haps stronger than any we had yet
experienced. We passed a whole day within it, from time to time
stepping out upon the platform to look down upon the ruined buildings
of the ancient city, and an immense field stretching on all sides
beyond.

[Engraving 55: Rows of Columns and Castillo]

And from this lofty height we saw for the first time groups of small
columns, which, on examination, proved to be among the most remarkable
and unintelligible remains we had yet met with. They stood in rows of
three, four, and five abreast, many rows continuing in the same
direction, when they changed and pursued another. They were very low,
many of them only three feet high, while the highest were not more than
six feet, and consisted of several separate pieces, like millstones.
Many of them had fallen, and in some places they lie prostrate in rows,
all in the same direction, as if thrown down intentionally. I had a
large number of Indians at work clearing them, and endeavouring to
trace their direction to the end. In some places they extended to the
bases of large mounds, on which were ruins of buildings and colossal
fragments of sculpture, while in others they branched off and
terminated abruptly. I counted three hundred and eighty, and there were
many more; but so many were broken, and they lay so irregularly, that I
gave up counting them. They were entirely too low to have supported a
roof under which persons could walk. The idea at times suggested itself
that they had upheld a raised walk of cement, but there were no remains
visible. The plate opposite will give some idea of these columns, with
the Castillo and part of the Tennis-court appearing in the background.
They enclose an area nearly four hundred feet square; and,
incomprehensible as they are in their uses and object, add largely to
the interest and wonder connected with these ruins.

I have now closed my brief description of the ruins of Chichen, having
presented, with as little detail as possible, all the principal
buildings of this ancient city. Ruined mounds exist, and detached
portions of sculpture strew the ground, exhibiting curious devices,
which often arrested us in wandering among them, but which I shall not
attempt to give. They were the ruins which we had had longest in
prospect, of which we had formed the largest expectations, and these
expectations were not disappointed, but more than realized. And they
had additional interest in our eyes from the fact tha