SCULPTURED LINTEL. 



403 



deep, with double corridors communicating, and a 

 gigantic staircase in the centre leading to the roof, 

 on which are the ruins of another building. The 

 doors of two centre apartments open under the arch 

 of this great staircase. In that on the right we 

 again found the prints of the red hand ; not a single 

 print, or two, or three, as in other places, but the 

 whole wall was covered with them, bright and dis- 

 tinct as if but newly made. 



All the lintels over the doorways are of wood, and 

 all are still in their places, mostly sound and solid. 

 The doorways were encumbered with rubbish and 

 ruins. That nearest the staircase was filled up to 

 within three feet of the lintel ; and, in crawling un- 

 der on his back, to measure the apartment, Mr. 

 Catherwood's eye was arrested by a sculptured lin- 

 tel, which, on examination, he considered the most 

 interesting memorial we had found in Yucatan. 

 On my return that day from a visit to three more 

 ruined cities entirely unknown before, he claimed 

 this lintel as equal in interest and value to all of 

 them together. The next day I saw them, and de- 

 termined immediately, at any trouble or cost, to 

 carry them home with me ; but this was no easy 

 matter. Our operations created much discussion in 

 the village. The general belief was that we were 

 searching for gold. No one could believe that we 

 were expending money in such a business without 

 being sure of getting it back again; and remember- 

 ing the fate of my castings at Palenque, I was afraid 



