312 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



the terrace it was difficult to set up the camera lucida 

 in such a position as to draw them. The piers which 

 are fallen were no doubt enriched with the same orna- 

 ments. Each one had some specific meaning, and the 

 whole probably presented some allegory or history ; and 

 when entire and painted, the effect in ascending the 

 terrace must have been imposing and beautiful. 



The principal doorway is not distinguished by its 

 size or by any superior ornament, but is only indicated 

 by a range of broad stone steps leading up to it on the 

 terrace. The doorways have no doors, nor are there 

 the remains of any. Within, on each side, are three nich- 

 es in the wall, about eight or ten inches square, with a 

 cylindrical stone about two inches in diameter fixed up- 

 right, by which perhaps a door was secured. Along 

 the cornice outside, projecting about a foot beyond the 

 front, holes were drilled at intervals through the stone ; 

 and our impression was, that an immense cotton cloth, 

 running the whole length of the building, perhaps paint- 

 ed in a style corresponding with the ornaments, was at- 

 tached ,to this cornice, and raised and lowered like a 

 curtain, according to the exigencies of sun and rain. 

 Such a curtain is used now in front of the piazzas of 

 some haciendas in Yucatan. 



The tops of the doorways were all broken. They 

 had evidently been square, and over every one were 

 large niches in the wall on each side, in which the lin- 

 tels had been laid. These lintels had all fallen, and the 

 stones above formed broken natural arches. Under- 

 neath were heaps of rubbish, but there were no remains 

 of lintels. If they had been single slabs of stone, some 

 of them must have been visible and prominent ; and we 

 made up our minds that these lintels were of wood* 

 We had no authority for this. It is not suggested ei- 



