, is perhaps
the most curious and interesting of any. It is at the left end of the
principal building, and in the angle of the corner are the huge open
jaws of an alligator, or some other hideous animal, enclosing a human
head.

The reader will form some idea of the overgrown and shrouded condition
of this building from the fact that I had been at work nearly the whole
day upon the terrace, without knowing that there was another building
on the top. In order to take in the whole front at one view, it was
necessary to carry the clearing back some distance into the plain, and
in doing this I discovered the upper structure. The growth of trees
before it was almost equal to that on the terrace, or in any part of
the forest. The whole had to be cleared, the trees thrown down upon the
terrace, and thence dragged away to the plain. This building consists
of single narrow corridors, and the facade is of plain stone, without
any ornaments.

The platform in front is the roof of the building underneath, and in
this platform was a circular hole, like those we had seen at Uxmal and
other places, leading to subterraneous chambers. This hole was well
known to the Indians, and had a marvellous reputation; and yet they
never mentioned it until I climbed up to examine the upper building.
They said it was the abode of el dueno de la casa, or the owner of the
building. I immediately proposed to descend, but the old Indian begged
me not to do so, and said apprehensively to the others, "Who knows but
that he will meet with the owner!" I immediately sent for rope,
lantern, and matches; and, absurd as it may seem, as I looked upon the
wild figures of the Indians standing round the hole, and their earnest
faces, it was really exciting to hear them talk of the owner. As there
was a difficulty in procuring rope, I had a sapling cut and let down
the hole, by means of which I descended with a lantern. The news of my
intention and of the preparations going on had spread among the
Indians, and all left off work and hurried to the spot. The hole was
about four feet deep, and, just as my head sunk below the surface, I
was startled by an extraordinary scratching and scampering, and a huge
iguana ran along the wall, and escaped through the orifice by which I
had entered.

The chamber was entirely different in shape from those I had seen
before. The latter were circular, and had dome-shaped ceilings. This
had parallel walls and the triangular-arched c