s. At each end of the
building was another chamber, with three niches or recesses, and on the
other side, facing the south, the three centre doorways, corresponding
with the false doors on the north side, opened into an apartment
forty-seven feet long and nine deep, having nine long niches in the
back wall; all the walls from the floor to the peak of the arch had
been covered with painted designs, now wantonly defaced, but the
remains of which present colours in some places still bright and vivid;
and among these remains detached portions of human figures continually
recur, well drawn, the heads adorned with plumes of feathers, and the
hands bearing shields and spears. All attempt at description would
fail, and much more would an attempt to describe the strange interest
of walking along the overgrown platform of this gigantic and desolate
building.

[Engraving 41: The Eglesia, or Church]

Descending again to the ground, at the end of the wing stands what is
called the Eglesia, or Church, a corner of which was comprehended in a
previous view, and the front of which is represented in the plate
opposite. It is twenty-six feet long, fourteen deep, and thirty-one
high, its comparatively great height adding very much to the effect of
its appearance. It has three cornices, and the spaces between are richly
ornamented. The sculpture is rude but grand. The principal ornament is
over the doorway, and on each side are two human figures in a sitting
posture, but, unfortunately, much mutilated. The portion of the facade
above the second cornice is merely an ornamented wall, like those
before mentioned at Zayi and Labna.

The whole of this building is in a good state of preservation. The
interior consists of a single apartment, once covered with plaster, and
along the top of the wall under the arch are seen the traces of a line
of medallions or cartouches in plaster, which once contained
hieroglyphics. The Indians have no superstitious feelings about these
ruins, except in regard to this building; and in this they say that on
Good Friday of every year music is heard sounding; but this illusion,
brought with us from Santa Cruz del Quiche, was here destined to be
broken. In this chamber we opened our Daguerreotype apparatus, and on
Good Friday were at work all day, but heard no music. This chamber,
by-the-way, was the best we had found for our Daguerreotype operations.
Having but one door, it was easily darkened; we were not obliged