New-York daily tribune., 1843-03-30

were always red and always evidently stamped by
the living hand. Their constant recurrence eS-
cited in him lively curiosity as to their purpose
and significance; and in the Appendix to the sec
ond volume he publishes letter upon the subject
from Mr.. ScHooLcRAFT, well-known student of
Indian character and habits. He says that the
hand is always Used by the North American In
dians to denote supplicatioH to the Deity; and in
the system of picture writing it stands sym
Dol for strength or mastery thence derived. Mr..
ScHooLcRAFT states that he has often met this
symbol among the Indians on the Mississippi river.
He observed it stamped repeatedy upon the walls
OF village temple among the IRdaas Of the ISL
ands of Lake Superior.
Besides this principal house al Uxmal, called the
Casa del Goberuador, were FIVE others scarcely in
ferior to it in magnfcence. 1t weuld be useless, of
course to attempt to follow our author n his dis
crlPuons OF these ruins OF those which he after
wards found. He praceeded next TO Jalscho,
where he splendid annual fair with bull
tights and other tttes. Here he also found vast
mounds with ruined edihces and q great number
OF remarkable monuments, and he visited and
pored curious and wonderful Labyrinth called
the Cave of Maxcana, composed of intervening
passages running in every direction, with galleries.
&c. many of which he penetrated till his way was
blocked up by masses of earth which had fallen in.
He found here and at Uxmal, and indeed at sever
al other places which he visited, great number of
subterraneous chambers which were probably used
by the original inhabitants cisterns to supply the
| Ic,ti A.
with vases containing very curious and interesting
sculptured figures and hieroslyphics upon their
sides. One OF the most wonderful buildings seen
at Uxmal where our travellers spent sometime, is
that called the House of the Dwarf, standing upon
lofty mound and measuring two hundred and
thirty feet in length one hundred and fifty in width,
and eighty in perpendicular hight-its shape being
pyramidal. The crownng structure is long and
narrow building presenting, even in its decay,
most elegant and tasteful arrangement of orna-
ments. Upon the walls are sculptured the en-
blems Of Life ard Death in such way as to con-
firm Mr.. STEPHENS in the belief that it was erect
ed for the practice of the worship prevalent among
the Egyptians and other Eastern nations. The
padre Cogaludo, from whose work Mr.. STEPEENs
has before quoted, contains an interesting notice
of this stupendous structure of the use which it
was applied.
"He says that he once ascended the steps and
that when he attempted to descend he repented;
his sight failed him, and he was in SEINE danger
He adds that in the apartments OF the building,
were the idols and that there they made sacrifices
of men, women, and children. Beyond doubt this
lofty building was great 'Teocalis, the great tenn
pie of idols worshiped by the people of Uxmal.
conSecrated by their mysterious rites the ho-
| in his Hand large, broad, and sharp Knife made
of Flint Another Priest carried a wooden Collar
wrought like snake. The persons to be sacrif-
ced were conducted one by one up the steps, stark
naked, and as soon as laid on the stone, had the
Collar put upon their Neck, and the four Priests
| took hold of the hands and feet. Then the High
Priest with wonderful dexterity, ripped up the
Breast tore the Heart, reeking, with his Hands,
and showed it to the Sun, Offering him the Heart
and Steam that came from it. Then he turned to
the Idol and threw it in his face, which done, ne
kicked the body down the steps, and it ne7er stopped
till it came to the bottom because they were very
upright and cne who had been Priest and had
! bean converted, said that when they tore out the
Heart of the wre,ched Person sacrlhoedit did beat
so strongly that he took up from the Ground three
|
threw the BODY still moving down the steps.' In
ell the long catalogue Of supersitious rites that
! darken the page Of mans history cannot imagine
picture more horribly exciting than that OF the
| Indian Priest, with his white dress and long hair,
clothed with gore, performing his murderous sa-
crices at this lofty ght, in full view OF the pee-
pie throughout the whole extent of the CITY,
But our notice j, becoming too extended for orr
| lr,it, ia much mora matter al prest n
terest in these volumes with important obserya-
tons on the various points suggested by the ex-
ploraton of these mysterious ruins. Te these we
shall take an early opportunity of again referring.
| For The Tribune.
To The Whiss of OOan.ctieat may be in feS York
While opponents admit that if we will turn
out in our fell strength on Monday aext, we can
carry eur ticket by majority of or 5000, will
you not so arrange your business as 10 be at home
on Monday next 2 always bearing in mind that the
loss of single Wing vote may lose us the State
officers.
We are confident that with little effort we shall
carry certainly three, and probably all four, Mem
| bers of Congress. Remember that on the success
of our ticket may depend the Pernanency OF the
Tariff-on which depends the whole business OF
our State for years to come. VIII you not, one
and all, be at home and vote on Monday next
A CoNNEcTIcUr WHls.
o'CONNELES HISTORY OF IRELAND!
10 the Friends of Ireland!
WILL BE PUBLISHED ON SATURDAY,
a aleuelr OH freIano, Nattbe aEo SaroH.
pr Y, ,NrIE4 ncnNNEII. 2