CHAPTER VIII.

The Ruins of Kahbah—Those of Zayi—Scattered Ruins—Church at Nohcacab—The Padre—The Town—Departure for Uxmal—Arrival at the Hacienda—Quarters and Arrangements—The Scenery—General Character of the Ruins of Uxmal—The Governor’s House—The Nuns’ House—The Pyramid—Other Remains—Pyramids, Walls, and Mounds—Reservoir—Moonlight.

I first entered upon the ruins of Kahbah from the main road leading from Nohcacab to Bolen-Chen-Ticul. On the west side I found fragments of buildings, walls, &c., scattered about, principally upon a low range of hills. No perfect rooms were visible. Parts of walls and ceilings were seen, and the ground about covered up with rubbish, mingled with broken pillars, sculptured work, &c. In the building farthest from the road, (which is in the best preservation of any on the west side,) we observed two square pillars, which had been taken from the door-way, and placed against the ceiling of the room, by some traveller, no doubt, who intended to present them to the world. They are about six feet high and two wide; the front facings of which are deeply cut, representing a cacique, or other dignitary, in full dress, (apparently a rich Indian costume,) with a profusion of feathers in his head-dress. He is represented withhis arms uplifted, holding a whip; a boy before him in a kneeling position, with his hands extended in supplication; underneath are hieroglyphics. The room is small, with the ceiling slightly curved; differing, in this particular, from those of Chi-Chen.

The ruins on the east side of the road comprise mainly three buildings, and an immense pile of stone in a pyramidical form, and in a much better state of preservation than those on the opposite side. These buildings are elevated upon a succession of terraces, which I ascended by a double flight of broken steps, to a square formed in front of each; the sides of which show the existence of walls now nearly levelled, and overgrown with trees and vegetation. Sufficient, however, is remaining of two buildings to indicate a similarity with those of the opposite side. The fronts measure about one hundred feet, the façades of which are ornamented with the most elaborate and skilful work, though now much broken and defaced. The carvings are somewhat similar to those of Chi-Chen; but they are much smaller, and do not display as much order in the arrangement. Broken columns, of unusual sizes, are to be seen a short distance from these buildings, evidently moved from their original positions.

The door-step of the principal inner room is elaborately sculptured, and entirely different from any thing I have observed in other places. In the centre of one of these squares, foundation walls are to be seen, which have been recently excavated. They, probably, were pedestals. These structures stand, uniformly,about four rods apart, on a line; and all have mounds and a succession of broken walls contiguous to them.

A few rods north of these buildings is a mass of broken stones, piled together in the shape of a pyramid, at the summit of which, to the height of one hundred and twenty-five feet, are still to be found the remains of the broken walls of an edifice. It is located, with reference to the cardinal points, like the pyramid of Chi-Chen, and was probably used for the same purposes, (whatever those might have been,) though the style of the work is not similar or equal to it. Its sides, at the base, measure five hundred feet, and are mostly bare; the loose stones barely maintain their form. The space occupied by these ruins cannot be less than a mile square.

ZAYI RUINS.

On the 24th of February, at sunrise, we were again in the saddle, passing over the same road as yesterday, and following a guide, with his pack of maza and water, the Yucatan “staff of life,” in pursuit of other ruins, situated about two and a half leagues south-east of those at Kahbah. The road was good, and its direction through several ranchos. Halting at one of these, under a shed of boughs, erected in front of a rudely built Indian church, we took our breakfast. The variety and quality of our repast were not such as to detain us long, and we were soon upon our route, through a hilly country to Zayi. I found my way to the principal ruin with little difficulty, it having been recently visited, as I learned from the natives, by Mr. Stephens, to whose recent labors Iwas much indebted in approaching the object of my search; the usual impediments of trees and wild thickets, by which it was surrounded, having been removed.The Ruins of Zayiare situated in the midst of a succession of beautiful hills, forming around them, on every side, an enchanting landscape.

