Besides these four buildings there is on the south of them, distant from them about an arquebus shot, another very large building built on a "Mul" or hill made by hand, with abundance of buttresses on the corners made of massive carved stones. The ascent of this "mul" is made with difficulty, since the staircase by which the ascent is made is now almost destroyed. The building which is raised on this "mul" is of extraordinary sumptuousness and grandeur, and like the others very fine and beautiful. It has on its front, which faces the east, many figures and bodies of men and of shields, and of forms like the eagle which are found on the arms of the Mexicans, as well as of certain characters and letters which the Maya Indians used in old time--all carved with so great dexterity as surely to excite admiration. The other façade, which faces the west, showed the same carving, although more than half the carved part had fallen. The ends stood firm and whole with their four corners much carved in the round, like those of the other building below.... The Indians do not know surely who built these buildings or when they were built, though some of them did their best in trying to explain the matter, but in doing so showed foolish fancies and dreams, and nothing fitted into the facts or was satisfactory. The truth is that to-day the place is called Uxmal, and an intelligent old Indian declared to the father delegate that according to what the ancients had said it was known that it was more than nine hundred years since the buildings were built.[59] From this account there appears to be little doubt that at the time of the conquest the great buildings of Uxmal were deserted and already falling into ruins. In the minds of the Indians they were evidently associated with the practice of their ancient religious rites at a much later date, for one of the reasons given by the regidor when he applied for a grant of the land upon which the ruins stand was that-- It would prevent the Indians in those places from worshipping the devil in the ancient buildings which are there, having in them idols to which they burn copal, and performing other detestable sacrifices as they are doing every day notoriously and publicly.[61] The ruins of Uxmal were probably venerated by the Indians up to a very recent period, as in one of the chants used by the modern Maya of southern Yucatan in their "Cha chac" or rain ceremony the "Noh Nah ti Uxmal," "Great house of Uxmal," is introduced, which possibly refers to the Casa del Gobernador, as this is the largest building among the ruins. [Illustration: PLATE 23 POTTERY VASE FROM YALLOCH, GUATEMALA] EXPLANATION OF PLATE 23