in their
grave after a penknife had found its way into the country. Speculation
and ingenuity may assign other causes, but, in my opinion, the
inference is reasonable, if not irresistible, that at the time of the
conquest, and afterward, the Indians were actually living in and
occupying those very cities on whose great ruins we now gaze with
wonder. A penknife--one of the petty presents distributed by the
Spaniards--reached the hands of a cacique, who, far removed from the
capital, died in his native town, and was buried with the rites and
ceremonies transmitted by his fathers. A penknife is at this day an
object of curiosity and admiration among the Indians, and, perhaps, in
the whole of Yucatan there is not one in the hands of a native. At the
time of the conquest it was doubtless considered precious, worthy of
being buried with the heirlooms of its owner, and of accompanying him
to the world of spirits. I was extremely anxious to procure these
memorials. The cura said, with Spanish courtesy, that they were mine;
but he evidently attached great value to them, and, much as I desired
it, I could not, with any propriety, take them.

CHAPTER XIX.

Departure.--Journey to Yalahao.--Stony Road.--Arrival at the Port.--The
Sea.--Appearance of the Village.--Bridge.--Springs.--Pirates.--Scarcity
of Ramon.--The Castillo.--Its Garrison.--Don Vicente Albino.--An
Incident.--Arrangements for a Voyage down the Coast.--Embarcation.--The
Canoa El Sol.--Objects of the Voyage.--Point Moscheto.--Point
Frances.--An Indian Fisherman.--Cape Catoche.--The first Landing-place
of the Spaniards.--Island of Contoy.--Sea-birds.--Island of
Mugeres.--Lafitte.--Harpooning a Turtle.--Different Kinds of
Turtle.--Island of Kancune.--Point of Nesuc.--Sharks.--Moschetoes.--Bay
of San Miguel.--Island of Cozumel.--Rancho established by the Pirate
Molas.--Don Vicente Albino.--Mr. George Fisher.--Piratical Aspect of
the Island.--A Well.--Plantation of Cotton.--Stroll along the Shore.

On Monday, the fourth of April we took leave of the warm-hearted cura,
and set out for our new point of destination, the port of Yalahao.

I am obliged to hurry over our journey to the coast. The road was
lonely and rugged, mostly a complete crust of stone, broken and sharp
pointed, which severely tried and almost wore out our horses. It was
desperately hot; we had no view except the narrow path before us, and
we stumbled along, wondering