The principal one is composed of a single structure, an immense pile, facing the south, and standing upon a slight natural elevation. The first foundation is now so broken that its original form cannot be fully determined; but it probably was that of a parallelogram. Its front wall shows the remains of rooms and ceilings, with occasional pillars, which, no doubt, supported the corridors. The height of this wall is about twenty feet, and, as near as I was able to measure around its base, (owing to the accumulation of ruins,) it was ascertained to be two hundred and sixty-eight feet long, and one hundred and sixteen wide.

In the centre of this foundation stands the main building, the western half only remaining, with a portion of the steps, outside, leading to the top. This part shows a succession of corridors, occupying the whole front, each supported by two pillars, with plain square caps and plinths, and intervening spaces, filled with rows of small ornamented pillars. In the rear of these corridors are rooms of small dimensions and angular ceilings, without any light except that which the front affords. Over these corridors, or pillars, is a fine moulding finish, its angle ornamented with a hook similar to those of Chi-Chen. Abovethis moulding is a finish of small plain round pillars, or standards, interspersed with squares of fine ornamental carvings; the centre of the façade showing the remains of more elaborate work, concentrated within a border, the arrangement of which is lost. There is an evident analogy existing between these ornaments and those of Kahbah, but order is less apparent. I could discover no resemblance whatever to those of Chi-Chen.

Over these rooms of the main building is another terrace, or foundation, in the centre of which is a building in similar ruins to those under it; having, also, broken steps leading to the top. It stands upon a foundation, apparently, of six to eight feet in height, occupying about two-thirds of the area; the residue, probably, forming a promenade. There are three doorways yet remaining, the lintels and sides of which are broken, and which have caused the walls above to fall down. The walls of this part of the edifice are constructed of hewn stone, without any signs of ornament. A plain finished moulding runs through the centre; portions of the cornice still remain, with three or four pieces of flat projecting stones, which formed a part of the top finish.

The whole extent of the rear is covered with confused piles of ruins, overgrown with trees. Near by these are fragments of walls and rooms, with a few ornaments yet remaining about them. Some of the rooms appear to have been single, and apart from all other buildings. There are also various mounds in the vicinity.

A few rods south are the remains of a single high wall, with numerous square apertures, like pigeon-holes. Its foundation is elevated; around which the broken walls and ceilings are to be seen. The summits of the neighboring hills are capped with gray broken walls for many miles around. I discovered no hieroglyphics or paintings of any kind; neither the extraordinary skill displayed in the ornamental carvings, as at Chi-Chen.

On my route to these ruins I made digressions from the road, and found, on all sides, numerous remains of walls and ceilings; also, mounds and small pyramids, covered with the wild vegetation of the country. My time being limited to a day, I left these interesting reminiscences of an unknown people under the cover of night, and returned, wearied with my day’s labor, to Nohcacab.

The following morning I visited the church with the padre. It is a large, plain building, with cumbrous walls. The stone being nearly white, at a distance gave it the appearance of a Massachusetts cotton-factory. This church is very poor; and its shrines, like many others in the country, are in barbarous taste. As the padre pulled the strings, to throw aside the curtains and show the figures, my simplicity could not avoid thinking of a puppet-show; and more especially so on account of a figure that had attracted my attention on entering from the cloisters, dressed in a swallow-tail coat and striped trousers, and intended, probably, to represent some one of the apostolic brotherhood.

The church stands upon an elevation; and, from the roof, is a charming prospect of the surrounding country. Attached to the building, at one corner, is a high wall, forming an enclosure, in which are deposited the bones of all the dead that had been interred in the body of the church. The tops of the walls are set off with sculls!

The padre is a young man, quite sociable, and he occasionally preaches. When this happens, it is in the Maya language.

The town is small, and has nothing particularly to recommend it to the stranger. It is built upon a shelving rock, a customary site for towns in this province.

Plan of the Ruins of Uxmal.

