ly he entered in the best humour possible, and holding up his
empty bottle in triumph.

The next morning at daylight we sent Albino with the Indians to begin
clearing around the ruins, and after breakfast we followed. The path
lay through a savanna covered with long grass, and at the distance of a
mile we reached two buildings, which I had seen before, and were the
inducement to this visit.

[Engraving 20: Building at Chunhuhu]

The first is that represented in the plate opposite. It stands on a
substantial terrace, but lower than most of the others. The front is
one hundred and twelve feet long, and when entire must have presented a
grand appearance. The end on the left in the engraving has fallen,
carrying with it one doorway, so that now only four appear. The doorway
was the largest and most imposing we had seen in the country, but,
unfortunately, the ornaments over it were broken and fallen. In the
centre apartment the back corridor is raised, and the ascent to it is
by three steps.

[Engraving 21: A Doorway]

All the doorways were plain except the centre one (the second to the
left in the engraving), which is represented in the plate opposite. It
is in a dilapidated condition, but still presents bold and striking
ornaments. Even on this scale, however, the details of the sitting
figures above the cornice do not appear.

While we were engaged in making a clearing in front of this building,
two young men came down upon the terrace from the corner that was
fallen, and apparently from the top of the building, with long guns,
the locks covered with deer-skin, and all the accoutrements of
cacadores, or hunters. They were tall, fine-looking fellows, fearless
and frank in appearance and manner. Dr. Cabot's gun was the first
object that attracted their attention, after which they laid down their
guns, and, as if for the mere sport of swinging their machetes, were
soon foremost in making the clearing. When this was finished, Mr. C.
sat up his camera lucida, and though at first all gathered round, in a
few minutes he was left with only the two brothers, one of them holding
over him an umbrella to protect him from the sun.

Except the little boy and the woman, these were the first persons we
had seen within speaking distance. We were so pleased with their
appearance that we proposed to one of them to accompany us in our
search after ruins. The elder was quite taken with the idea of
rambling, but soon said, with a rath