Page:Travels in Mexico and life among the Mexicans.djvu/86

78 hacienda had furnished us with an Indian, a pure Maya, descended, perhaps, from the very builders of this palace, who spoke only his native tongue. By signs, and with a few Maya sentences the Consul understood, we managed him very well. He cleared away the trees and bushes about the walls, so that I could photograph them, made our fires night and morning, carried our apparatus, and made himself much beloved.

Though we passed several days here, we had few adventures, and one will suffice to illustrate how we passed the time in the palace of the departed kings. In the morning we went out to the aguada, or watering-place, of the ancient city, a small pond that may originally have been artificial, but which bears no evidence of it now, being surrounded with sedges and water plants, and with little islets in it, harbors of refuge for numerous coots and gallinules. I shot one of these latter birds, with long, slender toes, and strong spurs on its wings, and also some beautiful yellow-breasted specimens of tyrannus and crimson flycatchers. From the aguada, toward which the surrounding plain sloped naturally, covered with a thick growth of low trees, a perfect view was spread out of the entire city, its rear portion showing what a stupendous monument the giants of those dead and gone days had erected. More ponds were scattered about here, some shaded by trees, and all welcome as rare sights to greet the eyes of one travelling in Eastern Yucatan.

In crossing a grassy pasture lying in the great quadrangle between the buildings, I astonished our Indian guide beyond measure by shooting a king vulture, as it flew overhead. I was attempting to creep upon it, when it flew; the Indian, who thought then that I had lost all chance of shooting it, was rooted to the spot when he saw it fall hurtling through the air, and strike the earth at the base of a prostrate pillar of sculptured stone. He recovered himself in season to bring me the bird, but examined us both attentively; and when he later explained, in his guttural language, the whole thing to a group of friends, they all regarded me with increased respect.

The heat of noon was very oppressive, and we passed that period in the corridor of our house, admiring the prospect