ried one; and he was
not able to clear the moss away from the statues so as to draw them as
it should be done.<5>

We must notice that, though called a city, all the monuments and
fragments thus far brought to light are scattered over a space of some
three thousand square feet. No plan has been given. We gather, however,
from Stephens's work, that a pyramidal wall inclosed the ruins, as at
Copan.<6> No dimensions of this wall are given. Within the inclosure (if
such it was) was a terrace. Here, again, dimensions are not given; but
we are told it was about twenty-five feet to the top, and that the steps
were, in some places, still perfect. It was constructed of neatly cut
sandstone blocks. No monuments or altars were observed on the terrace,
but in close proximity to it were fragments of sculpture. At another
place near the wall, Mr. Catherwood mentions eight standing statues,
one fallen one, and saw fragments of at least thirteen others. They are
represented as being very similar to those of Copan, but two or three
times as high. The hieroglyphics are pronounced identical with those
already described.

There are no traditions extant of these ruins. No thorough exploration
has been made. A city may have stood there; but, if so, its name is
lost, its history unknown. "For centuries it has lain as completely
buried as if covered with the lava of Vesuvius. Every traveler from
Yzabel to Guatemala has passed within three hours of it. We ourselves
have done the same; and yet there it lay, like the rock-built city of
Edom, unvisited, unsought, and utterly unknown."

A large extent of territory in Guatemala and Yucatan is as yet an
unknown country, or at least has never been thoroughly explored. Strange
stories have flitted here and there of wonders yet to be seen. The
country swarms with savages, living in much the same state as they were
when the Spaniards invaded the country. They have never been conquered,
and, in the rugged fastnesses of their land, bid defiance to all
attempts to civilize them. From all we can learn, there are numerous
groups of ruins scattered here and there--but of their nature we are, as
yet, mostly in the dark.

We have, indeed, historical notices of a few places; but, as the color
of an object is the same as that of the medium through which it is
viewed, we can not help thinking that the glamour of romance, which the
early Spanish writers threw around all their transactions in the New
World, has