re else; it abounds in fissures and caverns, in which
springs burst forth suddenly, and streams pursue a subterranean course.
But the sources of the water and the geological formation of the
country were, at the moment, matters of secondary interest to us. The
great point was the fact, that from the moment when the wells in the
plaza fail, the whole village turns to this cave, and four or five
months in the year derives from this source its only supply. It was
not, as at Xcoch, this resort of a straggling Indian, nor, as at Chack,
of a small and inconsiderable rancho. It was the sole and only watering
place of one of the most thriving villages in Yucatan, containing a
population of seven thousand souls; and perhaps even this was surpassed
in wonder by the fact that, though for an unknown length of time, and
through a great portion of the year, files of Indians, men and women,
are going out every day with cantaros on their backs, and returning
with water, and though the fame of the Cueva of Bolonchen extends
throughout Yucatan, from the best information we could procure, not a
white man in the village had ever explored it.

We returned to the casa real, made a lavation, which we much needed,
and went over to the cura's to dine. If he had not reminded us
beforehand that it was Friday and Lent, we should not have discovered
it. In fact, we were not used to dainties, and perhaps the good cura
thought we had never dined before. It was not in nature to think of
moving that afternoon, and, besides, we were somewhat at a loss what to
do. The cura had unsettled our plans. He had made inquiries, and been
informed that there were no ruins at San Antonio, but only a cueva, and
we had had enough of these to last us for some time; moreover, he
advised us of other ruins, of which we had not heard before. These were
on the rancho of Santa Ana, belonging to his friend Don Antonio
Cerbera, the alcalde. Don Antonio had never seen them, but both he and
the cura said they intended to visit them; and they spoke particularly
of a casa cerrada, or closed house, which, as soon as the dry season
came on, they intended to visit con bombas, to blow it up! The cura was
so bent upon our visiting this place, that almost in spite of ourselves
we were turned in that direction.

+++++++++

CHAPTER IX.

Departure from Bolonchen.--Lose the Road.--Sugar Rancho.--A new
Section of Country.--Rancho of Santa Rosa.--