"It might have been a couple of thousand years ago for aught we can tell," said Sir Humphrey. "Yes," said Brace; "but we have done nothing yet. There are hundreds more of these cells, floor above floor, right to the top." "Well, let's try another floor or terrace, if we can," said Sir Humphrey. "Has anyone discovered a way up?" "Yes, sir there's a hole yonder," said one of the men, "and it isn't stopped up." "Well, let's try it," said Sir Humphrey. "Hadn't we better get to the end here, and see what that better part is like?" said Briscoe. "It seems to me that we shall find behind those carved stones the best part of the place." "Very well," said Sir Humphrey: "let's try that first; but we have a month's work before us to explore all this. Now then." Briscoe eagerly took the lead and went on along the terrace, with the little metallic-looking lizards darting away in the sunshine amidst the fallen stones; and cell after cell was passed till the end of their journey was reached in the shape of a blank mass of rock, beyond which they felt certain that the temple or palace remains must be. But there was no means of passing farther, and nothing remained but to ascend to the next terrace. This was done, with similar experiences, and another step was gained, from which, after looking down to where the boats were moored, they again climbed higher, entering very few of the cells, but directing their efforts towards reaching the central portion. But failure attended every effort, and, hot and wearied out by what was growing a monotonous task, Brace and the American readily acquiesced in Sir Humphrey's proposal that they should now descend and join their companions in the midday meal, and afterwards take the smaller boat, row to the front of the temple, and try for away up from the river. The task of descending and going back took considerably longer than they anticipated, but at last they reached the lower terrace, where the rest were awaiting their return, and over the meal they related their experiences. These were precisely similar to those of a couple of the men who had explored a little on their own account in the other direction; but they had been compelled to keep to the terrace where the fires had been lit. "The place must have been built by the same kind of people who cut their rock houses in some of the canons in Mexico," said Briscoe; "only those are a degenerate set, and their cells or dwellings are very rough and primitive. These people must have been greatly in advance. There: I want to get to work again. There must be a way into that temple place from the front." "Well, let's try," said the captain. "It's a queer place if there is no way in."