of a league we reached the cave and, tying our hones, descended by a great chasm to the depth of perhaps two hundred feet, when we found ourselves under a great shelf of overhanging rock, the cavern being dark as we advanced, but all at once lighted up from beyond by a perpendicular orifice, and exhibiting in the background magnificent stalactites, picturesque blocks and fragments of rock, which, in the shadows of the background, assumed all manner of fantastic shapes, and, from their fancied resemblance, had been called the figures of men and animals, pillars and chapels. I saw at once that there was another disappointment for me; there were no monuments of art, and had never been anything artificial; but the cave itself, being large and open, and lighted in several places by orifices above, was so magnificent that, notwithstanding the labour and disappointment, I did not regret my visit. I passed two hours in wandering through it, returned to the hacienda to dine, and it was after dark when I reached the rancho, and for the last time had the benefit of its well in the shape of a warm bath. Throughout Yucatan, every Indian, however poor, has, as part of the furniture of his hut, a bano, or sort of bathing-tub; and, next to making tortillas, the great use of a wife is to have warm water ready for him when he returns from his work. We had not the latter convenience, but at this place, for a medio, we had the alcalde's bano every evening. It was a wooden dug-out, flat bottomed, about three feet long, eighteen inches wide, three or four inches deep, and bathing in it was somewhat like bathing in the salver of a tea-table, but, covered as we were constantly with garrapata bites, mere ablution was as grateful as a Turkish or Egyptian bath. CHAPTER IV. Search for Ruined Cities continued.--Journey to the Rancho of Kewick.--Ruined Building.--Lose the Road.--Set right by an Indian.--Arrival at Kewick.--The Casa Real.--Visit from the Proprietor of the Rancho, a full-blooded Indian.--His Character.--Visit to the Ruins.--Garrapatas.--Old Walls.--Facades.--Imposing Scene of Ruins.--Principal Doorway.--Apartments.--Curious Painting.--Excavating a Stone.--A long Building.--Other Ruins.--Continued Scarcity of Water.--Visit to a Cave, called by the Indians Actum.--A wild Scene.--An Aguada.--Return to the Casa Real.--A Crisis in Money Matters.--Journey to Xul.--Entry into the Village.--The Convent.--Reception.--The Cura of Xul.--His Character.--Mingling of Old Things with New.--The Church.--A Levee.--A Welcome Arrival.