t the broad light
of day beams upon their history. The first settlement of the Spaniards
in the interior was made at this very spot.

The reader may remember that in the early part of these pages he
accompanied Don Francisco Montejo to Chichen, or Chichen Itza, as it
was called, from the name of the people who occupied the country. The
site of this place is identified beyond all peradventure as that now
occupied by these ruins; and the reader, perhaps, will expect from Don
Francisco Montejo, or the Spanish soldiers, some detailed account of
these extraordinary buildings, so different from any to which the
Spaniards were accustomed. But, strange as it may appear, no such
account exists. The only existing notice of their journey from the
coast says, that from a place called Ake they set out, directing their
course for Chichen Itza, where they determined to stop and settle, as
it appeared a proper place, on account of the strength of the great
buildings that were there, for defence against attacks by the Indians.
We do not even learn whether these buildings were inhabited or
desolate; but Herrera says that the Indians in this region were so
numerous, that in making the distribution which the adelantado was
allowed by the terms of the royal grant, the least number which fell to
the lot of a Spaniard was two thousand.

Having regard, however, to the circumstances of the occupation and
abandonment of Chichen by the Spaniards, their silence is perhaps not
extraordinary. I have already mentioned that at this place the
adelantado made a fatal mistake, and, lured by the glitter of gold in
another province, divided his forces, and sent one of his best
captains, with fifty men, in search of it. From this time calamities
and dangers pressed upon him; altercations and contests began with the
Indians; provisions were withheld, the Spaniards were obliged to seek
them with the sword, and all that they ate was procured at the price of
blood. At length the Indians determined upon their utter destruction.
Immense multitudes surrounded the camp of the Spaniards, hemming them
in on all sides. The Spaniards, seeing themselves reduced to the
necessity of perishing by hunger, determined to die bravely in the
field, and went out to give battle. The most sanguinary fight they had
ever been engaged in then took place. The Spaniards fought for their
lives, and the Indians to remain masters of their own soil. Masses of
the latter were killed, but