CONTINUED SCARCITY OF WATER. 77 



The remaining ruins of Kewick we left as we 

 found them. Fallen buildings and fragments of 

 sculptured stone strew the ground in every direction; 

 but it is impossible to give the reader an idea of 

 the impression produced by wandering among them. 

 For a brief space only we broke the stillness of the 

 desolate city, and left it again to solitude and si- 

 lence. We had reason to believe that no white man 

 had ever seen it, and probably but few will ever do 

 so, for every year is hurrying it on to more utter de 

 struction. 



The same scarcity of water which we had found 

 all over this region, except at Sabachsh^, exists here 

 also. The source which supplied the ancient city 

 had engaged the attention of its Indian proprietor, 

 and while Mr. Catherwood was drawing the last 

 building, the Indians conducted us to a cave, called 

 in their language Actum, which they supposed was 

 an ancient well. The entrance was by a hole un- 

 der an overhanging rock, passing through which by 

 means of a tree, with branches or crotches to serve 

 as steps, we descended to a large platform of rock. 

 Overhead was an immense rocky roof, and at the 

 brink of the platform was a great cavern, with pre- 

 cipitous sides, thirty or forty feet deep, from which 

 the Indians supposed some passage opened that 

 would lead to water. As we flared our torches over 

 the chasm, it presented a scene of wildness and 

 grandeur which, in an hour of idleness, might have 

 tempted us to explore it ; but we had more than 

 enough to occupy our time. 



