construction, but as explaining what had before been unintelligible in
regard to the principal staircase in the House of the Dwarf at Uxmal.

The steps of this staircase are nearly all fallen, and the ascent is as
on an inclined plane. The buildings on the top are ruined, and many of
the doorways so encumbered that there was barely room to crawl into
them. On one occasion, while clearing around this so as to make a plan,
rain came on, and I was obliged to crawl into one with all the Indians,
and remain in the dark, breathing a damp and unwholesome atmosphere,
pent up and almost stifled, for more than an hour.

The doorways of the ranges on the north side of this mound opened upon
the area of Casa No 2. The platform of this area is one hundred and
seventy feet long, one hundred and ten broad, and is elevated ten feet
from the ground. It had been planted with corn, and required little
clearing. The plate opposite presents the front of this building, and
the picote, or great stone found thrown down in all the courtyards and
areas, is exhibited on one side in the engraving. The edifice stands
upon an upper terrace; forming a breastwork for which, and running the
whole length, one hundred and sixty-four feet, is a range of
apartments, with their doors opening upon the area. The front wall and
the roof of this range have nearly all fallen.

A ruined staircase rises from the centre of the platform to the roof of
this range, which forms the platform in front of the principal
building.

This staircase, like that last mentioned, is supported by the half of a
triangular arch, precisely like the other already mentioned. The whole
front was ornamented with sculpture, and the ornaments best preserved
are over the doorway of the centre apartment, which, being underneath
the staircase, cannot be exhibited in the engraving.

The principal building, it will be seen, has pillars in two of its
doorways. At this place, for the first time, we met with pillars used
legitimately, according to the rules of known architecture, as a
support, and they added greatly to the interest which the other
novelties here disclosed to us presented. These pillars, however, were
but six feet high, rude and unpolished, with square blocks of stone for
capitals and pedestals. They wanted the architectural majesty and
grandeur which in other styles is always connected with the presence of
pillars, but they were not out of proportion, and, in fact, were
adapte