THE SEYBO TREE. 



285 



the character of these was mere matter of conjec- 

 ture ; but at this short distance, the Indians had 

 specific notions in regard to their objects and uses, 

 and called them chultunes, or wells. In all direc- 

 tions, too, were seen the oblong stones hollowed 

 out like troughs, which at Uxmal were called pi las, 

 or fountains, but here the Indians called them hol- 

 cas or piedras de molir, stones for grinding, which 

 they said were used by the ancients to mash corn 

 upon ; and the proprietor showed us a round stone 

 like a bread roller, which they called kabtum, hra- 

 zo de piedra, or arm of stone, used, as they said, for 

 mashing the corn. The different names they as- 

 signed in different places to the same thing, and the 

 different uses ascribed to it, show, with many other 

 facts, the utter absence of all traditionary knowl- 

 edge among the Indians ; and this is perhaps the 

 greatest difficulty we have to encounter in ascribing 

 to their ancestors the building of these cities. 



The last day we returned from the ruins earlier 

 than usual, and stopped at the campo santo. In 

 front stood a noble seybo tree. I had been anxious 

 to learn something of the growth of this tree, but 

 had never had an opportunity of doing it before. 

 The cura told me that it was then twenty-three 

 years old. There could be no doubt or mistake on 

 this point. Its age was as well known as his own, 

 or that of any other person in the village. The 

 following woodcut represents this tree. The trunk 

 at the distance of five feet from the ground measured 



