His rooms were fitted up more with an eye to the useful, than to any apparent desire for display. The ceiling was ornamented with lithographs of battles, interspersed with patterns of French fire-boards. Previous to taking leave, he very kindly offered all the aid in his power for facilitating my visit to the towns in the interior. For this, as for other civilities, I shall probably never have an opportunity of testifying to him the full extent of my gratitude. He passed with us through his house to the door of the college, adjoining, when he left us in charge of the rector, with instructions to conduct us through the building. The institution is called “Minerva.” The first room entered was the library, which was small and badly arranged. It was comprised of works principally relating to the church. It contains a portrait of the founder of the college, a building which was completed in 1775. It is supported by certain taxes paid by each curate in the province. These having been cut off, in a great degree, by the recent changes in the government, seriously affect the institution, which, at this time, is quite limited in its means. Though the pay of the president and professors is small, and the contingent expenses are light, it is apprehended that it cannot long be continued. Its studies do not go beyond the high schools in the United States. We hastily glanced at this building, and then entered the cathedral with our attentive friend, who took especial pains to point out every thing worthy of particular notice. Upon a close examination of the altars and shrines, it was plainly to be discovered that the church was poor. The time is gone by in which churches are made the depositories of the precious metals, formerly a source of so much wealth to them. One of the shrines contains a wooden image of our Saviour, to which attention was called by one of the priests that accompanied us through the church. He stated to us with much gravity, that it was preserved harmless from a great fire by a miracle, and that it is now looked upon as a most sacred relic. A room was shown us containing portraits of all the bishops of Yucatan. They were badly executed. One of them was pointed out as having been a great eater; he would devour a whole turkey at his dinner, and say, “it was a fine chicken.” Another was shown who had performed the miracle of changing sour apples to sweet, a function which has given its proprietor’s name to a species of apple, which is retained to this day. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER III.