140 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



out the whole peninsula ; and though the Spaniards 

 found the country parcelled into different govern- 

 ments, under various names and having different ca- 

 ciques, hostile to each other, at an earlier period of 

 its history the whole land of Maya was united un- 

 der one head or supreme lord. This great chief or 

 king had for the seat of his monarchy a very popu- 

 lous city called Mayapan, and had under him many 

 other lords and caciques, who were bound to pay 

 him tribute of cotton clothes, fowls, cacao, and gum 

 or resin for incense ; to serve him in wars, and day 

 and night in the temples of the idols, at festivals 

 and ceremonies. These lords, too, had under them 

 cities and many vassals. Becoming proud and am- 

 bitious, and unwilling to brook a superior, they re- 

 belled against the power of the supreme lord, united 

 all their forces, and besieged and destroyed the city 

 of Mayapan. This destruction took place in the 

 year of our Lord 1420, about one hundred years, 

 or, according to Herrera, about seventy years, before 

 the arrival of the Spaniards in Yucatan ; and, ac- 

 cording to the computation of the ages of the In- 

 dians, two hundred and seventy years from the 

 foundation of the city. The account of all the de- 

 tails is confused and indistinct ; but the existence 

 of a principal city called Mayapan, and its destruc- 

 tion by war at about the time indicated, are men- 

 tioned by every historian. This city was occupied 

 by the same race of people who inhabited the coun- 



