MORE RUINED BUILDINGS. 45 



bourhood of all the ruins, forming around them a 

 pointed and thorny wall, which we were obliged to 

 cut through to reach the buildings. 



While Mr. C. was engaged in drawing this struc- 

 ture, the Indians told us of two others half a league 

 distant. I selected two of them for guides, and, 

 with the same alacrity which they had shown in 

 everything else, nine volunteered to accompany me. 

 We had a good path nearly all the way, until the 

 Indians pointed out a white object seen indistinctly 

 through the trees, again uttering, with strong guttu- 

 rals, the familiar sound of "Xlap-pahk," or old walls. 

 In a few minutes they cut a path to it. The build- 

 ing was larger than the last, having the front orna- 

 mented in the same way, much fallen, though still 

 presenting an interesting spectacle. As it was not 

 much overgrown, we set to work and cleared it, 

 and left it for another, in regard to which I formed 

 some curious expectations, for the Indians descri- 

 bed it as very new. It lay on the same path, to the 

 left in returning to the rancho, and separated from 

 us by a great field of taje, through which we were 

 obliged to cut a path for several hundred yards to 

 the foot of the terrace. The walls were entire and 

 very massive ; but climbing up it, I found only a 

 small building, consisting of but two apartments, the 

 front much fallen, and the doors filled up, but no 

 sign or token distinguishing it as newer or more 

 modern ; and I now learned, what I might have done 

 before by a little asking, that all they meant by their 



