The first is that represented in the plate opposite. It had been the
principal doorway, and was all that now remained of a long line of
front, which lay in ruins on the ground. It is remarkable for its
simplicity, and, in that style of architecture, for its grandeur of
proportions.

The apartment into which this door opened had nothing to distinguish it
from hundreds of others we had seen, but in the corner one was the
mysterious painting at which we were gazing the evening before, when
night overtook us. The end wall had fallen inward; the others remained.
The ceiling, as in all the other buildings, was formed by two sides
rising to meet each other, and covered within a foot of the point of
junction by a flat layer of stones. In all the other arches, without a
single exception, the layer was perfectly plain; but this had a single
stone distinguished by a painting, which covered the whole surface
presented to view. The painting itself was curious; the colours were
bright, red and green predominating; the lines clear and distinct, and
the whole was more perfect than any painting we had seen. But its
position surprised us more than the painting itself; it was in the most
out-of-the-way spot in the whole edifice, and but for the Indians we
might not have noticed it at all. Why this layer of stones was so
adorned, or why this particular stone was distinguished above all
others in the same layer, we were unable to discover, but we considered
that it was not done capriciously nor without cause; in fact, we had
long been of opinion that every stone in those ancient buildings; and
every design and ornament that decorated them, had some certain though
now inscrutable meaning.

[Engraving 16: Curious Painting]

The following engraving represents this painting. It exhibits a rude
human figure, surrounded by hieroglyphics, which doubtless contain the
whole of its story. It is 30 inches long by 18 inches wide, and the
prevailing colour is red. From its position in the wall, it was
impossible to draw it without getting it out and lowering it to the
ground, which I was anxious to accomplish, not only for the sake of the
drawing, but for the purpose of carrying it away. I had apprehensions
that the proprietor would make objections, for both he and the Indians
had pointed it out as the most curious part of the ruins; but,
fortunately, they had no feeling about it, and were all ready to assist
in any way we directed. The only way of