326 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



CHAPTER XV. 



Attacks from Fever and Ague. — Final Departure from Uxmal. — 

 Newyear's Day. — Fate of Chaipa Chi, — Painful Journey. — 

 Chetulish. — Arrival at Nohcacab. — Concourse of Indians. — A 

 Casa Real. — Plaza. — Improvements. — The Church. — A Noria, 

 or Well. — Municipal Elections. — The Democratic Principle. — 

 Installation of Alcaldes. — Illness of the Cura of Ticul. — Set out 

 for Ticul. — Intoxicated Carriers. — Accident. — Arrival at Ticul. 

 — A wandering Physician. — Changed Appearance of the Cura. 

 —Return to Nohcacab. — Take up Quarters in the Convent. — 

 Ancient Town of Nohcacab. — Ruined Mounds. — Ruins of Xcoch. 

 — A Mysterious Well. — Fine Grove. — Circular Cavity. — Mouth 

 of the Well. — Exploration of its Passages. — Uses of the Well. 

 — Return to the Village. — Fatal Accident.— A House of Mourn- 

 ing. — Ceremony of El Velorio. 



The reader, perhaps, is now anxious to hurry 

 away from Uxmal, but he cannot be more anxious 

 to do so than we were. We had finished our work, 

 had resolved on the day for our departure, and had 

 determined to devote the intermediate time to getting 

 out of the wall and collecting together some orna- 

 ments for removal, and, having got the Indians 

 fairly at work, we set about making some farewell 

 Daguerreotype views. While working the camera 

 under a blazing sun in the courtyard of the Monjas, 

 I received a note from Mr. Catherwood advising 

 me that his time had come, that he had a chill, 

 and was then in bed. Presently a heavy rain came 

 down, from which I took refuge in a damp apart- 

 ment, where I was obliged to remain so long that I 

 became perfectly chilled. On my return, I had a 



