Journey to Jalacho.--Execrable Roads.--Sight of Ruins at Sennisacal.--A motley Multitude.--Village of Becal.--The Cura.--Breakfast.--Ruins.--Arrival at Jalacho.--A great Fair.--Fete of Santiago.--Miracles.--Figure of St. James.--Bull-fight and Bull-fighters.--Horse-market.--Scenes in the Plaza.--Gambling.---Primitive Circulating Medium.--A Memorial of Home.--A Ball.--Search for Ruins.--Hacienda of Sijoh.--Mounds of Ruins.--Remarkable Stones.--A long Edifice.--Hacienda of Tankuche.--More Ruins.--A plastered Wall covered with Paintings.--Annoyance from Garrapatas.--Return to the Village.--Ball.--Fireworks.--Condition of the Indians. Having made such advances in the clearing that Mr. Catherwood had abundance of occupation, on Thursday, the 18th of November, I set out, under the guidance of the mayoral, on an excursion to meet Don Simon Peon at the fair of Jalacho, and visit some ruins on another hacienda of his in that neighbourhood. We started at half past six, our course being west by north. At ten minutes past seven we crossed a _serrania_ or range of hills, about a hundred and fifty feet high, and came down upon an extensive savanna of low, flat land, a mere cane-brake. The road was the worst I had found in the country, being simply a wet and very muddy path for mules and horses to the fair. My horse sunk up to his saddle-girths, and it was with great exertion that he dragged himself through. Every moment I had fear of his rolling over in the mud, and in some places I was strongly reminded of the _malos pasos_ in Central America. Occasionally the branches were barely high enough to allow mules to pass, and then I was obliged to dismount, and trudge through the mud on foot. At eight o'clock we came to an open savanna, and saw a high mound with ruins on the top, bearing south, about a mile distant. It was called, as the mayoral said, Senuisacal. I was strongly tempted to turn aside and examine it, but, on account of the thickness of the cane-brake and the mud, it would have been impossible to reach it, and the mayoral said that it was entirely in ruins.