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TERRACES AND RUINED BUILDINGS. 365 



the antiguos, and no doubt it was intended as a 

 portrait of some lord or cacique. 



At a short distance to the southeast of the court- 

 yard was another platform or terrace, about twenty 

 feet high and two hundred feet square, on two sides 

 of which were ranges of buildings standing at right 

 angles to each other. One of them had two stories, 

 and trees growing out of the walls and on the top, 

 forming the most picturesque ruins we had seen in 

 the country. As we approached it Doctor Cabot 

 was climbing up a tree at the corner to get on the 

 roof in pursuit of a bird, and, in doing so, started 

 a gigantic lizard, which went bounding among the 

 trees and along the cornice till he buried himself in 

 a large fissure in the front. 



Beyond this was another terrace, having on it 

 ruined buildings overgrown with trees. Mr. Cath- 

 erwood was tempted to sketch them merely on ac- 

 count of their picturesque effect, and while we were 

 on the ground they seemed to us the most touching 

 and interesting of any we had seen ; but as they con- 

 tribute nothing to illustrate the architecture and art 

 of these unknown people, we do not present them. 



Leaving this neighbourhood, and passing by many 

 ruined buildings and mounds, at the distance of six 

 or seven hundred feet we reached an open place, 

 forming the most curious and interesting part of this 

 field of ruins. It was in the vicinity of three mounds, 

 lines drawn from which to each other would form a 

 right angle, and in the open space were some sculp- 



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