At nine o’clock we were again in our saddles for Uxmal,[8]distant about four leagues. I saw at a distance the ruins of Nohpat; but my haste to reach Uxmal would not allow us to stop. I passed several fine estates on the way before reaching that place. The road was a path cut through the bushes, but easy to travel. I arrived at noon at the hacienda owned by a gentleman at Merida, before mentioned, who kindly had furnished me with a letter to his major-domo; which gave me every facility required to visit the extraordinary ruins in the vicinity. The house of the hacienda had just gone through a complete repair and cleaning, and held out many inducements for me to make my quarters there; but, preferring to be near to the place where I intended to spend mytime, I ordered our trappings to be removed to the ruins, distant about one mile, whither I followed. I was at a loss which of the splendid structures to appropriate to my use; but the governor’s house had the appearance of being more tenable than all the rest, or perhaps more conspicuous. I chose that for my future place of residence, so I wended my way towards it—passing a grand and lofty pyramid on the right—and scrambled up the broken steps of the southeast angle of my prospective domicile. The governor not being at home, I took quiet possession of three rooms: one for my kitchen, the others for my parlor and bed, or rather, sleeping-room. The rubbish was cleared away, and my furniture, consisting of a table and a chair, with which the major-domo had kindly supplied me, was duly arranged; and some corn, dried pork, lard, sundry eggs, &c., were carefully provided. José selected the most finely finished pieces of ornamented stones which were lying about the door, and silently disposed them around the parlor as seats for the accommodation of company. We then felt ourselves perfectly at home, and ready to receive our friends as soon as they might be pleased to wait upon us. From our door we could see, on our right, beautiful hills undulating like the ground-swell of the sea; on the left, the Cordilleras, looking down with an air of great complaisance upon the plain beneath. Nature is renewing the fields far as the eye can reach; while in the foreground are the time-defying monuments of other days, garlanded with luxuriant shrubs and flowers, to sustainwhich they had been compelled to give up their own symmetry and beauty. It was nature in her second childhood.

TheGovernor’s House[9]is a vast and splendid pile of ruins. It stands upon three ranges of terraces; the first of which is a slight projection, forming a finish. The great platform, or terrace above it, measures upwards of five hundred feet long, and four hundred and fifteen broad. It is encompassed by a wall of fine hewn stone thirty feet high, with angles rounded, still in good preservation. In the centre of this platform, upon which trees and vegetation grow in profusion, stands a shaft of gray limestone in an inclined position, measuring twelve feet in circumference and eight in height; bearing upon its surface no marks of form or ornament by which it might be distinguished from a natural piece. Near by is a rude carving of a tiger with two heads; also, I saw excavations near them with level curbings and smoothly finished inside, which are conjectured to have been cisterns or granaries. Along the southern edge of this platform are the remains of a range of small pillars, now broken and in confusion.

Upon the north-west corner of this platform is an edifice, which was, no doubt, from its location, connected with the Governor’s House. It is the smallest of all the ruins. Its ornaments are few and plain; the most remarkable of which is a continuous line of turtles, cut from stone of about a foot square, arranged under the cornices.

SECTION OF FAÇADE, GOVERNOR’S HOUSE.UXMAL RUINS.Restored after Waldeck.

The south-west corner has connected with it two piles of loose stones, in the pyramidical form; one eighty, and the other a hundred feet high, the sides of the bases measuring about two hundred feet. Their tops are broad platforms, over which, and down the sides, are scattered the remains of edifices, of which these pyramids were once probably the foundations. Here we found pieces of pottery, consisting of broken pieces of vases, and supposed cooking utensils.

Upon the main terrace stands another of smaller dimensions, constituting the foundation of the Governor’s House. The measurement of this terrace is three hundred and thirty-eight feet long, eighty-two broad, and thirty high, having a majestic flight of stone steps, though considerably broken at the centre, in front of the entrance.

