f the Indians.--Journey to Mani.--The
Sierra.--Hacienda of Santa Maria.--A ruined Mound.--Good Road.--Arrival
at the City of Tekax.--A bloodless Revolution.--Situation and
Appearance of the City.--An interesting Meeting.--Curiosity of the
People.--Akil.--The Site of a ruined City:--Sculptured Stones.--Journey
resumed.--Arrival at Mani.--Historical Notice.--Tutul Xiu.--Embassy to
the Lords of Zotuta.--Ambassadors murdered.--Mani the first interior
Town that submitted to the Spaniards.--Scanty Supply of Water
throughout the Country.--Important Consideration.--A touching
Discovery.

March 5. Early the next morning we set out for the ruins of San Jose. At
seven o'clock we reached the pueblocito, or little village, of that
name, pleasantly situated between a range of hills and a sierra,
containing about two hundred inhabitants, among whom, as we rode into
the plaza, we saw several white men. At the casa real we found a
cacique of respectable appearance, who told us that there were no "old
walls" in that village, which report of his, other Indians standing
round confirmed. We were not much disappointed, nor at all anxious to
find anything that would make it necessary to change our plans; to lose
no time, we determined to push on to Mani, eight leagues distant, and
applied for an Indian to carry our hammocks, which the cacique
undertook to provide.

On the opposite side of the square was a thatched church, the bell of
which was tolling for morning mass, and before the door was a group of
men, surrounding a portly old gentleman in a round jacket, who I knew
must be the padre. They all confirmed the accounts we had received at
the casa real, that there were no ruins; but the cura, enforcing his
words with an Ave Maria, said that at Ticum, the head of his curacy,
there were bastante, or enough of them. He intended to return
immediately after mass, and wanted us to go with him to see them, and
write a description of them. I felt a strong disposition to do so, if
it was only to pass a day with him at the convent; but, on inquiring, I
learned that the "old walls" were entirely in ruins; they had
furnished materials for that church and convent, and all the stone
houses of the village.

While this was going on at the door of the church, an Indian sexton was
pulling lustily at the bell-rope, ringing for mass, and, as if
indignant that his warning was not attended to, he made it so deafening
that it was really a labour for us to h