302 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



Among my many causes of regret for the small 

 scale on which I am obliged to present these draw- 

 ings, none is stronger than the consequent inability 

 to present, with all their detail of ornament, the 

 four great facades fronting this courtyard. There 

 is but one alleviating circumstance ; which is, that 

 the side most richly ornamented is so ruined that, 

 under any circumstances, it could not be presented 

 entire. 



This facade is on the left of the visiter entering 

 the courtyard. It is one hundred and seventy-three 

 feet long, and is distinguished by two colossal ser- 

 pents entwined, running through and encompassing 

 nearly all the ornaments throughout its whole length. 

 The two plates which follow represent the only 

 parts remaining. 



The first exhibits that portion of the facade to- 

 ward the north end of the building. The tail of 

 one serpent is held up nearly over the head of the 

 other, and has an ornament upon it like a turban, 

 with a plume of feathers. The marks on the ex- 

 tremity of the tail are probably intended to indicate a 

 rattlesnake, with which species of serpent the coun- 

 try abounds. The lower serpent has its monstrous 

 jaws wide open, and within them is a human head, 

 the face of which is distinctly visible on the stone, 

 and appears faintly in the drawing. From the ruin 

 to which all was hurrying, Don Simon cared only 

 to preserve this serpent's head. He said that we 

 might tear and out carry away every other ornament, 



