1. Stone tower.

ANALYSIS. of the court yard, on each side of a corresponding flight of steps, are similar figures. 'In one part of the building is a substantial stone tower of three stories, thirty feet square at the base, and rising far above the surrounding 2.Ornaments, walls. "The ornaments throughout the building are so the rooms. numerous, and the plan of the rooms so complicated, as to forbid any attempt at minute description.

and plan o

8. Description of the build

ing called nal of Jus

the Tribu

tice."

a. See No. 2,

page 74.

4. Other

5. Immediately adjoining the building above described is another, but of smaller dimensions, although placed on a more elevated terrace. Both terrace and building are surrounded by trees, and completely overgrown with them. The front of the building is richly ornamented in stucco, the corner piers are covered with hieroglyphics, and the intervening ones with human figures. The walls are very massive, the floors are paved with large square stones, and in one of the corridors, projecting from the wall, are two large tablets of hieroglyphics, each thirteen feet long and eight feet high. This building has been called, by the Spaniards, the "Tribunal of Justice;" and the tablets of hieroglyphics, the " Tables of the Law."

6. The remaining buildings of Palenque are likewise buildings. placed on elevated terraces, and in their general character are similar to those already described.

5. Extent of Palenque.

Although it has been repeatedly asserted that these the ruins of ruins cover a space of from twenty to sixty miles in extent, and although it is possible that in the dense surrounding forest other ruins may yet be discovered, yet it is believed that all those which have been explored are embraced within an area of less than an acre.

6. Situation

of the ruins of Copan.

RUINS OF COPAN.

1. "The ruins of Copan, in the western part of Hondu. ras, adjoining the province of Guatimala, are on the east.

ruins.

2. Character within the

of the ruins

walls.

ern bank of a small stream that falls into the Bay of hon- ANALYSIS. duras. 'A wall of cut stone, from sixty to ninety feet 1. Walls surhigh, running north and south along the margin of the rounding the stream, its top covered with furze and shrubbery,-is yet standing in a state of good preservation; and other walls of a similar character surround the principal ruins. 'Within these walls are extensive terraces and pyramidal buildings, massive stone columns, idols, and altars, covered with sculpture; some of which are equal in workmanship to the finest monuments of the Egyptians, and all now enveloped in a dense and almost impenetrable forest. 2. The description given by Mr. Stephens, of the impressions made upon him by the first view of these ruins, is so graphic, that we present it here, although in a condensed form, yet as nearly as possible in the language of the writer. After working his way over the walls and Interior of through the thick wood to the interior of the inclosure, "we came," he says, "to an area so covered with trees, that at first we could not make out its form, but which, on clearing the way, we ascertained to be a square, with steps on all the sides, almost as perfect as those of the Roman amphitheatre.

3. The degiven by Mr.

scription

Stephens.

the inclosure.

3. "These steps, ornamented with sculpture, we as- 5. Broad and cended, and reached a broad terrace a hundred feet high, lofty terrace. overlooking the river, and supported by the wall which we had seen from the opposite bank. The whole terrace was covered with trees; and even at this height from the ground were two gigantic cotton trees, about twenty feet in circumference, extending their half naked roots fifty or a hundred feet around, binding down the ruins, and shading them with their wide spreading branches.

the city?"

4. We sat down on the edge of the wall, and strove 6." Who buil in vain to penetrate the mystery by which we were surrounded. Who were the people that built this city? Historians say America was peopled by savages; but savages never reared these structures-savages never carved these stones. We asked our Indian attendants who erected these works, and their dull answer was, 'Who knows?' There were no associations connected with the place, none of those stirring recollections which hallow Rome, and Athens, and

'The world's great mistress on the Egyptian plain;'

glory.

but architecture, sculpture, and painting,-all the arts Its departed which embellished life,-had flourished in this overgrown forest. Orators, warriors, and statesmen,-beauty, ambition, and glory, had lived and passed away, and none could tell of their past existence.

ANALYSIS. 5. The city was desolate. It lay before us like a 1. Its desola- shattered bark in the midst of the ocean, her masts gone, ion and mys her name effaced, her crew perished, and none to tell

tery.

2. Extent of the ruins.

a. See p. 76. 3. Terraces, sculptured fragments,

whence she came, to whom she belonged, how long on her voyage, or what caused her destruction. All was mystery, dark, impenetrable mystery; and every cir cumstance increased it. An immense forest shrouded the ruins, hiding them from sight, heightening the impression and moral effect, and giving an intensity and almost wildness to the interest."

