Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-16
In YuCATAN.
THE ANCIENT CAPITAL OF THE
ABORIGINAL MAYAS.
Ruins of Mayapan and Civilization
Indicated of Its Builders
Sights in an Indian Town.

Especial Correspondence of the REcoRD-UNIoN. ]
YUCAFAN, Mexico, June ), 1888.
To visit Yucatan without making a
pilgrimage to some of its world-famous
ruins would be like "doing" Egypt without
seeing the pyramids; so one fine day we
set out for Mayapan, about thirty miles
south OF Merida, the old-time seat of the
ancient empire of the Mayas or aboriginal
inhabitants Of this peninsula.
The route thereto lies through
THE VILLAGE OF TELCHAQUILLo,
Populated entirely by Indians to the num-
Der of about 800 and composed of the
rudest of huts, cdsas de PAPA, where we were
obliged to pass the night, both going and
returning. Telchaquillo is not upon the
Canine real, or Kings highway, but is
reached by wild path through the woods,
which turns off abruptly from the royal
road some five miles north of the town.
The canine real is bad enough, and this is
Undesirable. How it came TO be built at
all illustrates striking feature of Yucca
tan character. Forty years ago or more
Telchaqulllo was under the care of a cure,
who was very much beloved by all the
Indians far and near. But the path from
Merida was so circuitous and difficult that.
on account Of many other duties, the good
Father felt compelled to give i: up and
gave notice to that effect Then the In
dams, regarding the threatened loss as the
worst possible calamity, turned out in a
body and cut new road, straight through
the woods, from the cures door to the
church.
More than half a century ago a great
cathedral was commenced in this out of
the way hamlet, under the direction of
some long-dead curate 1t is needless to
add that the poor Indian who can barely
keep soul and body together could never
complete it. One end has been rooted and
rudely fitted up as a chapel, and beyond
are the high, uncovered walls, fast crum-
bling to decay.
Sitting upon an adobe bench in the lit
tie plaza which occupies the center of the
town, we were greatly astonished by what
looked like
A SERIES OF MYSTERIOUS DIsAPPEARANCEs
There was a continuous procession of
women, going and coming, each with 4
big canteyo, or water jar, upon her shoulder
As they went from Us they suddenly passed
out of sight at the distance OF few yards,
while others as suddenly appeared, with
faces toward us, as if they had risen out Il
the earth. ! rubbed my eyes, thinking it
an optical illusion. But no; there they
were, appearing and disappearing in con-
slant procession, like so many phantoms or
Jacks-in-a-box.
Determined to solve the mystery, we
quickly came to wide opening in the
level but rocky surface of the ground, in
visible at a little distance, which We at
once recognized at the mouth of cenote,
or water-cave. There being no other
stream or well for miles around, this sub
terranean reservoir supplies all the inhab-
itants with water. The descent is by reg
ular steps cut in the limestone now worn
into hollows. Overhead extends an i'm
mense wall Of stone, and 500 feet from the
mouth is an inexhaustible supply of clear,
cold water, which has no current, and
whose source is mystery. They tell us
that it rises little during the rainy
season, but never falls below certain
point at any time of the year.
Around the mouth of the cave birds
and bats were circling and darling, and
the Egyptian-looking figures ascending
and descending with their water.jars made
a scene as picturesque as romantic. Luck
lily there are few strangers and no drunk
ards in Telchaquillo, for, as call roads
lead to Rome" the path to everywhere
leads through the plaza, and it would be
the easiest thing in life to tumble through
this broken roof into the bottomless gulf
beneath.