214 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



the sugar rancho of a gentleman from Oxcutzcab, 

 who had been a co-worker with Senor Trego in 

 clearing out the aguada, and confirmed* all that the 

 latter had told us. A league beyond we came to 

 the rancho of 'Y-a-walthel, inhabited entirely by In- 

 dians, and beyond our road opened upon a fine sa- 

 vanna, in which were several aguadas. Beyond this 

 we reached the rancho of Choop, and came into a 

 good road, different from the usual milpa paths, and 

 like a well-beaten camino real, made so by the con- 

 stant travelling of beasts with water kegs to the 

 aguadas. 



In the afternoon we passed the campo santo of 

 Macoba, and very soon, ascending a hill, we saw 

 through the trees the " old walls" of the ancient in- 

 habitants. It was one of the wildest places we had 

 seen ; the trees were grander, and We were some- 

 what excited on approaching it, for we had heard 

 that the old city was repeopled, and that Indians 

 were again living in the buildings. It was almost 

 evening ; the Indians had returned from their work ; 

 smoke was issuing from the ruins, and, as seen 

 through the trees, the very tops seemed alive with 

 people ; but as we approached we almost turned 

 away with sorrow. It was like the wretched Arabs 

 of the Nile swarming around the ruined temples of 

 Thebes, a mournful contrast of present misery and 

 past magnificence. The doors were stopped with 

 leaves and branches ; the sculptured ornaments on 

 the facades were blackened by smoke rolling from 