This majestic pile faces the east, is two hundred and seventy-two feet long, thirty-six broad, and twenty-four high. The whole building is plain (unlike those of Chi-Chen) from the base to the mouldings, which run through the centre over the doorways; above which, to the top, are ornaments and sculptured work in great profusion, and of the most rich, strange, and elaborate workmanship. It is divided into double ranges of rooms, from front to rear. Two of the principal are situated in the centre, fifty-five feet long, ten broad, and about nineteen high, with an angular ceiling, occupying one-half of the whole. There arefourteen other rooms in the front and rear; also, two rooms on each end, and one in front and rear of the two recesses, of about one-half of the average size.

The interior of these rooms is sometimes covered with a beautiful hard finish, and at others presents a surface of uniform square blocks of smooth stone. The floors are of stone, covered with a hard composition, which, together with the stone, is now much broken.

The lintels, which are of zuporte wood, are decayed and broken, to which, in a great degree, the falling of the walls may be attributed. The inner sides of the doorways are pierced, and hooks attached, whereon doors were probably swung. There are, also, apertures in the walls, where beams rested, to support hammocks, some of which still remain, and show the marks of the cords. There were no fresco, or other painting or decorations of any kind in the interior of the building to be discerned.

The front presents the most remarkable architectural skill to be found about the building. The walls were of the most durable kind of limestone; and upwards of three feet thick, of fine hewn stone, laid with the greatest care. There were eleven doorways besides those of the recesses. The finish of the angles, generally, was as smooth as though the material were cut with a sharp knife.

GOVERNOR’S HOUSE.UXMAL RUINS.

The ornaments were composed of small square pieces of stone, shaped with infinite skill, and insertedbetween the mortar and stone with the greatest care and precision. About two-thirds of the ornaments are still remaining upon the façade. The most elaborate were over the centre or main entrance. These have fallen; and now are a heap of ruins at the base. One of them was a figure of a man, with a head-dress of feathers and tassels; part of which still remains, with lines of hieroglyphics underneath. The ground-work of the ornaments is chiefly composed of raised lines, running diagonally, forming diamond or lattice-work, over which are rosettes and stars; and, in bold relief, the beautiful Chinese border.

From the centre of the building to the recess, at the northern extremity of the building, the ornaments have mostly crumbled off, and are now lying at the base in ruins; and the other parts, contiguous, seem ready to follow the example. The rear of this edifice is more plainly finished; the main part of the centre has fallen.

Over the principal doorway are the remains of a female figure, in a sitting posture. The hands and legs have fallen. It has a fine head-dress of cap and tassels, and neck ornaments. The waist looks quite natural, and the whole was finely finished. On each side of this figure was hieroglyphical writing. The inner rooms of the centre of the Governor’s House still show the places ofexcavations, made some years ago, by the curate of Ticul.

The extensive pile of ruins designated as theNuns’ House, is situated a few rods distant, in a northerly direction from the Governor’s House. It comprises four great ranges of edifices, placed on the sides of a quadrangular terrace, measuring about eleven hundred feet around, and varying in height from fifteen to twenty-four feet, its sides corresponding to the cardinal points. The principal entrance is through an acute-angled arch doorway, in the centre of the southern range, through which I entered into a spacious court. This range is upwards of two hundred feet long, twenty-five broad, and sixteen high; containing eight rooms on either side of the principal entrance, which are now in good preservation. The inner and outer façades are variously ornamented. Among these I observed signs, symbolical of deities and of Time, as represented to us as symbolized among the ancient Mexicans whose customs have reached us.

THE NUNS’ HOUSE,UXMAL RUINS.

