machina de Valladolid, the
English of which is, Mr. John Burke, engineer in the factory. In 1838
Mr. Burke came from Valladolid to the village of Cawa, six leagues
distant from Chichen. While making excursions in the neighbourhood, one
of the young men told him of old buildings on this hacienda, from one
of which Valladolid was visible. Mr. Burke rode over, and on the fourth
of July stood on the top of the Castillo, spy-glass in hand, looking
out for Valladolid. Two years afterward, in 1840, they were visited by
the Baron Frederichstahl, and by him first brought to the notice of the
public, both in Europe and this country; and I take occasion to say
that this visit was made in the prosecution of a route recommended to
him by me after my return from my former interrupted journey of
exploration among the ruins of Yucatan.

But to return. From the door of our hut some of the principal buildings
were in sight. We went first to those on the opposite side of the
camino real. The path led through the cattle-yard of the hacienda, from
which we passed out at one end by a range of bars into the field of
ruins, partially wooded, but the greater part open and intersected by
cattle-paths. Garrapatas were as abundant as ever, and perhaps more so
from the numerous cattle running over the plain, but the luxuries of an
open country, and the facility of moving from place to place, were so
great, that these could not mar our satisfaction, which was raised to
the highest pitch by the ruins themselves. These were, indeed,
magnificent. The buildings were large, and some were in good
preservation; in general, the facades were not so elaborately
ornamented as some we had seen, seemed of an old date, and the
sculpture was ruder, but the interior apartments contained decorations
and devices that were new to us, and powerfully interesting. All the
principal buildings were within a comparatively small compass; in fact,
they were in such proximity, and the facilities for moving among them
were so great, that by one o'clock we had visited every building,
examined every apartment, and arranged the whole plan and order of
work. This over, we went to join Doctor Cabot, who was in the mean time
pursuing an independent occupation, but on joint account, and for joint
benefit.

The name of Chichen is another instance added to those already given,
showing the importance attached in that dry country to the possession
of water. It is compounded of the two