A GRAND PROCESSION. 



209 



CHAPTER X. 



Sunday. — Mass. — A grand Procession. — Intoxicated Indians. — Set 

 out for Maxcanu. — A Caricoche. — Scenery. — Arrival at Maxca- 

 nu. — Cave of Maxcanu.— Threading a Labyrinth. — An Alarm. — 

 An abrupt Termination. — Important Discovery. — Labyrinth not 

 subterraneous. — More Mounds. — Journey continued. — Grand 

 View. — Another Mound. — An Accident. — Village of Opoche- 

 que. — View from the Sierra. — More Ruins. — Return to Uxmal. 

 — Change of Quarters. — An Addition to the Household. — Beau- 

 tiful Scene. 



The next day was Sunday. The church was 

 thronged for grand mass ; candles were burned, and 

 offerings were made to the amount of many medios, 

 and at nine o'clock the bells tolled for the proces- 

 sion, the crowning scene of the fiesta. The church 

 was emptied of its votaries, and the plaza was alive 

 with people hurrying to take a place in the proces- 

 sion, or to see it pass. I climbed up into the Plaza 

 de Toros, and had a whole box to myself 



The space along the side of the bull-ring was 

 thronged ; and first came a long procession of In- 

 dians with lighted candles ; then the ministro with 

 the large silver salver, and money upon it, present- 

 ing it on either side to receive additional offerings. 

 As it passed, a woman walked up and put upon it 

 two reales, probably her all. Then came, borne on 

 a barrow above the heads of the crowd, the figure 



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