146 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



CHAPTER IX. 



Journey continued.— Barrancas.— Tecpan Guatimala.— A noble Church.— A sa- 

 cred Stone. — The ancient City. — Description of the Ruins. — A Molina. — Anoth- 

 er Earthquake — Patzum. — A Ravine. — Fortifications. —Los Altos. — God ines. 

 —Losing a good Friend.— Magnificent Scenery.— San Antonio.— Lake of Ati- 

 tan. 



In the morning the major-domo furnished us with fine 

 horses, and we started early. Almost immediately we 

 commenced ascending the other side of the ravine 

 which we had descended the night before, and on the top 

 entered on a continuation of the same beautiful and ex- 

 tensive table-land. On one side, for some distance, were 

 high hedge fences, in which aloes were growing, and in 

 one place were four in full bloom. In an hour we arri- 

 ved at Patzum, a large Indian village. Here we turned 

 off to the right from the high road to Mexico by a sort of 

 by-path ; but the country was beautiful, and in parts 

 well cultivated. The morning was bracing, and the 

 climate like our own in October. The immense table- 

 land was elevated some five or six thousand feet, but 

 none of these heights have ever been taken. We pass- 

 ed on the right two mounds, such as are seen all over 

 our own country, and on the left an immense barranca. 

 The table was level to the very edge, where the earth 

 seemed to have broken off and sunk, and we looked 

 down into a frightful abyss two or three thousand feet 

 deep. Gigantic trees at the bottom of the immense 

 cavity looked like shrubs. At some distance beyond 

 we passed a second of these immense barrancas, and in 

 an hour and a half reached the Indian village of Tec- 



