344 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



ceremonies transmitted by his fathers. A penknife 

 is at this day an object of curiosity and admiration 

 among the Indians, and, perhaps, in the whole of 

 Yucatan there is not one in the hands of a native. 

 At the time of the conquest it w^as doubtless con- 

 sidered precious, worthy of being buried with the 

 heirlooms of its owner, and of accompanying him to 

 the world of spirits. I was extremely anxious to 

 procure these memorials. The cura said, with Span- 

 ish courtesy, that they were mine ; but he evidently 

 attached great value to them, and, much as I desired 

 it, I could not, with any propriety, take them. 