6. The ruins extend along the river more than two miles, but the principal portion of them is represented on the annexed Plan. "The numerous terraces and pyramids are walled with cut stone; and sculptured fragments carved heads, abound throughout the ruins. Remains of carved heads, altars," e of gigantic proportions, ornament many of the terraces; and numerous colossal statues, or "idols," of solid stone, from ten to fifteen feet in height, are found; some erect, others fallen. There are likewise many "altars," all of a single block of stone,-some richly ornamented, but each differing from all the rest,-many of them now much faded and worn by their long exposure to the elements. Some are in their places before the idols; others are overthrown, and partially or wholly buried in the earth.

4. Descrip tion of one of

SOLID STONE ALTAR, FOUND AT COPAN; six feet square and four feet high, the top covered with hieroglyphics.

7. 'One of these sculptured altars, standing on four the altare globes cut out of the same stone, was six feet square and four feet high, with its top covered with hieroglyphics, and each side representing four individuals. The figures sit cross-legged, in the oriental custom ;-the head-dresses are remarkable for their curious and complicated forms;all have breastplates; and each holds some article in his

hand. The absence of all representations of weapons of ANALYSIS. war, and the nature of the ornaments, induces the belief that the people were not warlike, but peaceable, idolatrous, and probably easily subdued.

8. Two or three miles from the ruins, there is a stony 1. Quarries. range where are quarries from which the stones for the walls and buildings of Copan were evidently taken. There are huge blocks of stone of different degrees of finish; and others are found on the way to the city, where they were probably abandoned when the labors of the workmen were arrested.

RUINS OF CHICHEN.

and extent of

Chichen.

a. See Map,

p. 74.

1. The ruins of Chichen, in the central part of north- 2. Situation ern Yucatan, are about thirty miles west of Valladolid; the ruins of and as the high road passes through them, they are probably better known than any other ruins in the country. The buildings which are still standing are laid down on the annexed" Plan." The whole circumference occupied by them is about two miles, although ruined buildings appear beyond these limits.

of building

2. Following the pathway from the "Modern Build- 3. Description ings," as denoted on the annexed Plan, at the distance of No. 1. thirty or forty rods we arrive at the building represented as No. 1. This building faces the east, and measures one hundred and forty-nine feet in front, by forty-eight feet deep. The whole exterior is rude and without ornament of any kind. In the centre of one side, a grand staircase, forty-five feet wide, now in ruins, rises to the roof of the building. The whole number of apartments is eighteen; one of which, from its darkness, and from the sculpture on the lintel of its doorway, has given a

ANALYSIS. name to the whole building, signifying, in the Indian language, the "Writing in the dark."

1. The

"House of the Nuns a. See No. 2,

preceding page.

2. Exterior

buildings.

with its sevc

and ranges.

3. 'Leaving this building, and following the pathway about thirty rods westward, we reach a majestic pile of buildings, called the "House of the Nuns;" remarkable for its good state of preservation, and the richness and beauty of its ornaments. "On the left, as we approach, is a building measuring thirty-eight feet by thirteen; and on the right is another which is twenty-six feet long, fourteen deep, and thirty-one high. The latter has three cornices, and the spaces between are richly ornamented. 3. The prin- 4. "The principal pile of buildings consists of three cipal pile of buildings, structures, rising one above another. On the north side, ral staircases, a grand staircase, of thirty-nine steps, fifty-six feet wide platforms, and thirty-two feet high, rises to the top of the first range, upon which stands a second range of buildings, with a platform of fourteen feet in front extending all round. From the back of this platform, on the south side, the grand staircase rises again, fifteen steps, to the roof of the second range; which forms a platform in front of the third range. These several buildings rest on a structure solid from the ground, the roof of the lower range being 4. Circumfe merely a platform in front of the upper one. 'The cirheight of the cumference of the whole structure is six hundred and thirty-eight feet, and its height is sixty-five feet. 5 Upper plat- 5. The upper platform forms a noble promenade, and form, apartments, inner commands a magnificent view of the whole surrounding country. The apartments are too numerous to be described. The inner walls of some had been covered with painted designs, now much defaced, but the remains of which present colors, in some places still bright and vivid. Among these remains are detached portions of human figures, well drawn,-the heads adorned with plumes of feathers, and the hands bearing shields and spears.

rence and

Btructure.

walls, paintings, g-c.

6. The Car

b. See No 3,

page.

6. At the distance of four hundred feet northward from acol. the "House of the Nuns," stands a circular building,' preceding twenty-two feet in diameter, upon the uppermost of two extensive terraces. On account of its interior arrangements, this building is known as the Caracol or "Wind7. Staircase ing staircase." 'A staircase forty-five feet wide, and containing twenty steps, rises to the platform of the first terrace. On each side of this staircase, forming a sort of balustrade, were the entwined bodies of two gigantic sculptured serpents, three feet wide,-portions of which are still in their places.

and balus trades.

8. Second stair case.

7. The platform of the second terrace is reached by another staircase, and in the centre of the steps are the remains of a pedestal six feet high, on which probably