RUINS OF YTSIMPTE, 



139 



pay, and again mounted. Albino told us that we 

 might save a slight circuit by passing through the 

 cattle-yard ; and we rode through, close beside the 

 water-tanks and a group of men, at the head of 

 whom was the master, and, coming out upon the 

 camino real, shook from off our feet the dust of 

 the inhospitable hacienda. Our poor horses bore 

 the brunt of sustaining our dignity. 



At one o'clock we came to a rancho of Indians, 

 where we bought some tortillas and procured a 

 guide. Leaving the camino real, we turned again 

 into a milpa path, and in about an hour came in 

 sight of another ruined city, known by the name of 

 Ytsimpte. From the plain on which Ave approached 

 we saw on the left, on the brow of a hill, a range 

 of buildings, six or eight hundred feet in length, all 

 laid bare to view, the trees having just been felled; 

 and as we drew near we saw Indians engaged in 

 continuing the clearing. On arriving at the foot of 

 the buildings, Albino found that the clearing was 

 made by order of the alcalde of Bolonchen, at the in- 

 stance and under the direction of the padre, in ex- 

 pectation of our visit and for our benefit ! 



We had another subject of congratulation on ac- 

 count of our horses. There was an aguada in the 

 neighbourhood, to which we immediately sent them, 

 and, carrying our traps up to the terrace of the near- 

 est building, we sat down before it to meditate and 

 lunch. 



This over, we commenced a survey of the ruins. 



