ply towards the edge of the
_mesilla_.
[Illustration: PLATE X
VIEW OF PASSAGE G, BUILDING A, FROM THE NORTH.]
The mound _H_ describes about two-thirds of a circle. Its base at the
south is 6 m.--20 ft.--from E. to W.; its diameter, 6.85 m.--23 ft; its
actual height, about 1.5 m.--5 ft. It is conical, and appears to be a
round heap of earth and rocks encased with neat and judicious piling of
well-selected stones. This naturally gave the stone-work a slanting
surface; the higher it reaches, however, the more it becomes vertical,
until at last it juts out above the surface of the mound like a circular
breastwork, or a hollow round tower on a conical base. I refer to Pl. X.
for an excellent view of its vertical aspect and structure. This mound,
or tower, while it commands an extensive view to the west, north, and
even north-east, is also the most northerly "spur" of the western wing
of the great house _A_. This wing extends in an unbroken length of 62
m.--203 ft.--from the base line of _H_ to the entrance _N_, and is
divided into 3 transverse sections, all connected, and all having 3
longitudinal rows of rooms or cells. The width of each cell is the same
in every section, to wit, from E. to W. 2.58 m., 2.58 m., and 3.22 m.--8
ft. 6 in., 8 ft. 6 in., and 10 ft. 6 in., respectively.
Section _k l l m_ has 3 x 5 apartments; in length from N. to S., 2.51
m., 3.86 m., 2.35 m., 3.71 m., and 3.72 m.--8 ft., 13 ft., 8 ft., 12
ft., and 12 ft. It was therefore 16.15 m. x 8.38 m.--53 ft. x 27 ft.
Probably all the ground-floor cells were on the same level.
Section _l l h h_ has 3 x 12 apartments, each 2.53 m.--8 ft.--long.
Consequently, it was a rectangle of 30.36 m. x 8.38 m.--100 ft. x 27 ft.
The eastern row of chambers was on the slope.
Section _h h N_ 3 x 4 long, respectively 2.77 m.--9 ft. each, therefore
10.98 m. x 8.38 m.--36 ft. x 27 ft. There were two eastern rows on the
slope.
This entire wing (forming a rectangle of 62 m. x 8.38 m.--203 ft. x 27
ft., if we add to the spaces given the thicknesses of the transverse
partitions, this time not included in the measures) has given me more
trouble than the rest of _A_ and _B_ combined. Nowhere are the walls so
twisted and out of range as here. Besides, there is an unfinished air
about it that is almost bewildering. The height of the stories does not
agree with that of the other sections,--the western wing would be one
story lower. Furthermore, it contains in several plac
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