A CAUSEWAY. 



261 



figures, among which that of a monkey was conspicu- 

 ous, and against the back wall, among curious and in- 

 teresting ornaments, were two figures of men in profile, 

 with their laces toward each other, well drawn and as 

 large as life, but the feet concealed by the rubbish on 

 the floor. Mr. Catherwood crawled in to make a draw- 

 ing of them, but, on account of the smoke from the can- 

 dles, the closeness, and excessive heat, it was impossi- 

 ble to remain long enough. In general appearance and 

 character they were the same as we afterward saw carv- 

 ed on stone at Palenque. 



By means of a tree growing close against the wall of 

 this building I climbed to the top, and saw another ed- 

 ifice very near and on the top of a still higher structure. 

 We climbed up to this, and found it of the same general 

 plan, but more dilapidated. Descending, we passed be- 

 tween two other buildings on pyramidal elevations, and 

 came out upon an open table which had probably once 

 been the site of the city. It was protected on all sides 

 by the same high terraces, overlooking for a great dis- 

 tance the whole country round, and rendering it im- 

 possible for an enemy to approach from any quarter 

 without being discovered. Across the table was a high 

 and narrow causeway, which seemed partly natural and 

 partly artificial, and at some distance on which was a 

 mound, with the foundations of a building that had prob- 

 ably been a tower. Beyond this the causeway extend- 

 ed till it joined a range of mountains. From the few 

 Spanish books within my reach I have not been able 

 to learn anything whatever of the history of this place, 

 whether it existed at the time of the conquest or not. 

 I am inclined to think ^ however, that it did, and that 

 mention is made of it in some Spanish authors. At all 

 events, there was no place we had seen which gave us 



