156 



beams of savine wood, that formed the ceiling. 

 Three of theso* beams are still in good preserva- 

 tion. The roof consisted of very large slabs. 

 The columns, which indicate the infancy of the 

 art, are the only high ones hitherto found in Ame- 

 rica, are without capitals. Their shaft is of a 

 single piece. Some persons, well versed in mi- 

 neralogy, have tolcl me, that the stone is a fine 

 amphibolic porphyry ; others have asserted, that 

 it is a porphyritic granite. The total height of 

 the columns is 5*8 m. ; but they are buried in 

 the ground to one third of their height. I have 

 sketched one of these columns separately, on a 

 larger scale. 



10. The inner court. 



11, 12, and 13. Three small apartments sur- 

 rounding the court, and not communicating with 

 a fourth, which is behind the niche. The diffe- 

 rent parts of this edifice present very striking in- 

 equalities, or want of symmetry. In the inte- 

 rior of the apartments there are paintings, re- 

 presenting weapons, trophies, and sacrifices. 

 There is no appearance of their ever having had 

 windows. 



Don Luis Martin and Colonel de la Laguna 

 have sketched with great exactness the drawings 

 a la Grecque, the labyrinths, and meanders, with 

 which the exterior of the walls of the palace of 

 Mitla is covered. These drawings, which de- 



