thick, and one hundred and twenty feet apart. One hundred
feet from the northern extremity, facing the open space between the
walls, stands on an elevation a building thirty-five feet long,
containing a single chamber, with the front fallen, and, rising among
the rubbish, the remains of two columns, elaborately ornamented with
sculpture; the whole interior wall being exposed to view, covered
from the floor to the peak of the arch with sculptured figures in
bas-relief, much worn and faded. The engraving represents the two
walls, with this building in the distance. And at the other end,
setting back, too, one hundred feet, and commanding the space between
the walls, is another building eighty-one feet long, also ruined, but
exhibiting the remains of two columns richly ornamented with sculptured
figures in bas-relief. The position in which these walls and buildings
stand to each other is laid down on the general plan.

In the centre of the great stone walls, exactly opposite each other,
and at the height of twenty feet from the ground, are two massive stone
rings, four feet in diameter, and one foot one inch thick; the diameter
of the hole is one foot seven inches. On the rim and border were two
sculptured entwined serpents, one of which is represented in the
engraving below.

[Engraving 47: Sculptured Entwined Serpents]

These walls, at the first glance, we considered identical in their uses
and purposes with the parallel structures supporting the rings at
Uxmal, of which I have already expressed the opinion that they were
intended for the celebration of some public games. I have in all cases
adopted the names of buildings which I found assigned to them on the
spot, where any existed, and where there were none I have not attempted
to give any. At Chichen all the principal buildings have names; this is
called an Eglesia, or Church, of the antiguos, which was begun, but not
finished, and the great open walls present not a bad idea of one of
their gigantic churches before the roof is put on; but as we have
already one Eglesia, and there is historical authority which, in my
opinion, shows clearly the object and uses of this extraordinary
structure, I shall call it, as occasion requires, the Gymnasium or
Tennis-court.

In the account of the diversions of Montezuma, given by Herrera, we
have the following:

"The King took much Delight in seeing Sport at Ball, which the
Spaniards have since prohibited, because of the Misc