RUINS OF KABAH. 



371 



as if nature and ruin had combined to produce their 

 most picturesque effect. On the way we had glimp- 

 ses of other buildings, separated from us by a thick 

 growth of underwood ; and after a hard but most 

 interesting morning's work, we returned to the first 

 building. 



Since we first set out in search of ruins we had 

 not been taken so much by surprise. During the 

 whole time of our residence at Uxmal, and until my 

 forced visit to Ticul, and fortunate intimacy with 

 the cura Carillo, I had not even heard of the ex- 

 istence of such a place. It was absolutely un- 

 known ; and the Indians who guided us having con- 

 ducted us to these buildings, of all the rest seemed 

 as ignorant as ourselves. They told us, in fact, that 

 these were all ; but we could not believe them ; we 

 felt confident that more lay buried in the woods, and, 

 tempted by the variety and novelty of what we saw, 

 we determined not to go away until we had discov- 

 ered all. So far, since we began at Nohcacab, we 

 had " done up" a city a day, but we had now a great 

 field of labour before us, and we saw at once that it 

 was to be attended with many difficulties. 



There was no rancho, and no habitation of any 

 kind nearer than the village. The buildings them- 

 selves offered good shelter; with the necessary 

 clearings they could be made extremely agreeable, 

 and on many considerations it was advisable again 

 to take up our abode among the ruins ; but this ar- 

 rangement was not without its dangers. The sea- 