The opposite, or northern range, by its superior elevation, and more elaborate work, was evidently the principal portion of this immense structure. Its foundation, which was twenty-four feet high, is now much broken. It has contained rooms and corridors, the walls and pillars of which are still remaining. This range has a wide terrace, or promenade, in front; which, from its elevated position, overlooks the whole ruins. The front wall presents five doorways, the lintels and sides of which have fallen, and filled upthe rooms with their crumbling ruins. It measures about two hundred and forty-six feet in length, and twenty-five in width, and its height is now only about twenty-six feet. Something like one-third of the ornaments upon the façade yet remain, which bear evidence of great power of combination, and extraordinary skill in the building. No part of the edifice, however, is perfect.

The east and west ranges stand upon foundations which are ten feet high. The ranges are about one hundred and forty feet in length, thirty-four in breadth, and twenty-five in height, having four doorways, divided into eight rooms each. Those of the east are in good preservation—those of the west are much fallen and broken. The largest one of the rooms lies on the east side, and measures thirty feet by twelve. The others range about twelve by eighteen; having ante-rooms on either side, nine by twelve. The height of the ceiling is uniform throughout, and the walls are finished with a clean, white, hard substance. The finish and style, as well as the arrangement of the ornaments, on all sides of these walls, are different. They are much broken, and many pieces are lost, which renders it quite impossible to get at the designs.

The northern front, no doubt, was the principal one, as I judge from the remains, as well as from the fact, that it is more elevated than the others. The southern range is more plain, both in its front and rear. The eastern façade is filled with elaborate ornaments, differing entirely from the others, and betterfinished. The western façade is much broken. The remains of two great serpents, however, are still quite perfect; their heads turned back, and entwining each other, they extend the whole length of the façade, through a chaste ground-work of ornamental lines, interspersed with various rosettes. They are put together by small blocks of stone, exquisitely worked, and arranged with the nicest skill and precision. The heads of the serpents are adorned with pluming feathers and tassels, their mouths widely extended, and their tails represent the rattle divisions.

In the rear of, and within a few feet of the eastern range, are the remains of a similar range, which is now almost in total ruins. There appear to have been connecting walls, or walks, from this range to the Pyramid near by, as I judged from the rubbish and stones that can be traced from one to the other.

The outer walls of the northern foundation, which yet remain quite perfect, are not excelled, in point of workmanship, by the work of any artisans of the present day. The outer angles, in particular, are worked with a skill which is almost incredible. Among the great variety of ornaments, with which these edifices abound at present, I discovered a number of large stone hooks, finely carved, and none of them broken. They generally are placed over the doorways, and upon the angles of the buildings, and must have been an important or a favorite ornament, from the conspicuousplaces invariably chosen for them. There are also figures of men, representing Indians, in standing and sitting postures, with long clubs; but they are rude, both in design and execution.

THE PYRAMID,UXMAL RUINS

Within these quadrangular edifices is a terrace about six feet wide, extending round the entire court, with flights of steps on all sides, descending to the large court below, which is covered with square blocks of stone, considerably worn. The surface was broken, and covered with earth and vegetation. In the centre of the court is an excavation, in which an immense shapeless stone was discovered, similar to one excavated from the area of the main terrace of the Governor’s House.

ThePyramidis situated about two rods easterly from the ruins of the Nuns’ House, to which it appears, in some way, to have been connected. It presents a fine exterior of hewn stone, large at the base, and their sizes diminishing as they approach the platform. The sides are precipitous, much broken, and covered with trees. Its base measures five hundred feet; from the base to the summit or platform, it is one hundred. The summit is reached, on the eastern side, by a flight of a hundred stone steps, each one foot high, and about six inches deep; making the ascent quite difficult, although the steps are still in good preservation.

The area of the platform measures seventy-two feet in length and twenty-one in width, and is occupied by an edifice sixty feet long, twelve wide, and twenty high; having two rooms both on the east andon the west sides, and one on either end. These rooms are much defaced, and their doorways dilapidated. The eastern front has two doorways, and two small pavilions projecting six or eight inches from the façade, supported by plain pilasters.

