RUINS OF ZIBILNOCAC. 



181 



it was for the pleasure of our society. The build- 

 ing before us was more ruined than it seemed from 

 a distance, but in some respects it differed from all 

 the others we had seen. It reqiiired much clearing ; 

 and when this was signified to our attendants, we 

 found that among them all there was not a single 

 machete. Generally, on these occasions, there were 

 some who were ready to work, and even on the 

 look-out for a job ; but among these thriving people 

 there was not one who cared to labour in any ca- 

 pacity but that of a looker-on. A few, however, 

 were picked out as by general consent the proper 

 persons to work, upon whom all the rest fell and 

 drove them to the village for their machetes. At 

 the same time, many of those who remained took 

 advantage of the opportunity to order their break- 

 fast sent out, and all sat down to wait. Mr. Gath- 

 er wood, ah-eady unwell, worried by their chattering, 

 lay down in his poncha on the ground, and finally 

 became so ill that he returned to the house. In the 

 mean time I went to the foot of the building, where, 

 after loitering more than an hour, I heard a move- 

 ment overhead, and saw a little boy of about thir- 

 teen cutting among the branches of a tree. Half a 

 dozen men placed themselves within his hearing, 

 and gave him directions to such an extent that I 

 was obliged to tell them I was competent to direct 

 one such lad myself In a little while another 

 lad of about fifteen joined him, and for some time 

 these boys were the only persons at work, while 

 II 16 



