218 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



The ruins at this place were not so extensive as 

 we expected to find them. There were but two 

 buildings occupied by the Indians, both in the im- 

 mediate neighbourhood of our hut, and much ruin- 

 ed, one of which is represented in the plate oppo- 

 site. A noble alamo tree was growing by its side, 

 and holding it up, which, while I was in another di- 

 rection, the Indians had begun to cut down, but 

 which, fortunately, I returned in time to save. The 

 building is about 120 feet front, and had two stories, 

 with a grand staircase on the other side, now ruin- 

 ed. The upper story was in a ruinous condition, 

 but parts of it were occupied by Indians. 



In the afternoon Doctor Cabot and myself set out 

 for a ride to the aguada, induced somewhat by the 

 forest character of the country, and the accounts the 

 Indians gave us of rare birds, which they said were 

 to be found in that direction. The road lay through 

 a noble piece of woods, entirely different from the 

 usual scrubby growth, with thorny and impenetrable 

 underbrush, being the finest forest we had seen, 

 and abounding in sapote and cedar trees. At the 

 distance of half a league a path turned off to the 

 right, overgrown, and hardly distinguishable, follow- 

 ing which we reached the aguada. It was a mere 

 hollow basin, overgrown with high grass. We rode 

 down into it, and, dismounting, my first step from the 

 side of my horse carried me into a hole, being a ca- 

 simba, or pit, made by the Indians for the purpose 

 of receiving the filtrations of water. We discovered 



