soldiers fastened
about Young's neck and about mine heavy wooden collars, which set well
out over our shoulders and were not unlike great ruffs. I confess that
for my own part my professional interest in this curious piece of gear
entirely overcame my repugnance to wearing it, for I instantly
recognized it as the cuauh-cozatl, with which, as the ancient records
tell us, the Aztecs were accustomed to secure their prisoners of war.
But Young, who could not be expected to share in my delight at seeing
actually alive, and ourselves made party to it, a custom that was
supposed to have been extinguished to more than three centuries, grew
exceedingly indignant at having thus placed about his neck what he
coarsely described as "an overgrown d----n goose-yoke." Nor was I at all
successful in my attempt to soothe him by telling him that the
discomfort to which we were subjected was a very trifling matter in
comparison with the gain to the science of archeology that flowed from
this positive identification of an exceedingly interesting historical
fact.

"Oh, come off, Professor," he growled. "What th' d----l do I care for
historical facts, or for historical lies either?--an' they're all about
th' same thing. What I want t' do is t' punch th' head o' th' fellow who
put this thing on me, an' I can't. They'll be hangin' me up by my heels
an' stickin' a corn-cob in my mouth next, I s'pose, an' makin' a regular
stuck-pig out o' me; an' then likely enough you'll try t' make me
believe that _that_ proves something or other that nobody but you thinks
ever happened, an' so want me t' feel pleased about it. Antiquities be
d----d! I've had as much of' em as I want, an' more too!"

While the collars were being placed about our necks, and while Rayburn
was being lifted upon the stretcher which the soldiers had brought, we
heard from within the Citadel the sound of drums tapping, and then the
measured tread of soldiers marching; and as we looked through the
gate-way we saw that the troops had been formed in regular order and
were moving towards us. At the head of the column were the
prisoners--numbering three or four hundred, and all wearing wooden
collars about their necks--covered on both flanks by a strong line of
guards. They were ranged in order of their dignity, the unlucky members
of the Council coming first, and after them the other officers of that
short-lived government; then the military officers, and in the rear a
few private sold