FROM COBAN TO QUEZALTENANGO. 121 
long tunnel extending to the distant hills; but when we 
insisted upon his pointing out the place, he utterly failed. 
Not an arrow-head could we find, although plain pottery 
in fragments was abundant. 
The whole fortress was built on a promontory sur¬ 
rounded, except at one narrow neck, by steep barrancas 
several hundred feet deep; and to the rivers at the bottom 
there were probably tunnels from the summit, as the 
ancient Indios were very expert in underground work. It 
is from these tunnels, most likely, that much of the pum¬ 
ice-stone was obtained. Across the barranca towards the 
town are the remains of three fine watch-towers, from 
which a good view of the entire fortress, as well as of the 
surrounding country, may be obtained. Kemains of other 
similar towers were seen far up the mountain slopes on 
either side, and from these the warders signalled with fire 
or smoke the approach of hostile visitors. 
At the beginning of the present century the palace of 
the Quiche kings was in such a state of preservation that 
its plan could be easily traced, even to the garden. But 
unfortunately a small gold image was discovered in the 
ruins; and this determined the Government to search 
for treasure, which tradition has always located in the 
ruins of Utatlan. In this search the palace was utterly 
destroyed; and hardly a wall would have been left stand¬ 
ing had not the Indios, indignant at the wanton destruc¬ 
tion of their once famous capital, become so turbulent 
that explorations were no longer safe. In 1834 a commis¬ 
sion from the capital made a full and careful report on 
the condition of the ruins, and on this report Stephens 
largely rests in his interesting account of Quiche. Even 
in 1840, at the time of his visit, he found many traces 
