€HURCH AND CONVENT. 



273 



map and act of partition are good evidence in all 

 legal proceedings affecting the title to lands in that 

 neighbourhood, and I afterward saw them enrolled 

 as proofs and forming part of the record in a con- 

 tested and protracted lawsuit. 



I make no apology for dwelUng so long upon this 

 ancient map. Perhaps, however, it will not interest 

 the reader so much as it did ourselves and the half- 

 breeds of Mani. These ascribed our curiosity to a 

 much less innocent motive than that of investiga- 

 ting the history of ancient cities. In consequence 

 of some recent difficulties, los Ingleses were some- 

 what objects of suspicion ; the idlers of Mani made 

 close inquiries of Albino touching our reasons for 

 wanting the map, and, not being able to compre- 

 hend his explanations, which were, perhaps, not very 

 clear, they said that we intended to seek out and seize 

 the strong points for fortifications ; and, with a spirit 

 unlike that of their warlike sires, Spanish or Indian, 

 quietly made up their minds that we intended to re- 

 duce the country and make slaves of them. 



Toward evening we strolled over to the church 

 and convent, which ar|||mong the grandest of these 

 early structures erected in Yucatan, proud monu- 

 ments of the zeal and labour of the Franciscan fri- 

 ars. They were built under the direction of Friar 

 Juan of Merida, distinguished as a warrior and con- 

 queror, but who threw aside the sword and put on 

 the habit of a monk. According to Cogolludo, they 

 were both finished in the short space of seven 



Vol. IL— Mm 



