Indians possessed was the machete, or
chopping-knife, which varies in form in different sections of the
country. Wielded with one hand, it was useful in clearing away shrubs
and branches, but almost harmless upon large trees; and the Indians, as
in the days when the Spaniards discovered them, applied to work without
ardor, carried it on with little activity, and, like children, were
easily diverted from it. One hacked into a tree, and when tired, which
happened very soon, sat down to rest, and another relieved him. While
one worked there were always several looking on. I remembered the ring
of the woodman's axe in the forest at home, and wished for a few
long-sided Green Mountain boys.

But we had been buffeted into patience, and watched the Indians while
they hacked with their machetes, and even wondered that they succeeded
so well. At length the trees were felled and dragged aside, a space
cleared around the base, Mr. C.'s frame set up, and he set to work. I
took two Mestitzoes, Bruno and Francisco, and, offering them a reward
for every new discovery, with a compass in my hand set out on a tour of
exploration. Neither had seen "the idols" until the morning of our first
visit, when they followed in our train to laugh at los Ingleses; but
very soon they exhibited such an interest that I hired them. Bruno
attracted my attention by his admiration, as I supposed, of my person;
but I found it was of my coat, which was a long shooting-frock, with
many pockets, and he said that he could make one just like it except the
skirts. He was a tailor by profession, and in the intervals of a great
job upon a roundabout jacket worked with his machete. But he had an
inborn taste for the arts. As we passed through the woods nothing
escaped his eye, and he was professionally curious touching the costumes
of the sculptured figures. I was struck with the first development of
their antiquarian taste. Francisco found the feet and legs of a statue,
and Bruno a part of the body to match, and the effect was electric upon
both. They searched and raked up the ground with their machetes till
they found the shoulders, and set it up entire except the head; and they
were both eager for the possession of instruments with which to dig and
find this remaining fragment.

It is impossible to describe the interest with which I explored these
ruins. The ground was entirely new; there were no guide-books or guides;
the whole was a virgin soil. We could not