e.--Entrance to it.--Precipitous Descents.--A wild
Scene.--Rude Ladders.--Dangers of the Descent.--Indian Name of this
Cave.--A subterranean Ball-room.--Cavernous Chamber.--Numerous
Passages.--Great Number of Ladders.--Rocky Basin of Water.--Great
Depth of the Cave.--A Bath in the Basin.--Its Indian Name.--Return
to the Rocky Chamber.--Exploration of another Passage.--Another
Basin.--Indian Stories.--Two other Passages and Basins.--Seven
Basins in all.--Indian Names of the remaining five.--Want of
Philosophical Instruments.--Surface of the Country.--This Cave the
sole Watering-place of a large Indian Village.--Return.--Visit to the
Cura.--Report of more Ruins.

At daylight the next morning the woman was on the spot to remind us of
our promise. We gave her a cup of coffee, and with a small present,
which amply satisfied her for our forcible occupation of her hut, left
her again in possession.

Our party this morning divided into three parcels. The carriers set out
direct for Bolonchen; Mr Catherwood went, under the guidance of Dimas,
to make a drawing of the last building, and Doctor Cabot, myself, and
Albino to visit another ruined city, all to meet again at Bolonchen in
the evening.

Doctor Cabot and myself were warned that the path we proposed taking
was not passable on horseback. For the first league our arms and legs
were continually scratched and torn by briers, and only our hats saved
us from the fate of Absalom. In that hot climate, it was always
uncomfortable to tie the sombrero under the chin; and there were few
things more annoying than to have it knocked off every five minutes,
and be obliged to dismount and pick it up. Our Indian guide moved
easily on foot, just clearing the branches on each side and overhead.
We had one alternative, which was to dismount and lead our horses; but,
unused to having favours shown them, they pulled back, so that the
labour of dragging them on added greatly to the fatigue of walking.

Emerging from this tangled path, we came out upon a large hacienda, and
stopped before an imposing gateway, under the shade of great seybo
trees, within which were large and well-filled water-tanks. Our horses
had drunk nothing since the afternoon before; we therefore dismounted,
loosened the saddle girths, and, as a matter of form, sent Albino to
ask permission to water them, who returned with the answer that we
might for a real. At Chunhuhu it always cost us more than this in the
labour of