The Republican journal., 1888-01-19
oil t.,,c, ~ half Lott

mention of them, and they were not discover
ed until two centuries and half later.
In 1877 Captain Antonio del Rio was sent by
the Spanish king to explore them; but his re-
port was not given to the world till 1922 when
somebody published it in London. In 1907 the
ruins were again investigated by Capt. DupaiX,
at the instance of Carter w.; but his labors
were never made public till nearly thirty years
afterwards, in Paris. The best accounts of
their present appearance we owe to the Amer
lean travellers, }. l.. Stephens and Frederick
Ober.
THE RUINED STRUCTURES
were erected upon terraced hillocks Of vast
dimensions. The grandest is that row called
1.-The Palace 23S feet long by $50 feet deep,
but only % feet high. The greatest interest
however, centers in the little editice known as
casa number tWo'-Which, it is unnecessary
to say, is not the name bestowed upon it by the
original builders-in which was found the
famous tablet, covered with strange sculptur-
ing and heroghyphics, including the figure of
the cross, about which archeologists have
wranged so long and bitterly.
Here is Mr. Stephens description: The prir,-
cipa subject of this tablet is the cross. 1t is
surmounted by a strange bird, and loaded with
indescribabe ornaments. The two figures are
evidently those of very important personage,.
They are well drawn, and in symmetry of pro-
portion are equal to many that are carved on
the walls of the temples of Egypt. y \ Both
in the act Of making an offering, perhaps of a
child. All speculations on the subject are of
course entitled to little regard, but perhaps it
would not be wrong to ascribe to these person.
ages a sacerdotal character The hieroglyphics
doubtless explain them ALL Near these are
other hieroglyphcS. which remind us of the
Egyptian mode of recording the name, history
office or character of the persons represented
This tablet, or cross, has given rise to more
learned speculation than any others found at
Paienque."
Aside from this, there Is much evidence to
prove that
BEFORE TIE ADVENT OF COLUMBUS
have not space to produce it. One author
asserts that it was originally brought here by
Saint Thomas himself, who preached to the
aborigines of Mexico away back in the bv-gonc>
Those early historians seem to have had great
faith in the frequent naturalization of the
Saints. Gomara assures us that the glorious
Apostle. Saint James. assisted in person in the
Spanish conquest of Tabasio, riding on a dap
pie horse. Bernal Diaz says with candor that
he did not behold this apparition himself. but
adds. "Although |, unworthy sinner that am
was unfit to behold either of those holy apostles
(St. Peter and st. James.) upwards of four
hundred of us were present, let their testimony
be taken.'
Mr.. Charles Rau of Washington, in his .'Pa-
lenque Tablet" published in the "Smthsonian
W NHOW ieuSc. ABOUT nine wears
ago, made an interesting comparison between
the glyphs scuptured on this Tablet of the
Gross. and the symbols of the celebrated Maya
alphabet" of Zanda. the first Bishop OF YasStan
tie found many points ol contrast between the
two, and only such differences as would nat
urally arise between the writing of the same
language at erochs several thousand wears
apart
The temple which contained the tablet stands
on an artificial pyramid, l34 feet high, from
whose summit the view extends to the I.aguna
del Terminus and the Gulf Of Mexico. Regard
ing the Stucco adornments, so characteristic of
Paienque, Stephens says: The roof of the tenn
pie shows two slopes, the lower one being
richly ornamented with stucco figures. plants
and flowers, mostly ruined. Among them are
fragments of a beautiful head and Two bodies
in justness OF proportion and symmetry ap-
preaching the Greek modes.'
What mysteries lie hidden, with the mold of
buried races, within those tangled forests Of
TabaSco, who can tell:
FANNIE b. WARD.