148 THE PYRAMIDS. 



I have some suspicion that the real base lies below the 

 level of the present soil, concealed by the wrecks cast 

 down upon it, and by the gradual elevation of the plateau 

 on which it stands. Almost the entire coating of lime, 

 which, doubtless, cased the slopes as well as the terraces, 

 has crumbled and disappeared, and in ascending, you 

 climb over a rough and uneven surface, composed of po- 

 rous scoria and amygdaloid, mixed with clay — jagged 

 with spiny tufts and nopal trees, and strewed with frag- 

 ments of pottery and obsidian. 



The terraces, in many parts, still retain their exterior 

 covering of salmon-coloured stucco. 



Unlike the sharply pointed pyramids of Egypt,* these 

 erections, in common with most of the teocallis of Mex- 

 ico, were constructed in distinct stories, and terminated 

 by a platform, upon which, probably, a small structure 

 was erected. 



On the summit of the House of the Moon, the ruins of 

 such a building are to be seen ; but all vestige, if such 

 there were, has long ago disappeared from the platform 

 of the larger pyramid. 



In awaiting the arrival of my companions I had abun- 

 dant time to take a minute survey of the remarkable 

 scene around me. 



The House of the Moon appeared, as I have already 

 stated, about half a mile to the north, with two tumuli 

 disposed at the two southern angles, and two intermedi- 

 ate ones on the southern base. A raised platform, or 

 apron, forming a parallelogram of considerable size, ex- 

 tended in advance ; with three small pyramids symmet- 

 rically ranged on one side, and seven or eight on the 

 other. From the step at the termination of this apron, a 

 broad, well-marked road, or vista, proceeded directly to 

 the south, passing before the House of the Sun, which, like 

 the lesser erection, squares exactly with the cardinal 

 points, but stands rather more to the eastward. 



* According to Pocock, one Egyptian pyramid, that of Sakhara, was 

 precisely of this plan and construction. 



