Rosny's Essay) by Sr. Don Juan de dios de 

 la Rada y Delgado. (Madrid, 1884.) 



' Relacion de la Villa de Valladolid de Yucatan, escrita por el Cabildo de Aquella 

 Ciudad.' 



An answer, dated 8 April, 1579, to a despatch from the Spanish Government. Found 

 by Dr. Sebastian Marimon, in the Archives of the Indies at Seville, and published 

 by him in 1884. (Madrid, Imprenta de Fortanet.) 



' Historia de la Provincia de Yucathan,' por el M. R. P. Fr. Diego Lopes Cogolludo. 

 (Madrid, 1688.) Second edition, Merida, 1842. Third edition, 1867. 



' Incidents of Travel in Yucatan,' by John L. Stephens. (John Murray, London,1843.) 



' Ruines Americaines ' (pp. 339-46, photos 26-34). Desire Charnay and Viollet le 

 Due. (Paris, 1863.) 



' Les Anciennes Villes du Nouveau Monde,' par Desire Charnay. (Paris, Hachette, 

 1885.) 



In the year 1528 Francisco de Montejo, who had been appointed Adelantado and 

 Governor of Yucatan, landed with 400 Spaniards on the north-east coast near Conil, 

 and attempted to bring the natives under Spanish rule. 



No contemporary record of this expedition is left to us, but both Landa and 



