A SUBTERRANEAN BALL-ROOM. 149 



above, was the Wildest that can be conceived. As 

 yet the reader is only at the mouth of this well ; but, 

 to explain to him briefly its extraordinary charac- 

 ter, I give its name, w^hich is Xtacumbi Xunan. 

 The Indians understand by this La Senora escondi- 

 da, or the lady hidden away ; and it is derived from 

 a fanciful Indian story that a lady stolen from her 

 mother was concealed by her lover in this cave. 



Every year, when the wells in the plaza are about 

 to fail, the ladders are put into a thorough state of 

 repair. A day is appointed by the municipality for 

 closing the wells in the plaza, and repairing to the cu- 

 eva ; and on that day a great village fete is held in the 

 cavern at the foot of this ladder. On the side lead- 

 ing to the wells is a rugged chamber, with a lofty 

 overhanging roof and a level platform ; the walls of 

 this rocky chamber are dressed with branches and 

 hung with lights, and the whole village comes out 

 with refreshments and music. The cura is with 

 them, a leader of the mirth ; and the day is passed 

 in dancing in the cavern, and rejoicing that when 

 one source of supply fails another is opened to their 

 need. 



The engraving which follows will give some 

 imperfect idea of a section of this cave from the 

 entrance to the foot of the great ladder, with the or- 

 ifice through which the light descends from above, 

 and the wild path that leads deeper into the bowels 

 of the rock and down to the water. 



On one side of the cavern is an opening in the 