The western façade is ornamented with human figures similar tocaryatides, finely sculptured in stone with great art. Their heads are covered with a casque, and ear ornaments similar to those worn by the Egyptians. They have girdles around their bodies. On the western side, immediately in front of the doorway, is a platform, or roof of a room, the base or floor of which includes about twenty feet of the inclined side of the Pyramid; leading to which is a broken plane, once occupied by the steps. Here are two rooms, one of which is of an unusually large size, with a proportionate doorway, fronting the Nuns’ House. The interior of these rooms was finely finished with smooth stone. There appeared to be no communication from them with any other part. The front and sides of the exterior were filled with sculptured work of the most elaborate and incomprehensible description. The same degree of skill and precision was perceptible here that distinguishes the whole ruins.

Below these rooms, at or near the base of the side, are others, where excavations have been made. They are now much broken, and covered with the fallen ruins.

Section ofTHE PIGEON HOUSES;UXMAL RUINS.

A few rods distant, in a southwest direction from the Governor’s House, are the remains of an extensiverange, or succession of ruins. They, probably, were once of no inconsiderable importance in the place. They are composed of terraces, walls, rooms and corridors, and court-yards.

The principal ruin fronts the north, and, probably, was connected with the Governor’s House. A wall of two hundred feet remains standing upon a foundation of ten feet. Its width is twenty-five feet; having ranges of rooms in both sides, only parts of which remain. This wall has an acute-angled arch doorway through the centre, similar to that of the Nuns’ House, with rooms on both sides. The top of this wall has numerous square apertures through it, which give it the appearance of pigeon-holes; and its edge is formed like the gable-end of a house, uniformly notched. In front of this wall appears to have been an immense court or square, enclosed by stone walls, leading to the Nuns’ House. The interior of this square, apparently, shows the ruins of walls and rooms and walks; but nothing definite could be made out, as the ruins were almost level with the ground, and overgrown with trees and grass. At intervals, along the outer wall, in a northwest direction, the ruins of rooms were seen, evidently a regular succession of them.

In the rear of the principal wall is another court or square, but much smaller than that in front, having broken corridors, and the sides running back to an artificial elevation of about fifty feet; the form of which was lost, owing to the dilapidation of the sides and angles. Ruins of rooms and corridors, both atits base and summit, were perceptible. Other squares can be defined by the broken walls contiguous to these extensive ruins; also, numerous mounds; one of which, discovered west of the Nuns’ House, is found to be an immense reservoir or cistern, having a double curb; the interior of which was beautifully finished with stucco, and in good preservation. Some of these mounds have been excavated, as I have already mentioned, and seemed to have been intended originally for sepulchres.

In the centre of the avenue between the Governor’s House and the Nuns’ House, in a line with the principal doorway of the latter building, are the ruins of two walls, running parallel with each other, north and south, about twelve feet apart. The eastern and inner side shows the remains of a serpent along its façade, similar to that of the Nuns’ House—a small portion, however, only remains. It also shows rooms and ceilings quite level with the ground. The western wall is more perfect, and has a ring inserted in its façade, like those of Chi-Chen; but, instead of ornaments, presents hieroglyphics upon its sides.

The short period to which I was, unfortunately, restricted in the examination of these sublime ruins, (and these remarks will apply to all which have come under my observation,) has permitted me to touch but slightly even upon those which have appeared to be the most prominent. Months might be spent among them, and then one would only have entered upon the threshold of an investigation into their wonders.

A moonlight scene from the Governor’s House is one of the most enchanting sights I ever witnessed. The moon had risen about half way up from the horizon, and was now throwing its strong silver light over the whitened façade ofour house. Castles, palaces, and falling pyramids were distinctly to be traced in the foreground. At a distance, walls and mounds, rising above the green verdure of the land, looked like a multitude of small islands in a calm summer’s sea. All was quiet but the chirp of the cricket, or the occasional scream of some night-bird of the wood. It was a scene of natural beauty such as I never have seen realized upon canvass of the artist, or even in the pages of poetry.

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