146 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



visiting the cueva at this time. Since the com- 

 mencement of the rainy season it had not been 

 used ; and every year, before having recourse to it, 

 there w^as a work of several days to be done in re- 

 pairing the ladders. As this, however, was our only 

 opportunity, we determined to make the attempt. 



The cura undertook to make the arrangements, 

 and after breakfast we set out, a large party, inclu- 

 ding both Indians and vecinos. 



At the distance of half a league from the village, 

 on the Campeachy road, we turned off by a well- 

 beaten path, following which we fell into a winding 

 lane, and, descending gradually, reached the foot of 

 a rude, lofty, and abrupt opening, under a bold ledge 

 of overhanging rock, seeming a magnificent entrance 

 to a great temple for the worship of the God of Na- 

 ture^ The engraving which follows represents this 

 aperture, an Indian with a lighted torch being seen 

 just entering. 



We disencumbered ourselves of superfluous ap- 

 parel, and, following the Indian, each with a torch 

 in hand, entered a wild cavern, which, as we ad- 

 vanced, became darker. At the distance of sixty 

 paces the descent was precipitous, and we went 

 down by a ladder about twenty feet. Here all light 

 from the mouth of the cavern was lost, but we soon 

 reached the brink of a great perpendicular descent, 

 to the very bottom of which a strong body of light 

 was thrown from a hole in the surface, a perpen- 

 dicular depth, as we afterward learned by measure- 



