Page:Here and there in Yucatan - miscellanies (IA herethereinyucat00lepl 0).djvu/88



UCATAN is one of the most interesting States of Mexico, owing to the splendid ancient palaces and temples of once grand cities, now hidden in the forests. That country also presents great attractions for geologists and botanists, as well as naturalists, who there find rare and beautiful birds, insects, and reptiles.

There are no rivers on the surface of the land, but in many parts it is entirely undermined by extensive caverns in which there are basins of water fed by subterranean currents. The caverns are delightfully cool even at midday; the fantastic forms of some of the stalactites and stalagmites, a never-ending source of interest. There are long winding passages and roomy chambers following one after another for great distances. Here and there, through some chink in the stony vault above, a sunbeam penetrates, enabling us to see, to the right and left, openings leading to untrodden places in the bowels of the earth.

As few of these caves have been explored, the