astillo, Chichen-Itza.--------

On the ground, at the foot of the stairway on the north side, "forming a
bold, striking, and well conceive commencement to this lofty range, are
two colossal serpents' heads, ten feet in length, with mouths wide open,
and tongues protruding. No doubt they were emblematic of some religious
belief, and, in the mind of an imaginative people passing between them,
to ascend the steps, must have excited feelings of solemn awe." The
temple on the summit of this pyramid has some peculiar features about
it. It is nearly square--forty-three by forty-nine feet--only one door
in each side. In the room within, instead of partition walls supporting
arches, were two immense beams, resting on square pillars, and
supporting two arches--the only instance in the ruins of Yucatan of such
use of beams.

Illustration of Gymnasium, at Chichen-Itza.--------------

We now wish to speak of one class of ruins which are present at Uxmal,
but which we did not describe. They are two parallel walls. On the plan
of Uxmal they are noticed between the Governor's House and the House of
Nuns. This illustration represents this feature. These walls are
each two hundred and seventy-four feet long, thirty feet thick, and
twenty-six feet high. The distance separating them is one hundred
and twenty feet. About one hundred feet from the north end, is seen a
building fronting the open space between the walls. A building stood
in a like position at the south end. In the cut a stone ring is seen
projecting from each side. On the rim and border of these rings were
sculptured two serpents, represented below. The general supposition is
that this structure was used in the celebration of public games. Mr.
Stephens refers us to the writings of Herrera, an early historian, for
a description of a game of ball played at Mexico, where the surroundings
must have been much the same as is here represented.

Illustration of Ring.----------------

Most of the structures in Yucatan have been left in undisturbed quiet
since the visit of Mr. Stephens. Five years after his visit, the Indians
rose in revolt, and a large portion of country through which he traveled
in perfect safety has, since then, been shunned by cautious travelers.
As he says, "For a brief space the stillness that reigned around them
was broken, and they were again left to solitude and silence." At Uxmal,
and some places near the coast, more recent travelers have investi