The prætor and his family called at the quarters of the corps shortly after breakfast on the following morning, to escort the members to the Adolescentium. Instead of proceeding up the foræ avenue to the temple gate, the prætor conducted them to the edificos sacerdotium, and from the court of the centre building led them to an intermural stairway, that commanded the only means of ascent to the temple walls, which were higher and distinct from those of the cinctus enclosure. The prætor in ascending explained that the houses abutting the wall upon the inner and outer faces, now occupied by the teachers, were designed in building to facilitate the mysteries of the temple ceremonies. Reaching the parapet we passed in its walk to a septum wall of an elliptic form, uniting at its distal extremity from the falls, with, but was in altitude higher than the cinctus. The outer and inner walls of the lower enclosure contained an oblong piece of ground of considerable extent. The interspaces between the walks were planted with fruit trees and vines, the mist of the falls veiling it from the brink of the precipice. The priests had undoubtedly availed themselves of these natural aids for the furtherance of their mysterious impositions; its counterpart of the northern temple being subject to the same interposed screen, which closed in the view to all beyond the walls. The undulating upward lift of the misty veil disclosed the familiar blossoms of the apple, pear, peach, and apricot, with other exotics of the temperate zones that the misty atmosphere favored; discovering to us the flavoring source of preserves which we had attributed to artificial production. The prætor informed us that the germs of these were of Manatitlan transportation. The fruitful view on either hand—for the temple garden was also under kindred cultivation—called forth expressions of admiration.