308 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



tutions, and trace an affinity between the people 

 who erected the ruined cities of Yucatan and those 

 who inhabited Mexico at the time of the conquest. 

 In the account of Herrera, moreover, we see inci- 

 dentally the drawing of a funeral pall over the in- 

 stitutions of the natives, for we learn that the sport 

 which " Montezuma took much delight in seeing," 

 and which, beyond doubt, was a favourite diversion 

 of the people, " the Spaniards have since prohibited." 



At the southern extremity of the eastern wall, 

 and on the outer side, stands the building represent- 

 ed in the engraving opposite, consisting of two 

 ranges, one even with the ground, and the other 

 about twenty-five feet above it, the latter being in a 

 good state of preservation, simple, tasteful in its ar- 

 rangement of ornaments, and having conspicuous a 

 procession of tigers or lynxes, which appear on a 

 small scale in the engraving. From its lofty posi- 

 tion, with trees growing around it and on the roof, 

 the effect is beautifully picturesque ; but it has, be- 

 sides, a far higher interest, and on some considera- 

 tions may perhaps be regarded as the most impor- 

 tant structure that we met with in our whole ex- 

 ploration of ruins. 



The lower building, standing on the ground, is 

 in a ruinous condition : the front has fallen, and 

 shows only the remains of two columns covered 

 with sculptured figures ; the fall of the front has 

 laid bare the entire wall of the chamber, covered 

 from one end to the other with elaborately-sculp- 

 tured figures in bas-rehef. 



