Uxmal. These were not to be looked for in the
large mounds, or, at all events, it was a work of too much labour to
attempt opening one of them. At length, after a careful examination,
the cura selected one, upon which we began.

It was a square stone structure, with sides four feet high, and the top
was rounded over with earth and stones bedded in it. It stood in a
small milpa, or corn-field, midway between two high mounds, which had
evidently been important structures, and from its position seemed to
have some direct connexion with them. Unlike most of the ruined
structures around, it was entire, with every stone in its place, and
probably had not been disturbed since the earth and stones had been
packed down on the top.

The Indians commenced picking out the stones and clearing away the
earth with their hands. Fortunately, they had a crowbar, an instrument
unknown in Central America, but indispensable here on account of the
stony nature of the soil, and for the first and only time in the
country I had no trouble in superintending the work. The cura gave them
directions in their own language, and under his eye they worked
actively. Nevertheless, the process was unavoidably slow. In digging
down, they found the inner side of the outer wall, and the whole
interior was loose earth and stones, with some layers of large flat
stones, the whole very rough. In the mean time the sun was beating upon
us with prodigious force, and some of the people of the village, among
others the proprietor of the hacienda, came down to look on and have an
inward smile at our folly. The cura had read a Spanish translation of
the Antiquary, and said that we were surrounded by Edie Ochiltrees,
though he himself, with his tall, thin figure and long gown, presented
a lively image of that renowned mendicant. We continued the work six
hours, and the whole appearance of things was so rude that we began to
despair of success, when, on prying up a large flat stone, we saw
underneath a skull. The reader may imagine our satisfaction. We made
the Indians throw away crowbar and machete, and work with their hands.
I was exceedingly anxious to get the skeleton out entire, but it was
impossible to do so. It had no covering or envelope of any kind; the
earth was thrown upon it as in a common grave, and as this was removed
it all fell to pieces. It was in a sitting posture, with its face
toward the setting sun. The knees were bent against the stomach, the
arms