with an expression of
reproach.

But his countenance brightened, when we had gone a little farther, as he
caught sight of another and much larger statue of the god that was set
in a great niche cut in the cliff at the end of the paved way. To
prepare here the god's abiding-place very arduous labor had been
undertaken. For a space fully one hundred feet high and as many broad
the whole face of the cliff had been quarried into; making a deep recess
that was rounded above, and that from beneath was approached by a long
flight of steps cut from the solid rock. In the centre of the recess,
upon the terraced space above the stairs, was a huge squared mass of
stone, on which the great stone figure of Chac-Mool rested. The opening
faced directly eastward, and as we approached it the stone figure was
seen but indistinctly in the duskiness of the recess, over which, and
far beyond which into the valley, fell the shadow of the mighty cliff.
From in front of this great altar all the valley was open to us; and
hence, before the lake swallowed it, every part of the city must have
been clearly visible in ancient times. As we mounted the steps and
approached the idol I observed that Pablo hung back a little; as though
in the depths of his nature some chord had been touched, some ancient
instinct in his blood aroused, that filled his soul with awe.

Certainly there was no suggestion of awe in Young's demeanor towards the
statue. With a monkey-like quickness, that I would not have given his
stout legs and heavy body credit for, he climbed upon the altar and
plumped himself down on the head of the figure almost in a moment. But
again he was disappointed, for the idol did not stir. As we examined it
closely we perceived that its fixedness was not unreasonable; for the
figure, and the altar on which it rested, were one solid mass of rock
that itself was a part of the cliff--left standing here when the niche
around it was hollowed out. A very prodigious piece of stone-cutting all
this was, and as I contemplated it I was filled with admiration of the
skill of them who had achieved it. But Young came down from the idol
moodily; and he said that the way these people had of playing tricks on
travellers, by making Mullinses that didn't tip when they ought to tip,
was quite of a piece with their putting their treasure where it couldn't
be got at without a diving-bell.

Behind the altar the niche was cut into the cliff so far that the depths
of