would only prove tiresome.
Pyramids, both with and without buildings on their summits, are
comparatively frequent. As they would be noticed where other ruins
would be overlooked, we have some cuts of the more remarkable ones. The
preceding cut is the pyramid at Papantla.

The base is ninety feet square, and the pyramid has seven stories, as
seen in the engraving. Only the last one contains apartments; with this
exception, the pyramid is solid. Stairways in front lead up to the top.
Mr. Mayer says "there is no doubt, from the mass of ruins spread over
the plain, that the city was more than a mile and a half in circuit."
But we have no further description of them. Other localities with
pyramids and ruins are known. At Tusapan occurs this ruin, which may be
taken as a type of all the pyramids in this region. This was the only
building remaining standing at Tusapan; but, from the ruins lying about,
this is not supposed to have been the grandest structure there.

Illustration of Tusapan.---------------

This will complete what we have to say of the ruins in territory
occupied by the Nahua tribes. Other remains of their handiwork we will
examine when we treat of their customs and manners. We will now turn our
attention to the ruins in the territory of the Mayas. As the culture of
these two people is so similar, we will devote but one chapter to the
two. Comparison is the great means we have of fixing in the mind points
we wish to keep. We have to admit that the treatment of the Nahua
ruins is not very satisfactory; but it is difficult to obtain accurate
information in regard to them. We think what resemblance can be
traced, is more in the direction of the Pueblo tribes than of the Mound
Builders. The first ruin found in Mexico, Casa Grandes, in Chihuahua, is
evidently but another station of Pueblo tribes.

The fortified hill at Quemada is apparently but a further development
of the clustering houses with the little inclosures noticed on the Gila.
Mounds are, indeed, mentioned in a number of localities, but they
seem to be more nearly related to the terraced foundation of buildings
observed in Arizona than to the mounds of the Mississippi Valley.
Surely as striking a ruin as any is at Mitla, but Mr. Bandelier does not
hesitate to compare it with some in the Pueblo country. Now, it is very
unsafe and very unsatisfactory to trace resemblances of this kind, and
we do not assign any especial value to them. But it only shows