t the ruins, advising us of his continued indisposition and
inability to join us, but, until our arrival at Nohcacab, we had no
intimation that his illness was considered dangerous. The intelligence
was sudden and most afflicting. It was so short a time since we had
parted with him to meet again at Uxmal, his kindness was so fresh in
our recollection, that we would have gone to him immediately, but we
were fastened to our hammocks.

His illness had created a great sensation among the Indians of Ticul.
They said that he was going to die, and that it was a visitation of God
for digging up the bones in San Francisco; this rumour became wilder as
it spread, and was not confined to the Indians. An intelligent Mestizo
lad belonging to the village came over with the report, which he
repeated to gaping listeners, that the poor cura lay on his back with
his hands clasped on his breast, crying out, in a deep, sepulchral
voice, every ten minutes by the watch, "Devuelve esos huesos." "Restore
those bones."

We heard that he had with him accidentally an English physician, though
we could not make any English of the name. Our fever might leave us in
a few hours, and with the desperate hope that we might arrive in time
for Doctor Cabot's skill to be of some use to him, or, if not, to bid
him a last farewell, we requested the padrecito to procure coches and
Indians by two o'clock in the afternoon.

Two fete days in succession were rather too much for the Indians of
Nohcacab. In about an hour one of the new alcaldes came to tell us
that, in celebrating the choice of their new officers, the independent
electors had all become so tipsy that competent men could be found for
only one coche. Perhaps it would have been difficult for the alcaldes
to know whether their immediate condition was really the fruit of that
day's celebration or a holding over from Newyear's Day, but the effect
was the same so far as we were concerned.

The alcaldes and the padrecito, however, appreciated our motives, and
knew it was utterly impossible for us to go on horseback, so that, with
great exertions, by two o'clock the requisite number came reeling and
staggering into the room. We were still in our hammocks, uncertain
whether it would be possible to go at all, and their appearance did not
encourage us, for they seemed unable to carry themselves on their feet,
much less us on their shoulders. However, we got them out of the room,
and told them to get the co