Buying a Wardrobe.--Crowd of Loungers.--Visit to the Ruins.--A long Edifice built by the Spaniards.--Interesting Well.--Indian Legend.--The Mother of the Dwarf.--Exploration of the Well.--Remains of large Mounds.--Cogolludo.--Ancient and curious Painting.--Books and ancient Characters of the Indians burned by the Spaniards.--Archives of Mani.--Important Documents.--Ancient Map.--Instrument endorsed on its Back.--Important Bearing of these Documents.--What was Uxmal?--Argument.--No Vestiges of a Spanish Town at Uxmal.--Churches erected by the Spaniards in all their Settlements.--No Indications of a Church at Uxmal.--Conclusions.--Suspicions of the People.--Church and Convent.--Extensive View from the Top of the Church. Early in the morning Albino was in quest of some gentleman who might have a spare camisa and pantaloons which he would be willing to part with, and, by one of those rare pieces of good luck that sometimes illuminate the path of a traveller, he procured both, the latter having an elegantly embroidered bosom, which fell to Doctor Cabot; and, with my cast-off blouse, which was in better condition than his, and a thin frock-coat, that considered itself cast-off some time before, for myself, we were able to make a dashing appearance in the streets. Notwithstanding our perplexities, I had an uncommon degree of satisfaction at waking up in Mani. I had heard of this place on my first visit to Uxmal, of relics and heirlooms in the hands of the cacique, and of ruins, which, however, we were advised were not worth visiting. The morning, nevertheless, did not open with much promise. On first emerging we found about the door of the casa real a crowd of loungers, of that mixed race who might trace their ancestry to the subjects of Tutul Xiu and the conquerors, possessing all the bad qualities of both, and but few of the good traits of either. Some of them were intoxicated, and there were many half-grown, impudent boys, who kept close to us, watching every movement, and turning aside to laugh when they could do so unobserved. We set out to look at the ruins, and the crowd followed at our heels. At the end of a street leading to the well we saw a long building, pierced in the middle by the street, and part still standing on each side. We saw at a glance that it was not the work of the antiguos, but had been erected by the Spaniards since the conquest, and yet we were conducted to it as one of the same class with those we had found all over the country; though we did meet with one intelligent person, who smiled at the ignorance of the people, and said that it was a palace of _El Rey_, or the _king_, Montejo. Its true history is perhaps as much unknown as that of the more ancient buildings. In its tottering front were interspersed sculptured stones taken from the aboriginal edifices, and thus, in its own decay, it publishes the sad story that it had risen upon the ruins of another race.