296 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



in the back wall, extending from the floor to the 

 ceiling, all of which, from the remains still visible, 

 w^ere once ornamented with paintings. At each 

 end of the building was another chamber, with 

 three niches or recesses, and on the other side, fa- 

 cing the south, the three centre doorways, corre- 

 sponding with the false doors on the north side, 

 opened into an apartment forty-seven feet long and 

 nine deep, having nine long niches in the back wall ; 

 all the walls from the floor to the peak of the arch 

 had been covered with painted designs, now wan- 

 tonly defaced, but the remains of which present col- 

 ours in some places still bright and vivid ; and 

 among these remains detached portions of human 

 figures continually recur, well drawn, the heads 

 adorned with plumes of feathers, and the hands 

 bearing shields and spears. All attempt at descrip- 

 tion would fail, and much more would an attempt 

 to describe the strange interest of walking along the 

 overgrown platform of this gigantic and desolate 

 building. 



Descending again to the ground, at the end of the 

 wing stands what is called the Eglesia, or Church, a 

 corner of which was comprehended in a previous 

 view, and the front of which is represented in the 

 plate opposite. It is twenty-six feet long, fourteen 

 deep, and thirty-one high, its comparatively great 

 height adding very much to the effect of its appear- 

 ance. It has three cornices, and the spaces be- 

 tween are richly ornamented. The sculpture is 



