Daily Yellowstone journal., 1884-05-17
THE PYRAMIDS OF MEXICO
Dedicated 70 the Baa and Msea..The
Fury or the arranelsean.

'''-~~'SS
Fury Of the srraseiscan.
Mexico Cor. New Orleans Times Democrat
At Q distance the pyramids present
no evidence of their artificial origin. ap.
pearing rather like isolated hills, COW
cred with nopales and scanty growth
of vegetation. II is only ON closer sur.
vey, when You make the laborious
ascent of the larger mounds that you
discover unmistakable signs Of their
being the handiwork of man, in spite OF
the efforts nature has made to claim
them as her own. The principal monu-
ments are the pyramids, tumuli and
fortress.
OF the two pyramids the larger was
dedicated to the sun and the smaller to
the moon. They were once divided into
four stories or terraces, although time
has long since destroyed the lines OF d.
vision. The material composing them
il mixture of stone. mud, tepetal and
tezontli, the two latter beng volcanic
stones of Porous nature, and the
whole structure was formerly covered
with pla ter or stucco Of lime and sand
of a reddish color, like that which is
said to cover the ruins Of Palenque.
At intervals, while following the up
ward path, one finds extensive rents in
the thick layers of earth and vegetation
which have accumulated during past
ages, and then the composition Il these
stipend Gus works Il masonry is plainly
revealed. Remains Of spacious stair.
case leading up to the teocalli may al
be seen. Ira lition says that bot
pyramids are hollow, but hitherta Ill
efforts to excavate them have prov,
fru.tless. In Metztli or the Moon. there
is hole locking ward the south ami
situated up about two-thirds of it
height, which is prolonged int kind
Of gallery, extending, however. only
comparatively short d .stance; the walls
are covered with unburnt brick, and at
the further end there is o well.
The foregoing facts we were obliged
TO take upon trust, as the narrowness of
the opening and our cumbersome female
attire prevented us from exploring in
person the mysteries of the interior.
We were more fortunate, however, in
investigating an excavation in one of
the tumuli situated near the pyramid of
the Moon, which after o cons derable
amount of scrambling we succeeded in
entering. We found q spacious gallery
with small rooms at the side and inter
sected BY another gallery in such o man.
ner Is to form cross. Directly in
front Of this opening there stands o
huge piece Of hewn stone, some ten feet
IN height, upon which Q large, round
face is rudely carved. This relic OF an
ii Iu.ty was supposed to have been
hurlel down from the position it for
merly occupied upon the pyramid of
the Moon.
A little further on. at the end of q
kind of plazuels is another colossal
block OF stone upon which 10 rough
representation of what might be con.
sidered the moon. Both pyramids were
formerly crowned by statues of the di.
whites to VIII oh they were dedicated;
that which adorned the Sun being GOV.
cred by plates Of FURNISHED gold, which
reflected the frst beams of the king of
day. These figures are said to have
been extant at the me the Spaniards
entered the country, but they soon be.
came prey TO the Unsuitable cupidity
of the conquerors. whose thirst for gold
made them sacrifice every consideration
in order 10 crafty this passion.
Owing 10 the fury of the Franciscan,
Zumsrrags, none Of the antiquities of
Tenochtitlsn were allowed to escape de-
struction. il they CHANGED to fall within
his reach. and the idols Of San Juan de
ieotihuacan shared the universal do m.
The pyramid of Tanatinh. or the Sun,
g leo feet high and $50 feet long ct the
base. comparing favorably with the
great pyramid Of Cheops in Egypt, the
latter being AS feet high and 1923 ct
the base. The view obtained from the
summit is o sufficient reward for the To-
Dor of climbing It's steep sides. To the
southeast lies The land of Tlascala, so
intimately associated with the con luest
0 little further to the south the
,lains Of Apam and Peubla de las
ngeles. while 10 the wet tower those
z ant mountains that guard the valley
Of Mexico.