Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-08-03

way with a machete. What lies buried in
the forest it is impossible to say Of my own
knowledge; without guide we might have
gone within hundred feet of all the build
lngs without discovering one of them.
Captain Del Rio, the first explorer, with
men and means at command, states in his
report, that in the execution of his COM
mission, he cut down and burned all the
woods; he does not say how far, but judg-
ing from the breaches and excavations
made in the interior of the buildings, pro-
| badly for miles around. Captain Dupaix,
acting under a royal commission, and with
all the resources such a commission would
give, did not discover any more buildings
than those mentioned by Del Rio, and we
saw only the same: but having the benefit
of them as guides, at least of Del Rio flor
at that time we had not seen Dupalx's
work, we OF course saw things which es-
capped their observation, just as those " no
come after us will see what escaped ours.
This place, however, was the principal
object OF our expedition, and it was our
wish and intention TO make thorough ex-
Poration. Respect for my official char
acter, the special tenor OF my passport,
and letters from Mexican authorities, gave
mo every facility. The project assumed
that was sent by my government ex-
pressly to explore the ruins; and every
person in Palenque, except our friend the
alcalde, and even he as much rs the per-
yorslly OF his disposition would permit,
was disposed TO assist US. But there were
accidental difficulties which were insuper-
able. First, it was the rainy season.
This, under any circumstances, would
have made it difficult; but as the rains did
not commence till three or four o'clock,
and the weather was always clear In the
morning, II alone would not have been suf-
ticcnt to prevent orr attempting it; but
there were other difficulties, which cmbar-
raised US from the beginning, and contin-
ued during our whole residence among The
ruins. There was not an axe or Il spade,
IN the place, and, as usual, tile only instru-
ment was the machete, which here was
like u short and wide-bladed sword; and
the d .fiiculty of procuring indians to worn
was greater than ut any other place we
had visited. twas the season of planting
corn, and the Indians, under the immcdi-
ate pressure of famine, were all busy with
their milPas. The price Of an Indians
labor was eighteen cents per day, but the
alcaldc, who had the direction OF this part
OF the business, would not let me advance
to more than twenty-five cents, and the
most he would engage TO send ne was
from four to six day. They would no,
sleep at the ruins, came late and always
went away early; sometimes only two or
three appeared, and the same men rarely
came twice, so that during our stay we
had all the Indians OF the village in rota-
ton. This increased very much our la
Dor, as it made it necessary to stand over
them constantly to direct their work; and
just'as one set began 10 understand pre-
cisely what we wanted, we were obliged
TO teach the same to others; and | may
remark that their labor, though nominally
cheap, was dear in reference to the work
done.
At that time expected to return to Pa
lcnque; whether shall do 50 or not is I'M
certain; but | am anxious that it should be
understood that the accounts which have
been published of the immense labor and
expense Of exploring these ruins, which,
as before remarked, made it almost seem
presumptuous for me 10 undertake it with
my own resources, are exaggerated and
untrue. Being on the ground at the COM
mcncemcnt of the dry season, with eight
or ten young "pioneers." having a spirit
Of enterprise equal TO their bone and mus
Gle, in less than six months the whole of
these ruins would be laid bare. Any man
who has ever cleared hundred acres
Of land Is competent to undertake it, and
the time and money spent by one Of our
young men in q" winter in Paris" would
determine beyond all peradventure wheth-
er the city ever did cover the immense ex-
tent, which some have supposed