I 



AN EMPTY VAULT. 



229 



to another opening, but a few feet from the path we 

 had cut through, entirely hidden from view until the 

 clearing was made. The mouth was similar to that 

 of the first ; the throat about a yard deep, and the 

 Indians lowered me down, without any obstruction, 

 to the bottom. 



The Indians looked upon our entering these pla- 

 ces as senseless and foolhardy, and, besides imagi- 

 nary dangers, they talked of snakes, scorpions, and 

 hornets, the last of which, from the experience we 

 had had of them in different parts of the ruins, were 

 really objects of fear; for a swarm of them coming 

 upon a man in such a place, would almost murder 

 him before he could be hauled out. 



It did not, however, require much time to explore 

 this vault. It was clear of rubbish, perfect and en- 

 tire in all its parts, without any symptoms of decay, 

 and to all appearances, after the lapse of unknown 

 years, fit for the uses to which it was originally ap- 

 plied. Like the one on the terrace, it was dome- 

 shaped, and the sides fell in a little toward the bot- 

 tom, hke a well-made haystack. The height was 

 ten feet and six inches directly under the mouth, 

 and it was seventeen feet six inches in diameter. 

 The walls and ceiling were plastered, still in a good 

 state of preservation, and the floor was of hard mor- 

 tar. Don Simon and Dr. Cabot were lowered down, 

 and we examined every part thoroughly. 



Leaving this, we went on to a third, which was 

 20 



