ANOTHER REMARKABLE CAVE. 135 



tensive subterraneous chamber, with a high roof, 

 and passages branching off in every direction. In 

 different places were remains of fires and the bones 

 of animals, showing that it had at times been the 

 place of refuge or residence of men. In the en- 

 trance of one of the passages we found a sculptured 

 idol, which excited us with the hope of discovering 

 some altar or sepulchre, or perhaps mummied fig- 

 ures. With this hope, we sent the Indians to pro- 

 cure torches ; and while Mr. Catherwood was ma- 

 king some sketches, Doctor Cabot and myself pass- 

 ed an hour in exploring the recesses of the cave. 

 In many places the roof had fallen, and the passa- 

 ges were choked up. We followed several of them 

 wdth much toil and disappointment, and at length 

 fell into one, low and narrow, along which it was 

 necessary to crawl on the hands and feet, and where, 

 from the flame and smoke of the torches, it was 

 desperately hot. We at length came to a body of 

 water, which, on thrusting the hand into it, we 

 found to be incrusted with a thin coat of sulphate 

 of lime, that had formed on the top of the water, 

 but decomposed on being brought into the air. 



Leaving the cave or senote, we continued ram- 

 bling among the ruins. The mounds were all of the 

 same general character, and the buildings had en- 

 tirely disappeared on all except one ; but this was 

 different from any we had at that time seen, though 

 we afterward found others like it. 



It stood on a ruined mound about thirty feet high. 



