600 THE INSCRIPTIONS AT COPAN. 
material for their buildings, obelisks, ete. The stone, of course, 1s the same as that 
which is encountered in the ruins. These quarries are in the ocote-pine groves, in 
the direction of the hill of Cutilca. 
The Cave of Tibulca, of which Father Juarros speaks so fabulously, must be 
the Cutilca Cave, as there is none other in all that vicinity, and it should be added 
that this corruption of names has been common. On the side of the hill of Cutilea, 
some 800 yards above the Sesesmil Canyon, which divides said mountain from the 
“Cerron” or large mountain, called by this name because of its greater height, 
facing the west, is the mouth of the cave commonly called “Tigra”’ [Tigress], because 
some 20 years ago a ferocious animal of that species took refuge therein. As the 
hunters desired to starve this animal, they closed the entrance with a fence, but 
being tired, after 7 days waiting, they entered the cave and killed the wild animal 
with their lances. The entrance to the cave is 5 yards high and 2 wide, and the 
fence, which completely closed the same, still exists. 
This cave is quite inferior in extent, beauty, and interest to the Jobitsina 
Cave near the Lake of Peten, the latter cave being one of the most beautiful works 
of nature, but the nearness of the Cutilca Cave to the great city of Copan must 
have made it famous. According to figure No. 25, the gallery at the entrance is 
level until it turns to the north, then rapidly falls to another level which, on account 
of its greater width, forms a hall. From this hall ascent is made to another space 
a little higher up. There are 80 paces from the farthest extremity of the cave to 
its mouth. Only a few bats dwell there. It does not have many nor beautiful 
stalactites, and these are not very hard, and can be loosened almost by the force of 
the fingers. Since the death of the tigress no one has dared enter the cave. 
The hill of Cutilca is, furthermore, very remarkable because of its picturesque 
slope. Near the top and looking toward the south there is an immense precipice 
of red rock. The common people speak of a cave supposed to exist at the foot of 
this ravine. After many difficulties on account of the steepness of the mountain, 
I went up to this place, which has no cave other than some small open cavities. 
From the foot of this natural wall a large extent of the States of Guatemala, Salva- 
dor, and Honduras, the Gilotepeque volcano, etc., is seen. Ata distance of 3 leagues 
from Copan, across the little hills of ocote-pine forests called Llano Primero, half 
a league to the west of the rancho of Llano Grande, through which passes the main 
highway from Chiquimula to the plains of Santa Rosa, are found quantities of 
trunks of petrified ocote-pine, particularly three kinds, namely, one of great specific 
gravity or weight, another of flint stone, and another much used for sharpening 
iron instruments. Great trunks of petrified pine are seen almost buried, and those 
which are on the surface are of different sizes, but are generally split horizontally 
by the force of the sun, in widths of from 4 to 5 fingers. Ina neighboring oak grove 
are found pieces of petrified oak, equally good for whet and spark-stones. Petrified 
wood is found in great masses wedged in the fallen trunks, and large pieces of the 
same are half buried. Crossing a creek through the oak forest, which stream dries 
up in the summer, it is found that all of the said ocote-pine and oak groves are in a 
dry place, which causes us to wonder as to the cause of the petrification. This is 
one of the curiosities which makes Central America the country where nature has 
been most lavish in exhibiting its wonders. 
Pines and oaks grow in the midst of petrified timber. Only in the place indi- 
cated is this petrification found, since there is nothing like it in the neighboring 
country, not even in the swamps. This petrification process has doubtless sug- 
gested to the present inhabitants of these regions the foolish idea which they enter- 
tain, concerning the human figures which are found in the ruins of Copan, that 
a 
