WHAT WAS UXMAL: 



271 



in that confidence I fuily participate. But as the 

 strongest proof on this point, I call in this ancient 

 map. It is a fact perhaps more clearly established 

 than any other in the history of the conquest, that 

 in every Indian village in w^hich the Spaniards made 

 a settlement, with that strong rehgious enthusiasm 

 which formed so remarkable a feature in their daring 

 and unscrupulous character, their first act w^as the 

 erection of a church. Now it will be remarked that 

 nearly all the places laid down on the map are indi- 

 cated by the sign of a church ; most of them now^ 

 exist, all have aboriginal names, and the inference 

 is that they were at that time existing aboriginal 

 towns, in which the Spaniards had erected church- 

 es, or had taken the preliminary steps for doing so. 

 Several of these places we had visited; w^e had 

 seen their churches reared upon the ruins of ancient 

 buildings, and in their immediate vicinity vestiges 

 and extensive ruins of the same general character 

 with those at Uxmal. 



But Uxmal, it will be seen, is not indicated by 

 the sign of a church. This I consider evidence that 

 no church was erected there, and that while the 

 Spaniards were establishing settlements in other In- 

 dian towns, for some reason, now^ unknow^n, per- 

 haps on account of its unhealthiness, at Uxmal they 

 made none. But it will be seen farther, that Ux- 

 mal not only is not indicated by the sign of a church, 

 but is indicated by one entirely different, of a pecu- 

 liar and striking character, which was manifestly 



