tearing it also with his claws. Under this were some
indescribable figures, and a sword, gun, and cannon, altogether warlike
emblems for the peaceful village which had never heard the sound of
hostile trumpet. On one side of the eagle's beak was a scroll with the
words "Sala Consistorial Republicana, Ano 1828." The other had
contained the words "El Systema Central," but on the triumph of the
Federal party the brush had been drawn over it, and nothing was
substituted in its place, so that it was all ready to be restored in
case the Central party returned to power. On the wall hung a paper
containing a "notice to the public" in Spanish and the Maya language,
that his Excellency the Governor of the State had allowed to this
village the establishment of a school of first letters for teaching
children to read, write, count, and the doctrines of the holy Catholic
religion; that fathers and other heads of families should send their
children to it, and that, being endowed by the public funds, it should
not cost a medio real to any one. It was addressed to vecinos, or white
people, indigenos, or Indians, and other classes, meaning Mestizoes.

On one side of this principal room was the quartel, with the garrison,
which consisted of seven soldiers, militia, three or four of whom were
down with fever and ague. On the other was the prison with its grated
door, and one gentleman in misfortune looking through the grating.

This building occupied all one side of the plaza. The village was the
only one I had seen that gave any indications of "improvement;" and
certainly I had not seen any that needed it more. The plaza was the
poorest in appearance, and at that time was worse than usual. It had
been laid out on a hillside, and the improvement then going on was
making it level. There was a great pile of earth thrown up in the
centre, and the houses on one side had their foundations laid bare, so
that they could only be entered by means of ladders; and it was
satisfactory to learn that the alcaldes who had planned the improvement
had got themselves into as much trouble as our aldermen sometimes do in
laying out new streets.

From the door of the casa real two striking objects were in sight, one
of which, grand in proportions and loftily situated, was the great
church I had seen from the top of the sierra in coming from Ticul; the
other was the noria, or well. This was an oblong enclosure with high
stone walls, and a roof of palm leaves